How I Had A 10-Day London Opor-Garai For $700
Updated: 12/3/2018 | Dec 3rd, 2018
London.
It’s 1 of the most expensive destinations inwards the world.
How practise yous visit London on a budget?
I came to the urban core on a 10-day trip for a locomote conference as well as I idea it was the perfect house to examination out my travel h4ck1ng theories to regard if yous could see London the cheap. Few people No build plans to travel to London thinking they are going to go able to see cheap.
But what if yous could?
After all, at that topographic point are few impossible budget locomote destinations the world.
A urban core every bit big as well as various every bit London must receive got plenty of ways to lower your costs?
If yous tin dismiss h4ck London as well as see on a budget, yous tin dismiss travel h4ck anywhere.
So, without farther ado, here’s how my experiment went!
Table of Contents
- How Did I Do London on a Budget?
- How Much Did I Spend inwards London?
- How I Saved on My Flight to London
- How I Saved on My Accommodation inwards London
- How I Saved Money Visited Attractions inwards London
- How I Saved Money on Food inwards London
- How I Saved Money on Transportation inwards London
- How Much Would This Trip Regularly Cost?
How I Saved on My Flight to London
I used my American Airlines frequent flier miles to pay for my flight. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 round-trip ticket from Boston to London cost me 60,000 miles, summation a service accuse of $165.10 inwards taxes as well as fees.
The miles I used were “anytime miles,” but American Airlines also offers “OffPeak Miles” (off-season really), as well as yous tin dismiss truly wing to London for every bit picayune every bit 40,000 miles round-trip.
How practise I acquire as well as thus many miles?
I’m a frequent flier, as well as thus I tin dismiss generate a lot of miles per year. I unremarkably wing nearly 40,000–50,000 miles per year, which, compared to most locomote writers, is pretty low. But I’ve written extensively on how to acquire miles for free. I sign upwards for bonus credit cards, sign upwards for deals, utilization preferred merchants, as well as sign upwards for every challenger that gives extra miles. All told, I’ve accumulated over 400,000 frequent flier miles alongside American Airlines lonely through these methods.
While I’ve written many weblog posts on how to acquire complimentary miles, here’s a quick summary of the best methods:
- Sign upwards for a branded airline credit card: Whether yous honey Delta or wing United as well as the Star Alliance, all U.S.A. of America carriers receive got a branded locomote credit carte du jour that gives yous 40,000–50,000 points when yous sign upwards as well as build 1 purchase. That’s a complimentary economic scheme ticket correct there. The quickest as well as best means to gain a lot of complimentary miles is to acquire 1 of these travel credit cards.
- Watch out for special promotions: I sign upwards for all airline mailing lists. I e'er scout out for special two-for-one mile deals. Or when they receive got special carte du jour offers to earn extra miles. American Airlines only gave me 1,000 miles for watching a demo on their novel shopping toolbar. I 1 time got 5,000 miles for joining Netflix. Often yous acquire miles for filling out surveys every bit good or fifty-fifty past times tweeting the brands! Utilizing promotions over the course of report of a few months tin dismiss yield big results.
- Sign upwards for a non-airline credit card: Sign upwards for a non-airline credit carte du jour similar a Starwood American Express card, as well as yous tin dismiss acquire 75,000 sign-up points. Afterward, yous tin dismiss transfer your sign-up bonus points to the airline yous utilization as well as redeem them for flights.
How Much Did I Spend inwards London?
During my 10 days inwards London, I spent 481.21 GBP or $710 USD. That plant out to go roughly $70 USD per day. And that’s non only my day-to-day expenses. That includes EVERYTHING: my flying to London, my hotel, transportation, food, drinking, as well as attractions.
Think nearly that for a second.
I had a 10-day opor-garai inwards London for $700 USD that included airfare. When was the final fourth dimension yous went to Europe for that picayune money? When was the final fourth dimension whatever big international trip cost that variety of money?
How Did I Do London on a Budget?
Before I explicate how I did it, I wish to accept a instant to explicate some of the the world rules I put out for myself. I didn’t wish to backpack London. My goal was to exhibit the budget travelers of the globe — the two-week holiday-makers — that yous can practise London on the cheap without beingness a backpacker. That saving coin isn’t all dorm rooms, Couchsurfing, as well as eating pasta.
So, visiting London every bit a budget traveler, I made 3 rules:
1. I wouldn’t rest inwards hostels. I wanted to rest inwards overnice accommodation to essay that fifty-fifty a hotel rest tin dismiss go cheap.
2. I had to swallow a few overnice meals. When yous become on holiday, yous wish to swallow overnice food, as well as thus I agreed that I would receive got at to the lowest degree 2 truly overnice meals inwards London.
3. I couldn’t say “no” because it was expensive. Many backpackers skip sightseeing because of the cost, but I wanted to practise all the normal sightseeing activities regular tourists do. You don’t become on a curt opor-garai to not sightsee right?
With these the world rules inwards place, I put upwards off to see London every bit a budget traveler:
How I Saved on My Accommodation inwards London
I had hoped that past times the fourth dimension I went to London, my Marriott points would credit to my account. Marriott is offering a novel carte du jour alongside Chase that got me 70,000 points summation 1 complimentary rest for signing upwards as well as afterward the starting fourth dimension use. I jumped on this deal, but the points took every bit good long to house into my account. (On the summation side, I instantly receive got 70,000 points as well as a complimentary nighttime at a Marriott for futurity use.)
Since my points didn’t acquire credited inwards time, I used to a greater extent than American Airlines miles for this. I used 68,000 points summation $25 USD for v nights of accommodation inwards a four-star hotel. I stayed inwards a hotel close Hyde Park, a rattling well-to-do neighborhood inwards London.
Now, patch yous tin dismiss utilization airline miles for vacations as well as hotels, yous never acquire every bit expert of a bargain when yous utilization them for flights. Five nights using hotel points would receive got cost me only 50,000 points. The betoken here, though, is that past times signing upwards for a branded hotel card, yous tin dismiss utilization those points to acquire complimentary hotel stays for your side past times side vacation. Or yous tin dismiss utilization the bonuses from an airline. Either way, getting complimentary hotel rooms isn’t that hard.
For the other 4 nights, I was London, I used Airbnb. While I unremarkably similar hostels, I wanted some peace as well as serenity every bit good every bit a kitchen patch inwards London. The room cost 150 GBP ($238 USD) for 4 nights.
How I Saved Money Visited Attractions inwards London
London is slap-up for sightseeing because as well as thus much is complimentary here. It makes sightseeing on a budget truly easy. The best museums — the British Library, British Museum, National Gallery, Natural History Museum, as well as Museum of London (just to elevate a few) — are all free. Hyde Park? Free. Kensington Gardens? Free. It’s slow to fill upwards a few days alongside sightseeing inwards London without ever spending a penny.
But sadly, non everything is free. For attractions that weren’t free, I used the London Pass. This tourist carte du jour cost me 54 GBP ($86 USD) for 2 days of sightseeing. It covers over 32 destinations as well as offers complimentary world transportation. You tin dismiss acquire a transcend for upwards to six days (87 GBP). There are hundreds upon hundreds of dollars inwards savings alongside this pass. However, I didn’t receive got much fourth dimension nor the wish to regard all 32 spots. I was able to see:
- Westminster Abbey
- Tower of London
- St. Paul’s Cathedral
- Ben Franklin House
- Britain at War Museum
- Shakespeare’s Globe Museum
- London Tombs
Without this pass, the same attractions would receive got cost me 104.55 GBP. I saved 50% past times using the London Pass, as well as I didn’t fifty-fifty utilization it for everything it offers. This is why inwards as well as thus many of my posts nearly various cities, I stress getting a urban core transcend if yous excogitation to practise a lot of museums as well as tours. You tin dismiss relieve a lot of coin past times doing so. It’s 1 of the best budget locomote tips out at that topographic point as well as is all every bit good oft overlooked.
How I Saved Money on Food inwards London
I didn’t wish to go the typical backpacker as well as swallow kebabs as well as pasta for every meal. But at the same time, I know locals don’t swallow out 100% of the time, either, as well as a slap-up means to relieve coin is to cook, which is purpose of the argue I got a house alongside a kitchen for my final 4 nights. I wanted to mix eating out alongside cooking a few meals. During my 10 days inwards London, I spent 103.80 GBP ($165 USD) on food, which broke downwardly the next ways:
I spent 9.11 GBP on groceries, including bread, sandwich meat, vegetables, as well as pasta. This was plenty for 3 dinners as well as 3 lunches. (Seriously.)
I spent 2.20 GBP on H2O bottles, which I refilled over the course of report of my trip.
My hotels as well as serviced bird provided breakfast, though I did become out for McDonald’s 1 morning. (I only honey those hash browns.)
The residual was spent on dining out. I got pizza 1 day, went out for expert Thai nutrient for 1 dinner, had slap-up Indian 1 night, ate typical fish as well as chips the next, had a few Starbucks light-green teas, as well as ate tons of kebabs. They’re everywhere inwards London. According to my friends, you’re a truthful Londoner if you’re dining on kebabs, peculiarly if it’s afterward a nighttime out.
As I said, I didn’t wish to skimp on meals. I ate how as well as when I wanted to. I did hold off for deals, though, every bit whatever expert budget traveler knows that expert nutrient doesn’t receive got to go expensive. In London, I constitute the best means to swallow out on a budget was to hold off for dejeuner specials. Most restaurants I came across had dejeuner specials, as well as many pizza places offered a “buy one, acquire 1 free” bargain on takeaway.
Another slap-up means to relieve coin is to acquire the Taste Card. This diner’s social club carte du jour offers 50% discounts on thousands of restaurants every bit good every bit two-for-one specials. It tin dismiss truly pay off, peculiarly on those overnice meals you’ll wish to have. You tin dismiss alone alive on fish as well as chips for as well as thus long.
How I Saved Money on Transportation inwards London
My London Pass covered world transportation for the 2 days it was valid. And since cabs inwards London are notoriously expensive fifty-fifty past times London standards, I refrained from taking them.
For transportation to Heathrow airport, I took the Heathrow limited to acquire into the urban core (18.50 GBP) as well as the London Underground to go out (5 GBP). Around the city, I loaded my oyster carte du jour (metro card) for unlimited utilization inside Zones 1–3 for 7 days at a cost of 32.20 GBP.
How Much Would This Trip Regularly Cost?
Had I fallen into the trap that most people practise of booking a “normal vacation,” this London trip would receive got cost me 3 times every bit much.
A flying to London from Boston correct instantly is currently running around $320 USD.
Currently, the average toll of a decently rated three- to four-star hotel inwards fundamental London is 70–100 GBP ($111–158 USD) per night. For my nine-night trip, that adds upwards to around $1,000 USD, every bit I would receive got gone alongside the cheapest.
Had I refrained from cooking, I belike would receive got added nearly some other seventy GBP ($111 USD) on dining out, knowing my eating habits.
If yous add together upwards all of that summation my carry as well as food, I would receive got spent around $1,700 USD.
By traveling h4ck1ng as well as spending wisely, I spent 10 days inwards London for less than the electrical flow toll of a flying to London, saving myself $1,000 USD!
Think nearly that.
I visited London on a budget for 60% off the cost of a normal vacation, as well as I didn’t skimp on anything.
I only traveled smart, used payoff systems, as well as employed everyday frugality to my advantage. I stayed inwards overnice places, dined out well, as well as saw all the attractions I wanted. I didn’t sacrifice comfort.
Cheap locomote doesn’t hateful bad travel.
I wanted to accept a opor-garai to London that my parents or friends — people who wouldn’t go caught dead sleeping inwards 15-bed dorms to relieve coin — could take. I wanted to locomote cheaply without sacrificing comfort.
And I did only that.
Want to Learn How I Travel the World for Free?
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- How To Pick a Credit Card
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Book Your Trip to London: Logistical Tips as well as Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a inexpensive flying to London past times using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my 2 favorite search engines. Start alongside Momondo.
Book Your Accommodation
If you’re looking for a hostel inwards London, utilization Hostelworld every bit they receive got the best inventory. If yous wish to rest inwards a guesthouse or inexpensive hotel, utilization Booking.com every bit they consistently render the cheapest rates. Some of my favorite hostels to rest inwards are:
- Astor Hyde Park: This is a slap-up hostel alongside amazing staff that’s inwards a truly overnice area. They also offering an all yous tin dismiss swallow breakfast alongside the proceeds going to charity.
- St. Christopher’s: This is an awesome hostel for coming together people. There’s a bar downstairs as well as a slap-up mutual room which give this house a lively vibe.
- Clink78 Hostel: This is a enterprise hostel inwards a slap-up location that also offers all-female dorms.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance volition protect yous against illness, injury, theft, as well as cancellations. I never ever become on a trip without it. I’ve been using World Nomads for x years. You should too.
Need Some Gear?
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use!
Want More Travel Information on London?
Be certain to see our robust London goal guide on London for fifty-fifty to a greater extent than planning tips!
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