London is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world, with a fantastic restaurant scene, show stopping theatre land, the hottest exhibitions scattered around the city, as well as the latest fashions. But cheap living in London doesn’t sound particularly easy, or pleasant, if you’re looking to get the most out of the city… Surprisingly though, you don’t need to make too many sacrifices if you are living in London on a budget, and doing things a bit differently can pay off!
Our top five tips for Cheap Living in London…
1. Eating out
Eating out in London can be an enjoyable experience, but it also can be incredibly expensive. Eating out less is the most obvious way to save money, but not exactly the most exciting. Signing up to your local pub’s and favourite restaurant’s mailing list will ensure you are amongst the first to hear about their latest discounts and offers and owning a Taste card mean saving up to 50% at some restaurants. Or for those really trendy joints that are too cool for discounts, pop in at lunch time where the menu is usually a bit cheaper.
2. Do you need a car?
For most people, owning a car just isn’t necessary when trying to live cheaply in London. The tube and bus networks are an efficient (when there aren’t delays!) and comprehensive way for getting from A to B. Even Uber isn’t the only cheap taxi service, as the market is bursting with other services, jostling to offer you the cheapest door-to-door service.
3. Free exhibitions
London is a beating heart of culture, and you can enjoy the best of it completely free; from the many world class free exhibitions London has to offer, to stunning art galleries and historic houses. Entry to the permanent collections of these museums and galleries is free, while charges may apply for special exhibitions.
4. Gym membership
Gym memberships are expensive, and really only worth it if you are going three of four times a week, and even with the best intentions, that’s tough to keep up! There are a number of ‘no frills’ gyms, which do exactly what they say on the tin, or if you don’t want to be a slave to the treadmill, embrace the great outdoors and head off to one of the many parks and commons for a walk or run – totally free, a daily dose of nature and an abundance of adorable doggos, what more could you want?!
5. Become a guardian
Stagnating wages, soaring property prices and unceremoniously kissing goodbye to 50% of your salary on rent. There’s no denying that the cost of living in London is one of the biggest expenses of all. Of course, there are a few exceptions to the rule, but there’s a little-known option worth considering; guardianship. Whether you are looking to save for a deposit on a house, you’re a creative who needs extra money for studio space, or you need flexible housing so you can chase that next big break without being restricted by a rigid rental agreement, guardianship could be the answer.
At LOWE we have great, affordable spaces to live (with prices starting from £425 inc. all bills) for key workers, creatives and professionals, allowing cheap living in London! We put a focus on building a real sense of community within the guardian properties and have a thorough vetting process to make sure that we are filling the properties with like-minded people – additionally, we make sure to all of our guardians before they move-in! We put great emphasis on providing the highest level of customer service; our in-house maintenance team deals with any maintenance issues in record time (better than any private rental company!) and we always keep the guardians in the loop with constant communication.
Choosing guardianship is choosing a lifestyle and each guardian gets something different from it. For more information or if you would like to apply to be a guardian, you can contact us here– we’d love to hear from you!