How To Save Money In London
Living in a city can be tough. The prices for most things tend to be much higher than the rest of the country in comparison. If you’re looking at how you can save money in London or if you’re planning a holiday trip down to the city, here are some useful tips.
How to Save Money in London
Take Advantage Of Discounts On Theatre Tickets
When in London, it’s only right that you treat yourself to one of the many fantastic shows that they have in their theatres to surprise, amaze and entertain. However, theatre tickets can be quite costly. Finding discounts for theatre tickets is the way to go. That’s where discount theatre tickets from TodayTix comes in. They work pretty much last minute. So if you decide to go to the theatre on the day, they will likely have plenty of shows available for the evening of a performance at a reasonably discounted rate.
While many of the major attractions have an entry fee, you will also find that many do not and there are lots of ways to entertain yourself without spending any money. Here are a few free attractions in London:
- National History Museum
- Science Museum
- Tate Modern
- Borough Market
- Greenwich Park
- Houses of Parliament
- Kensington Gardens
- The Changing of the Guard
- V&A Museum
- St. Paul’s Church
- Portobello Road
Bonus tip: If you arrived by Eurostar, it’s worth keeping hold of your ticket: they allow two for one entry into many of the major temporary charging exhibitions.
Look out for Deals to Save Money in London
When living or staying in the capital, you can save money in London by looking out for deals. Using coupons and taking advantage of sales, can shave dollars off your food bills. Using the internet to your advantage is another great way to find deals in the London area.
You can usually find great deals on entry tickets when you look online so be sure to check before your trip. You might find that you get great deals like 40% off on weekdays, 2for1 entry or group discounts at many of the major attractions in London.
In addition to just looking for sales events and coupons, you should also consider subscribing to the newsletters of your favourite places. For many stores that offer this option, the emails that you receive will inform you of upcoming sales and some even offer exclusive deals. This, paired with loyalty cards and cashback will save your bank balance.
Book Train Tickets in Advance
It can cost a huge amount even to get the train into London which is not an ideal start if you are squeezing the pennies. By booking your train to London Bridge online in advance you could make big savings and you don’t have to worry about the hassle of getting a ticket on the day.
You could also consider split-ticketing as an option to reduce the cost of your train fare. Split ticketing is when you buy multiple tickets for one journey, instead of just one ticket for the whole trip. Last year rail bosses admitted that it can sometimes work out much cheaper to buy two or more tickets for a journey rather than a single ticket.
You could also invest in a railcard – you can save 1/3 on the cost of your train tickets if you have a railcard.
Stay In An Airbnb
Accommodation certainly isn’t cheap in London and some of the hotels that might be suitable for you, maybe too far out of your price range. Luckily, there are platforms like Airbnb that exist to provide you with a more home away from home type stay at a much more affordable rate. Airbnb’s are all over the city from the very central parts to areas just slightly out of town. If you want to save money, then this is a good option as you can usually get it at a fraction of the cost of a hotel.
Avoid Eating Out or Takeaways
There is definitely a habit when living in London to eat out more than usual. And that’s probably to do with the fact that there’s so many different food options right on your doorstep. However, if you’re trying to save yourself some money, it’s worth looking at what your current spend is and if that is contributed by the amount you eat outside of your home. Try to curb the number of times you eat out during the evenings and of course, during the day too. Make food at home in bulk, so it stops you from spending.
Save money in London when you download the free Dusk app. The app was formerly known as Drinki and allows you to claim a free drink every evening!
Related: How to Save Money on Food
Walk Everywhere
London is a big city! And the underground transport and overground transport can be very handy when you’re new to the area. However, once you’ve got your bearings, why not do more walking? A lot of central London is crammed together, so it’s certainly worth doing your fair share of steps on your phone’s pedometer.
Walking above ground is also better than travelling underneath as you get to see more of what this beautiful city has to offer. You get much better views too. From street performers to hidden parks, there’s a lot more to to see by walking through the capital. It’s also completely free to do and is good for your health!
Get An Oyster Card
Just like living in any other city in the world, one of the first things you have to consider living in London is transport. If you destination is too far to walk and you require public transport, an oyster card is a good idea!
By getting an Oyster card: you will slash your journey costs. For example, it would reduce the cost of a Tube trip from Charing Cross to Embankment to £2.10.
Students can also take advantage of student discount by using an Oyster Card. Check to see if your university is involved in the Student Oyster Card deal.
London is an expensive place. However, there are ways to save money in London and still have a fantastic time in this city. Use these handy tips to save your bank balance. I’d love to know if you have any more tips for saving money in the capital. Let me know in the comments below.