London is one of the most beautiful and greatest metropolises in the world, and living here may not always be easy, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the city. From the complex public transport system to the high price of living — it can sometimes be quite challenging to keep yourself entertained without spending all of your money. Don’t give up though! Host Family Stay has put together some great 'London life-hacks’ to share so that you can quickly adapt to the city life.
Tube Hack: London’s streets are constantly packed with traffic jams. That’s why instead of driving their own cars, most Londoners prefer to use the underground. One of the biggest struggles of the underground, however, can be finding a seat for yourself. The trick here is to adapt. Look for a warning sign on the floor by the yellow line, as it will mark where the doors of your train will stop; also remember which of these carriages are usually the emptiest... Voila! Now you are always first on the train, grab your spot! (Just remember to let everyone off first)!
Welcome to the Vouchercloud. Everybody loves a discount! So with this programme, you can get a range of discounts for many events and attractions: from delicious dinner offers to half price events. Just download the app, select the voucher you want, and follow the app instructions, usually showing it from your phone's screen when paying.
Explore new tastes for free. If you like tasting new and unique gastronomic masterpieces and don’t mind occasionally spending some money on good food, you can find wonderful food markets in Camden Lock, Portobello Road, Borough Market, and a range of similar markets throughout London. In these markets you can try free samples from all of the stands. If a portion of food is prepared but stays out for too long, some of the nicer market sellers will occasionally hand out the food to you for free. Yummy!
London beer hack. Who doesn't want free beer? MatchPint is an app that gives you 568 millilitres (one pint) of beer for free when you watch sports at a participating pub, simply for giving the venue a star rating and a review. Don’t miss out!
See London’s latest art shows. If you appreciate the latest art over a glass of wine, you can check out Whitechapel Gallery in Hackney. On the first Thursday of every month, you can visit for free openings. Make sure to also follow Fitzrovia Lates on Twitter, if you would like to be informed on the various Fitzrovia galleries that have special late night on the last Thursday of every month. Many galleries have regular free openings for culture lovers. Let the glasses chink!
A free cup of tea or coffee every day. It is almost impossible to live in London and not taste its famous tea! Waitrose couldn’t agree more so they have introduced a loyalty card scheme that allows you to get a cup of tea or coffee for free anytime during the day. No need for a penny!
London loo hack. We’ve all been in the situation when we’ve been out in London and in desperate need for a toilet, with no coins for public loos! If you can’t find an open restaurant, don’t fret, simply check for one using Great British Public Toilet Map to find your nearest free toilet. Such a relieve, right?
