Saving money in London (and what to visit for less)

London is the 23rd most expensive city in the world, according to the report published by the Economist Intelligence Unit, in a list led by Singapore. The announcement of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union has made London a bit more affordable.

The city is still one of the most expensive, however, so I've decided to compile some of the best ways to spend your money. saving money in London.

Free entry to museums

Although expensive, London offers many activities that don’t cost a single cent. The focus on culture is clear, as the main museums do not charge an entrance fee – except for some temporary exhibitions.

The Natural History Museum, the National Gallery, the Science Museum, the Tate Modern art gallery, or the Victoria and Albert Museum – with four million objects – are places where you can spend many hours admiring fantastic works of art.

If you're planning to visit a lot of attractions, avoiding queues is the London Pass is also a great option.

Visit popular attractions without paying

National Rail (the UK's National Rail Authority) - the equivalent of CP in Portugal - offers free tickets. One person pays the full adult price and the second person doesn't pay, if they present the coupon and valid National Rail tickets.

All you need to do is show a train ticket (the Oyster Card is not valid for these offers) and print out (or collect from a train station) the coupon from the Days Out Guide website.

The attractions included in this promotion are, for example, the Tower of London, the Zoo, or the London Eye. A voucher is required for two people, per attraction. I recommend buying the train tickets online.

Wear your shoes and you'll save money in London

Walking is the best way to save money in London. Most of the English capital's main attractions are only a short distance apart. You can visit Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, Tower Bridge or the Tower of London without much effort.

All these attractions are located on the banks of the River Thames and, if you plan your visit to London well, you can see them all in a day or less.

In fact, I recommend a stroll along the river, starting at the London Eye and walking the entire distance along the south bank to Tower Bridge.

Bus journeys for just £1.50

If you want to save money in London, the Underground is not the way to go. The Underground (Tube) may be faster, but it has two or three disadvantages. Firstly, you can't save money in London if you always take the Underground. Secondly, the journey is - with the exception of a few areas such as the District Line or Central Line - made through underground tunnels and the scenery is unattractive.

In the city center, taking the bus is definitely worth it, especially if your destination requires using one or more buses within an hour. Currently, you can make up to three bus trips and only be charged for one. The only condition is that no more than 60 minutes have passed since you tapped in on the first bus. You can check other ways to save money on transport in London.

Additionally, buses cover large parts of the tourist areas and this is also a more economical way to do a kind of tour of London, without having to pay the exorbitant prices of tourist buses.

London buses haven’t accepted cash for several years now; you can only pay with the Oyster Card or with a debit or credit card, provided you have activated the contactless feature. Also check if it is worth buying the London Pass.

Free drink in the pub

There are some pubs, such as The Barrow Boy & Banker, near London Bridge and Borough Market, that offer a free drink if you register with your email. Sometimes, this and other pubs offer meal discounts if you present a coupon.

One example is The White Horse, on Carnaby Street, near Oxford Circus. On the same street, I recommend the Red Lion, a small and traditional English pub where beer is often cheaper than in other pubs in this area.

Hotels in the centre of London for €25

If you don't need luxuries, you can even get a bargain on London hotels. You can start by looking at this article where I've selected well-located and cheap hotels in London.

If you’re not allergic to the color orange, then easyHotel might be the solution. This hotel chain offers basic accommodation, often in windowless rooms, and everything is charged separately — such as towels or Wi-Fi. Prices start at £30 per night for a double room, and you can choose from several easyHotels in London, including South Paddington, Paddington, Victoria, and Old Street.

The Travelodge and Premier Inn chains offer accommodation throughout the city and, although they are more expensive than easyHotels, they provide much more comfort and amenities for a pleasant stay. Would you like to try one?

Alternatively, you can search on Booking.com and use the map to choose the most convenient location. Personally, my experiences with hostels in England were not positive, and therefore, I do not recommend this type of accommodation.

Two websites (University Rooms and TravelStay) list student residences. These are empty during the holidays and might also be an option to consider if you're visiting during the student break.

Four euros between the airport and the centre of London

Although the names of the airports indicate that they are in London, the truth is that several are many kilometres away from the capital and getting to the centre can be expensive, particularly if you land at Luton, Stansted or Southend.

For example, for Heathrow, I recommend the Heathrow Express, which arrives in central London in 15 minutes and if you buy in advance you will pay almost the same price as the metro, but taking four times less time.

For Stansted, if you plan to travel opt for the Stansted Express, while for other airports you have the bus National Express or the Terravision.

Restaurants in London with super discounts

Eating out in London can be quite expensive, but there are still plenty of ways to save money in restaurants. As in any city, getting out of the tourist centre is the best bet.

In some areas such as Tooting, Brick Lane or Whitechapel there are good restaurants with lower prices than normal, especially if you like Indian cuisine and street food.

If you join the Tastecard you'll get 50% off or 2 for 1 in 7,000 restaurants across the country - more than 500 in the Piccadilly Circus area. Although it costs £80 a year to join, you can try it out for a month without paying and then cancel. And if you're craving pastéis de nata or Portuguese beer, you can visit the Nando's chain - which specialises in roast chicken - seen by many Brits as Portuguese food! A similar example is CityMunch, which also offers daily discounts at lunch and dinner.

If you visit Camden Town you can eat for very little, as there are options for all tastes at Stables Market - from Portuguese, Chinese, Indian and Italian food.

If you like pizza, there are several chains where you can have lunch or dinner for less, such as Pizza Express, Zizzi or Strada, which have constant discounts and promotions on their websites. The latter, for example, has an excellent restaurant overlooking Tower Bridge.

Free guided tours

Many companies offer guided walking tours and, if you research well, you can save money in London in this area. Prices and quality vary greatly.

On this site you can find several free tours.

You can also visit the sites related to Harry Potter or Jack the Ripper - in the Whitechapel area. To experience the alternative side of London, you can try the guided tour of graffiti and street art, with an emphasis on the art, history and culture of East London. Take a look at my three-day London itinerary.

Price reductions in supermarkets

A trip to the supermarket can be an excellent way to save money in London.

In the centre of the capital you'll find mainly Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-op and Waitrose supermarkets, although the first two have a greater number of shops throughout the city.

A few hours before closing time (and sometimes during the day), it's common for supermarkets to drastically reduce the price of certain products, such as milk, bread, vegetables, fruit or cakes.

This is a recurring practice, especially in the case of the Co-op, allowing customers to save money and avoid sending kilos of food to waste. In many of these supermarkets there is a specific area where you can find the products at reduced prices.

Internet and Wi-Fi

The most affordable way to access the internet is to buy this eSIM (with a 15% discount). Discover the world without worrying about roaming and access high-speed internet in over 190 countries.

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