With the traffic building as the schools go back and the shops turning their attention to all things that glitter, there can be no doubting that the British summer is winding down. The wettest August on record dampened many holiday spirits, so maybe now is the time to head for the sun?

October is increasingly the preserve of the savvy traveller. Known as the 'shoulder' season, this is the perfect time to hunt down the sun. Prices are low but the weather is still good making a last minute holiday or city break the surest way to catch the last of the summer sun.

Leading foreign currency specialist, International Currency Exchange, is advising those who can make the most of the 'shoulder' season to ensure that they don't lose all the benefit of any savings by making unwise currency buying decisions ."When people make a last minute travel booking, there's always a risk of leaving buying currency until they arrive at the airport or even using credit cards for cash abroad, neither of which is going to result in the best rates", confirmed Andrew Hamilton, Head of Marketing for ICE.

"Even if the booking is made at the last minute, holidaymakers can still order currency online for next day delivery to their home. ICE will deliver travel money for free at a great exchange rate with no commission charges, provided the order is £300 or over. Our customers find this service very easy to use and good value, as can be seen from the many unsolicited testimonials on our website. Alternatively, if there's a bit more time in hand, travellers could make use of the ICE Travellers cashcard which provides added security instead of carrying cash abroad."

The ICE Travellers cashcard is available in Euro, US Dollar and Pounds, it is free to obtain with clear, low fees and charges and means holidaymakers no longer need to use their bank cards abroad, avoiding inherent risks and punitive charges.

"The ICE Travellers cashcard offers consumers a real alternative to bank credit and debit cards, travellers' cheques and cash", continues Andrew Hamilton. "The cashcard provides the security that people require, being prepaid, it can only be used up to the funds loaded onto it making it a lot less likely to be the target of fraud. In addition it can be reloaded while abroad simply by accessing your account online."

The ICE Travellers cashcard is accepted at over 25 million ATMs, shops and restaurants in over 120 countries across the globe. Carrying the MasterCard® brand, the card is accepted wherever the logo is displayed. Not only that but a family can take up to five cards on every account, meaning every member of the family can enjoy the freedom and safety the Travellers cashcard offers.

Hamilton concludes "Applying for an ICE Travellers cashcard is easy. All customers need to do is log on to www.iceplc.com and spend a couple of minutes completing the online application form. There's no need to send any forms through the post or get certified copies of documents. Without the worry of carrying credit cards or large quantities of cash, holidaymakers can spend this 'shoulder' season making the most of the last of the summer sun and not looking over their shoulder."