London is considered to be one of the most expensive cities in the world. You can certainly spend a lot of money in the capital with food, travel, and accommodation all costing a pretty penny. However, it's actually quite easy to have a brilliant trip without it costing the earth.

 Free attractions

Many of London's main attractions are free. The permanent exhibitions at Tate Britain, Tate Modern, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery as well as the British Museum, the Science Museum, the Victoria and Albert and the Natural History Museum, and a host of the smaller galleries and museums such as the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park. You could entertain yourself all day long for a week or more without paying a penny.

 Public transport

One of the biggest expenses in London is the cost of public transport. A one day travelcard  can set you back up to £10. Budget travellers should avoid black cabs at all costs, as even a short journey can be pretty expensive; stick to public transport. Aim to stay in one of the hostels in central London, in Zone 1 of the London Underground network. Buy an Oyster card, the clever new electronic tickets for the underground, and consider getting a one week travelcard on it if you think you will be making a lot of trips every day. Otherwise, a lot of places in Central London are within easy walking distance of each other, so use a good map of the centre of town and get walking rather than hopping on and off the tube. If you are going longer distances, try to stick to the buses rather than the tube; they take longer, but they are also cheaper.

 Eating cheap

Eating out can be very expensive, especially in Central London. Copy the locals, and buy yourself a cheap sandwich for lunch from one of the hundreds of sandwich shops throughout the city. In the evenings, avoid the obvious tourist traps and head for smaller restaurants aimed more at Londoners looking for a quick meal before the theatre – St Martin's Lane is a good place to try. Stay away from the shops. London has an amazing array of shops to suit every taste, and it's impossible to resist temptation even if you are just planning to window shop.

With a little care and a sturdy pair of shoes it is possible to have an amazing time in London without spending a fortune.