London, being among the world’s oldest and most famous metropolitan cities, is an interesting place to visit. Whether you’re planning a London sojourn for a long weekend or you intend to explore its nooks and crannies for an extended time, you could be hemorrhaging travel money within a day if you don’t know how to go around the city in the cheapest way possible.
But, is there really a way to see London’s many touristy destinations with just a pauper’s budget, to begin with? The good news is that, yes, it’s possible if you know the tricks that experienced budget-travelers follow when they’re in London for a brief visit or an extended stay. In fact, there are at least five ways that come to mind so you could learn a great deal of information and experience the best of London on a tight budget.
Here are five of the tricks to exploring the best London has to offer with just small travel money:
Visit the British Museum.
If there is a single place that you should visit in London if you want to learn the most not only about the U.K., but the many ancient civilizations as well, that place has to be the British Museum. This extraordinary tourist destination was, for more than one decade, Britain’s top tourist spot. This is hardly a surprise given just how immense the Museum’s collections of rare artifacts are, most notable of which came from dig sites that produced millions of priceless finds that showcased the best of ancient Egypt, the Americas, Rome, Greece, and the Middle East. And while such a stunning place embodies the grandeur of things ancient, entrance to the Museum is absolutely free to the public.
Book cheap accommodation.
If you’ll be staying in London for a few nights or longer, you should secure inexpensive accommodations if you don’t want to end up cash-strapped after just a few days. Fortunately, you can easily find a decent and affordable hostel that is within a stone’s throw away from public transportation and tourist destinations.
A lot of these inexpensive accommodations around London have amenities that would make your stay safe, enjoyable, and comfortable — such as CCTV security cameras, fast Wi-Fi access, laundry services, and 24/7 staff assistance. You can book an overnight stay for as low as £23.50 or £82.50 for the entire week. Just choose the one that best suits your budget and desired amenities and you’ll have a nice play to rest after an entire day or night of touring around London and its suburbs.
Cook your own food.
Food can be expensive in London, so just head to the nearest grocery and grab some easy to cook food. Many accommodations have a dedicated kitchenette for their guests to prepare their own meals. While this route might cause you a bit of inconvenience since you have to do the shopping and meal preparations on your own, the savings that you could get by doing so would surely be worth all the small troubles.
Bring a reusable water bottle or tumbler. Water is another essential expense in any tourist destination, but it’s one thing that you can have for free. Data show that an adult living in London purchases, on average, three or more bottled water each week. This then translates to some 7.7 billion plastic bottles consumed every year — a staggering volume that becomes a huge threat to marine life and the environment in general.
So, if you want to do Mother Nature a favor while ensuring that you’ll stay hydrated (and save money while doing so), you should bring a reusable water bottle or tumbler whenever you go out for a walk. There are plenty of public drinking water fountains scattered in strategic places around London so finding one wouldn’t be hard.
Walk.
There are so many benefits of walking that one could enjoy. For one, walking wouldn’t just save you big on gas money or fares, but would also allow you to meet locals and fellow travelers alike. It is also an excellent way to feel the city’s vibe as you get past historic sites and modern places. London is such a walkable city that spending hours of just walking around it won’t bore you to death or cause you a great inconvenience.
London beckons for you to explore its sights and sounds as you meet the locals and satisfy your wanderlust. Get the chance to enjoy your stay in this historic city without burning holes in your pockets with these penny-pinching hacks.
