Traveling to London

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Travel can be expensive depending on how you choose to travel around the world. However, some destinations are consistently more expensive than others, capital cities for example. If you are traveling to London in the near future think carefully about your travel arrangements. Experienced housesitters will tell you that you can travel to a capital like London, and save money. Think about how you will communicate, where you shop and where you are staying between housesits. Here are some top tips to help you save money,

How To Save Money When Traveling to London

Travelling somewhere new is always exciting. But it can be daunting to leave your family behind and travel thousands of miles across the world with the bag on your back and your budgeted cash. So keep in touch. Check Quote Radar for connectivity options.

When you’re travelling alone to somewhere like London, the costs can soon add up.

You need to factor in everything from where to stay, what to see, where to eat and drink, and how to make cheap calls back home. Although London is notably expensive, it doesn’t have to be, as there are plenty of things you can do to keep your costs down. Keep reading to learn how you can save money on your travels to London.

Keeping Connected

In 2021 it’s important to keep connected to your loved ones now more than ever. So it’s no surprise that there are a lot of ways to do that in these days of easy access technology. You can you use any online communication platform whilst you’re connected to Wi-Fi. However, you will need to make some considerations when using your mobile phone in London. This is for a number of costly reasons:

Avoid using your home carrier’s SIM as they may charge you large sums of money for the luxury of roaming. Instead, consider choosing one of the many UK SIM options that include international minutes – these are some of the Best SIM Only Deals:
Lebara is arguably the top provider for internationals in the UK. It uses Vodafone’s award-winning network. And you don’t need a credit check, so it’s ideal for anyone to use on the go. You can share data with family and friends through tethering, you don’t need to worry about spending more with the zero data cap, and you get access to a list of 41 countries. You can click here for more information on the best SIM only deals – plans start at £5.
To save money, order a SIM as soon as possible, so you are not stuck using a non-UK SIM and racking up a hefty bill for calls and data usage.
Before coming to London, it is a good idea to make sure your phone is unlocked from your carrier, otherwise, it will be useless before you begin. Further, you may want to consider investing in a dual SIM phone that will allow you to utilise your domestic card as well as a UK SIM – a lot of people who travel for business opt for dual phones, as they offer numerous advantages.

Everybody knows that travelling during the summer months or the height of Christmas is the most expensive option. You can bag yourself some good deals if you choose to travel between October and November and January to April. Typically, prices begin to rise at the beginning of the Easter holidays in the UK. As well as travelling outside of the season, consider using a budget airline to save more cash.

Another consideration when flying to London, is that flights are subject to very expensive landing fees. To avoid such charges, consider seeing some of Europe first and travelling to London by train. From Paris and Amsterdam, you can get the Eurostar directly into Central London at a cheaper cost than flying.

When you are in London, cheap travel options such as the tube are abundant. However, when you’re sat on a train starring at the walls of the filthy underground, you’re missing out on everything happening above the ground. Instead of using the tube, consider walking or using one of the eco-bikes; you will see much more of London and might discover places that aren’t on the tourist maps.

House sitting London

Where to Stay – Try house sitting in London

Hotels

Some accommodation in London can be extremely expensive, costing hundreds of pounds a night. If you are going to stay in a hotel, make sure that you book your stay months in advance; rooms often get listed up to a year in advance. Another way to save money on your hotel is to ask for a windowless room, you might not have much of a view, but you’ll be too busy enjoying all that London has to offer.

Hostels

Alternatively, if you can slum it for a long period, you should consider using a hostel. Are they the best accommodations? No. However, they do come with their perks, especially if travelling alone. Hostels are the social hub for travellers. Here you can easily grab yourself a drink at their bar and spark up a conversation with like-minded people. It can be quite daunting the first time you stay at a hostel, so read on for some useful guidelines.

House sit

Most of the calls for housesitting in London are for pet sitters. Occasionally the owners want a housesitter to keep the property occupied and therefore insured. However, mostly the calls are for a pet sitter in London. London calling is a play on the phrase I have heard a lot in the city. Though London often calls to me and I find it hard to resist a housesit assignment I see posted in this city.

London pet sitting

Pet Sitting always entails a balance of caring for the pets and home with an opportunity to see the sights.

Pet care comes first

Naturally the responsibilities of pet care always come first, along with the proper care and safety in the home. Dogs and some cats can only be left alone for certain lengths of time. This it to be determined by the pet owner. Outings and excursions must be organised around feeding and exercise times. I always spend time with the animals I am caring for to show them they are loved. Mostly I find, that the timing is outlined by the owners. It gets and some will emerge as you bond with the animals. I tend to stay ion the home for the first day or so to connect with and attend to the emotional as well as physical needs of the pets.

UK house sitting

If you have tried housesitting in countries like Mexico, Spain or even perhaps rural America you will appreciate the cost saving when travelling by housesitting. If you are housesitting in London or Paris or Berlin the cost saving becomes patently clear. The price of any paid accommodation can be a significant part of any trip you make to these capital cities. That’s where housesitting becomes a very practical solution to pet lovers who are happy to build in pet care and home care into their stay.

House sitting in London

So one way to save a lot of money on a visit to any capital city is to try housesitting. Find a housesit by joining a housesitting website.

Housesitting website

Free house sitting websites and free housesitters – which is best?

There is an old adage ‘If you’re not paying for it, you are the product’. This is largely true. Always ask yourself how is the other party benefitting? If they appear to get nothing from the arrangement then you maybe the star turn on offer!

If you are considering all the housesitting websites available, think before you sign up. Consider all your options. Do you choose a free housesitting website or free housesitters from a paid site?

Keep Attractions Cheap

If you are strapped for cash during your stay, you can save some money by only visiting free entry attractions, of which there are plenty. London is full of some of the best museums, exhibitions, and parks that you can enter free of charge. As well as all of the traditional free attractions, there are plenty of hidden gems in London that are full of culture – The Vaults, for example, are a series of underground tunnels near Waterloo station that are filled with street art and play host to numerous events.

If you want to visit some of the paid-for attractions, like the London Zoo, look for vouchers vouchers online. What is more, if you are travelling as part of a group then you can usually enjoy cheaper entry bulk buying tickets. It really helps to reduce the cost of traveling to London.

Food and Drink

Like everything else, the cost of food and drink in London can be extremely high. However, there are ways to cut the costs. If you get thirsty when you’re out and about, instead of going to a café or newsagent, pop into a supermarket. Buying a drink there will definitely be cheaper. Furthermore, if you enjoy reading the news in the morning, look out for some of the popular offers. Often they give you a free litre bottle of water with one of the major newspapers.

You’re likely to head out and enjoy some of the vibrant city pubs, restaurants, and clubs. When you do go out for a drink try and stick to beer instead of spirits and wine. You know England is inherently a beer country and that is reflected in the prices. Spirits are served, but the measures are extremely controlled and will set you back a pretty penny. Furthermore, when you receive your bill, check it for service fees. Most places put a charge on the bill – you don’t want to be leaving a tip if you’ve already paid a sneaky service charge.

Benefits of house sitting in London

You save money on accommodation
Your hosts are collaborative and appreciative of you caring for their home and pets
Insider knowledge – your hosts will doubtless be happy to share information about the best and most affordable places to visit.