There’s a good article posted on ABC new’s website and it’s loaded with tips to save money in London, one of the world’s most expensive cities. Though London’s hotels and high-end restaurants can bleed a travel budget, there’s so much to see and do in the city that doesn’t cost a fortune. I end up spending less there than I do in other cities.
Here are a few of my personally tested money-saving tips for London visits:
- Buy food at a local market and eat a few meals in your hotel room at night or pack lunches for day trips. I can spend hours in Waitrose and Sainsbury’s anyway, and it’s fun to shop and eat like a native. I also keep snacks in my daybag so I don’t have to drop a small fortune when I get the nibbles.
- Walk. Probably the biggest reason why I love this city so much is because it’s so damn walkable. You can spend hours exploring a neighborhood, hop on the Tube, then go explore another part of the city.
- The Tube! I love the Tube. And so will your kids if you bring them. It’s fairly cheap, and it’ll get you anywhere in the city, including back and forth to Heathrow.
- But theater tickets for cheap a few hours before performance time. I’ve seen Vanessa Redgrave, Alec Guinness, and Edward Herrmann on stage, as well as Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera (hey, I heard that snicker), and the most I’ve ever paid is $25 per ticket. The seats aren’t the best in the house, but who cares? I either go into the box office to inquire about same-day tickets, or buy them at one of those cheap ticket kiosks if I’m desperate. (I think I used a kiosk only once — to get the Phantom tickets — because my travel companion was desperate to see the show.)
- I haven’t done this, but try couch surfing. My brother does this — you go to this site, plug in where you want to go and find an available couch in someone’s home or flat. If that’s too iffy for you, I’ve actually stayed in dorm rooms at the University of London in the summer and during winter breaks. It’s not a luxury accommodation, naturally, but if you just need a place to rest your head at night, check it out. Plus you get breakfast in the morning and can meet some very interesting people from around the world — all in a collegial atmosphere.
Any other money-saving tips for London-bound tourists? Post them in the comments section.
Related posts:
{ 1 trackback }
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Love Waitrose. M&S Hot Salmon Salad eaten on a park bench in Edinburgh and in a secret garden in Belgravia.
We spent two weeks there several years ago, going with a friend and her daughter. We rented a two-bedroom serviced apartment and it worked out very well! We shopped at the local supermarket and ate many meals in, saving a fortune on food. The apartment came equipped with a washing machine and dryer, which was a big help as well.
The building was close enough to central London that you could walk to many places, yet not in a main tourist area, so it wasn’t expensive. It was a great way to travel.
Give bed and breakfasts a try. We stayed in a lovely home in north London several years back for loads less than any hotel we could find. Sure, we spent a lot of time on the Tube, trains, and buses, but it was those times that showed me the REAL London, not the touristy part. An added benefit to a B&B is the wealth of information you can get from your hostess on places to go, places to avoid, how long it will take to get across the city, etc.
One more tip…I visited some thrift stores and grocery stores to search for unique souvenirs. I brought back some really old books from the thrift store, an interesting canned soup (made from venision) and a variety of cookies and tea. They were much better than a t-shirt!
Great article, inspired me to write up a blog post about doing London on the cheap. Thanks for the idea:
http://www.anglotopia.net/2008/11/london-on-the-cheap-for-anglophiles-9-cheap-london-tips/