Making the most of hard-earned holiday money is what everyone wants to do in North Cyprus, but how best to cash in on currency?

There is no doubt that cash is king here. Yes, many local shopkeepers and restaurateurs accept plastic, but there will be a mark-up on that by your card supplier when you return - unless you have a UK-issued Nationwide card or Post Office credit card, that is.

If you opt for travellers' cheques, not only will you have paid commission when you first bought them, but there also will be commission to pay when you cash them in at a North Cyprus bank, or money change outlet.

However, the likes of  Speed Cash in Kyrenia's Canubalt Street and Sergeant Mustapha, nearer the post office, do not take commission on cash transactions. Best exchange rates of all is found in the money office directly opposite the Dome Hotel. Again, no commission for cash, and always a few lira more than the competition.

With the rate now more than three Turkish lira to a pound sterling, it obviously pays to make the most of inflation by taking as much cash as you can. That may be easy to say coming from a 15-stone six-footer, but not the advice you'd want to give a timid grannie.  For them, take as much sterling cash, or euros, as you feel comfortable with, and top up using your plastic at one of the many machines in North Cyprus.  One example of these is the "Bankamatik" belonging to Turkiye Bankasi, on the corner of Ataturk Caddesi and Hurriyet Caddesi in Kyrenia.  There is a "menu" which allows you to follow the transaction in English (as well as other languages) and it dispenses only Turkish lira.

Remember, too, that virtually every restaurant and shopping outlet in the village will happily take sterling and euros instead of Turkish lira. Truth be told, they prefer it!

So take a little pocket calculator when out for a meal or some souvenir buying. Know your exchange rates and you might end up with an even bigger bargain than you first thought of!

Although Turkish Lira is only 2.4 for a pound now(20 November 2009), it is still very attractive for UK visitors to know that North Cyprus stayed Euro Free and you can still get a good value for your money.