A Little Local Knowledge Goes a Long Way

 

Month 6 - Bite 15

Reading guide books, looking on line and so on are all free and helpful ways of deciding what to do, especially somewhere like Rome where the choice is vast.

The best information we've got, however, has always been from asking a local! The owner of the apartment where we stay in a mine of information. The first time she directed us to a church around the corner from where we were staying which had the most amazing archeological site beneath it. We were there for hours, exploring old Roman roads and houses and wondering at the state of preservation of it all. It also helps with the spending as you can be advised of the best routes to get there, any off peak viewing times or additional free entrances.

Another time she sent us off to Ostia Antica -wow - a mini Pompeii a short train reide away.

This time she sent us to a park with fountains, statues and a magic door that may even lead to the Underworld itself, along with a church we hadn't thought to visit before, but which had fabulous ceilings. 

You get the idea!

Month 6 - Bite 16

Of course there's nothing like walking a place to get your bearings and to see it at a variety of times of the day and night.

                                      

It's true for just about anywhere at home or away. There's always plenty to see and then to add to your list of 'must visit' locations for later in the holiday - or in our case there seems to be an overspill list for 'another time'!

By walking around we've discovered cut throughs and short cuts and so can duck from one overcrowded spot to another less busy corner changing our plans as we fancy. It also means that we can see whether we want to spend money in certain spots or if a place around the corner is a little cheaper for just as great an experience. Although it must be said that sometimes it's worth pushing the boat out - to take a drinks break in Piazza Navona perhaps. It's only spendthrift if you don't fully throw yourself into the experience!

Tap into Local Knowledge and Buy Tickets Wisely

 Month 6 - Bite 14

The first time we went to Rome and wanted to see the tennis there we researched all the sites and went for safety first. We bought our tickets in advance from a certified agency and, even though we were a bit concerned about them arriving before we left, had the re-assurance that we were okay for entrance and thoroughly enjoyed the holiday.

However, when talking to my niece's husband he was horrified at paying fees to an agency and suggested that next time we should go direct to the venue.

Humming and haa-ing about it we decided to give it a try the next year, and he was right, it was cheaper and quicker.

This year it was even better - the tickets were emailed within seconds of going onto the site. In fact soooo much quicker than the tickets we've got for tennis events in the UK which are digital, through an app, have to be transferred from the purchaser to the 'guest' and all in all took hours of sitting in online queues!

Read All About It

 Month 6 - Bite 13

A bit of an add on this one following the previous technology post.

We have in the past had a good read of guide books before going away, just to help with planning and so that we know what we want to see. Generally they are from the library or even as freebies on the e-reader.

This time there was an added attraction in using our phones. Taking a quick snap of the legend at points we wanted to remember, or read up on later, or to refresh our memories about (especially when trying to remember where a particular photo was taken) meant that we could do this at leisure or do some further reading back at the apartment.

Another big bonus was the QR codes on most of the explanations and at many of the sites. Some were straightforward reading and information while others provided free guided tours on-site - brilliant!!

The Joys of Technology!

 One of the biggest developments in more recent times has been technology. It's got its downsides I'll grant you, but they are far outweighed by what it now allows us all to do. 

Month 6 - Bite 11

Booking ahead means savings in time, money and effort. It certainly saves on the stress of knowing that you don't have to scramble for change, be concerned about running late at the car park and all sorts of issues of that ilk.

Generally booking airport parking ahead of time is a great money saver. I hadn't realised by just how much until we were driving in and I caught site of the information board with the list of costs - it was a huge saving having it all online - so that's this bite - pre-booking.

It applied to visiting places of interest too. From previous trips we know that certain venues get booked out long before we arrive so have had to get an online booking, they also have tended to work out cheaper too. This year, with the main pandemic measures in Italy only ending the day before we travelled it was even more essential. Most of the sites were online booking only and the opening times for a lot of places needed to be checked for changes. Thank goodness for mobile phones, internet connections - oh yes, and remembering to pack the chargers!

Month 6 - Bite 12 

In amongst our planning we also needed to check on local events and festa. Not just in case we wanted to go along and take part - it was pretty important to know that the Rome Cancer 5km run would close 'our' street on the Sunday and that the European Cup match would mean log jams in certain areas. That way we could plan to avoid the areas and enjoy other events!

Mind you, taking part in local festivities found online isn't to be missed either. That also applies at home - well how could you miss a Jubilee party with fun and live music?

Travelling comfortably

 Now I know there are many who will say that travelling comfortably belongs to the rich and celebrated who can afford to have all their home comforts and a staff to carry everything. Especially, you might say with the amount of problems and disruption around at present - we were lucky to have a problem free trip. However, when on the move I do try to limit the discomfort if you like.

The transit bit of travelling when you are carrying your belongings with you, especially if you managed that panacea of only taking carry on stuff can be lightened up by packing wisely and leaving out some of the weighty items that you can acquire along the way.

Month 6 - Bite 7

When packing there are some things I don't like to be without (make up, shower scrunchy, toothbrush, hairbrush, that sort of thing). There are others I don't bother with because they are just as easy to pick up and as cheap to buy while we are away. In addition to that many of the places we've visited supply some toiletries as part of the deal so why lug stuff abroad when you can get it there? Okay, sometimes if you're not sure (a sensible price for deodorant is never a given) taking your own supplies is best, but avoiding things that spill or have to be packed separately in plastic bags to be scanned at security makes life easier.

This is also where those freebies that I was accumulating come in. A small sample of perfume is lighter to transport than a bottle, the free sachets of sun block take up next to no room and so on. Worth stockpiling a few then.

Month 6 - Bite 8

Emergency supplies are another thing. I mentioned my free samples of sun screen, but if I don't have such a freebie I'll usually take a small tube of my own, buying at the airport at silly prices seems unnecessary. Then there are other essentials to consider - paracetamol, for example, is so cheap in this country that it's daft having to go searching for it if I need painkillers while I'm away and would tempt me to paying more than I need - they are packed without the box though... Sting relief and anti histamine tablets are something else I'd rather take with me. I know there are supplies available at the airport, bust a captive audience never guarantees a good price!

Month 6 - Bite 9

Packing wisely sounds like good advice and one day perhaps I'll manage it! I don't do too badly although I still managed to bring home clothes I've not worn as I've taken far too many in the first place. I think I learned a lot about packing when I was still working and having to spend time in hotels. Getting most of my needs into a holdall I soon discovered what were the heavier items and which crease proof dresses were a must. I usually keep a change of underwear and a top as well as comfy shoes in my hand luggage and wear the heaviest outdoor gear and shoes for the journey. That works well for me. 

I tend to roll my clothes and pack out my case corners with small items so that it's all fairly tightly packed. You'd think this would result in very creased clothes, but because they don't move about in the case they seem to travel well and any wrinkles steam out when hung in the bathroom while I'm showering (if only the same could be said for the wrinkles on my skin!).

Why am I going on about weight and travel comfort, when I'm supposed to be thinking about cost cutting? Well, the less I take, the smaller and lighter my case, so the cheaper it is to book in! It's also better for the environment and energy efficiency if we all travel lighter - just imaging what a difference it would make if every passenger on a flight reduced 1kg weight from their portables!

Month 6 - Bite 10

This year I also did something which I keep thinking of doing bu never do. Having sorted out my old clothes I still had some with a small amount of wear in them, although they would never stand a close inspection - just why do t-shirts develop small holes near to the hemline in the front?

I deliberately wore some older clothes that were on their way out, including underwear, that while comfortable, had definitely reached the end of its 'wear by' date. These went out with me, but never made it back! Well, did I mention the extra space I needed to bring back some stuff for our soon to be arriving family?

                                   

Holiday Time!

 I know I've mentioned it once or twice, but we finally got abroad for the first time since the pandemic! Now I know that in writing about saving money a holiday seems a little frivolous, well, perhaps finding money saving ways to be frivolous is just as important sometimes in keeping the spirits up.

This little pink elephant is here to announce the next monthful of bites about getting away. Perhaps his pinkness is due to a little too much sun!

Now, unlike most of this year's writing where I've largely set myself a day-by-day task, this month will be full of predominately retrospective bites. I'm still going to record them though - for future reference.

Month 6 - Bite 1

As soon as we were able to book with some confidence we went ahead with confirming our accommodation (which had been on hold since 2020 with the deposit paid) and booking flights. 

Straightaway came the decision about holiday insurance. Normally we have annual insurance that just rolls over, but of course, with the pandemic it didn't seem sensible to do this in 2020.

Looking at the insurance made us question whether our usual joint policy was a good idea in respect of our ages. We're not that too far apart in age, but it did make a difference to the premiums. So, this time it worked out cheaper to have two individual policies - one each - rather than a joint one. That'll need constant revisiting as age catches up with me/us from here on.

Month 6 - Bite 2

After all our travels in Italy our attempts in the language are little more than saying hello, asking for the bill and saying thank you! Unforgivable really, especially with family living there. So before going this time I downloaded a free (and excellent) book on the e-readers so we could really get stuck into the language in order to fully understand what was going on and to integrate a bit better. Knowing a bit more than the basics helped with ordering, buying, finding out information and using public transport - all time and money savers!

Month 6 - Bite 3

Having visited Rome once or twice before we've been lucky enough to find an apartment that works well for us. Knowing the owner helps with the cost too. That said, it's still a luxury and has to be weighed up carefully to see if the benefits outweigh the cost implications. From our point of view they do. There's something about being somewhere very convenient where you have the option of dropping back during the day for breaks or eating in. The very location of the apartment - this after all is the view from the living room and kitchen windows (yes, really, the Colosseum) - means that we spend little on getting around as so much is walkable and there are tram, bus and underground stops within 2 minutes of the front door!

Month 6 - Bite 4

For my retirement birthday my sister bought me a notebook....

I've been using it ever since to record what we get up to on our wanderings - it makes life so much easier when trying to remember highlights or decide where any photos that we can't place are taken!

One page I always start a holiday with is a record of costs. It might sound a bit un-holiday like, but it's so valuable in seeing where the money goes. It also means that we know in advance roughly how much we need to budget for another time or where we can save a bit. Especially since this was our first trip abroad for a while it was so helpful with simple things like how much currency to change up.

                                                  

Month 6 - Bite 5

You can see from the last photo that each cost is followed by either 'cash' or 'Clarity'. That's because I like to keep tabs on how I pay for each thing (as I say it helps to know how many Euros to take). A couple of trips ago I was happily using my normal credit card abroad, asking to be charged in local currency, all that sort of thing. Then when the monthly statement came there was a currency conversion charge against each item. It might not have been much on each individual spend, but it certainly added up over the whole time away.

Having researched what was available I got a different card that I only use abroad that doesn't charge a fee (and has a reasonable conversion rate too). I know that I don't get points (as I do on my regular card), but having done the maths the saving on the currency fee was greater than the reward points.

Just before we went I tested out the 'card for abroad' to make sure it wasn't sulking through lack of use and it worked fine so that's where the spending went!

Month 6 - Bite 6

With all the 'paperwork' in place it was time to dust off the cases and check them out. With all the extras counting on flight costings we needed to make sure that whatever we were taking fitted the bill both in weight and size. So out with the tape measure and scales for a reassuring sizing session. The main baggage allowance was fine and our cabin bags fitted easily so no extra hidden costs there.

I did take a slightly larger carry-on bag than usual - although still well within the restrictions. This wasn't for me! With our Italian family due to relocate to the UK soon I needed to be able to bring some of their clothes back to lighten their load! Mission accomplished I'm glad to say - and a bit more money saved in their pot too...

A relaxing, crafty end to the month...

I know it's been a long time getting to these final posts for Month 5, but a rather lovely holiday got in the way!

Actually it's provided plenty of new ideas, especially for Month 6, but more of that later.

Firstly it's kick-started something that I've wanted to do for a while that'll give me the topic for the last Bites for the month...

Month 5 - Bite 30

While we were away I spied this great piece of yarn-bombing/installation art at the Rome International Tennis. The crocheted octopus models brandishing their tennis rackets was a fantastic piece of work. 

My Nan taught me to crochet when I was small and I got quite adept at going round and round in circles and then progressed to a large square/rectangle for a bed cover. The edges got a bit out of alignment, but on a big blanket it didn't really matter. 

Over the years I've tried to make small squares, but they always seem to 'lean out' at the corners!

So my final free bite for the month is to spend some time on the internet to find some easy to follow tutorials to improve my skills. 

I don't think I'll get as skilled as the talented Beth from Mind Over Hook (see link for her Etsy shop or visit on Facebook or Instagram @mindoverhook) who made some lovely headbands for my nieces' children, but I'll give it a go!

That brings me to the additional mouthful which is definitely connected!

Bonus Mouthful 4

So having found a simple to follow set of instructions for crocheted scrunchies I was reminded of some presents I did last year which have led to requests for more.

I needed some small presents for our Christmas celebrations and decided to make the girls a collection of hair slides and decorations. 

Time to repeat the process ready, not just for Christmas, but as a handy stock of stuff for birthdays, impromptu gifts, party bags, etc. that can be ready to hand for little or no cost (especially as scraps of fabric and leftover yarns are never in short supply here!).

The bags were simple and quick to make (thank you online videos) so I'll do some more.

Then onto the contents - here's my stash so far.. The crocheted ones were from the tutorial I found and the fabric scrunchies were originally created from another online video.

I still want to do some hair slides - I've seen a great clip on social media where they are made from a rectangle of fabric tied into a pretty bow and then tied onto a hair elastic so that's next. And finally there'll be some hair clips prettied up with fabric and buttons like some I made before. 

I might even get adventurous and make some headbands too - I'll post them if I get that far!

And now onto Month 6.....