Tag Archives: Car Rental

London Parks on a Budget

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London is one of the oldest and grandest cities in the world. It is a city that is full of palaces and history but is also in step with the contemporary, and often the city that sets the trends while retaining tradition. It is true London is expensive but there are many opportunities for families and backpackers on a budget to get to know the city on a tight budget or for free through its museums and parks. A good tip for saving money is car rental. By opting for car hire in London, it is easier to save money that otherwise goes into public transport.

London may be full of historical monuments and shopping avenues and a good infrastructure but the city continues to make room for parks and in fact, takes pride in them. And not all of them are new additions.

Take Greenwich, the oldest Royal Park. Spread over 74 hectares, it is home to a herd of deer, the Prime Meridian Line, the Royal Observatory as well as cafe’s. It also hosts concerts.

A well-known city park, Hyde Park is right in the middle of London city and covers 142 hectares. It has a lake, around 4000 trees and ornamental gardens. There are many sports activities, from tennis to horse riding, that can be undertaken while here. It has two restaurants by the lakeside and some structures that are worth a dekko while at the park are Archiles statue, the Serpentine Bridge and the Joy of Life fountain.

Kensington Gardens, as the name suggests, is part of the grounds where the Kensington Palace is located. One of the playgrounds here is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground. The park is also home to a Peter Pan statue, Albert Memorial, and Serpentine Gallery. It includes a cafe.

Another park that is of significance is St. James’s Park, which can also be found in the middle of the city. Here, one can witness the changing of the guard, ceremonial events and parades. Bird lovers will be delighted to meet the birds here from pelicans to water birds and owls.

Other parks in and around London are Bushy Park, Richmond Park, Regent’s Park, Postman’s Park, Crystal Palace Park and Holland Park. Entry to most parks in London is free of cost.

And an easy way to get around them is by availing car hire services in London from car rental companies.

Which Is Better? Leasing A Car Or Buying One?

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There is nothing quite like the feeling of buying a brand new car. Most people have a few clunkers, and maybe a lemon or two as their first few cars, while they save up for a decent down payment for their dream car. Nowadays however, with every major car company allowing people to lease a vehicle rather than buying it, saving up for a down payment is not as necessary as it used to be.

Leasing dropped into the car scene a few years ago and has been viewed as a life saver to many would be car owners. When you think about it, what person wouldn’t choose to pay $175 or $250 a month for a car instead of $350 or $500? Leasing prices are much lower than monthly payments, no matter how big your down payment is! Some companies offer leasing packages that almost sound too good to be true. However, they usually are too good to be true!

If you are looking to buy a new car but you are dragging your feet about paying a high monthly payment, the leasing option is probably starting to look really good to you. If you do your research however, you will ultimately find that buying your car is almost always the smartest thing to do. I would say that the only exception to this is if you have moved somewhere for a short period of time for your job, or for schooling and you need a car. In these cases, leasing would be a smart thing to do, as long as you are not planning any long road trips.

When you enter into a leasing agreement, you are basically borrowing a car from a company, with the understanding that if anything should happen to the car, you are 100% liable, and you will have to pay any damages. When you buy a car, the same applies, but when you own your car, you don’t have to give it back after putting your money into it!

When you lease your car, the lease agreement is usually for four to five years, after which you will have the option to give it back (once the car company has made absolutely sure it is coming back with no scratches or dents!) or to pay the remaining thousands cash down so you can own the car. The monthly payment for leasing is lower, but it is still cheaper and better in the long run to buy the car and pay more per month.

If you own your car, you make the rules, you decide if a dent or scratch really does need fixing and if it does, you can decide where you want to get it fixed. You can also drive as far as you like in a year, and not worry about paying for your mileage. Leasing agreements usually give you 20,000 kilometers or miles per year an you will pay a lot extra to be able to drive more in a year.