In the recent Easter holidays we ticked something off my 2019 travel bucket list which was to visit Snowdonia National Park. We stayed in Machynlleth which is in the Dyfi Valley at the southern tip… More
Wookey Hole caves review – kids go free!
It was only one week ago that I wrote an update on our 2019 travel and days out bucket list to say we hadn’t yet done anything, though we had planned a couple of holidays at the end of the year. Well, now we have ticked something off!
We have actually ticked Ben’s ONLY item off the bucket list! It was all I could get out of him when I was writing the original blog post. Here’s the original 2019 family travel bucket list if you want to have a peek.
Here’s what Ben wanted to do in 2019:
‘Visit Wookey Hole – Ben sees an advert on the motorway for Wookey Hole on the way back from work every day and it was on Salvage Hunters so he wants to visit!’
So now we have. We had a rare day with no plans on Sunday and I really wanted a family day out. I felt like we needed it. Most weekends are spent visiting family and friends and if they’re not, then Ben usually has a bunch of DIY related stuff to do. He did have Bella’s bed to finish as he built her a custom loft bed a couple of weeks ago, but it can wait.
We hadn’t had a family day out since the Christmas break so we really needed one!
Kids go free to Wookey Hole
Is it better to save money more or to travel more? An update on our 2019 bucket list
In November I wrote a post about our 2019 travel plans and bucket list. That was over three months ago and now we are well and truly settled into 2019 I want to write an update on our travel plans and thoughts.
Is it better to save money more or to travel more?
I started by saying we’d have a limited travelling year as we give our emergency fund a big push. My target this year was £10,000. We already had £3000 saved and we’re now up to £5000. I’m always torn between the best thing to do. I have the travel bug really bad and feel we never know what’s around the corner. Something tragic could happen any day and I don’t want to regret not travelling more.
But, at the same time, I get so anxious about money. I’m self-employed so income is never guaranteed and I always worry about one of us getting ill or losing our jobs. Plus, in 2018 we had total car repair bills of £3000 for the year! Something we managed to pay for thanks to our savings, but it’s made me further off my savings targets and of course anxious that we might get more repair bills like this and need the funds saved just in case.
I feel like life’s too short to not travel. We’re also only here once and there’s so much to see and experience. But I also feel I need to be sensible and have a good batch of savings to cover all sorts of eventualities.
It’s a never-ending battle in my head! Continue reading “Is it better to save money more or to travel more? An update on our 2019 bucket list”
What is the Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire?
Whilst Cheltenham in Gloucestershire is famous for its horse racing festivals, there’s another traditional festival which is a little more quirky and unusual. It’s held annually on the May Spring Bank Holiday at Coopers Hill, just on the edge of Gloucester by Birdlip and Brockworth, and is known as Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling. I couldn’t not share this event with you on my travel blog as I can see it happening from my garden. We live right next to this event and it’s crazy! Continue reading “What is the Coopers Hill Cheese Rolling in Gloucestershire?”
8 ways to save money when hiring a car
Every time we visit Ben’s family in Germany we hire a car. We always pick one up from the airport. We usually always pre-book, but there’s been the odd time, maybe only once, that we didn’t pre-arrange and just went to a desk when we were there. It’s definitely better to book ahead of time to get a great deal and to know what you are paying. I’m never sure if they overcharge when booking directly at a desk, but I always have my suspicions!
Car hire can be relatively cheap providing you book the most basic car for your needs. We always get something that’s big enough for us and our luggage and that’s our only requirement. We never have any additional requirements as we like to keep the cost as low as possible.
Many hire cars do come with add-ons that can start bumping the price up, but often they aren’t needed. Here are eight tips to save money when hiring a car: Continue reading “8 ways to save money when hiring a car”
