Zen and the Art of Bicycle Maintenance
This is for personal future reference, but others may find it handy:
It's very comprehensive (text also available on the actual page), but I believe that even a cheap bike like mine will last a long time if properly cared for. I'd hate to end up with a dead bike due to neglect on my part.
Anyway, have fitted pannier rack and panniers. Total cost £50 (£25 for rack, £25 for panniers). So far they have proved invaluable for a small shopping trip, storage of bike lock and a few bits and bobs.
Took bike to Halfords for purchase of panniers (they're pretty much much of a muchness: large waterproof/weatherproof ones are available for £80-odd, but for now a couple of small cheap ones combined with plastic bags will do for short trips).
Had a quick jaunt to an outlying, out-of-town area via a cycle route for a few miles, then swung past a branch of Lidls to pick up a few bars of the awesome J.D. Gross chocolate they stock there. Lidls may have a reputation for being a haven for chavs and assorted mutants, but I've found that some of the stuff they sell there is actually rather good. In particular, I do like their chocolate.
Total calories burned were approx 500 and being a very short trip I only did 5 miles, but my calculations and/or calibration of my trip computer may be well off, so I'll have to find a way of testing that.
Things nearly got a bit messy in the horse-poo department on one stretch of track, so next purchase will be mudguards... Also need a chainguard, some bungees and some cans of lube.