EAT WELL, EAT CHEAPLY in London : Part I

This is going to be the first of a long long series, I guess.

I have been talking about eating with my friend's sis who just arrived, and I am all fired up about eating cheaply and eating well.

Ok, let's see. What strategy you will take depends on:
1) how many days you stay here
2) how broke and desperate you are
3) whether you have basic cooking facilities.
4) can you bring some stuff from home?

Let's say you are a terribly broke backpacker, just managed to scrimp and saved and begged enough to get tickets for a short trip to Europe, and London is part of your long (and poor) holiday. It is also applicable to students who just set their foot here, have not found permanent accommodation, and getting shocked looking at prices at restaurants.

Unlike Asia, you have got no hawkers or roadside stalls here,so eating out is not cheap.

Here is how you could save some pennies if you know these general "rules"

1) If you want to really want to save money, prepare/cook your meals yourself! The difference is HUGE!!!

2)House brands, house brands and house brands.
Buy house brands and you can save up to 1/2 (sometimes more) of your budget. Eg? 2 litre coke= about £1.50, 2 litre "Tesco cola"= £0.46. 1 bottle of Cadbury Hot chocolate powder is about £2, 1 bottle Sainsbury hot chocolate is around 60pence.

3) Eat-in vs take away prices in the same "restaurant" can vary between 20-50%.

4) Small supermarkets or "express" stores are more expensive than bigger ones, even when they are the same company. So , always shop at the bigger store if you have one round the corner..... and open markets are CHEAPEST, especially at closing time or Fridays/saturdays. In central London, Church Street market is usually the cheapest for fruits and vegetables. Berwick street at Soho is very small and relatively expensive, unless you walk pass when they are closing. Portobello Market is my favourite. The range is wide! You got expensive stuff (Organic, Fair Trade etc) to feed the "discerning" movie stars and the "professionals", but look properly, and you get the best bargains around. The good bargains are stores nearer to Tesco, further "downhill", away from the antique market. This is the place where a punnet of strawberries cost between £2.60/punnet and 3 punnets for £1.

5) Pubs aka public houses are not only drinking holes. These also function as feeding grounds. Food is pretty standard in the pubs, as many of them are part of a large chain. The food is supplied from the same source, and heated up here. However, the price can differ by more than half for the same stuff.

6) Milk is almost as cheap as mineral water. 1 pint of milk 500+ ml is about 30-35 pence. 1 litre is about 50+ to 60 pence. So for nutrition, and energy, not to mention it makes your sandwich lunch seems more substantial, a pint of cold milk is a nice, nutricious drink. Oh, and did I tell you the British milk seems to taste better??? And for the alcoholics, just head to the supermarket the moment you arrive, and lug back a carton of beer. A bottle of 500 ml beer costs only about 50p when it is on "offer" and sold in a carton- and there are always offers!

8) Talking about offers, London is an offer town. Everything is will be on offer- it is just being "rotated". Offers are as good as "buy 1 free 1", and this applies to many food items and also toiletries in supermarkets.

9) Lunch buffets in Chinatown or other Chinese/indian restaurants are time and places where hungry ghosts stuff themselves full. It is a great way to save money (breakfast plus lunch and tea is covered), and you have less risk enlarging the tummy.

10) Central london is more ex than zone 2 or 3 areas for almost EVERYTHING. Need I say more?

Ok, that is all now. Will get to the details when I have time...

Other related posts:

Cheap eats for a short london stay: Part 2

Eat well, eat cheaply in London: Part 1

London is expensive? The insider's guide to do it in a cheap way.

Getting around Cheaply in London- An insider's guide

SLEEP WELL, SLeep SAFELY and CHEAPLY in London.

Other posts:
CALLING HOME CHEAPLY from London!!
Calling home Cheaply from London or UK : Part 2
UK's calling cards- call the right number to save $$ (Part I)
Calling cards- Great deals for Malaysia or singapore: Part II