How I Saved by NOT having an Annual Season Ticket

I first published this blog a year or so ago and with the Southern Rail problems it seems appropriate to re-publish it. 

When I began commuting to the City of London I was encouraged to buy an Annual Season Ticket.  So that it wouldn’t be such a big expense the following year I opened a savings account and put the appropriate amount into it each month. 

THEN I had a brain storm.  I was only using the ticket 5 days a week.  I never used trains to go anywhere else.  I also realised that the ticket didn’t get used when I was holiday nor on bank holidays.  Working out how many days a year I used that ticket and dividing its cost by the number of days I found that it was more expensive than using a monthly/weekly season ticket.

For reasons that I won’t bore you with I ended up buying daily tickets – the amount saved over the cost of the Annual Season Ticket paid for a holiday!  Yes, with the advent of ticket machines I succumbed to the daily ticket and for those of you who say you don’t have time…..  Work it out!

Am I glad I no longer commute.  Soon it won’t be worth the expense of working, will it?

Antiques in the Attic - an Excerpt

Sarah's and Zelda's holiday in Torremolinos seems to be heading into trouble:

Later in the afternoon as they lay on sunbeds on the beach, Zelda told Sarah, "That guy is beginning to creep me out."

"Jason?"

"Yeah.  He's still hanging around.  I'm sure if there was another sunbed near us he'd be on it instead of at the bar."  She was referring to the bar across the road from the beach where the man was drinking a beer.

"I know what you mean.  D'you reckon he's stalking us?"

"Could be.  I know he's in the next door apartment but even when we've crept out and avoided passing that side of the building he still turns up."

"He does, doesn't he?  Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"  The women exchanged a look.  "No, that's too far fetched.  We're not in a spy film."

Zelda laughed.  "Shades of James Bond.  No, he looks more like an English version of the Pink Panther."

"Zel, I don't want to be a scaredy cat, but he does make me nervous.  I'd suggest we check our bags but if he's looking he'll see."

Her friend looked at her closely.  "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you be?  Actually, after all that's happened and the reason why we're here, you should be worried too."

"True.  Sorry, but an unexpected free holiday has gone to my head.  Look, I'll go to the bar and get a couple of beers.  And get chatting to him.  You check our bags."

...................

As well as being available on Amazon (via the link), this book is also available on Kobo and for other readers via Smashwords.