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London on a Budget. Jennie Long and Rajandeep Singh International Office. Have a think…. Why is budgeting useful?. Why is budgeting useful?. Prevent running out of money. Develop good spending habits for future. Spend more money on what you want. Concentrate on studies.
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London on a Budget Jennie Long and Rajandeep Singh International Office
Have a think…. Why is budgeting useful?
Why is budgeting useful? Prevent running out of money Develop good spending habits for future Spend more money on what you want Concentrate on studies Prevent wasting money Reduce stress
Tools for Budgeting Spreadsheets http://international.studentcalculator.org.uk/ Set yourself a cash limit each week Scrutinise online bank account!
Sit next to someone you do not know… Introduce yourself Have a 5 minute chat about these questions: In which areas of spending would you most like to save money?
Travel - Student Oyster Card A full-price Zones 1-2weekly travel card costs £29.20 For a student the cost is £20,40 Saving = £8.80 www.tfl.gov.uk Discounts of around 30%! A full-price Zones 1-4monthly travel card costs £160.60 For a student the cost is £112.20 Saving = £48.40 • Apply online • Card costs £10 • Online: need digital photo, CID number • www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets
Other travel: Buses Buses 9 and 15 – historic Routemaster buses A full-price monthly bus pass is £72.20 A student monthly bus pass is £50.40 Saving = £21.80 www.tfl.gov.uk
Other travel Young Person’s Railcard £28 for 1 year £65 for 3 years Can make your money back on one journey!
Other travel Boris Bikes! “Access Fee” = £1 Up to 30 mins – free 30 – 60 mins = £1 www.tfl.gov.uk
Airport travel Heathrow Connect EasyBus Heathrow Express London Underground Megabus
Free London Sandemans New Europe New Europe: Free Walking Tour Leaves from Hyde Park Corner Covers all “major” sights!
Free London: Museums • Museums • Science Museum • Natural History Museum • British Museum • Imperial War Museum • Many more…! • Street entertainment • Covent Garden • South Bank nr. London Eye • Bonfire night, New Year, Christmas lights, Diwali • Parks • Hyde Park • Green Park • Regent’s Park • Richmond Park • Many more…! • Art galleries • V & A • Serpentine Gallery • National Gallery • Tate Modern • Tate Britain • Many more…!
Cinema and Theatre • Theatre • Discount ticket offices (e.g. Leicester Square) • Queue up for returned tickets on the day of performance • Cheap nights – previews, matinees • Travelex – National Theatre • Metro and Time Out Time out magazine is now free! • www.lastminute.com • £5 standing performance tickets • Cheap tickets for under 25’s Cinema Coronet in Notting Hill£3.50 Monday Student Night If you have an Orange mobile phone (or a friend who has one!), you can get 2-4-1 cinema tickets on Wednesdays
Drinking and nightlife Use public transport – tube and night buses Imperial Students Union Student nights (generally cheaper) Happy hours! Drinks vouchers www.studentbeans.com http://yazabo.com
Sport and Leisure Imperial gym – ETHOS £30 one-off fee, then FREE use of pool, sauna, steam room, spa, gym International Students House (ISH)
Imperial Union Clubs and Societies Over 300 societies to choose from!
Sit next to someone you do not know… Introduce yourself Have a 5 minute chat about these questions: How much do you think you will spend on food, each week?
Shopping - food • Supermarkets • Cheaper - ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco, Lidl • More expensive - Waitrose, Marks & Spencer • Own brands, value ranges • Bulk buying • Special offers – on display at end of aisles • Reduced section – be quick! • End of day reductions
Shopping: Clothes • Sales (biggest in January, summer) • Charity shops • Carboot sales, jumble sales • Markets – not always cheap though! • Supermarkets • Window shopping (Regent Street, Bond Street, Knightsbridge) • Check for easy-to-repair faults and ask for discount • Student discount
Eating out If you are living on a budget, use a voucher when you eat out! Useful websites: www.myvouchercodes.co.uk www.moneysavingexpert.com www.toptable.co.uk www.tastelondon.co.uk (Card costing £70, gives 50% off food in many restaurants) Brick Lane (East London) and Chinatown (near Leicester Square) both have many cheap restaurants
Tipping When should I tip and how much should I give? Hairdressers Eating out Going out Taxis
Sit next to someone you do not know… Introduce yourself Have a 5 minute chat about this question: What are your top tips for living in London on a budget?
Top tips! Get a PART-TIME JOB (most international students are permitted to work 20 hours per week) Get a student (18+) OYSTER CARD for cheaper travel Look ‘off the beaten track’ – explore the unusual and the strange…! Go to the IMPERIAL STUDENTS’ UNION – cheap food and drinks COOK meals and RENT DVDS with your friends – saves money on going out Don’t shop when you are hungry and write a list before shopping Take long WALKS – a great way of seeing the city Subscribe to MONEY-OFF WEBSITES – Groupon, Wowcher Buy an NUS CARD (£11) and get student discounts in many shops
Useful websites • General/ VERY useful • www.moneysavingexpert.com • www.lastminute.com • www.ish.org.uk • www.hostuk.org.uk • Travel • www.tfl.gov.uk • www.easybus.co.uk • www.railcard.co.uk • www.nationalexpress.com • www.megabus.com • Food • www.asda.com • www.tesco.com • www.sainsburys.co.uk • Social • www.timeout.com/london • www.studentbeans.com • http://yazabo.com • www.ishevents.org.uk • www.hostuk.org • Cinema and Theatre • http://web.orange.co.uk/p/film/ • www.lastminute.com • www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk • www.whatsonstage.com • www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/travelex