As the last installment of this round of the Living in London on a Budget series, I am going to give you some quick tips on how to really make the pennies last while living in this expensive city.
While counting pennies is the last thing you want to do, these tips will help you have a better idea of how much you have left to spend each month.
Get Cultured at the Theatre
The theatre might sound like something that's out of your budget but it doesn't have to be! With apps such as TodayTix you can easily find good seats for £25 (or less!) so there's a way for everyone to enjoy the West End.
Save money, Get an Oyster Card
If you need to travel on the tube buy a monthly Oyster. It will be the same price or even cheaper as using your contactless or Apple Pay but by buying the monthly pass you have already spent that money in one go and can more easily get an overview of what you’ve got left to spend.
Enjoy the Cinema for less with Limitless Cinema Cards
If you are like me and enjoy going to the cinema you might be shocked by the cost of a single cinema ticket. With a limitless cinema card, you pay a fixed fee, around £20 a month for central London cinemas, and you can go to the cinema as many times as you want. Tickets for London cinemas can sometimes cost £18 so with a limitless card you will only have to go twice to get your money's worth!
Weekly Shop for a Smaller Food Budget
Make sure to do a big food shop once a week where you get all the essentials. I recommend going to a Lidl, Aldi, or one of the bigger stores. And 100% write a shopping list and stick to it!
Make Meal Prep Fun
As boring as it is to eat the same food 4 days in a row it will save you a lot of money. I can easily get four days worth of dinner for under a fiver - and I’d be enjoying every bite!
Bring your own Lunch
Many of my colleagues pop out to the nearest Five Guys or Leon for lunch and I can only imagine how much of their wages go towards lunches when I have my meal prep of the week waiting for me in the fridge for when it’s time for lunch.
Try not to Uber
London public transport may be expensive but it’s way cheaper than hopping in a black cab or ordering an Uber. The night bus is defo dodgy at times but it will also get you home at a fraction of the price and if you’re on a budget then every penny matters.
Drinks at Home
While going to the pub is one of my favourite pastimes it can quickly end up being really expensive. So why not invite your friends over or grab a few cans in Tesco and sit in a park instead of going to the pub. It will save you money which means you can do it more often!
