Living cheap in London

Is it possible? I mean, after the rent and bills are paid for, is it possible to self-cater for around the same price as elsewhere in the UK? Do Tesco charge more in central London? Do you have Lidl or Netto? How about some on-the-ground opinions, surprise expenses, or secret bargains?

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Reply 1

tomm

It would be SOAS, so it's very central; around Bloomsbury I think. I'm just imagining paying £5 every time I want a cup o' coffee. Another worry is living in a city of cold-hearted arseholes, but that's another post...

Reply 2

Vesta

People generalise too much about London, not everyone is a "cold-hearted arsehole" as you put it. There are some pretty friendly people about :smile:

But yeah. It's not cheap in Central London, so unless you're happy to live further out and commute every day, you'll end up paying a lot. The expenses do add up...

Reply 3

drive like june

near the vernon square campus there is a tesco metro, significantly bigger than the lame express one. people can be quite nice actually, but on the street they are almost always in a hurry to get somewhere. nothing personal. some people live pretty cheap so it depends on your lifestyle

Reply 4

Zoecb

If you want to live in Bloomsbury then I suggest you befriend a millionaire.

However, if you want to live where normal students live you'll be fine. I live on Old Kent Road, my commute is 10-15 mins by bus, and my road has a large Tesco, a large Lidl AND a large Asda all walking distance.

Reply 5

Zoecb

If you're in halls btw, there's a very decent big Sainsbury's near Holborn, so it'll be fine.

Reply 6

Teenage Pirate

I can get stuff for cheap from Iceland, but you might not have one nearby. However, chances are you'll have either a Lidl, Netto, Iceland or some other discount chain near. Go there for EVERYTHING.

Reply 7

la fille danse

The problem in areas like Bloomsbury is that you're not gonna find any proper supermarkets in at least a couple of miles radius

There's a huge Waitrose in Bloomsbury.

Reply 8

la fille danse

You said that there aren't any proper supermarkets within a couple miles radius of Bloomsbury. Waitrose is a proper supermarket.

Reply 9

Crazster

Hehe, on Tottingham Court Rd. there is a nice big Sainsbury.

Reply 10

dominiclmorris

Transport in London is really pretty decent, regardless of what people say, if you get a student discount oyster card it doesn't cost too much and honestly, there's pleanty of cheaper accomidation if you're looking 20-30 minutes out of the center. I live in Golders Green, bloody dull, bloddy suburban, but about 25 minutes away from Tottenham Court Road by tube and would cost far less than many places more central. that said, there are places more central and a lot cooler that can also be cheap if you look into flat shares. For example, around ladbrook grove or westborne park are some bargains, and you're only a short bit away from the very cool, very expensive notting hill. likewise there are areas around whitechaple which are far cheaper than comparitive places nearer Brick Lane.

Reply 11

hermaphrodite

no hero in her sky

There's a huge Waitrose in Bloomsbury.

LOL!!!

Reply 12

la fille danse

Is Waitrose not a real supermarket? What is it?

Reply 13

hermaphrodite

no hero in her sky

Is Waitrose not a real supermarket? What is it?

LOL!! Read the thread title. It says Living Cheap in London. Waitrose ain't cheap. It's for people with more money than sense.

Reply 14

la fille danse

LOL!! Read the thread title. It says Living Cheap in London. Waitrose ain't cheap. It's for people with more money than sense.

Read the post I was responding to. :rolleyes:

Tbh, I doubt many students consider Waitrose to be a proper supermarket. I consider it merely a food division of John Lewis. The OP is asking how he can shop for cheap near areas like Bloomsbury and he mentioned Lidl and Netto, and you want me to suggest Waitrose to him?

The fact that Waitrose's closest rival is M&S Food should tell you something.

I've only been in there once, but it had everything I would expect a proper supermarket to have. :confused:

It's still a supermarket, even if you can't afford it.

Reply 15

x.fiore.x

I consider Waitrose to be a proper supermarket :confused:

Fair enough, a ready meal from there is going to be more expensive than one from Asda, but a pint of milk, for example, is gonna be about 3p different max. Waitrose is the biggest supermarket in the town where I live, its where most people shop.

Reply 16

tomm

Ok, let me be clear: I ain't shopping at no frickin' Waitrose!

Reply 17

x.fiore.x

Throwback

Town? Don't you live in London?

And seeing as Waitrose is aimed at middle class people, you must live in a predominantly middle class area. Poor students aren't middle class.

I'm at uni in London, but I still can't bring myself to say I live there lol. I live in Hertfordshire.

Reply 18

hermaphrodite

tomm

Ok, let me be clear: I ain't shopping at no frickin' Waitrose!

location sheffield; always reminds me of the Monty Python Sketch. LOL!!

Reply 19

tomm

When I were a lad we din't av nor bloody Waitress or what av yer; all us food cem from wot were under us fingernails after we'd been workin' 16 hours scrapin' muck off o' potaters.