How to see London on a budget

London is crammed full of historic, cultural and entertaining attractions, which vary from being expensive to completely free. Although staying in London is not cheap, there are a lot of easy ways to cut costs. Below are a few tips on how to see London on a budget...

Save on travel with an Oyster card

An essential for any traveller in London is to get hold of an Oyster card. They are valid on all underground, bus and some overground train routes. They are available from Heathrow or from any tube station. You need to put down a £3 deposit but you will get this back if you return it at the end of your trip. They are refillable at any train station and are a lot cheaper than paying cash fares. 

Get free accommodation with a home swap

Hotels in London are very expensive, so paying for accommodation is likely to be the biggest strain on your budget. A great way to save on money is get your accommodation completely free through a home-swapping site such as Lovehomeswap.com.

This gives you the chance to stay in a fantastic central location without paying an exorbitant bill – examples of exchange homes in London can be viewed here.

Buy food from supermarkets

Eating out can be overpriced, particularly for lunchtime snacks and coffees. Stock up in a local supermarket and prepare yourself a packed lunch before heading out for the day. Make sure to buy water too, as kiosks selling water at tourist destinations are expensive. If you do want to treat yourself to a meal out, there are places where you can get tasty cheap eats.

Brick Lane hosts a wealth of good value Indian restaurants and China Town has a lot of cheap venues selling Asian food.

Shop around for ticket deals

There are always discount vouchers up for grabs for most of the tourist destinations, so make sure you look out for them online. Also look for package deals. For example, if you are visiting the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kew Palace, you can get a deal through Historic Royal Palaces where you pay a one-off fee that will grant you entry to a handful of historic sites.

Make the most of free attractions

There are plenty of great free attractions in London, so make the most of them. The British Museum is full of interesting artefacts, such as the Ancient Egyptian section. The Tate Modern hosts the world’s largest collection of Modern Art and Tate Britain also holds plenty of important pieces.

There are also plenty of beautiful parks, which are great places to spend a relaxing afternoon. Head to Primrose Hill for a great view over London: there is a bakery and grocery shop at the bottom so that you can prepare yourself a picnic.

If you want to do some bargain shopping, there are lots of interesting markets. Portobello Road Market is a massive street market held on Saturdays. It sells clothes, antiques and tasty street food.

London is an exciting place to visit, but it can drain your bank account. By being aware of easy ways to save money, you can make the most of your stay in this wonderfully diverse city – and stick to your budget.