London On A Budget – Is It Possible?
London is one of the most expensive cities on the planet, and yet it still manages to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each and every year. But not all of these tourists and visitors are well-heeled travellers. So, there must be some ways you can visit London on a shoestring budget, right? There totally is, you just need to know where to look for some great deals and discounts. Here are my top tips, just for you!
Book In Advance
There are quite a few attractions that you have to pay to enter, such as Madame Tussauds, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey. Some are so expensive, you might think that you need a cash advance to pay for them all! But there is a way to get cheaper ticket prices – you just need to book in advance! If you book your tickets early through the attraction website, you’ll be able to get a percentage off the full price of a ticket.
Seek Out Free Attractions
But you don’t have to pay for every single attraction in London. There are some fab ones that are completely free and ideal for very limited budgets. The majority of galleries and museums in the city are free to enter, though they might have a special exhibition that you need to pay extra for. There are also lots of great outdoor spaces that don’t cost anything to check out, such as Hyde Park and Regent’s Park. You’ll also be able to watch the daily Changing of the Guards for free.
Eat Away From The Beaten Path
Dining out in London can end up being very expensive if you stick to the usual tourist hotspots. But, if you are up for exploring away from the beaten path, you will easily be able to find some more affordable eateries. It’s also a good idea to eat at street-food markets as well as these are considerably cheaper than eating in a proper restaurant. There are various street-food markets around London but one of the most famous has to be the one at Borough Market. Some other great ones include the one at the Southbank Centre and Leather Lane Street Market.
Get West End Tickets On The Cheap
Going to see a theatre show at the West End is a must-do when you are in London. Unfortunately, though, some of the ticket prices can be eye-watering! Even if you book well in advance, you might find that the price of tickets is a lot more than what you are willing to pay. But there is one way to get very cheap tickets – you need to buy them at the last minute from one of the booths on Leicester Square. Sellers sell any remaining tickets at super discounted prices. You might not be able to get a ticket for your preferred show, but at least you can see something!
As you can see, a trip to London doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, and all budget travellers are made to feel welcome!
This is a collaborative post. May contain affiliate links.
23 Comments
Pauline
This was such a useful read! Thanks so much for sharing Chynna! I read “seek out free attractions” as “find Chynna and get her to give you a tour of London.” ??♀️
I’m always booking things in advance, just the thought of turning up to things without planning gives me so much anxiety lol WHY AM I LIKE THIS
I would love to read a post / hear from you about how to live in London on a budget? Or something similar? Looking at the cost, I’m like lmao *stays in alpaca land*
Chynna
LMFAO, I can’t with you.
Also, yes omg thank you for this idea. I mean I live at home with my parents, and essentially pay like half the rent other people do but I think a post along those line is doable!
Claudine
Great tips! Thank you for sharing this Chynna! I’ve always wanted to go to London because of West End but I can’t afford it just yet… HAHAHA but I would definitely love to visit someday! <3 Maybe when I start working again? 😉
Chynna
I hope you do get to visit one day, girl!
Heather Rowland
This was such a helpful post – I love visiting London but agree that it always ends up being more expensive than you predict. Great tips on saving money!
HEather xoxo
https://www.hefafa.me.uk
Chynna
Even though I live at home with my parents, I still find my money trickling away because it is so expensive here. In saying that, I do realise I have it better than most people who come somewhere else to live here! Haha
Megan
Good to know! Not that I’ll likely be going to London anytime soon, if ever. XD Yay for cheapness!
Chynna
Haha, well hopefully you may get a chance!
Susie @ Mile High Dreamers
These are such helpful tips! We’ve kind of been weary about London only because I’ve heard how expensive it is. I’m ALWAYS looking for ways to make our trips more affordable.
Thanks lady!
Susie | http://milehighdreamers.com
Chynna
NGL, London is expensive but there are always free things to do around the city and most of our museums are free and we all the main sights you can see for free, so it’s definitely doable! Hope you do get to visit one day 😀
Tara
Ooooh. LONDON. I will visit there one day. When I do, I know I’ll hit you up for a Chynna Tour! I’m all for splurging on hotels and then being on a budget for the other things. I especially like free or cheap attractions! — Aigoo.me
Chynna
And I will give you the *BEST* tour ever! I’m reaaaddddyyyy~
Nancy
Girl, I need to make my way to London someday! I totally agree that it’s possible to visit on a budget. No one gotta be eating $500 dinners every day to say that they visited any town XD.
Glad there are some affordable places to eat! Anything that’s not mainstream needs some love ;). Thanks for some tips, Chynna!
exquisitely.me
Chynna
GIRL, YES YOU DO. I’m waiting to take you out and eat all the good food. $500 dinners got me hollering – I would just like, nah I can starve (coming from someone who eats everything LOL)
Alessa
I’ve never been but definitely want to go! hope this year!
Please visit my Blog!
http://www.alessabernal.com/
Alessa Bernal
Chynna
I hope you get to go! London is awesome 🙂
Hiro
The last time I was in the UK/London was when the pound was $2, and LET ME TELL YOU THAT WAS REALLY PAINFUL. A 14 pound plate of (really bad) pasta was suddenly $28 and everything felt like bitter and regrets.
Hope to visit again soon for the sights and experiences… But this time when the exchange rate is much better….
Chynna
I’m crying for youuuuuuu! Hopefully you get to visit again soon and I’ll definitely show the cheap, good places for a great time 😉
Cat
These are good tips! I’ve only been to London once, but I did find it expensive, especially when it came to eating out. Guess I should have looked around more! Booking in advance is such a good thing to know ahead of time. Fortunately, we happened to figure that out when we were looking up tickets for the London Eye and got ours booked online for the discount. I also love the number of things you can see for free!
Chynna
Sometimes I don’t realise how expensive London is until I visit another country and I’m shook that something is cheap compared to back home!
Georgie
When we visited London, I feel like it was really expensive when it came to food! I will have to remember to go off the beaten path haha. That’s pretty common in other countries too, I think it was ignorant of me to think it didn’t really apply to an English-speaking country ?
I definitely agree with booking in advance for everything (I don’t think it is just London!) – sometimes it’s a hell of a lot cheaper, even just a few months in advance!
Free attractions are also suchhchhchhhh a good idea ?♂️
multipotentialitethoughts
This is such a helpful post as we’re planning on visiting London at the end of the uear. Knowing full well that it is one of the most expensive places to visit, it’s good to get an idea of how we can save some money!
Thanks for sharing xx
Chynna
Glad to know it was helpful! Hope you have a wonderful time when you visit London 🙂 x