There’s an increasing will among the general population to ‘live a better life’. But how exactly do you achieve that? Creating good habits is at the center of achieving your goals and making changes that last.
Creating Good Habits
Author: A Way to Less
Monthly Spending – December 2019
Summary
December was yet another expensive month for us. Our kitchen was the last room in our house left to overhaul, having moved in nearly 5 years ago. The update was much needed and we’re really happy with the result. It doesn’t make the spending any easier to stomach though!
As we head into 2020 we’re looking to get back to normal and settle around our desired £2,000 per month spending level. See this post for more detail.
Continue reading “Monthly Spending – December 2019”Baby Way
We’re Having a Baby!
You’ve met Mr Way. You’ve met Miss Way. Say hello to Baby Way! Well, not just yet….
If the incredibly expensive Africa trip followed by a new car weren’t expensive enough, we’re now expecting our first child!
We recently found out that Miss Way is pregnant, with the baby due in July 2020.
Obviously, we’re absolutely delighted with this news. But at the same time, there are some severe doubts about whether we’re doing the right thing.
Continue reading “Baby Way”How to Buy a Car – The Frugal Way!
Intro – Miss Way
I had been avoiding the fact that my car was on its last legs for far too long. It had done a respectable 165,000 miles!
A couple of weeks ago I accepted it was no longer safe to drive and the repair costs far outweighed the value of the vehicle (£1,000 on repairs for a car only worth £200!) – I needed to buy a new one – and quick!
I begrudgingly rely on my car for my work. Due to the peripatetic nature of my job, it unfortunately isn’t always possible to cycle to all my work destinations. Over the last month I’ve used the train where possible, but it can be an expensive alternative. Ideally, we would love to be entirely car free, but this is not an option right now.
Continue reading “How to Buy a Car – The Frugal Way!”Monthly Spending – November 2019
Summary
Not a good month for the savings rate!! In fact we’ve spent much more than we earnt this month.
This was almost entirely caused by having to buy a new car – see the Transport section below for more detail.
Ignoring the car for a second, we spent £2,040 which is very close to our target of £2,000 per month.
Continue reading “Monthly Spending – November 2019”A Day in Nairobi, Kenya
Africa Series – Part 5
The Journey Begins!
We started our month-long adventure in Nairobi, having completed the 2-leg flight from the UK, via Dubai.
First impressions weren’t great as we stood in the immigration queue for 90 minutes. It was a warm, stuffy place and the queue was a battle! Other passengers didn’t seem to have the same ‘personal space’ values as we do!
Continue reading “A Day in Nairobi, Kenya”Monthly Spending – October 2019
Summary
Our spending was almost spot on our target monthly amount in October! We aim for around £2,000 so this was a good result for us. A very low month in the transport category helped us balance out some big items elsewhere.
We break our main expenses down into broad categories starting with the big 3; housing, food and transport. Everything else falls into the entertainment category, with any large inclusions explained in detail.
Continue reading “Monthly Spending – October 2019”Review of Ultimate East Africa
Africa Series – Part 4
As you probably know by now, we spent most of the summer in East Africa! We were away for a month, with the vast majority of our time being spent on the Ultimate East Africa trip by G Adventures.
We wanted to provide a review of our trip in the hope that it helps others when choosing a similar escapade!
Continue reading “Review of Ultimate East Africa”Africa Trip – What We Spent!
Africa Series – Part 3
We gave a rough estimate before we left that the trip would cost us in the region of £5,500 each. Was our estimate right?!
A lot of the costs were already known before we left. We had paid for the flights, the tour with G Adventures and some extra hotel nights at either end of the trip. The tour costs also included a lot of food and transport etc.
Continue reading “Africa Trip – What We Spent!”We’re Home! Africa Snaps
Africa Series – Part 2
That’s it – we’re back! (Actually, we got back at the end of August but we’ve been kind of busy….)
Over 6 months in the planning, our Africa trip was over in a heartbeat. We saw incredible wildlife, stunning scenery and got to meet some inspirational locals. It was truly a life-changing experience for both of us. We’re so happy we got to make those memories together.
Continue reading “We’re Home! Africa Snaps”