How To Travel To London Without Hurting Your Savings

A trip to London, one of the most expensive cities in the world, doesn't mean having to slash a chunk of your savings. Yup, it's possible to visit London on a budget—as long as you do your research and spend wisely.

The fancy hotels, afternoon teas, and tours are all tempting, but traveling simply is its own memorable experience. You'll end up feeling closer to the average English person, and you'll have an adventure with your plus one. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Stay at a hostel or a flat for rent.
Targeted towards backpackers, youth hostels have very affordable prices, and they’re often a stone’s throw away from busy streets where you can immerse yourself in the culture, window shop, and eat.

Services like Airbnb allow you to stay in themed apartments at a low rate. But don’t get caught up in booking the cutest or coolest flat—it’s not like you’ll be staying in anyway! Consider first the location, which can save you some money on transportation and make exploring more efficient.


2. Know what you can visit for free.
The hostel manager/owner and even the apartment owner of your rented flat can recommend places to see and go for free. They can also give you the cheapest travel routes in case you need accurate and updated tips from a local.

Travel blogs have catalogued places with free admission, like the British Museum, the British Library, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Borough Market, and Greenwich Market. Still, it always pays off to double check.

3. Cook your own food.
You don’t have to cook all the time, since there’s so much English fare you have to try. Still, it’ll save you some money. You’ll even have leftovers you can reheat!


4. Limit your souvenirs.
You can either buy one charming item for each member of your family, your colleagues, and your barkada. Or you can check out grocery stores, as finely packaged tea biscuits make a great treat.

And since having pasalubong is all about letting people back home know you're thinking of them, why not be extra sweet and write them a postcard while in London?

5. Get your tickets for free.
You read that right: You can make your dream London trip come true by joining Rustan's Extraordinary Christmas Raffle Promo! This raffle, made in partnership with HSBC and Philippine Airlines, will run until December 24.

You just have to spend P1,000 to P3,000 at Rustan's, Rustan's the Marketplace, Adora, Debenhams, and SSI stores like Marks & Spencer and Longchamp to get a chance to win one of 165 available prizes.

You can score jewelry, beauty products, gift certificates, and even luggage, like this Samsonite spinner set which you can use for all your adventures:


Just so you know, the top prize happens to be two round-trip business class tickets to London, England. Now go make that London trip happen, stat!

Click here to know more about Rustan's Extraordinary Christmas Raffle Promo.

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