London on a Budget - How a Homestay Can Make Your Pounds Go Further
In 2008 the Guardian reported that London is the most expensive city in the world to live and rent a property.
Those living in the UK capital may be compensated for the high cost of living with slightly higher than average wages - but what about tourists? SPEND, SPEND, SPEND: That's entertainment Anyone travelling to London may be surprised to find that tickets to see a show in the world-famous West End will start at around £40 - and that will probably be for a seat in the rafters! Eating out tends to be similarly extortionate, with an average evening meal costing anything from £20 per head.
Even a quick sandwich on the run will probably cost the best part of a fiver and since visitors to the city will be eating out for every meal the running total quickly adds up.
Getting around Then there's transportation.
London has a whole host of famous landmarks that any tourist should try to see - including Big Ben, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and the Natural History Museum - to name but a few.
The bad news is that the must-see visitor spots are dotted about all over the city.
Public transport tends to be the cheapest way to get about, whether that's on the London Underground, the rail, tram or bus networks.
Depending on the length of your stay in London you'll probably want to get a TFL travel card that covers transportation across the whole of London.
These range from £7 for one day, when you travel off-peak (9.
30am - 4.
30pm) up to £44.
60 for a week's off-peak travel.
Somewhere to stay And all of this is on top of your accommodation costs.
According to Hotels.
com, in 2008 the average hotel room cost £115 per night.
When you consider that you probably need a good few days to see London properly, accommodation can easily double the cost of your trip.
SAVE, SAVE, SAVE: Thrifty theatre There are various measures you can take to save money.
Planning ahead and booking tickets well in advance can save you lots of money on trips to the theatre.
Lots of websites also offer an evening meal along with tickets to a show, which can mean serious savings - especially if you're part of a big group.
Budget-friendly food You don't need to buy tickets to the theatre to get a good deal on food in London.
Websites like Toptable.
com offer fantastic savings, including up to 50% off at certain restaurants.
It's worth taking a look at Toptable.
com and also at various restaurant voucher websites to find some delicious bargains - which will allow you to save a bit of money to really splash out on somewhere special.
Walk on by While a trip on an iconic London red bus is a must for an out-of-towner, tourists often tend to hop on the tube without realising that London is a great city for walking.
The London Underground map is not to scale and as such places can look further from each other than they really are.
The London Underground is a great thing to experience but travelling while tucked underground can mean you miss out on seeing lots of London's finest views.
Plan your route carefully in advance to ensure you don't miss out on any sites - for example St.
Paul's Cathedral, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe and the London Eye are all pretty close and you can travel between any of them via a lovely stroll along the Thames.
Capital idea! Whether you're in London for a gig at Wembley arena, a game at Twickenham, an event at the O2 or simply to see the sites - you'll probably want somewhere to rest your head.
The good news for those on a budget is that there is such a thing as homestay.
Those living in the UK capital may be compensated for the high cost of living with slightly higher than average wages - but what about tourists? SPEND, SPEND, SPEND: That's entertainment Anyone travelling to London may be surprised to find that tickets to see a show in the world-famous West End will start at around £40 - and that will probably be for a seat in the rafters! Eating out tends to be similarly extortionate, with an average evening meal costing anything from £20 per head.
Even a quick sandwich on the run will probably cost the best part of a fiver and since visitors to the city will be eating out for every meal the running total quickly adds up.
Getting around Then there's transportation.
London has a whole host of famous landmarks that any tourist should try to see - including Big Ben, the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and the Natural History Museum - to name but a few.
The bad news is that the must-see visitor spots are dotted about all over the city.
Public transport tends to be the cheapest way to get about, whether that's on the London Underground, the rail, tram or bus networks.
Depending on the length of your stay in London you'll probably want to get a TFL travel card that covers transportation across the whole of London.
These range from £7 for one day, when you travel off-peak (9.
30am - 4.
30pm) up to £44.
60 for a week's off-peak travel.
Somewhere to stay And all of this is on top of your accommodation costs.
According to Hotels.
com, in 2008 the average hotel room cost £115 per night.
When you consider that you probably need a good few days to see London properly, accommodation can easily double the cost of your trip.
SAVE, SAVE, SAVE: Thrifty theatre There are various measures you can take to save money.
Planning ahead and booking tickets well in advance can save you lots of money on trips to the theatre.
Lots of websites also offer an evening meal along with tickets to a show, which can mean serious savings - especially if you're part of a big group.
Budget-friendly food You don't need to buy tickets to the theatre to get a good deal on food in London.
Websites like Toptable.
com offer fantastic savings, including up to 50% off at certain restaurants.
It's worth taking a look at Toptable.
com and also at various restaurant voucher websites to find some delicious bargains - which will allow you to save a bit of money to really splash out on somewhere special.
Walk on by While a trip on an iconic London red bus is a must for an out-of-towner, tourists often tend to hop on the tube without realising that London is a great city for walking.
The London Underground map is not to scale and as such places can look further from each other than they really are.
The London Underground is a great thing to experience but travelling while tucked underground can mean you miss out on seeing lots of London's finest views.
Plan your route carefully in advance to ensure you don't miss out on any sites - for example St.
Paul's Cathedral, the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe and the London Eye are all pretty close and you can travel between any of them via a lovely stroll along the Thames.
Capital idea! Whether you're in London for a gig at Wembley arena, a game at Twickenham, an event at the O2 or simply to see the sites - you'll probably want somewhere to rest your head.
The good news for those on a budget is that there is such a thing as homestay.
