London for under £40 per day

London has always been ridiculously expensive, and even more so with today's exchange rate. A hot breakfast will set you back US $10, lunch US $15-20, and dinner a minimum of US $25. (And we're not even talking good food here, and certainly no alcohol.) Throw in a 3-star hotel, and you're looking at over US $1,000/week.

So, you ask your local London expert, how do you slash that in half?

First, stay at a two-star bed and breakfast. It's clean, comfortable, and you stayed here five years ago when just visiting, so you know the owners. (Back then you picked it because it was only one of two places that advertised itself as completely non-smoking, although recent laws have made all hotels non-smoking.) Breakfast is a simple affair of tea, toast, and cereal (bring your own banana) but it's pretty much the same thing you'd make yourself, and it's included in the room rate.

The owners are really friendly, and they offer--actually, they insist--on lowering your rate when they find you're going to be staying awhile. You have a room in the basement--a closet, really--and while you don't get much sunshine, it has four distinct advantages:

1. It is en suite (private bathroom), which is still not that common in European hotels, and certainly unheard of at £35/night in central London.
2. It is the only guest room in the basement, so it's very quiet (except when someone drags luggage down the stairs above you)
3. There is a TV lounge immediately adjacent which, while public, is hardly ever used, so it feels like an extension of your room, someplace you can take your laptop to when you're going stir crazy, or just want to watch the Olympics.
4. The kitchen is also adjacent, and the owners don't mind you storing stuff in the refrigerator or cooking, as long as you clean up after yourself. There is a stove, a toaster, and a full set of dishes. (No microwave or oven, and certainly no gadets like a blender, though.)

There is an art to raiding other people's food so it doesn't become an issue. For example, as the B&B goes through 2 -3 loaves of bread a day, a couple of slices is no big deal, but opening a fresh bag in the refrigerator would be wrong. Instead, take the slices from the loaves which are intentionally left unwrapped overnight so the bread goes stale, making for crisper toast. (Toast or fry them, but don't eat them straight, because they're stale. Plus its white bread.)

Using condiments are okay, but if you use most of a large tub of butter, best to just replace it. Familiarize yourself with everything in the kitchen so when poaching oil and vinegar, or some herbs, you can quickly use it and return it. Even though the owner stocks a lot of cheese, best to buy your own, because he likes funky cheese. (He also likes marmite and sweet pickle relish, and will offer you some, knowing that it will make you gag and double-over in disgust.) Other things you can successfully steal: eggs, tomatoes, onions, Pakistani mangoes, tea biscuits, and ice cream. (Not necessarily at the same time.) Of course, by the same token, you can't get upset if something of yours goes missing.

Fortunately, there is a large, 24-hour supermarket two blocks away, so buying in small quantities is easy. Some suggestions for quick, easy, and inexpensive meals:

• Moroccan hummus and pita, £2 (they also sell dolmas and mixed olives in a chilli garlic marinade for about £2 each)
• Bagged salad and baguette, £2 (excellent with a ball of mozzarella, 57p)
• Cheese sandwiches, grilled or toasted, 40p
• Packaged soup (pumpkin is particularly good), £1-2
• Portabello mushroom fajitas, £4 (but makes three meals)
• 2-egg omelette, 29p (filling extra--recommend portabello mushroom fajitas)
• Eggs and fried potatoes, 69p
• Fried egg sandwiches, with or without cheese and tomatoes, 15p-50p
• Packaged tortellini with pesto, £4 (makes three meals, more if you don't get sick of tortellini)
• Rice and green curry vegetables, £3
• Rice and black beans, £1
• Rice and stir-fry with tofu, £4 (tonight's meal)
• For dessert, fresh fruit (plums, peaches, apples, grapes) or plain yogurt mixed with muesli, < £1 per serving
• (The supermarket has "American style" cookies for 25p each, but they're sickeningly sweet, and I can't stop at one.)
• I also keep juice (OJ, lemonade, or mango) in the fridge

One cool thing I've learned: If you slice the baguette and lay them on top of the toaster, you'll get black "grill" stripes. You can also heat pita bread and tortillas on top of the toaster as well. (If anyone has any other tips, or suggestions for two-ingredient meals that take less than five minutes to cook, let me know.)

So there you have it, excellent advice on staying in central London for less than £40 per day*. That, or just move out of central London. But where's the sport in that?

* Tube costs, mobile phone charges, Internet access, medications, gym membership, laundry, books, batteries, and incidentals not included. Living this way for more than three months is not recommended. Starting a new relationship under these circumstances can also be occasionally uncomfortable, but at least you know she's not interested in you for your money or possessions. :-)