Martin: Going away this summer? 
24 things to do NOW that slash cost & hassle when you go abroad 
Plus help on Middle East conflict knock-on issues

Summer's coming! And if you've booked - or are thinking of booking - a holiday abroad, many of the smartest ways to save money and avoid hassle need to be done before you go. 

That's especially true this year, with the Middle East conflict and it's possible knock-on effect on jet fuel and travel disruption making things more uncertain. So below, the team and I have put together key need-to-knows and must-dos, including...

- Key document checks: Incl passports, GHICs, pet passports.
- Cheapest way to spend abroad: Incl FREE £210 & top card.
- The Middle East conflict impact on travel.
- The cheapest travel insurance.
- Cheap airport parking & car hire: Incl new 'compare the comparisons'.
- Miscellany: Incl roaming, cheap Zara, family flight sit together free.

1. THE PASSPORT CHECK: Don't risk being turned away at boarding or border control. There are two important checks you should make. Check now that, on the day you enter the country...

a) There's at least 6mths left (3mths for EU)
b) Even if so, if going to the EU, will your passport be under 10 yrs old?

If it's no to EITHER, check our country-by-country UK passport rules to ensure you won't be sent back. The Passport Office says you should allow "up to three weeks" to renew. Full help on how in Cheapest passport renewals.

2. GOING TO THE EU? Ensure you've a valid (free) EHIC/GHIC. Over 2m expire this year. These cards are a valuable additional to travel insurance and give access to state-run hospitals or GPs in EU countries for the same price as a local, so if they don't pay, you don't need to either. 

Over two million expire this year, check yours. When it coming to renewing, beware shyster sites trying to charge you for 'fast tracks' or other fake nonsense. The new ones are called GHICs, never pay to get a GHIC, they're always free. See how to safely get a free GHIC. 

New. 3. TRAVELLING TO THE EU WITH PETS? EU pet passports no longer valid for most UK residents. The use of these for most ended last week. Instead, you must get a possibly costly, single-use Animal Health Certificate (AHC) within 10 days of departure, see our updated Taking pets abroad help.