You’ve found your dream home in Cyprus. But how are you going to finance it? Before you even step on the plane, you should have a very clear picture of exactly what you can spend and how you are going to purchase your dream home.

Over the years Ben and Jenny Hudson travelled extensively abroad. However, it was while holidaying at a neighbour’s home overseas that it occurred to them to actually build their own home in Cyprus.

“I had retired, and we decided that if we didn’t do something about it now, we never would” recalls Ben.  “Jenny is still working, but we wanted a holiday home where we could really relax and enjoy life, with the intention of staying for longer periods as we get older.  I had the time to put into the project, so we bought a plot and hired a local builder.”

The first payment on the new property was a deposit of €37,000 which Ben did through their local high street bank, and found it to be a massively expensive process.  “I sent the money through the bank and found it hard to believe the amount they charged for the process” says Ben.  “It was only on hearing about a currency company (information that Jenny picked up on searching the Internet) that I first learnt about currency companies and what they do. Needless to say, once introduced to this money saving way to ensure the best rates, I have used them ever since.”

 “There were more stage payments to come for the off-plan property: €13,000 for the first stage then 3 sets of €60,000 followed by a final completion payment of €2,000. After my initial money transfer, the follow up at the currency company was excellent. I spoke to various individuals and everyone was friendly and to the point. All my initial concerns were answered and I found the actual process extremely easy.”

“They talked me through the whole process, even advising on the wisdom of ‘forward buying’ – locking the currency in at that day’s rate for a time in the future. That way I could ensure that if the rates went against us – as indeed they did do – I was safe and would only pay what I had agreed to on the day.”

Ongoing dealings with a currency company rather than a bank proved easier than expected for Ben and Jenny, with the added bonus of money saved: “We will have saved hundreds of pounds by the time the building is completed. I plan to transfer some funds into my overseas savings account on an ongoing basis. Also I am kept updated on currency trends” added Ben.

Currency fluctuations, previously not really taken into account, now became an important topic of concern as Ben realised how much money could be saved by exchanging currency at the right time. It helped to have a dedicated dealer monitoring the rates for him on an ongoing basis. This, plus no commission charges and no transfer fees made a huge difference to Ben and Jenny’s bottom line.

“Once I realised that not every organisation charged the same rate, I started watching the rates. I am, by my own admission, very careful with money. But now, with the passage of time, trust has been established and I don’t bother to compare rates. I won't change now. Follow up is excellent and the educational reports I receive from the currency company are of enormous value.”

Ben and Jenny are enjoying the extra money they have saved by using a currency company– are you?

To get in contact with Smart Currency Exchange go to:  http://www.smartcurrencyexchange.com/Currency_quote.aspx