Living in London isn’t always for everyone, but the bustling heart of the UK is an unrivalled place for its vibrancy and liveliness. With a plethora of places for eating out, having drinks after work and doing fun activities with friends on every corner and concealed square, living in London is a joyous event every day of the week. But how can you squeeze onto the property ladder here at a price that won’t break the bank? You shouldn’t have to fork out four generations worth of life savings to set your roots down in a spot you love, so check out some of these tips and get yourself down to the capital for all its enchanting charm and appeal that makes it such a popular place to live.

Shared ownership

If there’s one thing to look into for living in London at a reasonably friendly price, it’s shared ownership. The part-buy part-rent scheme allows you to buy a share in a property while renting the remaining portion at an affordable rate. The scheme has been kickstarted by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, in order to make London a more affordable place to live and more attractive to buyers who may have written it off as being disproportionately priced. With opportunities for shared ownership London and Surrey, there’s a whole variation of homes you can choose from in and around the city.

Get to know the public transport

London is busy – we all know that – but what’s really busy about London is its roads. Everyone knows you don’t go near a car anywhere close to rush hour in this city unless you have a death wish. And in London, every hour is rush hour. So it’s best to know your way around the underground and overground before setting down your roots here. London has an excellent transport system that you can take full advantage of and leave the car at home. From a bus network to the tube to the overground, you can save the environment and your journey time while grabbing a coffee on the way. So do your research on your commute before you make the move and get to know your way around.

Be Thrifty

It’s common knowledge London is a pretty expensive place from food to pints to rent, so you’ll really want to save where you can and leave spending to a minimal. A great way to do this is by keeping track of where you are spending the most, and this acts as a great start to your saving journey. There are several apps you can do this with and debit/credit cards you can get that will help you track and record your costs and where you can cut down. Monzo and Starling bank are great examples of this and can really open your eyes to where your money has gone by the end of the month. So whether you’re looking to move to the big city for a job, the lifestyle or the family, getting your bearings makes settling in a lot easier. Prepare yourself for the big move and take advantage of a metropolis with a whole lot to offer.