Today, I looked at the Directline Holidays late deals page. Thought it would be interesting, as a vagabond, to see whether joining up back to back package holidays would cost the same as moving house within London and renting. Thus far I’ve successfully (and somewhat painfully) moved my stuff into a locker in London. Aside from clothes, a laptop, and a strangely vast number of plugs, which I didn’t have time to untangle and imbue with meaning.
In some cases you could probably pay just over £1,000 to join up four back to back package holidays. If we take a typical houseshare rent + bills in London at approximately £550-£700 + £80 travel + £80 a month for food + £55 for gym + £120 a month for any pub visits and other luxuries (don’t mention the daily chocolate bar budget) we get £885 for cheap London living each month or £1,035 for those with slightly higher rents. As a freelancer, this means that a choice between back to back package holidays and just living in London actually exists.
Obviously, given my penchant for all things train-related and my dislike of planes and package holidays, it’s not for me. But isn’t that crazy? Isn’t that slap-me-in-the-face-because-I-can’t-bloody-believe-it ridiculous?
Having perched myself in Bristol over the last weekend and become familiar with booking coaches and phoning lovely friends with space to stay, I’m wondering when and how we’re going to sort out the housing mess that is London. Does the government seriously think the answer is for people to become freelancers to help the economy only to move into someone’s spare room and pay their bedroom tax for them? What a monumentally bizarre country we do live in.
At this stage – it means ultimately giving up the freelance lifestyle and returning to the world of full time employment. But I’m incredibly lucky to have that option, I had a good education and writing is a skill people need.
This post was brought to you by Directline Holidays. Clearly.
Sophie Collard on Google+
