London is one of the most popular cities to visit anywhere in the world. Around ten million live and worth around the city. This makes London an expensive place. Nevertheless it is still possible to enjoy London with little money to spend. The most expensive factors when visiting London are the cost of accommodation, the cost of travel and the cost of food.

Following these ten simple tips can help you save hundreds of pounds.

• Walk as much as you can around London

London is a huge city but the vast majority of major sites can easily be included in a four hour leisurely stroll. Each year millions of visitors to London spent unnecessary time and money travelling between tube stations that are in reality only a few streets a part. By the time you have used an escalator, waited for a tube train, squeezed on board, waited in a tunnel and made your exit you could often have walked towards your destination. Not only does this save you valuable cash – A zone 1 and 2 ticket is more than five pounds – but you will see other sites that you can never hope to see on a tube train.

• Avoid the London bus tour

The London Bus Tour is a popular way to travel around the city of London. This is also an expensive way to see the sites and means you are forced to travel at someone else’s pace. The stops are often positioned with particular attractions in mind and the commentators often miss out valuable tit bits mentioned in the guide books. One costly aspect of the London Bus Tour is the amount of time you are likely to spend in traffic. This is often up to half of the journey which means you are paying over five pounds to sit at traffic lights when walking could be quicker!

• Don’t Use London Taxis

The image of the cheeky and helpful London Cabbie is synonymous with London. Many of these characters still exist and are one of the most pleasant ways to travel around the city. However, they are also one of the most expensive! Most taxi journeys can be covered just as quickly on public transport or better still walked!

• Get up early and stay out late in London

London is truly a 24 hour city. Getting the most out of every day can save you hundreds of pounds on hotel bills. In the summer, a walk around a deserted London City Centre at 6am is a wonderful experience. Sure, the main attractions aren’t open but the city is deserted. On a sunny summer morning this is the best time to see the sites, take the best photographs and avoid the hustle and bustle of the London Rush Hour. By extending your days in to the evening you can exhaust the list of London attractions worth visiting in one week. Sure this is tiring but can cost you a fraction when compared to those who rise at ten and retreat to their hotel at sun down. Remember the hotel prices are likely to be the most expensive so the longer you can put off that return to the hotel the better for your wallet!

• Choose the timing of your visit to London carefully

The cost of a trip to London, particularly flights, trains and hotels, can vary enormously depending on the time of year. Trains and planned cost more on a Friday and many hotels in London charge exorbitant business rates for corporate travellers during the week. The cheapest time to visit London is always between Christmas and New Year because this is the quietest time. Sometimes you can get good hotel rooms for as little as five pounds per night because the hotels are just keen to have rooms occupied at this quiet time.

• Eat At London Supermarkets

London has many fancy restaurants that offer visitors a variety of great things to eat at a price that wilkl make many a traveller lose their appetite. In addition, there are literary thousands of chain restaurants and burger bars eager for your cash at a more modest price but still expensive if you count the cost over a weeks visit. At a lower end of the scale are th thousands of sandwich shops that on the face of it seem reasonable, until of course you add the cost of the coffee and cakes. To enjoy London with little money avoid all three options and opt for an increasingly common phenomenon – the on street supermarket. Chains such as Tesco and Sainsbury now have many shops in London streets. Whilst they don’t have tables they offer the cheapest menu in town with quality wholesome sandwiches one of the better bargains. Save cash buy your food here and eat al fresco, whilst the magical city of London continues to bustle around you. Just remember one thing – it is now illegal to feed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square!

• Don’t buy London Souvenirs in London

The numerous souvenir stores offer everything from T shirts to Mouse mats emblazoned with the city of London landmarks and features like the London Underground logo. Very little of this array of souvenirs is actually made anywhere in London or the UK for that matter. To save hadfuls of cash without letting your friends and family think you are tight with your money simply buy your souvenirs online. A quick search of EBay highlights hundreds of brand new London souvenirs all at a fraction of the price. Order these online and get them delivered to your home around the time of your visit and you will save valuable time in the city and the hassle of transporting them back with you. The more generous visitor can also avoid the potentially costly baggage charge you could incur if you buy too many goodies on your visit to London!

• Log On in to London’s Internet Cafes

A cup of coffee is a must if you spend your day visiting all of the historic sites and attractions that London has to offer. However, visits to the chains of coffee bars mean two things: Expensive coffee and expensive internet access. In contrast the numerous Internet cafes dotted around London offer good coffee that is cheap accompanied with dirt cheap web access. Using the London Internet Cafes for your Latte and emails is a sure fire way to save cash.

• Don’t Use The London Currency Exchange Booths

Let’s face it, everyone time you use a person to exchange currency you are being ripped off. There is no such thing as free currency exchange. Even those that offer no charge will make their money with an uncompetitive exchange rate and make their money whilst you juggle the figures in your head. The best option is to open a bank account or credit card that enables you to withdraw money with no commission whilst in London. This will offer you a more competitive currency exchange rate and avoid the payment of a fee and also give you access to thousands of cash machines across London.

• Plan Your Itinerary Before You Visit London

With so much to see and do it can take a while to plan a week long tour of London. Plan your trip before you get there to ensure you major the most of every single second in a magical city