London has something for everyone, and you don’t have to have a big bank balance to enjoy it. Students on a budget can enjoy an astonishing range of culture and entertainment at affordable prices – or even free of charge.
Life in London has a reputation for being expensive, but it compares favourably to other world cities, says Isabelle Newton, in her second year of an arts management degree. “I’m half-American and went to school in New York, so I can compare the two. I love London, and as a student it’s better, because you can afford to live here, and there are plenty of things you can do for free or more cheaply with a student discount,” she says. “I go to a lot of events because of my degree, so I can get a different perspective, and that affordability helps a lot. If you are under 25, you can get an entry pass to the National Theatre for £7.50 and the Barbican has a ‘young’ ticketing scheme too,” she says.
The big museums and art galleries have free entry and the city is full of pop-up music, art, sculpture, dance and street theatre. Many shops, restaurants, cafes, sports venues and gyms offer student discounts.
Goldsmiths is at the heart of the south-east London music scene, with the famous Amersham Arms pub offering gigs, club nights and open mics for free or costing between £3 and £7. It’s just round the corner from the university and also hosts free comedy nights, poetry readings and other cultural events. Down the road in Deptford you can find the Birds Nest, another of the city’s famous music venues. For more classical tastes, there’s the Royal Opera House, which puts on free concerts at the St Clement Danes church on the Strand. There’s also free music on Friday lunchtimes at the Southbank Centre.
The university and students’ union put on regular free events, which range from guest speakers and musical performances to hackathons, where students collaborate on computing ideas over 24 hours.
Competition between the thousands of cafes and restaurants in the capital helps to keep prices more affordable. So, if your budget won’t run to sky-high dining in the capital’s tallest buildings, then keep an eye on the cafes in New Cross – they peg their prices to each other and if one puts them down, the others usually follow. That’s a tip from criminology student Caitlin McLoughlin, 19, who usually eats lunch on campus for between £3 and £4.50. “I also cook for myself – it’s just a 10-minute walk to Deptford market, where food is much cheaper than in the shops. You can pick up a whole bowl of vegetables for £1,” she says.
A cheap – and green – way of saving money is to eat food that local shops, restaurants and cafes have left over, says Jaxson Mannes, 18, a first-year psychology student. “You can get a delicious meal for between £1 and £3.50 using the Too Good To Go app.”
Competition between the supermarkets keeps prices down, so expect to spend no more than in the rest of the UK for groceries.
Red buses are one way to see the city, and a single fare costs £1.50 – lower than in some other parts of England. The new Hopper fare allows passengers to take unlimited journeys by bus or tram within one hour of the start of the first one. Daily fares are capped at £4.50, which is handy if you want to take more than three journeys. Students can also get 30% off weekly or monthly Oyster travelcards.
But you don’t need to travel to central London to experience the vibes. “Peckham has the PeckhamPlex cinema, where you can see films for £4.99, and then there’s Peckham Levels, a multistorey car park they’ve converted into a food and drink venue, with space for events, local artists and designers too,” says Newton. Peckham is also home to the Bussey Building, a converted factory that now holds bars, restaurants and shops.
A big advantage of being in London is the range of different part-time jobs you can get to supplement your income. Goldsmiths employs some of its students as ambassadors, helping to show around visitors and hosting events. Shanice Harrison, 23, who is studying management and entrepreneurship, earns £11 an hour as a student ambassador and also gets regular work as a film and TV extra. “I travel to lots of different parts of London for the work and even out into Kent. There’s a lot of waiting around, so what I do is take my university assignments with me and find a little corner to work in,” she says.
As the weather starts to improve, don’t forget that more than two-fifths of London is made up of parks. And they don’t cost anything to visit. Just remember to take a packed lunch with you if you want to save money on refreshments.
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