Heading into London for the first time can be extremely exciting to say the least, though for those with no prior big city experience it can also be a quite daunting prospect. London is undeniably one of the most incredible cities in the world and has never been safer and more accessible. At the same time, however, it is also fair to say that it has never been quite so expensive to get by in the British Capital. Now more than ever, locals and tourists alike are finding themselves faced with quite extraordinary bills and sticker prices for pretty much anything and everything going, which can make it difficult to get by.
The good news however is that with the injection of a little proactivity and a few inside tips from the locals, London doesn’t necessarily have to be any more expensive than any other city. Of course, if you are really insistent upon doing all the most expensive activities and dining royally, then of course you are going to pay a heavy price for it. By contrast, if you are willing to be sensible and listen to the wisdom of London locals, chances are you’ll save a small fortune.
Book Ahead
For example, no matter what it is you plan to do in London and how long you plan to stay, booking ahead will always save you a lot of money. From hotel bookings to train tickets to theatres and to pretty much every other attraction in London, advance bookings are almost always vastly cheaper than paying on the day. The same also goes for getting into London in the first place as if you were to book your flight ahead of time, you could save massively on the ticket price.
Know Your Transport Options
Another crucially important tip to be aware of is that of gaining a good understanding of London’s public transport system. London has one of the most incredible public transport systems in the world, though fairly new, it can be a little on the complicated side to say the least. Not only are there so many different transport types and hundreds of different routes, but there are also dozens of different ticket types and endless different ways of buying tickets and paying for transport in general. Exactly what makes sense for you will be determined by your planned movements while in the city, therefore it is important that you research this in advance and find out what makes sense for you before arrival.
Avoid the Tourist Trail
When it comes to saving money, one of the most important tips of all is to pay attention to where the tourists go and the kinds of places they eat, drink and spend their time, in order that you may do the exact opposite. Pretty much everything in London which is put on for the sake of tourists is extraordinarily expensive and in most cases does not in any way represent the true British experience. From cafes to bars to restaurants to souvenir shops and so on and so forth, the further you distance yourself from the tourist trail, the more money you will save each and every day.
Seek Tips From the Locals
Another fantastic tip is to tap into the local knowledge of those that live and breathe the capital and have done that for some time. Traveling to London as an Italian for example, the online resources at www.mylondra.it will help you gain access to information specifically tailored towards and targeted at people just like you.
Get Up and Active
Contrary to popular belief, the centre of London and its most desirable districts are in fact surprisingly compact. The city as a whole may be huge, but most of London in its centre at least can be explored by foot. As such, the hugely important tip when it comes to saving money is that of getting up and active and remembering that you might not necessarily need to use public transport to get to where you need to go. What’s more, chances are you will see a lot of things along the way that would have passed you by if were you to have been in the darkness of the underground.
Check Out Visitor Deals and Discounts
Last but not least, never forget that there are literally thousands and thousands of incredible deals and discounts being thrown out every day in London for the city’s millions of visitors. It doesn’t matter if you are looking to stay in London long-term, you are just as entitled to use the discounts as anybody else and so should be looking out for them at all times. Pick up the brochures, take the leaflets and check out the various deals online which often save savvy travellers up to 50% on normal prices.
