It would be fair to say that the terms “UK” and “on a budget” regularly go hand-in-hand. After all, up until recently at least, London was regarded as one of the most expensive cities.
Even though it may have lost that mantle, it’s still not naturally a cheap place to visit. On the plus side, if you arm yourself with some so-called insider knowledge, you can cut costs and still enjoy a fabulous time in the country.
Let’s now take a look at some of the ways you can achieve this.
It doesn’t have to all be about London
This first suggestion might raise a few eyebrows, particularly as we have mentioned London a couple of times already!
However, it doesn’t always have to be about this city. There is plenty more that the UK has to offer, and if you do place all of your eggs in one basket, it happens to be the most expensive basket going.
Other areas of the UK are significantly cheaper to visit, and can give you a real insight into local UK life. For example, the hotels around Glasgow are a fraction of the price, yet still, put you inside an exciting city with a whole host of fantastic attractions. Or, if going north doesn’t interest you, the Midlands offers some fantastic retreats – and also allows you to take a dip into the UK countryside.
Use your transport options wisely
Quite often, visitors to the UK use taxis as their primary source of travel. Well, in the interests of saving money, this needs to stop.
In fact, there are times where the underground metro service is overused as well, and most of the time, the most efficient way is to walk between destinations.
Sure, it might strain your legs, but it will allow you to see more of the country and save significant sums throughout your trip.
Don’t pay full price for attractions
Firstly, there might be the odd exception to this rule, but if were to cast a blanket over most attractions in the UK there are few occasions where you should be paying full price.
For example, let’s take the most obvious case with museums. Most are completely free to enter, meaning that you can comfortably spend a day without spending a dime.
Then, if we turn to private attractions, there are regularly discount vouchers doing the rounds that can slash your costs in half.
The very worst thing you can do is turn up on the door as in most cases, a lot of these attractions will offer a discount for just booking on their website.
Choose your dining days wisely
This is something that is quite commonplace around the world, but if at all possible, try and make sure you plan to dine out on any day between Sunday and Thursday.
These are the days in which the locals tend to stay at home, and restaurants often showcase offers which can cut the price of dining. If you leave it until the weekend, these offers evaporate.