Updated: 3/25/21 | March 25th, 2021
लन्डन
It’s one of the most expensive destinations in the world.
How do you check out London on a budget?
I pertained to the city on a 10-day trip for a travel conference and I thought it was the best place to test out my travel hacking theories to see if you could check out London the cheap. few people No make plans to travel to London thinking they are going to be able to check out cheap.
But what if you could?
After all, there are few impossible budget travel destinations the world.
A city as big and diverse as London need to have plenty of ways to lower your costs?
If you can hack London and check out on a budget, you can travel hack anywhere.
So, without additionally ado, here’s how my experiment went!
Table of Contents
How Did I Do London on a Budget?
How much Did I spend in London?
How I saved on My flight to London
How I saved on My accommodation in London
How I saved money checking out Attractions in London
How I saved money on Food in London
How I saved money on transportation in London
How much would This trip frequently Cost?
How I saved on My flight to London
I used my American Airlines frequent flier miles to pay for my flight. A round-trip ticket from Boston to London cost me 60,000 miles, plus a service charge of $165.10 in taxes and fees.
The miles I used were “anytime miles,” but American Airlines also uses “OffPeak Miles” (off-season really), and you can actually fly to London for as little as 40,000 miles round-trip.
How do I get so lots of miles?
I’m a frequent flier, so I can generate a lot of miles per year. I usually fly about 40,000–50,000 miles per year, which, compared to a lot of travel writers, is pretty low. but I’ve written extensively on how to get miles for free. I sign up for bonus offer credit scores cards, sign up for deals, use preferred merchants, and sign up for every contest that gives extra miles. All told, I’ve accumulated over 400,000 frequent flier miles with American Airlines alone through these methods.
While I’ve written lots of blog articles on how to get complimentary miles, here’s a quick summary of the best methods:
Sign up for a branded airline credit scores card: Whether you love Delta or fly United and the star Alliance, all us carriers have a branded travel credit scores card that gives you 40,000–50,000 points when you sign up and make one purchase. That’s a complimentary economy ticket ideal there. The quickest and best way to get a lot of complimentary miles is to get one of these travel credit scores cards.
Watch out for special promotions: I sign up for all airline mailing lists. I always enjoy out for special two-for-one mile deals. Or when they have special card uses to earn extra miles. American Airlines just gave me 1,000 miles for enjoying a demo on their new shopping toolbar. I once got 5,000 miles for joining Netflix. typically you get miles for filling out surveys too or even by tweeting the brands! utilizing promotions over the course of a few months can yield big results.
Sign up for a non-airline credit scores card: Sign up for a non-airline credit scores card like a Starwood American express card, and you can get 75,000 sign-up points. Afterward, you can transfer your sign-up bonus offer points to the airline you use and redeem them for flights.
How much Did I spend in London?
During my 10 days in London, I spent 481.21 GBP or $710 USD. That works out to be roughly $70 USD per day. and that’s not just my day-to-day expenses. That includes EVERYTHING:my flight to London, my hotel, transportation, food, drinking, and attractions.
Think about that for a second.
I had a 10-day holiday in London for $700 USD that included airfare. When was the last time you went to Europe for that little money? When was the last time any big international trip cost that kind of money?
How Did I Do London on a Budget?
Before I describe how I did it, I want to take a second to describe some of the ground policies I laid out for myself. I didn’t want to backpack London. My goal was to show the budget travelers of the world — the two-week holiday-makers — that you can do London on the low-cost without being a backpacker. That saving money isn’t all dorm rooms, Couchsurfing, and eating pasta.
So, checking out London as a budget traveler, I made three rules:
1. I wouldn’t stay in hostels. I wanted to stay in great accommodation to verify that even a hotel stay can be cheap.
2. I had to eat a few great meals. When you go on holiday, you want to eat great food, so I agreed that I would have at least two really great meals in London.
3. I couldn’t say “no” because it was expensive. lots of backpackers skip sightseeing because of the cost, but I wanted to do all the normal sightseeing activities regular tourists do. You don’t go on a short holiday to not sightsee right?
With these ground policies in place, I set off to check out London asएक बजेट यात्री:
मैले लन्डनमा मेरो आवासमा कसरी बचाएँ
मैले आशा गरेको थिएँ कि म लन्डन जाँदैछु, मेरो मारियट पोइन्ट्स मेरो खातामा स्कोर क्रेडिट गर्दछ। मारियटले पीछासँग नयाँ कार्ड प्रयोग गर्दैछ जुन मलाई 700,000 पोइन्ट प्लस साइन अप गर्नको लागि र पछि साइन अप गर्नको लागि। म यस सम्झौतामा उफ्रिएँ, तर बुँदाहरूले मेरो खातामा धेरै लामो समय सम्म लगे। (प्लस साइडमा, मसँग अब 700,000 अंकहरू र भविष्यको प्रयोगको लागि मारियटमा एक प्रशंसाको रात छ।)
मेरो बुँदाहरू समयमा जम्मा भएन, मैले यसका लागि धेरै अमेरिकी एयरलाइन्स माईल प्रयोग गरें। मैले 68 68,000 बिन्दुहरू प्लस $ 25 अमेरिकी डलरको पाँच रातमा आवासको पाँच रातमा प्रयोग गरें। म लन्डमा नजिकै हाइड पार्क होटेलमा बसें, लन्डनमा धेरै राम्रो-गर्नकी छिमेकमा।
अब, जब तपाईं छुट्टि र होटेलको लागि एयरलाइन माईलहरू प्रयोग गर्न सक्नुहुनेछ, तपाईंले उडानहरूको लागि प्रयोग गर्दा तिनीहरूलाई एक सम्झनाको रूपमा कहिल्यै राम्रो हुनुहुन्न। होटल पोइन्ट्स प्रयोग गरेर पाँच रात मेरो मात्र खर्च हुन्छ। यहाँको कुरा, यद्यपि, ब्रान्ड गरिएको होटल कार्डको लागि साइन अप गरेर, तपाईं ती बुँदाहरू प्रयोग गर्न सक्नुहुनेछ तपाईंको अर्को छुट्टीको लागि आउँदो हो। वा तपाईं एयरलाईनबाट बोनस प्रयोग गर्न सक्नुहुनेछ। जे भए पनि, मानार्थ होटल कोठाहरू प्राप्त गर्न गाह्रो छैन।
अन्य चार रातको लागि, म लन्डन थिएँ, मैले एयरबान प्रयोग गरें। जब म प्रायः होस्टलहरू मन पराउँछु, म केही शान्ति र शान्त र लन्डनमा भान्छा चाहान्थें। कोठा चार रातको लागि 1 1500 gbp ($ 2 $ अमेरिकी डलर) लागत लागत।
मैले कसरी लन्डनमा आकर्षणहरू जाँच गर्दैछु।
लन्डन दृश्यको लागि भयानक छ किनकि यत्तिको आत्मीयता छ। यसले बजेटमा लामो सजिलो बनाउँदछ। सबै भन्दा राम्रो संग्रहालयहरू – ब्रिटिश लाइब्रेरी, ब्रिटिश संग्रहालय, प्राकृतिक इतिहास संग्रहालय, र लन्डनको संग्रहालय (केवल केहि नि: शुल्क) सबै नि: शुल्क छन्। हाइड पार्क? सित्तैमा Knsington बगैंचा? सित्तैमा एक पैसा खर्च नगरी लन्डनमा दर्शकहरु संग केहि दिनहरु भर्न सजिलो छ।
तर दुःखको कुरा, सबै कुरा नि: शुल्क हो। आकर्षणहरूको लागि जुन नि: शुल्क थिएन, मैले लन्डन पास प्रयोग गरें। यस बिदाको कार्डले मलाई month 44 जीबीपी ($ 86 USD USD) को दुई दिनको लागि भ्रमण गर्दछ। यसले 322 गन्तव्यहरू कभर गर्दछ र मानार्थ सार्वजनिक यातायात प्रयोग गर्दछ। तपाईं छ दिनसम्मको लागि पास प्राप्त गर्न सक्नुहुनेछ (GB 87 जीबीपी)। यस पासको साथ हेलिसको साथ त्यहाँ सयौं डलर छन्। जे होस्, मसँग धेरै समय थिएन वा सबै 2 speats ्गहरू हेर्न चाहँदैन। म हेर्न सक्षम थिए:
वेस्टमिन्स्टर Abbey
लन्डनको टावर
सेन्ट पावलको क्याथेड्रल
बेन फ्रान्कलिन घर
युद्ध संग्रहालयमा बेलायत
शेक्सपियरको ग्लोब संग्रहालय
लन्डन चिहानहरू
यो पास बिना नै उही आकर्षणहरूले मेरो 104..55 gbp खर्च हुने थियो। मैले लन्डन पास प्रयोग गरेर 500% बचत गरें, र मैले यसलाई प्रस्ताव गरेको सबै कुराको लागि प्रयोग पनि गरिन। यसैले धेरै शहरहरू बारे मेरो धेरै लेखहरूमा, म चिन्ता लिन्छु यदि तपाईं धेरै संग्रहालयहरू र भ्रमण गर्ने योजना गर्नुहुन्छ भने। तपाईं त्यसो गरेर धेरै पैसा बचत गर्न सक्नुहुनेछ। यो त्यहाँ एक उत्तम बजेट यात्रा विचारहरु मध्ये एक हो र सबै धेरै सामान्यतया बेवास्ता गरियो।
नोट: 2021 को रूपमा, लन्डन पास दुई दिनको पासमा 100 gbp ($ 0 अमेरिकी डलर) हो। अझै एक सम्झौता यदि तपाईं धेरै हेर्न को लागी योजना छ भने!
मैले लन्डनमा खाना कसरी पैसा दिएँ
म सामान्य ब्याकप्याकर हुन चाहान्दिन र हरेक खानाको लागि केबाब र पास्ताहरू खान्थे। तर एकै साथ मलाई थाहा छ कि स्थानीयले समय को 100% बाहिर, र पैसा बचत गर्ने भयानक तरीका खाँदैन, जो मेरो अन्तिम चारको लागि एक भान्छाको साथ छ रातहरू। म केहि भोजनहरू पकाएर बाहिर निकाल्न मन पराउँछु।
लन्डनमा मेरो 10 दिनको अवधिमा मैले 103..800 GBP ($ 1 age. USD) खानामा बिताए जुन निम्न तरिकाहरू भत्काइयो:
मैले रोटी, स्यान्डविच मासु, तरकारी, तरकारी र पासो सहित किरानाहरूमा .1.11 जीबीपी खर्च गरें। यो तीन खाजा र तीन लन्चहरूको लागि पर्याप्त थियो। (गम्भीरतापूर्वक।)
मैले 2.20 GBP पानीका बोतलहरूमा बिताएँ, जुन मैले मेरो यात्राको क्रममा इन्कार गरें।
मेरो होटलहरू र सेवा गरिएको अपार्टमेन्ट वा कन्डो आपूर्ति बिहानको खाजा, यद्यपि म म्याकडोनाल्डको एक बिहान बाहिर निस्कें। (म केवल ती ह्यास ब्राउन्सलाई मात्र माया गर्छु।)
बाँकी खाना खानको लागि खर्च भयो।
एक दिन म एक दिन पिज्जा लिएँ, एक रात राम्रो थाई खानाको लागि बाहिर आए, एक रात, एक रात, सामान्य माछा खाए, र केही स्टारबक्सहरू थिए। तिनीहरू लन्डनमा जहाँसुकै छन्। मेरा साथीहरूका अनुसार, यदि तपाईं केबबहरूमा भोजन गर्दै हुनुहुन्छ भने तपाईं एक साँचो लन्डनर हुनुहुन्छ, विशेष गरी यदि यो रात बाहिर पछि छ भने।
मैले भनेझैं, म खानामा स्किम्प गर्न चाहन्न। मैले कहिले र जब म चाहान्छु। मैले सौदाहरूको खोजी गरें, यद्यपि कुनै पनि राम्रो बजेट यात्रीलाई थाहा छ कि राम्रो खाना महँगो हुनु हुँदैन। लन्डनमा, मैले बजेटको खोजीमा बजेटको लागि उत्तम तरिका भेट्टाएँ। धेरै रेस्टुरेन्टहरू म जान्छु खाजा विशेष, र धेरै पिज्जा ठाउँहरू प्रयोग गर्थे “एउटा नि: शुल्क पाउनुहोस्” डीडावेमा सम्झौता गर्नुहोस्।
पैसा बचत गर्ने अर्को डरलाग्दो तरिका स्वाद कार्ड पाउनु हो। यो डाइरेक्टर क्लब कार्डले हजारौं रेस्टुरेन्टहरूमा% 0% छुटको प्रयोग गर्दछ साथै एक विशेष रूपमा एक विशेष। यसले वास्तवमै भुक्तान गर्न सक्दछ, विशेष गरी ती महान भोजनहरूमा तपाईं चाहानुहुन्छ। तपाईं केवल माछा मा बस्न र धेरै लामो को लागी चिप्स गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ।
मैले लन्डनमा यातायातमा पैसा कसरी बचत गरें
मेरो लन्डन pass covered public transportation for the two days it was valid. and considering that cabs in London are notoriously expensive even by London standards, I refrained from taking them.
For transportation to Heathrow airport, I took the Heathrow express to get into the city (18.50 GBP) and the London Underground to get out (5 GBP). around the city, I loaded my oyster card (metro card) for unrestricted use within Zones 1–3 for seven days at a cost of 32.20 GBP.
How much would This trip frequently Cost?
Had I fallen into the trap that a lot of people do of booking a “normal vacation,” this London trip would have cost me three times as much.
A return flight to London from Boston ideal now is currently running around $500 USD.
Currently, the average price of a decently-rated three-star hotel in central London is around $120 USD per night. For my nine-night trip, that adds up to around $1,080 USD.
Had I refrained from cooking, I probably would have added about another $150 USD on dining out, knowing my eating habits.
If you add that up and add a little for transportation around the city, I would have spent nearly $1,800 USD on this trip.
By traveling hacking and spending wisely, I spent 10 days in London for less than half of that, saving myself over $1,000 USD!
Think about that.
I checked out London on a budget for 60% off the cost of a normal vacation, and I didn’t skimp on anything.
I just traveled smart, used reward systems, and employed everyday frugality to my advantage. I stayed in great places, dined out well, and saw all the attractions I wanted. I didn’t sacrifice comfort.
Cheap travel doesn’t indicate bad travel.
I wanted to take a holiday to London that my parents or pals — people who wouldn’t be caught dead sleeping in 15-bed dorms to save money — could take. I wanted to travel cheaply without sacrificing comfort.
And I did just that.
***
Travel doesn’t have to be expensive. By investing just a little extra time into planning my trip, I was able to have a terrific trip for around the cost of the going rate for a flight to London.
You don’t need to spend thousands traveling. A holiday doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg, and the next time you’re inclined to think so, just remember that yes, it is possible to travel cheap, and any individual can do it.
Want to learn how I travel the world for Free?
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Book Your trip to London: Logistical ideas and Tricks
तपाईंको उडान किताब
Find a low-cost flight to London by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines. start with Momondo.
तपाईंको आवास बुक गर्नुहोस्
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the best inventory. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the least expensive rates for guesthouses and budget hotels. some of my favorite places to stay in London are:
St. Christopher’s Inn
Clink78
Astor Hyde Park Hostel
For a lot more suggested places to stay, check out this longer list of hostels. and if you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood breakdown of London!
यात्रा बीमा बिर्सनुहोस्
Travel insurance will secure you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never ever go on a trip without it. I’ve been using world Nomads for ten years. You must too.
Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!
Want a Guide?
London has some really interesting tours. My favorite company is Take Walks. They have expert guides and can get you behind the scenes at the city’s best attractions. They’re my go-to walking excursion company!
If you want a bike tour, use Fat Tire Tours. They have the best and a lot of cost effective bike excursions in the city.
Want a lot more travel information on London?
Be sure to check out our robust London destination guide on London for even a lot more planning tips!