How to save money on a London weekend

How to save money on a London weekend

It is one of the most fascinating cities in the world, but few would disagree that London is ludicrously expensive. While it’s not quite the priciest on the planet, it’s certainly up there, and this is what today’s guide is all about.

Whether you are a resident of The Big Smoke, or happen to be heading there for a few days, we will now mull over some of the best ways to keep costs down.

Be strategic with your location

One of the reasons why some people spend so much money in London is because they try and see it all. Unless you are there for weeks at a time, this just isn’t going to happen.

Instead, be strategic with your location. For example, if we are to hone in on Covent Garden, not only does this have a wealth of stores but it also has plenty of places to eat. Ultimately, you can stay in one place, and the fact that there are a lot of chain restaurants in this area means that you can save money whilst eating out in the process.

On the subject of staying put…

The last point alluded to it, but let’s talk again about the power of staying in the same place. If you have visited London on a frequent basis, you’ll know all about how transport costs have been on the rise.

Something else that you may have hopefully worked out is that it’s quicker to walk between some stations than grab the tube. Between peak hours, this is something that is emphasized even more.

Even if you are desperate to use public transport, at least stick to buses. A 7-day pass happens to be very good value, and the upshot is that of course you get to see London whilst you travel around.

Be savvy with the attractions

It has some of the best attractions in the world, but if you pay full price for many of these you will soon be out of pocket. Fortunately, pretty much every attraction in London has some sort of 2 for 1 offer associated with it – and these are usually obtained from food packaging and other mainstream sources.

Let’s not also forget the free attractions. The vast majority of museums and galleries are free and while you might have to pay a little extra for the temporary exhibitions, this tends to be just a small fee.

Buying on the day also helps

Another trick, which goes against most money-saving principles, is to buy on the day. That’s right, at least in relation to London theatres, it can quite often be cheaper if you visit on the day for a performance.

Of course, if your performance in question is a sell-out, this just isn’t going to work. On the whole, this is something that works very well in the big theatre districts though and can save you a significant sum of money from the standard prices.