discovered that, despite over a quarter of people making between five and eight trips abroad per year, 74 per cent of travellers do not contact their network operator to get the best deal before hopping on a plane.

A further 90 per cent confessed to not having any idea what their operators charge for accessing the web when overseas, with 60 per cent saying they considered the £45 cap too high and would be upset if charged this amount.

“The roaming cap is a positive step to prevent enormous bills on returning home, but it’s clear travellers don’t know exactly what they are paying while abroad. This is leading to unexpected, yet avoidable, costs on top of their holiday,” said John Erceg, MD at budgetplaces.com.

Based on its experiences helping travellers to find the best-value accommodation and activities to make the most of their holidays, budgetplaces.com has put together its top three tips for cash-conscious consumers:

1.  Check before you travel – call your operator and find out what its pricing structure is. Quite often, they will have add-on ‘bundles’ available, meaning you’ll know what you’re paying before leaving the UK.

2.  Use smart apps – find the quickest and easiest apps to use, such as those that allow you to complete actions without using additional sites, minimising time online and therefore cost.

3.  Shop around – find areas that offer free Wi-Fi facilities, your hotel may have this (as do the majority of hotels bookable on www.budgetplaces.com), or cafes often allow customers access. Then you can surf to your heart’s content for the price of an espresso.

“By planning ahead and getting the best deal, travellers can ensure that more of their holiday budget goes on experiencing different cultures and exploring the sites rather than worrying about unexpected bills when you get home,” added Erceg.