Living and Exploring London on a Budget
By Tamara Benjamin
Living on my own for the first time was a really exciting thought, especially doing it in a completely new country. I thought about exploring new places, making new friends, and enjoying all the opportunities that the city had to offer. But with that being said, all the plans you start making and all the things you want to see and do, can quickly feel overwhelming—and, to be honest, a bit pricey. With some planning, though, it’s possible to experience this incredible city without burning through your budget. Here are some tips that worked for me:
These cultural programming events are designed to immerse students in London’s rich history and culture. They’re also a great way to explore different sides of the city and make new friends with those who also signed up. So if you spot an event that interests you, make sure to save the date!
Grocery Shopping
Another piece of advice is grocery shopping can take a big chunk out of your budget, so I recommend shopping at budget-friendly stores like Lidl and Aldi. They offer great deals and quality products that can help keep your expenses low. I found that by meal planning and buying essentials from these stores, I could keep my weekly grocery bill relatively low, leaving more room in my budget for other adventures. Another thing to keep in mind is that food here tends to have fewer preservatives, so it doesn’t last as long. Bulk shopping might seem like a good idea, but it can end up leading to wasted food if it goes bad before you have the chance to eat it. I’m talking about some food lasting for a day or two which was so crazy to me at first!
Living alone for the first time was an exciting challenge. And even though London is known for being pricey, I found that there are so many easy ways to enjoy it without feeling limited by a tight budget.
Take Advantage of Cultural Programming Events
One of the best ways to make inexpensive plans is to take full advantage of the student events hosted by the university. There are events from walking tours to different neighborhoods, show tickets, dinner events, day trips to other cities and more. Even though there is a limit to how many events you can sign up for at the start of the semester, if you hang around the Student Affairs office on the day of events, you can usually always snag extra tickets. I found this to be one of the most fun ways to plan activities without having to spend money to book them.
click on the right side for more pics!Peer Mentors and Free Activities
Another amazing resource is the peer mentors in the residence halls. They have dedicated budgets to organize activities for students, and they often put together cool events. Just recently, my dorm’s peer mentor organized a “book crawl” to visit some of London’s second-hand bookstores, where we got books and lunch covered! I also got to experience a Caribbean-British roast dinner—a fusion of the traditional British Sunday roast and Caribbean food. From dinners to exploring markets and parks, these events allow you to experience London for free or at a fraction of the cost. Again, they also give you the opportunity to meet some really cool people that you might not get to interact with every day when you go to campus.
Don’t Forget to Explore the UK!!
Lastly, it’s easy to get caught up in traveling to other countries when you're studying abroad, but exploring the UK itself offers plenty of great times without breaking the bank. From day trips to cities like Cambridge, Bath, and Brighton, to going to different parts of London, there are plenty of budget-friendly options to explore and make the most of your time here.
Day trips are a great opportunity to see other parts of the country, experience new things, and get a small break from London. Sometimes, these trips can be more relaxing than long weekends abroad and allow you to appreciate the beauty of England without too much travel time.
