Frugal Friday…

Lundy Old Light

Some of you may recall that one thing we were utterly determined about when we were paying down the original mortgage on the flat was that we wouldn’t turn down opportunities to do things on the basis that we “couldn’t afford it”. Sometimes we might opt to say no to something because we are choosing to direct our finances elsewhere, certainly, but other times when an option for some fun is offered we will grab it with both hands! We’ve taken that policy forwards to the new mortgage too - unsurprisingly! 

When a few weeks ago I was given the chance for a week on the lovely island of Lundy later in the year, this was definitely one of those situations - although this time round MrEH doesn’t have the spare holiday time so the trip will just be for me which means it is my personal spending money that needs to cover it, obviously! Lundy is not a cheap location to spend a holiday, so I was well aware that before saying yes, I would need to run through my finances. Budgeting for this sort of thing really does help to ensure that you can properly enjoy the thing when it comes along without having to fret about how much it's all costing.

The accommodation will be shared with 4 pals which helps bring the cost down on that, at least a bit. The ferry is a fixed cost - nothing to be saved there and no other way of accessing the island, so that was an easy one to assess!  The costs for food and drink while there are also a bit fixed - we usually tend to eat in the Marisco Tavern for evening meals - opting for the daily special can bring the cost down a touch - and the options for lunch are packed lunches using products from the Island’s shop (not the cheapest, it must be said but when you consider how their supply chain works, also nowhere near as pricey as it could be!) or the Tavern again for a pasty, or perhaps a portion of cheesy chips! The accommodation has a kitchen, so that adds options as well. We will undoubtedly be in the Tavern most evenings too, although my pace of drinking is generally slower than MrEH’s so I’m not expecting a wildly alarming bar bill! 

The other thing which required serious thought was how I would travel down to Ilfracombe and back. Unless I want a horrifically early start, I’ll need to be in Ilfracombe the night before we sail - so the cost of an overnight stay there needed to be seen as another fixed cost really.  I then turned my attention to whether I could get down and back using public transport rather than taking the car - it won’t necessarily be cheaper, but it could certainly be a nicer way of doing things, and more relaxing. A budget trip down on the friday prior was relatively easy to sort - with travel as far as Barnstaple available from Waterloo for around £20. A good bus service from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe makes the last step pretty straightforward, and only an additional £3.  Getting back was rather more of a challenge as things stand - not least because of the uncertainty of timings on getting away from Ilfracombe harbour! A quick conflab with my pal who is happy to drop me at Tiverton parkway on their way home though, and we've agreed on timings which should be safe enough. Initially this looked like quite a pricey part of the trip - but it turns out a bit of digging around brings the cost down quite substantially, and taking a bit of a gamble it seems I should be able to get back to London, and then on to home, that same night, which will mean a saving of a night's accommodation. Add in a bit of split ticketing, and I should be able to get all the way home for under £40, which is a bit of a bargain really! Allowing that the journey by car would have been a tank of diesel, plus parking costs in Ilfracombe for a week, I am confident that using pubic transport will actually save me some money too. 

For those that don't know, the art of split ticketing is useful in the world of train travel. It involves choosing your train, and then establishing where that train will stop on the way. You then drill down into where you might be able to "split" the journey to bring costs down. On this trip for example the ticket from Tiverton all the way through to Paddington comes in at £40, but a ticket from Tiverton to Bristol Temple Meads on the same train can be had for £7, and the onward Bristol to Paddington section is £25. I don't have to change trains, probably won't even have to change seats, yet still benefit from a saving on the journey. This is absolutely legitimate, there is no reason whatsoever not to do it, and it works surprisingly often. There are even companies out there who will do this for you these days - although needless to say they charge you for the privilege!

Ultimately, the decision has been that yes, it will be an expensive week, but that I can manage the costs, and have several months to set aside the funds needed. My trains are booked, my Ilfracombe accommodation is booked, and I am going! 

Robyn.