Britain is a very expensive place, but there are plenty of ways to save money - most Brits won't pay full price for anything if they can avoid it :lol:
Getting there
- You can travel to the UK very cheaply (under £30 from most European destinations) by budget airlines like EasyJet (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.easyjet.com/">http://www.easyjet.com/</a><!-- m -->) and RyanAir (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/">http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/</a><!-- m -->). Some other flight operators, like Lufthansa and British Airways, also provide cheap flights on certain routes to compete.
- You can travel from Paris or Brussels to London by Eurostar (high speed train - <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.eurostar.com">http://www.eurostar.com</a><!-- m -->) for around £59 return.
- There are good links by ferry from the UK to Spain, France, Netherlands and Norway: Calais-Dover is the cheapest route (depending when you book, around £20-£40 for a car and two people). <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.directferries.co.uk/">http://www.directferries.co.uk/</a><!-- m --> gives a list of routes and operators.
- You can also drive to the UK using the Eurotunnel (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.eurotunnel.com">http://www.eurotunnel.com</a><!-- m -->) - your car is loaded onto a train at Calais and takes you to Folkestone, from £44 return per car.
Accommodation
- Camping is the cheapest option: you can stay for as little as £5 a night. It is illegal to just camp on a farmer's land without asking. You will need to contact tourist information for a list of campsites.
- Hostels are also cheap. You can join the Youth Hostelling association and stay at any YHA hostel for around £15-£25 a night (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.yha.org.uk">http://www.yha.org.uk</a><!-- m -->). There are non-YHA hostels in London where you can stay for £6 a night.
- The cheapest Hotels are chains like 'Travelodge' (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.travelodge.co.uk">http://www.travelodge.co.uk</a><!-- m -->), 'Premier Inn' (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.premierinn.co.uk">www.premierinn.co.uk</a><!-- w -->) and 'Days Inn' (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.daysinn.com">http://www.daysinn.com</a><!-- m -->) - they are built in most cities and some motorway service stations, and are very basic. Other hotels often do deals on certain days or times of year: check <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.lastminute.com">http://www.lastminute.com</a><!-- m -->. The tourist information buro will often book you a room in smaller B&B or traditional Inns.
Food
I would advise cooking a lot of your own food :-) but you can eat cheaply (less than £5) at Truckers' or 'Greasy Spoon' cafe's (traditional fried breakfast!), Fish and Chip shops and Pubs. Then you will understand why British people are getting fatter :lol: Italian, Indian and Chinese restaurants tend to be a bit more expensive but are popular, and we have all the normal fast food stores... In London you can eat very cheaply (about £1!) by visiting markets and stalls in the late afternoon/evening - certainly on Camden Market vendors sell food cheaply rather than let it spoil.
Drink
Alcohol is expensive compared to most other countries, but pubs usually have offers or deals on certain drinks, or they have a "happy hour." You should try local beers and ciders, which are cheaper and much nicer than bottled drinks. Try to attend a beer festival if you get the chance: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.camra.org.uk">http://www.camra.org.uk</a><!-- m -->
Travel
Travel in Britain by train is ridiculously expensive and usually unpleasant outside the major cities! Tickets are cheapest if you order them from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thetrainline.com">http://www.thetrainline.com</a><!-- m -->. Alternatively, you can travel by coach: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nationalexpress.com">http://www.nationalexpress.com</a><!-- m -->. Tourists increasingly bring their cars: we drive on the left side of the road, but it is common to see left-hand-drive vehicles on the roads. You would need to check whether you need particular insurance or a driving permit.
Tourist attractions
- Most National Monuments and tourist attractions have expensive entrance fees. You can get discounts if you have an International Student Card (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.isic.org">http://www.isic.org</a><!-- m -->), or find certain promotions (<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/">http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/</a><!-- m -->).
- There are still some beautiful sights that are free to enter, for example the less famous standing stones and barrows (e.g. Nine Ladies), many roman ruins in cities, the 'Three Peaks' (Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Snowdon), most churches and cathedrals, and all beaches (that are not MOD land).
- 'Time Out' magazine lists most current events (e.g. exhibitions at museums and galleries, club nights, etc.)
