
I wouldn’t dare to describe myself as the most glamorous of girls, but I have definitely succumbed to some of the societal pressures of female image; finding myself keen to get a decent gel polish on my fingers and toes every now and then. Likewise, I love lying horizontally while the therapist applies eyebrow and lash tint in my local beauty salon.
It’s not true that you can’t care about beauty and also be a keen cyclist. I am proof of that!
I can survive without my beauty habits if I forget, or if am too busy or lazy to bother. Sometimes I can’t really justify the cost. This got me thinking during my cycle to work this morning:
“Gosh, what do I spend my money on then?”
I have a feeling there might be a link to my funds and my expensive taste in food and takeaway lattes…
If I still find myself a bit short of cash each month, I imagine how poor I might feel if I didn’t cycle. I worked out (again, during my contemplative ride this morning) that cycling to work 4 days a week saves me approximately £63 in bus fare every month. A fairly decent sum to set aside for the odd luxury.
Whatever your guilty pleasure is, cycling is a beautiful way to save money to put towards that. There are many well-documented benefits of cycling, including physical and mental health, and kindness to the environment. If you save the money you would have spent on other transport, you will see the pounds add up!
If my feminine indulgences aren’t your thing, there’s bound to be something you like to treat yourself to. Whether it’s beauty regimes, brunch in the local cafe or a new banjo, if you take up cycling to work these things are affordable! That is the beauty of a bike.
If you’re wondering about the initial cost of the bike in the first place, I would estimate that the original outlay would still be less than 3 months commuting expenses, including general maintenance. Bike For Good sell an array of amazing quality discounted bikes for upwards of £100, and offer servicing from £35.
If I was to use public transport to commute I would spend roughly £700 a year, so I have saved at least £500. With this money I can treat myself to all my beauty habits without feeling the pennies pinch. Goodness knows what car travel would cost me, or cost the environment.
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Blog post by Sarah McAllister, Bike For Good