For many families in the UK, owning a car is a necessity. Our public transport is underdeveloped for the modern world, many live rurally with no access to other means of transport. Having a car is a requirement for many.
However, cars are a method of transportation and should be viewed as such. The rise in car finance (namely PCPs) has seen this change with the car fast becoming a status symbol for many. However, with the meteoric rise in car finance, expensive cars have become widespread.
But did you know this method of financing that car can have a profound impact on financial stability and overall quality of life?
Since their introduction in 2008 PCPs have seen a huge growth in popularity. The consumer car finance market is the largest of the UK consumer credit markets accounting for 36% of the total value of outstanding consumer credit contracts at the end of September 2024
One of the most common financing methods is a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), where consumers pay a deposit and monthly payments for a brand-new vehicle, often upgrading to another new model every three years.
But what is the opportunity cost of this? What are you potentially leaving on the table? Have you ever zoomed out and wondered what would be if you broke the chain and kept a car longer? Let’s explore the true cost of your PCP vs a Second-Hand used car.
EV vs eBike – Why Are People Choosing EVs Over eBikes?
As someone who enjoys using a bike for short trips, I’ve always been baffled by the fact that eBikes haven’t been pushed harder by governments—or should I say the UK government? Those who enjoy cycling will know of the benefits of cycling in the Netherlands vs. the UK but the age-old debate of a flat country will always rear its head. But what about eBikes and why aren’t we using them?
With modern eBikes boasting an 80+ mile range, minimal charging costs, and easy storage, they seem like an obvious choice for short commutes. Yet, the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) has skyrocketed as a genuine ‘clean’ option (although subjective) vs an ICE car.
So, why is this? Is it cultural? Are government incentives swaying the market? Or is it a combination of factors?
Our focus here at Family Cycling is to make your life better so I wanted to explore why an eBike should be a genuine option for you from a health and financial perspective.
Let’s break it down and explore whether an eBike could be a better alternative to purchasing a brand-new EV.
Ingbirchworth Reservoir Review for Families
One of our favourite types of family outings is a good reservoir walk—easy-going, scenic, and just the right distance to tire out the kids without them realising they’re exercising! This past weekend in March, with the first real hints of spring sunshine, we headed to Ingbirchworth Reservoir with some friends (who also have two kids, aged 9 and 6) for a relaxed wander.If you’ve read our Scout Dike Reservoir review, you’ll know that Ingbirchworth is part of the Three Reservoirs Walk in South Yorkshire, but this time, we focused on Ingirchworth primary reservoir —and it turned out to be a great little adventure for the kids.
Sands Playground, Holmfirth Review For Families
A beautiful spring weekend called for an outdoor adventure, and Sands Playground in Holmfirth delivered! With blue skies and sunshine (a rare treat in March), we jumped into the car and headed off to explore. I wanted to head back to Holmfirth for some time. We really like this part of Yorkshire and I hadn’t been with the kids so the Sands Playground seemed like a nice spot to enjoy. We went without any expectations and it was far better than we imagined.
Spoiler alert: It’s a fantastic spot for families, and there’s way more to it than just a playground!
Harestanes Park Review For Families
If you are visiting the borders or live close to Jedburgh then we are a huge fan of Harestanes Park
We’ve been lucky enough to visit this gem twice—once in the summer of 2021 and again during the February half-term. The first time we went Matilda was 5 and Barney was 9 months old so it was an entirely different experience.
It’s become one of those places we wished we had on our doorstep. Unfortunately, it’s 4 hours away! Harestanes has it all—and it’s perfect for little adventurers of all ages.
Cragside National Trust Review For Families
Nestled in the heart of Northumberland, Cragside offers a perfect blend of history, innovation, and natural beauty, making it an ideal destination for families with children of all ages.
We visited Cragside in the February half term when on a short break to Northumberland. It’s a part of the country we love due to its expansive open land and beautiful scenery. Cragside didn’t disappoint on this.
With gardens, stately home, lakes, play parks and much more you could easily spend a couple of days exploring this National Trust location. Unfortunately, we only had a couple of hours but still managed to cram plenty into the trip.
Free Public Play Areas Within the Wakefield District
As a Wakefield-based family, we love to explore the free public play areas within the district. The recurring theme with all the recommended parks is that they are completely free of charge and are open to all of the public.
We have chosen a breadth of options located within a 10-mile radius of the city centre so they appeal to all families within the district.
These spaces are managed by the local council and community organisations, ensuring accessibility for residents and visitors. Below is a detailed table of the identified play areas, their pros, cons, and overall ratings, reflecting their suitability for family outings. These ratings are based on our own experience. All free play areas are an asset to the community however some are better updated than others which is reflected in the reviews.
We have also included detailed information on each park as well as links to our reviews of specific parks. This is more extensive with photography from our own visit to the park. Even though we live here there are still parks we are yet to visit so stick with us!
Sandal Castle Review for Families
I can’t believe we haven’t reviewed Sandal Castle – we have been here so many times and have so many memories here! It has been so nice looking at all our photos and choosing some to add to the article.
We live close to Sandal Castle and there are a few walking/cycling routes we can take to get there. We have visited at various different stages of our lives since we moved here…when we had Matilda and she was in a sling, then a pram, then running around, and then on her bike. We then had Barney and did all of the same but as a family of four. It is somewhere we have met with family and friends and I would say it is quite special to us for all of these reasons.
When Should a Child Learn to Ride a Bike?
Learning to ride a bike is a milestone in a child’s life, not just for the physical benefits but also for the confidence and independence it fosters. The question of when a child should learn to ride a bike really should be as EARLY as possible. Of course, we are biased here at Family Cycling 🙂
Our daughter was 4 years old when she was comfortable pedalling, and our son is of a similar age and can cycle, too (although he needs a little more persuasion).
But the question of when is the best age for a child to begin cycling, and how to support them through the process, is one that many parents face.
While the age range can vary depending on the child, evidence suggests that starting early can be immensely beneficial.
In this article, we explore the optimal ages, key stages, and the importance of early cycling, with insights from the UK and other successful countries, including the Netherlands and the Nordic region.
Case Study: Walking & Cycling to Secondary School – Can we get to 60%?
As part of our case study into walking and cycling, we wanted to look at the impact of getting more secondary school students to walk or cycle to school.
The numbers are currently ‘ok’ but should be better. At secondary school age, the freedom and autonomy of cycling/walking to school should be something that is embraced. But what impact could it have on emissions, air quality and the level of cars on the road? Not only that but can it have a positive impact on the mental and physical health of our teenagers?
The scenario-based case study below looks at an 18% rise in students embracing active travel across England to get to and from school.
The elephant in the room when it comes to cars is that we have too many people driving. We haven’t the space or infrastructure to accommodate the level of journeys via car and as such congestion will get worse before getting better.
Let’s dive into the numbers, shall we?