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Nowadays it’s hard to find any sort of trip to holiday that isn’t tough on your wallet and budget. Instead of travelling abroad, perhaps a well thought-out local trip would be best for you and your money. A trip to London can be financially managed quite easily if the proper steps are taken.

The first thing you’ll want to do is find a great deal on a hotel room that isn’t too overpriced. A budget hotel, bed & breakfast, or even a hostel may be the best choice. When you’re going to be out all day seeing the attractions, where you sleep at night really shouldn’t take up a large portion of your budget. The internet comes in handy at a time like this. Use price comparison websites to make sure you’re getting the most comfort and reliability at the best possible price. Booking a hotel room at the very last minute or going through “secret hotel” services will help you pick up a great deal.

Getting around London can also cost you quite a bit. If you’re planning on spending most of your time in Central London, then The Tube is your best, and most economical option. Order an Oyster Card before you go, the daily price capping will make sure you never pay more than necessary for lots of short trips on the underground. Although you may be tempted to take your car with you public transport has an array of benefits from multiple perspectives, not only is parking in Central London expensive and limited the roads are obviously very busy and at times it can be quicker to take The Tube to get to where you need to be.

When deciding what sort of attractions you’d like to check out during your holiday in London, plan ahead and calculate the entrance fees in advance so you know how much spending money you will need. There are definitely a few attractions you can visit for free – and ‘free’ will make you and your trip even better. Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park is a really fun, and free, place to visit to hear the rantings of others. The museums in London are free to visit and with some of the best museums in the world in the city it can be easy to find something to suit your interests. The National Gallery, The Museum of London, British Museum, Science Museum, National History Museum and the British Film Institute’s Mediatheque are just some of the free attractions available and with such a varied selection it can be easy to please the whole family.

Obviously not every attraction you’ll want to see will be free of charge, but with proper planning and research you can save as much as possible. Always check before your trip to see if any of the places you’re interested in visiting in have any special deals or discounts going on. If there are places you know you’ll definitely visit, then always book your tickets in advance. Advanced tickets are almost always cheaper than ‘on-the-spot’ tickets. Alternatively many of the popular attractions, for instance the London Dungeon which is often considered a must visit have lots of printable vouchers online in order to help you get a discount of up to 20% and for a small family this discount can quickly result in huge savings.

One thing I cannot stress is enough is that the internet is your friend when planning a trip on a budget. Online, you can almost always find a way to save money on all of the little things. Look for printable vouchers to save money on food, the chain restaurants in particular often run such deals where you can get a free course or a drink with your meal and all of this soon adds up, especially with the higher cost in London. You should definitely be able to still plan an amazing holiday in London, even if you don’t have tons of extra money to blow.

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