Bargain Hunter: Lock in the pre-election exchange rate and plan your holiday now

The pound's recent strength against the euro could be hit by economic uncertainty under a new government

Spend £10 at Caffè Nero and you'll get a £5 credit (Alex Lentati/Evening Standard)

Next week's election could hit your holiday plans. Why? The pound's recent strength against the euro could be hit by economic uncertainty under a new government. But buy euros now and you could lock in near record-high rates.

In fact, one travel expert reckons that you could save a tenner for every £100 you spend abroad by preparing now. "Plan what you're going to do and how you're going to spend overseas," advises Bob Atkinson, of Travelsupermarket.com.He says the cheapest way to pay abroad is to use plastic, but not any plastic. "Look for credit and debit cards which are designed for usage overseas. The market-leading deals – such as the Halifax Clarity credit card and Norwich & Peterborough debit card – have no hidden currency loading fees or transaction fees."

Flex your Amex while you're out and receive a credit

A new range of Amex Offers was launched this week for cardholders. Spend in certain locations and you'll get a statement credit.

Spend a tenner at Caffè Nero on your card, for instance, and you'll receive a £5 credit. At Boots you'll need to spend £20 for a £5 credit, while if you spend £50 or more at Shell or Thetrainline.com, you will be handed a £10 credit.

To sign up for the offers, log into your Amex account. The deals are available until 28 June.

Give your eyebrows a treat and help a good cause

Buy a brow wax from Benefit Cosmetics this month and you'll get a free Gimme Brow worth £18.50. The offer is valid at all its stores, department stores and salons across the country. On top of that, the cosmetics company has pledged to donate the profits from its brow wax services to good causes.

The cash will go to Look Good Feel Better, which helps women and teenagers to combat the visible side effects of cancer treatment, and Refuge, which supports women and children escaping domestic violence.

Breathe new life into a gift voucher close to expiry

Keep your money-saving tips coming in. Tony, from St Albans, writes in with a good way to extend the lifespan of a gift voucher. "If it's almost out of date, spend it on anything. Return whatever you bought the next day, unopened and with the receipt, and you'll get a credit note which will have a longer expiry date."

Shoppers are flocking to the discount websites

Bargain-hungry Britons are using more deals and discount sites than ever. Consumers spent a record £16.5bn last year on products and services bought through price-comparison, voucher, cashback, loyalty and product-review websites, 14 per cent more than in 2013 – says PwC's Online Performance Marketing study. Almost three out of five of us use a voucher code site or a mobile voucher app at least once a month, while almost a third of us say we visit loyalty sites.

Got any deals or discounts to share with readers? Send details and deadlines to your money@independent.co.uk