Mummy & Moose
clapping, napping and yapping our way through the day

See the World Without Going Broke – How to Save for a Year of Travelling

With coronavirus restrictions all but lifted and the UK more or less back to normal, travel is back on the menu. Pre-pandemic, travel industry expenditure in the UK had increased by 7% to a staggering £62 billion – a number set to be beaten in the coming years. For many, major plans for long-term travelling were postponed indefinitely. But as countries began to open back up to international visitors one by one, it’s time to get planning again. Here’s how to fund a year of adventure without going broke!

Full Time Employment

First things first, you will want to make sure you have secured full time employment for your year of preparation. Pulling together the funds for travel alone will be difficult if you do not have regular work lined up – your existing commitments to rent, bills and sustaining yourself will always come first, meaning you will need a bare minimum regular wage to keep up with your travel budget.

Start Saving

Next is to start saving money from your work. This sounds easy from the off, but requires a lot more thought than it may at first seem. Draw up a holistic budget for your living situation, including your income and any outgoings, from rent and utilities to weekly averages for food and leisure expenditure. Find out what you have left monthly after each payslip; this is the most you can save monthly without cutting into your living expenses. Once you have settled on a minimum monthly figure to save, do some digging to find an easy-access savings account with the best available interest rate, and set up a direct debit for the amount you want to save from your current account to your savings account.

Investments

Savings accounts have become notoriously toothless in recent years, with inflation stagnating and interest rates remaining low. As such, you may want to find a way to get greater returns from your savings, especially if you aren’t going to be touching them. One great way to do this is by investing your savings on the stock market. An investment fund is the safest way to do this, whereby a broker takes your money and invests it across a portfolio of companies it believes will grow steadily. There is always an element of risk, but the returns can average 5% – a significant amount, especially if you’re after having as much money as possible ahead of your year-long trip.

Trading

Even greater returns than investments can be found, however, by having more of an active hand in investing your money. With research, patience and attention to detail, you can follow the stock market yourself, and trade stocks to generate bigger profits than passive investment funds. Trading platforms like Metatrader 5 allow you to continue to trade from anywhere, meaning you could feasibly earn money even while you travel!

Secondary Work

If you still have time to spare in your day, you can opt for a more sure-fire way of generating additional income for your travels, and take on a second job. You could go freelance, and provide the same services you do in your day job ad-hoc to new clients via online freelancer platforms; you could pick up a bar job to work the evenings after your day job; or you could even pick up cash-in-hand labouring work on weekends – the options are endless.

Personal Mobility in the Wake of the Covid Epidemic: Hike in Used Cars Sales

Humans go through cycles. Some of these cycles are generational. Others occur over a longer term. Such as the rise and fall of civilisations and empires. With the advent of the car, having your own vehicle became a symbol of financial and social as well as literal mobility. Allowing people to easily travel just about anywhere they wanted to go. Following this there was a realisation of the effect of vehicles on the environment. Whereupon the more conscientious members of society invested in bikes, bought bus and train season tickets or walked to work and school instead. And then came Covid-19.

Dangers of Public Transport

Sharing your space with others becomes a problem when faced with the possibility of contracting a serious respiratory virus, with potential long-term after-effects. No longer can you shrug and use a dab of hand sanitiser or just remind yourself to wash your hands as soon as you can. That might work for colds which are mild, or even seasonal flu which is only serious for older people or those with compromised immune systems, most of whom are already eligible for the flu vaccine. The actuality of Covid-19, plus the effects known as ‘long Covid’ add up into a nasty illness from which recovery, for anyone, is not guaranteed.

 

Costs of Running a Car

For some, the costs of running their car made making the switch to public transport a common sense decision. But, given the huge rises to public transport costs of late, reconsidering this might be a pleasant surprise! Sure, the initial cost of the car will be significant. However a used car is instantly much cheaper than a new model. And thereafter, your running costs will drop to much less than a lengthy commute, especially if it requires more than one bus or train. Insurance and taxes are reduced when you invest in a second-hand car, as they are based on the already reduced purchase price, making the saving continue for the life of the vehicle.

 

Loss of Eco-Friendly Cred

While you might think that going back to car ownership is giving in to the dark side, in an environmental context, again, this is not the case. Used cars have already gone some way to amortising the ecological impact of their manufacture, and every year that it is in use thereafter continues this process. You might not think of yourself as eco-friendly as you would be on a train. It might surprise you though. Especially if you manage to buy a second-hand hybrid vehicle which has high green clout in its own right.

 

If you are going back into the office and your skin crawls at the thought of being crammed in close to strangers after all this time. Why not check out the used car market? You can buy used cars at cheap prices from KAP Motors.

Where to go – Canada. Travelling with kids.

There are so many choices when it comes to travelling. You could be forgiven for thinking that these choices would be diminished when travelling with tiny humans – but you would be wrong. One of the best destinations to visit as a family is Canada and fortunately there are lots of flights to Canada from the UK that you can book

With so many destinations to choose from it can be a little overwhelming. No matter what you love to do during your time away, we have put together a few ideas to help you plan your next trip!

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Ontario

With more than 15000 animals including sea turtles (my personal favourite), Jellyfish, Sharks and Stingrays. Ripley’s Aquarium is the largest in all of Canada. This place is a must see for sea life fans of all ages!

CN Tower

Right next door to Ripley’s Aquarium is the CN Tower. Holding the title of the world’s tallest freestanding structure for 30 years, this is a great way to get a wonderful view of Toronto!

The queues to get into the CN Tower can be pretty long but don’t worry, there is plenty to do along the way including a great big Moose! As well as the Moose there is the Skyquest cinema and even a magician to entertain those waiting to see the stunning views over Toronto from the top of the tower.

Niagara Falls

Top of the list of must see’s for a lot of visitors to Canada. Known for it’s waterfalls of the same name, Niagara Falls is a city with lots to offer. See the falls from a different angle by taking the Journey Behind The Falls or if you have older kids do The White Water Walk. Go and check out the Butterfly Conservatory or have fun on the Cosmic coaster at Clifton Hills Amusement park!

West Edmonton Mall, Alberta

The biggest mall in North America (spanning the size of 48 city blocks), West Edmonton Mall is a destination in itself. As well as a plethora of shops, the space also features an indoor amusement park, waterpark, bowling alley, mini golf course and ice rink, on top of the over 800 stores and services found on site. With more attractions than you could enjoy in one day, a stay at one of the two on-site hotels makes this an ideal weekend destination for families looking for a range of fun to be enjoyed all in one spot – without ever having to step outside.

Did I mention there is also a zoo!

Stanley Park, Vancouver

Stanley Park is Vancouver’s premier spot to get up close and personal with nature and animals. The grassy expanse offers outdoor teahouses and stunning views, beachfront hideaways and splash parks. It is a typical getaway spot for friends and families, especially as it is home to Vancouver’s aquarium, and some of its best equestrian outlets.

Something to know, before you go

Children who are traveling to Canada without both parents need authorization from the non-accompanying parent. Sometimes this is enforced and other times not, but to play it safe you’re better off with a notarized letter. Divorced parents should carry copies of legal custody documents. Find out more about the rules here.

Love it or list it – Is this our forever home?

MrG has had to work away for the past couple of weeks. He has returned home at the weekends though and we seem to have developed a possibly slightly unhealthy obsession with watching A Place In The Sun (Scarlette is by far my favourite, in case you were wondering). It got me to thinking about what happens next and whether we would ever consider buying another property abroad to use as a holiday home once the children have all flown the nest – especially now that I have health concerns.

Aside from how sad it makes me feel to think of them all leaving home – not least because I would then a) have to do their chores myself, but also b) there would be only MrG and I left. We might actually have to spend some time together. Jesus. Maybe 10 years wasn’t long enough to really consider the implications of this whole marriage thing.. There is also the issue of what we would do with a 4bed house and only the 2 of us in it?

Don’t get me wrong, it would be good to keep a bedroom free for guests and MrG has already nabbed the fourth room for his home office. So, we would easily use the space. But by then we will hopefully have paid off the lions share of our mortgage and it would be nice to change it up a little. A quaint little Spanish villa that we could jet off to for the winter would be lovely!

Shifting my focus

Or perhaps we ought to be thinking less about what we will do and more about how Bess will manage. After all, university isn’t cheap and accommodation costs could be huge.

According to a recent article from Age Uk Mobility about how Uk homeowners have changed their home during lockdown, lots of people have made some really positive adaptations to their property lately. Maybe now is a good time to be looking for a little place to let to her and a maybe a couple of housemates?

At least that would be an investment of sorts and would kill 2 birds with 1 stone by giving her a helping hand at the same time.

Even though she is only 15, Bess is already researching the universities she would like to apply to. It would make total sense to buy somewhere to do up ourselves over the course of the next few years but I’m not totally convinced that we could manage that on top of both of us working full time too.

Love where you live

At the moment we love it here. We have lived in this house for 12 years and in that time we have added a kitchen/diner extension and a shower room downstairs which has created a space for me to be able to use to work from home as well as a bedroom upstairs and remodelling the old separate WC and tiny bathroom to create a decent sized family bathroom and an airing cupboard. You never realise how useful an airing cupboard is until you move into a house without one!

So we have done a fair bit of work and I am just not sure we could actually find a house which could offer the same space outdoors as we have at the moment. The garden is narrowish but it’s pretty long and the front of the house has parking for 6 cars – if they aren’t huge and you have a skill for Tetris.

We have been really lucky in terms of the street we are on. It’s very quiet and our neighbours are, with one exception, lovely!

Everywhere I have looked at online seems to be full of compromises which frankly I don’t really want to make again.

The pull of that glass of red on a beautiful balcony overlooking a Spanish sunset is rather strong though..

There I was, eating a biscuit… Guess who is diabetic

Last week Moose was invited to the birthday party of a good friend. Since it was in a soft play place which happened to be next to a garden centre and since he is of an age where I can drop and run… I arranged with my Mum to go for a coffee while M was busy with his friends.

Great plan? Right? Well, it would have been.

The cafe post covid has gone to crap. They used to sell lovely lunch options but nowadays not so much. All that was on offer were a few mediocre looking slices of cake which didn’t even come on proper plates. Sorry but if I am paying £3.50 for a cake I don’t want a polystyrene plate. I don’t know if it was polystyrene. Whatever, it looked flimsy.

So we got our teas and found our seats. I went off to the shop within the garden centre and grabbed a packet of biscuits for Mum and I to nibble while we drank our brew and had a chat.

20 minutes into this endeavour my phone rang. I say rang. It’s less of a ring and more of an alarming beeping. This way I have to answer my phone lest it terrifies those around me who might assume we are under some kind of attack. It works. Now I answer calls – for those who know me, you will be able to appreciate that this is a huge step for me.

I answer the phone and it was my GP. I had been to the docs the week before.

Just lately I had been really feeling like I ought to try to do something about my weight.

I am pretty heavy (understatement) but something had been niggling me and I made a visit to the nurse to get tested and make sure I was starting out on an even playing field. Basically I didn’t want to put the effort in for no return.

My bloods were taken the next day and I was told I would get a call in a few days. This was that call.

Now, what I was expecting was to be told I had low iron. Feeling tired all of the time is not new for me and I have had low iron levels a few times before.

Nope, the GP was quick to assure me that was all good. However, I was now diabetic. He said that a nurse would call me to make an appointment to come in and speak to me about my diagnosis.

I’m not stupid, I knew that type 2 was a real possibility with a high BMI like mine but I had had zero symptoms that would have jumped out as being related to diabetes.

  • No peeing often

  • I wasn’t overly thirsty all the time

  • Blurry vision is pretty normal for me because of my Punctate Inner Choroidopathy

  • No frequent infections

  • Unexpected weight loss? I wish!

  • Increased hunger? Well maybe but I am pretty fat so that is to be expected

  • Fatigue – well, 3 kids and 7 stone extra in weight would make anyone tired, right?

  • No numbness or tingling

The GP seemed to expect a bigger reaction but it is VERY difficult to take a call like that and say you are surprised when you have your phone in one hand and a biscuit (lemon drizzle in case you were wondering) in the other hand.

I licked the icing off my biscuit, mouthed the word DIABETES at my Mum who was looking on with a puzzled expression and thanked the Doctor for calling to let me know.

Nobody likes bad news

My most immediate thought was “Shit, I should have asked my levels were”. I hadn’t and I was cross with myself for not doing so. I am pleased that my Mum was with me though. Mum is diabetic too and it really helped to have her there to bounce questions off. Obviously the moment I finished the call with the GP I had plenty of questions.

About 10 minutes later the nurse phoned me and she was a bit more forthcoming than the GP had been. Unfortunately I won’t get to see her for another few weeks for my initial appointment but I have Mum to ask and I have also googled some great websites such as https://www.dietdoctor.com which was recommended on lots of forums.

Mum takes medication called Metformin for her diabetes and I have seen over the last few years how the side effects have taken their toll on her. Yes they keep her blood sugar in check but they have caused other discomforts. The GP and nurse have both said that they want to put me on Metformin too.

My plan

Obviously the moment I got home I started to read up on the condition. I went through other peoples blogs and personal accounts of their journey with type 2 Diabetes and I think I have a plan.

It’s not set in stone by any means but I have decided that I want to try to avoid Metformin if I can (and as long as my Nurse approves) by eating less/better.

I have cut my carb intake to 100g per day initially and am trying to avoid refined carbs wherever possible. If I can lose some weight before my appointment with the Diabetes Nurse I am hoping it will demonstrate my commitment to getting my levels into the safe zone without the medication for now.

It’s going to be a challenge though. My relationship with spaghetti was pretty solid – albeit obviously toxic to my health. The shame of admitting that I have caused this – and make no mistake I absolutely have – is very really and very raw right now. On the upside though the treatment does not involve having a needle jabbed into my eyeball so that’s a nice change..

I will check in after my appointment and update you.

Fingers crossed?