7 Ways to Save Money When Travelling In the UK

Travelling around the UK shouldn’t have cost a lot of money. It is possible to only pay the costs of getting to your destination i.e. your train fare or fuel costs, and still have a great day out! Below, I’ve listed 7 hacks so you can really get your value’s worth from that train ticket and thus, save more money.

1.     Transport Hacks

Sometimes, train fare can be very expensive, and you can’t deny that. And it’s only going up each year due to inflation. Therefore, it is essential to take advantage of any discounts you can get your hands on.

Here are some train fare hacks below:

• Find discounted tickets by booking in advance on Trainline. There’s even an app too.
• Take advantage of Railcards (16-25 Railcard and the new 26-30 Railcard).
• Use ticket splitting- https://www.splittraintickets.net/
• Travel at off- peak times (after 9:30am on weekdays). On weekends, you can travel off- peak all day.
• If you’re going to London, and will be using public transport frequently, buy a Travelcard. With one of these, you can travel on the Tube, buses, trams, and DLR for free. And it will cover the costs of getting to and from London.

When getting the bus:

• If you are getting on buses frequently, look at all day tickets
• Use PlusBus- simply put, this is a bus pass you can get with your train ticket. Find out more here: https://www.plusbus.info/

Driving Hacks:

• Make sure your fuel tank is adequately full before you leave- it will save having to fill up at your destination.
• Be careful of some petrol station’s fuel prices- I once saw a petrol station on the M5 that charged over £5 per litre. Absolutely crazy!
• Park at park & rides. Then get the bus into the city centre or walk around for the whole day.
• Avoid driving into city centres. Some cities such as London have ridiculous traffic, expensive or no parking, and congestion charges.

2.     Some Budgeting Hacks

• Only load onto your card the amount of money you need i.e. your travel costs and budget for your trip. Leave your other cards at home.
• Have a budget for activities such as shopping and eating out e.g. £25 for shopping
• Phone apps are a good way to track your spending
• Visit Mint Notion for more money hacks

3.     Go to Free Places of Interest and Do Free Activities

To have a great trip, you don’t need to spend loads on premium tourist attractions.

• Most museums and art galleries are free entry, and they can be a great educational experience.
• A lot of beauty spots such as parks are free
• Visiting most landmarks such as monuments and heritage sites are free
• Avoid paying for guided tours. Websites, TripAdvisor, and of course Google Maps are very helpful for finding your way around.
• Avoid paying for overpriced tourist attractions (and you can dodge the long ques).

4.     The Tap Water Hack

Probably one of my favourite hacks. Instead of purchasing bottled juices, or worse bottled water, ask for tap water at a coffee shop or restaurant free of charge. They’ll even put ice in it too.

5.     Snack Hacks

• Instead of buying snacks from overpriced corner stores, bring snacks from home and save money.
• Bring the right snacks- chocolates, biscuits, and other junk foods are bad choices. Instead, bring fruits such as apples instead.
• Don’t buy snacks from market stalls, ice cream vans, or train station shops- they are expensive.
• Bring water bottles and flasks from home- it will save having to buy drinks.
• Staying hydrated can stop sugar cravings in their tracks.

6.     Shopping Hacks

If you are trying to save money on your travels, I advise not going shopping at all. But if you really need to go shopping or you find a great item, then I’ve listed some hacks below…

• Only buy what brings value to you. Arguably, the most important point here. Read my post on Minimising Possessions in Lockdown for tips on shopping.
• Find the best deal possible- there’s more satisfaction when doing this
• Don’t get tempted by every single discount you see.
• Don’t shop at phone case stores- phone cases and other accessories such as power banks are a rip off here. You can find good quality phone cases on eBay for less than £5.
• Ask in store about discounts! If you are a student, ask about student discounts. Use your NUS Card and sign up to UNiDAYS or Student Beans.

7.     Eating Out Hacks

• Avoid commercial restaurants. They can be very expensive, and you can go to one of these any day. I always recommend trying local restaurants instead- the food is great quality for a great price.
• Avoid ordering drinks, as these can be expensive. I learnt that the hard way when I paid £4.20 for a laasi once. Instead, have tap water.
• Side dishes may not always be worth it, but this depends on where you go to eat.
• Take advantage of discounts such as group ones or special promotions. Also ask about student discounts if you are a student.

Summary

I hope this guide was useful, and now you have some fresh ideas on how you can save money when travelling around the UK. A lot of these hacks have come from my own experiences when travelling, where I sometimes end up overspending. But ultimately, its all about learning from your mistakes so this doesn’t happen again.

Hopefully now, you will see that you don’t need to spend to have fun. Now that money saved can go towards your next trip! Were there any hacks missing? If you think there was something missing, please share your hacks in the comments below.