Cycling Your Way To A Healthier Bank Balance

The New Year is well and truly here and we’re all full of New Year’s resolutions, enthusiasm and optimism (hopefully!) After the trials and considerable challenges of 2020 most of us are of the same opinion as D:ream – Things Can Only Get Better!

As a result, we start to try to find ways to improve our lifestyles, which may have become (let’s face it!) slightly less organised and altruistic than we would like (mine is, quite frankly, a shambles). Leading into 2021, we’re more motivated to get active, eat more healthily and perhaps more importantly, to save our pennies.

Brush Off The Cobwebs

With this in mind, perhaps there is a way to combine some of these goals. How many of you prefer to take the bus or drive to work in order to have those few extra minutes in bed? To take a taxi or Uber so that you can finish that fab dream about that gorgeous guy in marketing…?

Using your new-found enthusiasm, how about cycling to work? You could even take a brisk walk or (dare I say it?!) a jog? However, cycling is (for most of us) quicker, more gentle on the body and can help up build muscle (watch out Arnie!) You could dust off that bike in the garage, take your brand new trainers from their pristine box (remember to remove the tags) and leave the house with renewed vigour. Your halo would be shining as you smugly trot into work (albeit red-faced, glowing with sweat and out of breath), eager to tell anyone who will listen about the virtues and advantages of self-propulsion to work:

• you have already done your exercise for the day without booking any classes at the gym (and therefore saved more cash)
• not using public transport/your own vehicle helps those pennies add up
• and you can even add a tick for helping save the environment.

In truth, it’s a win-win situation and you can give yourselves a hefty and well-deserved pat on the back!

So Many Positives….

On a more serious note, switching from driving to cycling (or walking) can save you hundreds of pounds (maybe even thousands if you commute or work in London). That 5* holiday in Portugal you had previously discounted is looking more possible now…. Not only will you reduce wear and tear to your vehicle and decrease your fuel bills but you may also save on parking fees or congestion charges. Fuel costs are escalating and any opportunity to make a tank of fuel last that bit longer will be a welcome saving.

A number of employers also offer cycle schemes; this is where you can purchase bikes and any accessories you may need (got to have a trendy helmet to look the part) at a greatly discounted price, enabling your commute to be cost effective.

Some employers also incentivise cycling to work by rewarding employees; they get the chance to gain additional holiday if they complete a certain number of commutes. And who doesn’t want extra time to relax and destress?

Make The Change

Overall, a rethink in your mode of transport for both work and leisure could be of huge benefit to your health, your bank account and the environment. With so many indisputable advantages, could this be one New Year’s Resolution you stick to?