Guide to Budget Travel Tips for Visiting the UK in 2022
9 Best Tips for travelling the UK on a budget in 2022
The United Kingdom is the home to the most iconic historical sites, landscapes, attractions as well as modern innovations. London, the city that stands as the UK’s capital, is also among the Top 10 most visited cities in Europe. This year with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee taking place, the UK is more popular than ever. While the UK is a wonderful place to visit, it is also expensive and hence planning a trip there might take some work.
Contrary to common opinion, visiting the UK on a shoestring budget is totally possible with a little extra planning. There are several ways to travel in the United Kingdom if money is tight. Aside from that, you may always take out holiday loans online to cover last-minute vacation preparations! Take a look at our top budget tips for travelling the UK on a budget below:
Book Early
One of the most significant ways to save your money is by booking your accommodation, flights and transport as early as possible. Usually, many hotels and flight operators offer you a better price when you book something months in advance. If you are sure about the trip, doing this can be a great option.
You also get to opt-in for free cancellation within a specific time period, which means that you get your complete refund if you change your mind and cancel the booking months in advance. You can also book your tickets during sales to get some fantastic deals. Lastly, travelling when tourism isn’t at its peak in the UK can also help you to save up some money. The time between January and March attracts fewer tourists since the weather is cold and if it’s something which suits you, you can book your tickets during that time.
Be Flexible With Dates and Times
If you are passionate about travelling and have no problems waking up at 4 in the morning, this tip might help you save cash. Usually, the prices for hotels, taxis, flights and buses are higher on Fridays to Sundays and hence travelling on those days might cost you more. People tend to travel more on weekends, which leads to an increase in prices.
It would be best if you caught a bus that leaves early in the morning when taking a long trip in London since you’ll find lower prices compared with the regular ones. The money you save on these early morning trips would be enough to buy you breakfast at your location.
Use Group Tours
If you plan to visit the top attractions around the UK, but you are on a tight budget, then going on a group tour will help you to get the job done.
The group tour in the United Kingdom makes the job easy for travellers by offering them a complete itinerary and a tour that includes everything from the top local attractions to food, transport, and everything needed for the journey. If you plan to join a UK Group tour, you need a budget of £100 – £200 per day.
Find Free Activities
The UK is famous for expensive food and travel, but it may surprise you to know that it also has many free activities that you can enjoy during the day. Most galleries and museums allow free entrance to their visitors in the UK, so you can explore without paying a single buck when you visit them. Some of these popular attractions include:
- Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum located in Glasgow
- National Gallery in London
- National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh
- National History Museum in London
Don’t Buy at The Station
It is not recommended to book train tickets on the same day as you are travelling because sometimes the people sitting there might charge you higher than the usual price.
Hence, it is recommended that you search for online train ticket booking websites in the UK that can offer you deals and offers to choose the cheapest fares and enjoy a hassle-free experience. The official website for the trains in the UK can also help you to get the job done.
Consider In-Direct Options
When you plan a long journey in the UK, you will need to change trains on the route in most cases. Therefore, you should check the train prices on each leg of your trip to see if there’s a cheaper option. While this may work in most cases, you might not get a refund if you miss your train at a stop.
Finding low-cost Accommodations
Hotels take up a significant amount of your travel budget, and you can save on those costs by finding low-cost accommodations. It may seem like an impossible job to find low-cost accommodation, especially in urban cities like London; however, most places have hostels where you can stay cheap. Booking hotels online can also help you get decent hotels at affordable prices. Make sure you book your hotels at least four months before your trip. Finally, Airbnb is always worth check out for lower cost accommodations.
Discovering Affordable Meals
Many top restaurants across the UK offer combo meals and daily deals where you can eat at an affordable price. It is recommended that you avoid 5-star restaurants and look out for restaurants with good food at a more affordable price. Pubs usually have happy hours in the UK, so you can always grab a deal from there. You can also visit shopping malls that have frozen food, which is usually on a deal, and you can eat it just by heating it up in a microwave. When you are staying in a hostel, try asking them for nearby places where you can get cheap food.
Getting Around
While you are in the UK, you’ll have to figure out how you want to travel. Usually, the fares for trains and cars are higher, so taking a bus to explore new places is recommended. Consider buying a multi-day transport pass that includes bus, train and tube travel options around the UK.
Conclusion
Travelling allows you to experience new things and the UK is something which is on every traveller’s list. Plan your next trip soon and keep these travel tips in mind to save up some money while travelling.
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About the Author: Tanya Singh works as a Content Marketer at LoanTube – a loan comparison marketplace where borrowers can connect with multiple lenders via a convenient and transparent application. She writes about topics related to personal finance and loans helping her readers in making smart decisions when they need to borrow. Yoga brings her inner peace and strength, and travelling brings her joy (besides her work of course).