surprise trip card

How to give a surprise trip as a gift

There's really no better gift to give yourself or others than the gift of experiences and travel. Surprising someone with a trip can be the ultimate present ... to give and receive. There's just no question that a memorable travel experience is almost guaranteed to deliver more long-term happiness than another fuzzy sweater or gadget wrapped up in a bow .

Personally, I'm a sucker for putting slightly over-the-top gifts under the tree from time to time — including surprise trips. The pandemic slowed down that type of gifting at my house, but this may be the year that is right to try it once again.

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Even in normal times, giving a trip as a surprise can be complicated, or even disastrous, if you aren't careful. Here are my tried-and-tested tips for gifting a surprise trip to a close friend or family member.

Be certain they'll love it

If you can't be 100% sure whether or not the gift recipient will love the trip's itinerary and be available to travel on the scheduled dates (with an appropriate passport, COVID-19 requirements, etc.), you shouldn't book the trip as a surprise.

You can still surprise them with the idea of the trip, but don't make the actual bookings (or at least any nonrefundable reservations) until you know for sure they want to go and are available.

Don't use frequent flyer numbers in the booking

The easiest way to have your secret plan foiled is to have the trip show up in the recipient's email inbox or frequent flyer account. This will almost invariably happen if you use their frequent flyer or hotel loyalty numbers in the reservation. It sounds like an easy step to skip, but be aware it can happen automatically if you have booked a trip for them before and their frequent flyer numbers are stored in your account.

For example, one year I booked trips for both my mother and husband for Christmas, and both were already travelers in my United MileagePlus account. I had to enter them as new travelers in order to not have their frequent flyer numbers loaded into the reservation.

Related: Beginners guide to earning points and miles

In the end, it all worked, and once Christmas had passed, I added their United frequent flyer numbers and Known Traveler Numbers to the reservation.

Booking through a third-party site, such as Expedia, and leaving off the frequent flyer numbers can also work. There's a small chance it will make it difficult to use PreCheck (or a similar program) if the names don't 100% align, so there could be a potential slight downside to this form of secrecy — but it can keep your surprise under wraps.

Use an incognito browser

I won't even pretend to know all the ways that the internet is always "spying" on you, but I do know that when I'm shopping for someone on one computer in the house, the others often start to get targeted ads for that item or destination. So, to cut down on the likelihood you tip off anyone that may live with you about the surprise, do your research and purchases in an incognito browser.

Don't use their points

This one should be pretty obvious, but don't use someone else's miles or points to book a surprise trip -- even if it is your partner.

This is a bad idea for multiple reasons but on a practical level, they are likely to see the redemption in their account or inbox, so the surprise will probably be ruined.

Think about the 'extras'

It's a weird time, and so you need to think through things that used to just be extras when it came to trip planning. For example, if they need a rental car, you'll want to make sure that price and availability aren't going to be a problem.

Some ski resorts also limit lift ticket sales during peak dates, so if you are gifting them a ski trip, make sure they can still get lift tickets. Even Disney World sells out of tickets on certain dates, so ensure you make them Park Pass reservations to go along with gifted tickets in the case of a theme park trip tied to specific dates.

Basically, go through all components of the trip and pre-plan or at least adequately research the availability of all of the essential components.

Be careful of what the trip will really cost them

If you're going to gift a trip (and that's very kind of you), think through how much the gift will ultimately cost the person traveling. For example, if you're giving them a cruise, will the recipient still be on the hook for flights to and from the port? What about a potential overnight at a hotel near the port and ancillary costs on the cruise ? If so, is that still a reasonable "gift"? These days, you may also need to factor COVID-19 testing into the equation.

In the case of a cruise, those ancillary expenses could total $1,000 or more, depending on the details, so think through if you're accidentally signing someone up for expenses they may or may not be ready to handle. Again, when in doubt, don't actually book the trip as a surprise.

Consider gift certificates

One thing we've given extended family members in the past is airline gift cards , if we know the recipient likes to travel, but we aren't in a position to know exactly when and where they want to go.

This is an especially great way to give travel to grandparents who have grandkids and bucket list-worthy travel destinations scattered around the country and beyond. Hotels, Disney and even some cruise lines also all sell gift cards, making this a flexible way to gift travel without having to dive into a specific booking.

Related: The best starter travel credit cards

Wrap it up in a creative way

The gift of travel doesn't need to be packaged in fancy wrapping paper in order to be awesome.

If you're like me, however, it's fun to strategize an unforgettable way for the recipient to discover the gift. For example, you could give a trip to Paris in a box of macarons, a ski trip in a box of fake snow or, in our case a few years ago, a trip to Spain using a huge map that your mom had in her high school Spanish classroom for over 30 years.

It isn't totally necessary, of course, but it sure builds up the fun and excitement for everyone in the room, as you can see by our trip reveal to my mom on Christmas morning a few years ago.

Giving the gift of a vacation may be a bit more risky than a sweatshirt, gift card or blanket, but it can also be way more rewarding for everyone involved if you can pull it off.

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13 Ways to Surprise Someone with a Trip

Last Updated: December 4, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Seth Hall and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Seth T. Hall (ICF ACC, CLC, and MNLP) is a Certified Life Coach and Founder of Transformational Solutions, a Los Angeles-based life-coaching company that helps people achieve their toughest goals, find their own voice, and think outside the box. He has been a life coach for over 10 years, specializing in personal development, relationships, career and finance, and wellness. He has helped his clients break the negative cycles in their lives and replace them with a positive, proactive mindset. Seth believes that everyone has the potential to live a fulfilling and rewarding life, and works passionately to help them reach their full potential. With a deep understanding of how our minds work and the power of positive thinking, he encourages his clients to find their unique paths in life and find success on their own terms. He is a certified master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, a featured co-author for WikiHow, and co-author of "The Mountain Method”, “The Happy Tiger”, and “The V.I.S.I.O.N.S. Program”. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 79,220 times.

Your loved one is going to be over the moon about the surprise vacation you’ve planned just for them, but how do you reveal the surprise? Luckily, there are tons of ways you can surprise someone with a trip and make the reveal unique to them! In this article, we’ll fill you in on the best, easiest, and most creative ways to gift your partner, parent, kids, or friend the trip of a lifetime. What are you waiting for? Keep reading because we have a trip to reveal!

Things You Should Know

• Create a scavenger hunt or play a balloon popping game to get kids excited about discovering their gift.
• Watch a movie featuring the surprise destination or dine at a restaurant specific to the culture they’ll be experiencing to surprise an adult.
• Reveal the secret at the airport the day of the trip to give kids the ultimate surprise.

• Order custom puzzles through sites like Shutterfly and Collage.
• Consider adding a message to your puzzle’s image like, “Surprise! You’re going to Hawaii!” or “Happy Birthday! Mickey’s waiting for you!”
• If the puzzle comes in a box with the puzzle’s image on it, put it in a blank box or bag, so your loved one won’t know what they’re revealing until the puzzle is complete.

Treasure hunt

• Theme your clues around the destination. For example, if they’re going to the beach, hide clues near a pair of sandals, under popsicles in the freezer, or beside the pool.
• Make the final clue their ticket or a message saying something like, “You’re going to Disney World!”
• Keep the clues age appropriate. If the vacation is for a younger child, help them read the clues or use pictures to describe where the next clue is.

Daily riddle

• Write the riddles on notes to stick randomly around the house for them to find.
• Text them a clue in the middle of the day to lift their spirits.
• Make the riddles as easy or difficult as you like; just keep your loved one’s age in mind.
• One of your riddle clues might be, “I measure time, I build castles, and I’m small enough to fit in a spoon. What am I?”

• Create a QR code easily on website like QR Code Generator , QRCode Monkey , or beconstac .
• If you don’t want to make a video yourself, no problem! Link the QR code to a travel brochure or documentary featuring the destination.

Box in a box in a box

• No boxes, no problem! Try this same idea but use various sizes of envelopes instead.

Hide the ticket in another gift

• Place the ticket in the fold of a piece of clothing, so they’ll have to unfold the item to find it.
• Slide the ticket in between the pages of a self-help book.
• Tape the ticket to the underside of a box of chocolates.

Write a message on a cake

• “Happy Birthday, Abby! P.S. You’re going to London!”
• “Pack your bags! The Eiffel Tower is waiting!”
• Consider theming the cake around the destination, even if it doesn’t go with the party’s theme.

Ask a friend or family member for help

• Try getting your loved one’s favorite celebrity or influencer involved using Cameo (a personalized video service). Simply pay the celebrity or influencer through the service, and ask them to reveal the trip in their message.

Gift a travel essential

• Try wrapping up a series of items for the trip separately but make the final present a note about how they’ll need everything for an upcoming getaway.

Cook a meal from the destination

• For instance, if you’re taking them to Italy, try making pasta from scratch and serving wine imported from the country.
• If cooking isn’t your thing, take them to a restaurant featuring the country or culture’s cuisine.

Balloon pop

• Fill the balloons with confetti or sparkles for extra fun.
• This game is best to play with children of elementary age and older as sitting on balloons could cause a few boo-boos.

Movie reveal

• Greece: Mamma Mia
• France: Ratatouille
• Scotland: Brave
• London: Love, Actually
• New York: West Side Story

Reveal the destination at the airport

• Consider keeping your kids guessing even after you get to the airport. This way, they’ll have to use context clues and observational skills to “crack the code.”

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://www.travelingmom.com/disney-surprise-children/
• ↑ https://momontheside.com/vacation-announcement-scavenger-hunts
• ↑ https://youtu.be/wSFi2iyvOCU?t=99
• ↑ https://aprilveralynntravels.com/planning-surprise-trip/#how-to-reveal-the-surprise
• ↑ https://youtu.be/yLqd3dQ1Y8w?t=80

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Surprise Vacation Reveal Printables

Looking to gift someone a surprise vacation? We’ve got the perfect printables to help you make the surprise vacation reveal even more special!

Whether you’re going the Bahamas ,  Niagara Falls  or on a European Vacation , these printables will make the big announcement AMAZING!

Gifting a Surprise Vacation

The past few years my husband and I have been trying to focus more on experiences than things. If we had our way, we would give each other and our kids, vacations as gifts for every occasion. The best part about giving someone a surprise vacation is seeing their face when they realize where they’re going. The tough part though is finding a cute and fun way to give them that surprise trip because it’s hard to wrap the Eiffel Tower.

With Christmas coming up in about a month (I still can’t believe we are that close!), we wanted to help you out. We created these surprise vacation printables, just in case you are gifting a family vacation this year, or a surprise vacation with your spouse. You don’t have to limit this gift idea to Christmas. This would make a great birthday or anniversary gift as well! These templates are perfect for any trip you have in mind.

Assembling Your Surprise Trip Gift

Cover – This “Adventure Awaits” printable can be pasted to the front of a yellow manila envelope, or any other packaging of your choosing!

Tell Them Where They’re Going – I’ve also created a printable map for you to include in the envelope! It comes with little markers to show where you’ll start, and where you’ll end! You can even use the little icon circles to show how you’ll be getting there. (Just grab your 1″ circle punch to make life easier!)

Printable Travel Tickets – This pack also includes some adorable printable tickets. Simply fill out the vacation info with where you’re going and when. Then make a check in the circle to tell the recipient(s) how they’re going to get there.

Printable Luggage Tags – You can’t travel around the world without adorable luggage tags. I’m sure that’s a rule somewhere. Simply cut these out, fill in your personal info, punch out the holes, fold in half, and then laminate! You can also cover both sides with packing tape if you aren’t able to laminate them.

Variation – Another great idea would be to give that special someone a piece of luggage as part of your gift. You can have these already attach and ready to go on Christmas morning!

More Great Travel Printables

• Road Trip Printable Story Starters
• Cruise Packing Checklist Printable
• Road Trip Activities Printable
• Road Trips Tips & Printable
• Choose Your Own Adventure Gift Idea

Surprise Vacation Announcement Printable

I hope you enjoy these surprise holiday printables as much as I have. Click on the link below to purchase your surprise vacation printable pack. Leave us a comment below and all of the fun places you’re going to go. Happy Travels!

Click here to get our Adventure Awaits – Travel Gift Pack

Busy moms, this one is for YOU!

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I can’t remember how I came to your site! I know that was long time ago!!! And I’m impressed how cute things you do! Congratulations! Regards from Brazil!

Thanks Melissa, you really made my day!

What a Great printable! thanks for making my like sooo much easier being a new home mom havent gave me much time to do my usual crafting activities.

I’m so glad you loved it! Where are you going on your surprise vacation?

I paid for the adventure awaits. I thought it sounded like id get it in pdf form. I havnt gotten anything?

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Redefining Road Trips

STEP-BY-STEP

How does it work?

Our itineraries include a 'Before You Go' package and four surprise stops. Each stop is packed with a new destination, specific recommendations, maps, travel tips and fun facts.

Select your trip style.

Select a day trip based on your location, interests, and travel preferences OR take our quiz to help narrow down options.

Get your package.

Choose between receiving a beautifully crafted package in the mail OR a PDF (digital version) of the trip which gets sent right to your inbox.

Pack your car.

Each package includes a ‘Before You Go’ booklet that will give you just enough information without spoiling the surprise destinations on your road trip.

Choose Your Starting Location

Our Trip Map

Our interactive map allows you to search for a trip's ending destination. Simply type in your city or address to see the closest trips to you.

Our carefully crafted itineraries feature four surprise stops, each one packed with unique suggestions, maps, insider tips, and fascinating facts that make exploring your local area a breeze.

Your trip package includes a ‘Before You Go’ guide and a series of envelopes that will lead you to several surprise destinations on your road trip.

Need help choosing a trip?

Why this makes a great gift

Perfect for the avid adventurer or the person who has it all, let them choose their own path with the help of Guess Where Trips. With each envelope comes a new exciting destination and locale to explore with none of the long hours of planning.

CAN'T DECIDE?

Take our road trip quiz!

Enter your departing address, select your interests, and preferred driving duration to find the best trip for you.

TESTIMONIALS

What People are Saying...

Each stop was so well thought out, perfectly timed, and so much fun. Like the rest of the world, my wife and I have been stuck inside during the pandemic, but Guess Where Trips introduced us to some hidden gems, and reminded us of how much fun it is to get out and discover new spots (and took away the stress of planning!). It was the perfect getaway. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

OMG! I did the Funky Florals trip yesterday with my mom and some friend and wow! The spots were absolutely amazing. The first stop was my favourite. If that was the only one it still would have been worth it! The rapids are insane! Doing the surprise trip next weekend and cannot wait! Thank you! Can't wait to see what's coming for the winter.

I cannot thank you enough for this! We went on our adventures trip and it exceeded our expectations! My kids were very excited to open the envelopes after each stop to see where we were going next. I took my mom as well, and she enjoyed every minute of it. The third stop was stunning! We stayed at the patio of the vineyard and enjoyed the beautiful view while we ate and sipped on some wine. Oh and the donkey sanctuary...cutest thing ever. Today has been one of the most memorable days yet!

My mom turns 60 this week and she always says she doesn't 'NEED' anything. So, I decided to get her a Guess Where Trip so that she could spend an entire day with her family doing something fun. She LOVED it!!! She said it was such a great idea and wants to go on another one with me ASAP! Thanks so much for an amazing day!

Ah! I just have to let you guys know, you're amazing at putting together fantastic road trips! We started out on the Hops & History tour, and ended up in the CUTEST beach town (you guys weren't lying).

Went on our third Guess Where Trips today, and like the others, it exceeded our expectations! Never know where we are headed until the day we go on our trip. Very well planned out road trips. They have taken me to many places I've never been to.

Not to be dramatic, but I went on one of your trips last weekend and it was the best day of my life.

My girlfriend and I went on your Weird and Wonderful trip on Saturday and we just wanted to say that it was such an amazing experience! From the moment we opened our first envelope it was clear that your team is dedicated to creating a very memorable experience for each of the stops! My girlfriend and I want to say thank you for helping us create some amazing memories and can't wait to do more trips in the future!

Absolutely LOVED our surprise adventure from @guesswheretrips! We visited so many beautiful and interesting places that we never would have stopped at otherwise. Also, the roadside food stops were 10/10. I highly recommend checking them out if you're looking for an amazing action-packed day!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We're here to help

What is guess where trips.

At Guess Where Trips®, we specialize in self-guided one-day surprise road trips . Leave the stress of planning to us! We design each road trips around a general theme, so you will have an idea of what you might get up to during the day, but you won’t know where we’re sending you! We love finding new small businesses, hidden gems, cute cafes, and picturesque towns. 

Need us to take even more stress off of the planning and help you choose a trip? 

Fill out our quiz here to help you decide on a trip!

What will I receive in the mail?

Our mailed road trips ($65) include a well-curated itinerary for the day with a focus on scenic routes, hidden gems, unique businesses, photo ops and a lot more. We pack the itineraries with travel tips, fun facts and stories about the places you’ll be visiting. Our trips come in five envelopes, which are tied with a bow and placed into a folder to keep everything neat and tidy. The digital version ($39) of the trip comes as a pdf.

Note: If you choose the PDF option, there are no surprise stop envelopes. All of the stops will be sent digitally to your email in one file , so scrolling through the entire document will reveal the surprise stops.

What's not included:  Food, drinks, gas, and admission (if there is a fee!) are not included in the price of our trips.

How long will my order take to ship? How much does shipping cost?

For orders over $50, we will ship your package for  free .

Shipping within Canada

We use Canada Post for all shipping within Canada. Our (free) expedited option takes 5-7 business days.

If you need your order quicker, there is an Xpresspost option at checkout for $12.

Shipping to the USA

We use UPS for shipping to the United States. The free shipping option takes 4-8 business days, while the $15 paid option takes 1-3 business days.

Do you have any overnight trips?

Although we cannot book hotels on your behalf, we do recommend extending the adventure by turning your one day road day trip into an overnight getaway (especially if you choose one more than 4 hours round-trip from home!) Keep an eye out for your confirmation email! In it, we will send you a list of our favourite hotels in the end destination if you would like to extend your trip.

How long are your trips?

Each trip takes roughly 6-8 hours to complete - this includes time spent at the recommendation and driving. Under the FAQ section of each trip page, you will find more detailed information about the round-trip driving distance from nearby cities. This will give you a better idea of how much time you can expect to spend in the car, based on your departure location.

How do I redeem my gift card?

After choosing a trip, please enter your 16-character code on the checkout page in the field under ‘Have a Gift Card?.’ This will then take your order to a zero balance.

Are your trips kid-friendly and dog-friendly?

Kid-friendly: Yes! Almost all of our trips are kid-friendly. Click here for our kid-friendly trips. (This will show you all of our kid-friendly trips both in Canada and the US). We recommend choosing trips shorter in driving distance to ensure it’s a pleasant drive for everyone.

Dog-friendly: Many of our trips are dog-friendly or some what dog-friendly! Click here for our dog-friendly trips (This will show you all of our dog-friendly trips both in Canada and the US). The trip page itself will also let you know if it is okay to bring your pup or not. Note: most restaurants and stores do not allow dogs inside, so most of your day will be spent outdoors if you bring a furry friend along.

Are your trips wheelchair accessible or good for people with low mobility?

Yes! Many of our trips are wheelchair accessible and good for low mobility. On the trip page, we list if the trip is wheelchair accessible. Click here for a list of all our most wheelchair accessible trips. (This will show you all of our wheelchair accessible trips both in Canada and the US).

Does the cost of the package include the entrance to any activities?

Most of the activities and attractions we recommend are free or have a minimal entrance cost (under $10/per person). We note the approximate costs per person in each trip package. If there is a higher entrance fee, we will recommend a free nearby alternative.

What's Included:

A ‘Before You Go’ guide with a packing list, approximate driving distances and more tips to plan for your day ahead.

A series of four stops that will make up your day’s itinerary with recommended roadside stops along the way.

Restaurant, attractions and activity recommendations based on your trip style.

Mailed version: includes 5 printed booklets (a Before You Go and 4 surprise stops) and shipping.

What's Not Included:

Transportation and gas.

Entrances and parking fees for some of recommended attractions (the majority of stops are free).

Food, beverages and gratuities.

PDF version: does not include printed booklets, itinerary is emailed

What we're up to

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Airbnb (ABNB) to Report Q1 Earnings: What's in the Cards?

Airbnb ABNB is scheduled to report first-quarter 2024 results on May 8.

For the first quarter, Airbnb expects revenues between $2.03 billion and $2.07 billion, implying year-over-year growth in the band of 12-14% on a reported basis.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for revenues is pegged at $2.07 billion, indicating growth of 13.7% from the year-ago quarter’s reported value.

The consensus mark for earnings is pegged at 26 cents per share, suggesting growth of 44.4% from the year-ago reported figure. The estimate has remained unchanged over the past 30 days.

Airbnb’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, the average being 39.9%.

Let’s see how things have shaped up for this announcement.

Airbnb, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise

Airbnb, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Airbnb, Inc. Quote

Key Factors to Note

Airbnb’s first-quarter 2024 results are expected to reflect growing Nights and Experiences booked across all geographies, owing to growing momentum among first-time bookers.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter Nights and Experiences Booked is pegged at 132.1 million, indicating growth of 9.1% from the year-ago reported figure.

Growing gross nights booked, owing to the solid momentum in Airbnb app downloads is likely to have boosted the top-line growth in the to-be-reported quarter.

Strong momentum across cross-border travel is likely to have acted as a tailwind for the company.

All these factors are expected to have driven growth in gross booking value (GBV) in the first quarter. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for GBV is pegged at $22.5 billion, indicating growth of 10.3% from the reported figure in the year-ago quarter.

The company’s increasing focus on developing innovative and personalized AI interfaces is likely to have been another positive.

Growing momentum in active listings, owing to increasing supply across all regions, particularly in Asia Pacific and Latin America, is likely to have aided the company’s top line during the quarter under review.

ABNB’s growing awareness around hosting and new features introduced for hosts are likely to have acted as tailwinds for the company in the to-be-reported quarter.

However, intense competition in the online travel market is anticipated to have remained an overhang in the to-be-reported quarter.

Also, greater volatility in travel demand due to macroeconomic uncertainties and the impacts of geopolitical conflicts may have been a major concern.

What Our Model Says

Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Airbnb this time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat, which is not the case here.

Airbnb has an Earnings ESP of 0.00% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Stocks to Consider

Here are some companies worth considering, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings in their upcoming releases:

NVIDIA NVDA has an Earnings ESP of +2.50% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

NVIDIA is scheduled to release first-quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 22. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ANET’s earnings is pegged at $5.49 per share, suggesting a significant jump from the prior-year quarter’s reported figure of $1.09 per share.

Docebo DCBO has an Earnings ESP of +8.00% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.

Docebo is set to report first-quarter 2024 results on May 9. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DCBO’s earnings is pegged at 17 cents per share, indicating growth of 88.89% from the year-ago quarter’s reported figure.

Blink Charging BLNK has an Earnings ESP of +5.88% and a Zacks Rank #3 at present.

Blink Charging is set to report its first-quarter 2024 results on May 9. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BLNK’s loss is pegged at 26 cents per share, suggesting a significant rise from the prior-year quarter’s loss of 49 cents per share.

Stay on top of upcoming earnings announcements with the Zacks Earnings Calendar.

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Money latest: Sainsbury's running Nectar points scheme; chocolate is a superfood - if you buy these bars

Our cost of living specialist is back with a money-saving tip for using the internet abroad. Read all today's personal finance and consumer news - and listen to the latest Ian King Business podcast below.

Friday 10 May 2024 16:04, UK

• Interest Rates
• UK exits recession, official figures show
• Interest rate held at 5.25% | Bank of England: June rate cut 'not ruled out but not fait accompli'
• Sainsbury's running Nectar points scheme - check if you're eligible

Essential reads

• Ed Conway on economy: Three reasons to be gleeful about the ONS figures
• How to avoid a holiday data roaming charge (while still using the internet)
• Mortgage rates up again this week - here are the best deals on the market
• Chocolate is a superfood - if you buy these bars
• Cheapest 10 European cities for a holiday - and how costs compare
• Listen to the Daily above and  tap here to follow wherever you get your podcasts

Rishi Sunak has told Sky News that the UK exiting recession shows the economy has "turned a corner". 

He told our economics editor Ed Conway : "I am pleased that while there's more work to do, today's figures show that the economy now has real momentum, and I'm confident that with time, people will start to feel the benefits of that.

"We've had multiple months now where wages are rising, energy bills have fallen, mortgage rates are down and taxes are being cut... I'm pleased with the progress that we're making."

Mr Sunak added: "I am confident the economy is getting healthier every week."

Lidl will increase staff wages for the third time in 12 months, the supermarket has announced. 

Shop workers in London will get £13.65, up from £13.55, while staff elsewhere will get a rise from a minimum £12 to £12.40 - at a cost of £2.5m to Lidl.

The supermarket invested £37m in pay increases in March, on top of £8m in September - a total of more than £50m in the past 12 months. 

The increase comes into effect from 1 June. 

Lidl GB chief executive Ryan McDonnell said: "As we continue to expand, we are welcoming more customers and attracting more colleagues into the business every day.

"It's absolutely right, therefore, that we continue to offer industry-leading pay."

Tech giant Apple has apologised after an advert for its new iPad model prompted outrage.  

The ad promoting the thinnest-ever iPad shows creative tools including cameras, books, paint cans and musical instruments being crushed in an industrial press.

But many, including celebrities like Hugh Grant, decried the crushing of artistic objects.

In a statement released to Ad Age, Tor Myhren, Apple's vice president of marketing communications, said: "Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it's incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world.

"Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry."

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

The FTSE 100 has been propelled to another record high this morning after official figures showed that the UK is now out of recession.

The index, of the London Stock Exchange's 100 most valuable companies, is up more than 0.5% and hit an intraday (during the day) high of 8,433 points earlier.

The score is based on a calculation of the total value of the shares on the index.

It comes after officials revealed that gross domestic product (GDP) in the UK grew by a better-than-expected 0.6% during the first three months of the year. 

However, commentators said investors had been buoyed more by the rising cost of metals, along with suggestions from the Bank of England yesterday that interest rates could be cut soon . 

Russ Mould, from investment platform AJ Bell, said: "Given its international horizons, this has little to do with the UK's better-than-expected GDP growth and is largely being driven by strength in the resources space where higher metals prices and the promise of M&A [mergers and acquisitions] are helping to stoke share prices.

"The next key test of the index's new-found vim and vigour will likely come next week in the form of US inflation figures. Investors have broadly accepted rate cuts won't be as deep or come as soon as would have been anticipated at the start of the year. However, any signs inflation is proving much more stubborn than predicted would still represent a shock to the system for financial markets."

Among the movers on Friday is UK-based mining firm Anglo American. 

Its shares are up almost 2% after reports that industry giant Rio Tinto has been considering a multibillion-pound takeover of the firm. It comes after Anglo American rejected a bid from rival BHP.  

Meanwhile, shares in Vodafone are up more than 2% after the government conditionally approved its plans to merge with fellow mobile operator Three. However, an investigation into the deal by the UK's competition watchdog is still ongoing, meaning it’s not a done deal yet. 

On the flip side, property listings website Rightmove is down nearly 6% this morning. It comes after the company cut its advertising revenue growth estimates in a trading update.

Rightmove said higher mortgage rates and lengthier completion times for sales were likely to weigh on buyer sentiment in the coming months, but it also forecast a better year for the UK residential market as a whole.

On the currency markets, £1 buys $1.25 US or €1.16.

Sainsbury's is running a scheme that allows some shoppers to earn easy Nectar card points. 

To earn extra points, shoppers just need to spend £1 across multiple transactions at Sainsbury's this month. 

The supermarket says the scheme is available to "millions" of customers, though all it would say about the eligibility criteria is that it's "based on a range of factors".

Check if you're eligible

Log into your nectar card app and check to see if you have this message...   

Make sure you opt in once you see the message. 

From there, you simply need to spend £1 or more five times - earning extra points each time. 

The number of bonus points on offer varies for each customer.

The offer runs until 4 June. 

Britain is not just out of recession. 

It is out of recession with a bang.

The economic growth reported this morning by the Office for National Statistics is not just faster than most economists expected, it's also the fastest growth we've seen since the tailend of the pandemic, when the UK was bouncing back from lockdown.

But, more than that, there are three other facts that the prime minister and chancellor will be gleeful about (and you can expect them to be talking about this number for a long time).

First, it's not just that the economy is now growing again after two quarters of contraction - that was the recession. 

An economic growth rate of 0.6% is near enough to what economists used to call "trend growth", back before the crisis - in other words, it's the kind of number that signifies the economy growing at more or less "normal" rates. 

And normality is precisely the thing the government wants us to believe we've returned to.

Second, that 0.6% means the UK is, alongside Canada, the fastest-growing economy in the G7 (we've yet to hear from Japan, but economists expect its economy to contract in the first quarter).

Third, it's not just gross domestic product that's up. So too is gross domestic product per head - the number you get when you divide our national income by every person in the country. After seven years without any growth, GDP per head rose by 0.4% in the first quarter. 

And since GDP per head is a better yardstick for the "feelgood factor", perhaps this means people will finally start to feel better off.

But this is where the problems come in. 

Because while this latest set of GDP figures is undoubtedly positive, the numbers that came before are undoubtedly grim.

GDP per head is still considerably lower, in real terms, than it was in 2022, before Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget, or for that matter lower than in early 2019.

Raising another question: when people think about the state of the economy ahead of the election (and obviously these new figures are likely to increase the speculation about the date of the election), do they put more weight on the years of economic disappointment or the bounce back after them?

Do they focus on the fact that we're now growing at decent whack or on the fact that their income per head is, in real terms, no higher today than it was five years ago?

These are the questions we will all be mulling in the coming months - as the next election approaches. One thing is for sure: this won't be the last time you hear about these GDP numbers.

The chancellor is speaking to Sky News after the welcome news that the UK has exited a recession. 

"It's encouraging that the UK economy is growing faster over the last quarter, not just than France, Germany or Italy, but actually faster than the United States," Jeremy Hunt says.

"But I think what's more encouraging is the longer-term data that we are now seeing about the economy."

He praises the government's handling of the economy. 

"I think that for families who've been having a really tough time, this is an indication that difficult decisions that we've taken over recent years are beginning to pay off and we need to stick with them."

He nods to the Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey's comments yesterday that inflation is expected to fall to 2% in the coming months: "So we're seeing that inflation is falling faster and I think people recognise it's been a very, very challenging period."

He's then asked whether the UK can compete with the US's economy in the coming years. 

Mr Hunt says he wants the UK to become "the new Silicon Valley" as a route into the tech sector. 

"Tech is the sector that is growing the fastest and will continue to grow the fastest," he says. 

Finally, he's asked when national insurance will be abolished - a recent Tory pledge. 

"We haven't set a date... we'll only do it when it's affordable and when we can do so without impacting on public services."

Our economics editor Ed Conway   is giving his first reaction to the ONS statistics that show the UK is no longer in recession. 

"These are great numbers," he says. 

"Certainly in the context of things, they are close to what we would normally historically call trend growth - a good rate of growth - and that's going back a long time. 

"They're better than expected... this is definitely some good news."

The UK economy is no longer in recession, according to official figures.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics said.

A recession, which is defined as two consecutive three-month periods where the economy contracts, was declared in February.

The previous set of figures showed that GDP, a major measure of economic growth, shrank 0.3% between October and December. It followed a contraction of 0.1% in the three months from July to September.

The slump was blamed on reduced consumer spending power as inflation and energy bills stayed high. Months of wet weather also contributed to keeping shoppers at home, commentators said.

Jeremy Hunt, the chancellor, was buoyant about the figures: "It has been a difficult few years, but today's growth figures are proof that the economy is returning to full health for the first time since the pandemic." 

By Megan Harwood-Baynes , cost of living specialist

When my plane touched down on the runway of Manila airport, I was welcomed to the country with a text. Coming from Sky Mobile, the message informed me that using my phone abroad would incur hefty charges - including £2.16 for every megabyte (MB) of data I used.

One MB is equivalent to a short WhatsApp voice note message, and given my average monthly data allowance is 20GB (20,000MB), I would be quickly bankrupted if I continued to use my phone as normal. And while I love switching off from work while I am away, for me, the internet is as much a holiday essential as toothpaste and a hairbrush. 

From the ability to check Google Maps when out and about, or do a quick search to check I am not being scammed, it is now something I always factor into my holiday budget.

Welcome to the world of eSims

An eSim is an industry-standard digital SIM card that allows you to activate a mobile plan on your phone without the need to install a physical SIM into your phone.

TLDR - it means you can activate a short, temporary internet plan while on holiday for a fraction of the price it would cost you through your network provider.

I used an app called Global Yo (other providers are available, but this is the one I used), which has 24-hour plans from as little as 99c (71p) for 1GB. 

Once downloaded from the App Store, you can scroll through the list of countries to select your destination. Select the plan you want - while in the Philippines, I paid around £7 for a weekly plan that would give me 5GB of data. It is cheaper to do it day by day, but that also means you have to remember to top up each morning.

Once purchased, you are sent a QR code to scan - this will help you install the eSIM. The process varies by phone, but once installed, you go into the SIM manager settings on your phone. You can then toggle the settings so your calls and texts come via SIM 1 (your primary phone number), but mobile data uses the eSIM. This means you won't miss any vital text messages that come through to your phone number while on holiday.

The downsides

Not every network, or mobile phone, supports eSIMS, so check with your network provider before you shell out, and make sure your phone is unlocked. My sister, who lives in Hong Kong, wasn't able to install the eSIM on her phone but only realised this after paying £7.99 for a week's worth of data. 

We also had some difficulty installing it on my mum's iPhone, but that could be because we are all Android users.

You also have to be connected to WiFi /the internet to install the eSIM in the first place, so make sure you do it while at your hotel in the morning. A few times while I was paying each day I would forget this, head out and be without internet for the day. 

This wasn't exactly a hardship, but did mean I couldn't share with my Instagram followers what a great time I was having.

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