Ways to save money in London

Continuing from last week’s Living in London on a Budget post, we’ve put together some more ways to save money when living in London.

1. Always eat breakfast at home and make a packed lunch to take to work with you. If you don’t do this, you’ll get into the habit of stopping off at the local supermarket on the way to work and can easily spend £5-7 per day. Add that up over the course of a month and you’ve wasted a lot of money. If you do HAVE to buy yourself a sandwich once in a while, go somewhere that offers a ‘meal deal’ such as Boots, where you’ll get a drink and a packet of crisps thrown in at a discount.

2. As far as transport goes, you absolutely must get yourself an Oyster card. If you’re taking the same journey to work every day, it might be worth getting a monthly or annual travel card which will cost less in the long run. If you’re working in a permanent role, enquire as to whether they offer the benefit of a free season-ticket loan. If this doesn’t work for you, then where possible, try and take the bus rather than the tube, as it’s quite a bit cheaper.

3. Although this may seem unthinkable when you first arrive in the world’s most exciting city, there will come a point, where you may want to leave and take a train out to somewhere in the rest of England. Train fares are notoriously expensive in the UK, but in order to get a good deal, you need to plan your journey in advance. Train companies release really cheap ‘saver’ tickets 3 or 4 months in advance. Look online at a company such as Qjump.co.uk. You’ll also save money by buying 2 single tickets, rather than a return journey. Although beware that often restrictions apply, such as the ticket only being valid for one specific train service. Therefore, don’t miss it or you’ll need to buy another ticket. Finally, if you’re aged between 16 and 25, you should purchase a 16-25 railcard which entitles you to 1/3 off train fares. The railcard costs £26 and is valid for a year. You can purchase them at any National Rail station, you just need proof of age such a passport or drivers licence and some passport photos.

4. As far as drinking in the capital is concerned, it can be quite pricey, but there are ways to get quite merry at a reasonable price. If you’re looking to eat with a meal, you might be best off looking for a restaurant that doesn’t have a licence to serve alcohol, but is happy for you to ‘Bring Your Own’ alcohol. There are plenty of these establishments around. If you’re looking for more of a party atmosphere, but can’t afford to go out, then why not bring the party to you by throwing your own house party. Stocking up on cheap alcohol from the supermarket is a far better idea than bankrupting yourself in one on London’s clubs.

5. Going to the cinema in London, can be quite a costly activity. However, there are always discounted or free showings taking place.
If you’re an Orange mobile customer, you’re eligible to take part in Orange Wednesdays. Text ‘FILM’ to 241 and you’ll be sent your ticket to watch a movie in participating cinemas.
Keep an eye on ‘Heat’ magazine which sometimes has offers for free screenings on upcoming films. Places for these films fill up fast though, so you’ll have to be on your toes. Lastminute.com also sells reduced rate tickets for Vue cinemas in London.

6. Finally, if you’d like to see one of your favourite unedited TV shows, look out for free audience tickets. The BBC often has lots available on their website. Alternatively check out TVrecordings.com. You should be warned though, that receiving a free ticket is not a confirmation that you’ll be part of the audience. TV companies tend to give out more tickets than they have seats, so as to ensure a full house. So if you don’t want to be disappointed, then you should show up early to make sure you’re at the front of the queue.

We’re always looking for ways that Londoners, new and old, can save money. If you have any suggestions, please email them into contact@moove2london.com so we can include them and help all our visitors.

Comments are closed.