12 Ways to Save Money in Edinburgh, Scotland
Planning a trip to beautiful Edinburgh and looking for ways to save money? Look no further! In this blog post, we share some of our top tips on how to save money while visiting Scotland’s capital!
This blog post accompanies our video on how to save money in Edinburgh! Be sure to check it out below!
1. Avoid peak tourist seasons if possible
First, avoid peak tourist seasons if you can. Edinburgh’s most expensive time is during August due to the various festivals that take place. The population of Edinburgh skyrockets during this month! Of course, summer in itself is quite expensive, along with Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year celebration. Prices dip during the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn, just like many other tourist destinations.
2. Take advantage of Edinburgh's free attractions
Edinburgh has a host of free attractions on offer, of which you’ll find a non-exhaustive list below!
Museums
The National Museum of Scotland | Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF
Museum of Edinburgh | 142-136 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8DD
The Writers’ Museum | Lawnmarket, Lady Stair’s Close, Edinburgh EH1 2PA
The People’s Story Museum | 163 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BN
Museum on the Mound | The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ
Galleries
National Gallery of Scotland | The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL
The Scottish National Portrait Gallery | 1 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JD
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art | 73 & 75 Belford Road, Edinburgh EH4 3DR
City Art Centre | 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
Outdoor Attractions
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh | 20a Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR
Dunbar’s Close Garden | A wee garden behind Dunbar’s Close to escape the hustle and bustle of the city | 137 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8BW
Water of Leith Walkway | From Balerno to Leith
Calton Hill | A small hill in the city centre for great views of Edinburgh | Edinburgh EH7 5AA
Arthur’s Seat | A peak atop an ancient volcano with excellent views of Edinburgh | Edinburgh EH15 3PY
3. Consider walking
Edinburgh is a compact city, so if your visit will be contained within the city centre and you’re able to, consider walking to save money on transportation. You can also join walking tours, many of which are free. Remember though, that you are expected to tip at the end of the tour as you see fit.
SANDEMANs, City Explorers, and Somos Escocia (for Spanish speakers) are just a few free walking tour providers in Edinburgh.
If you’ll be venturing further afield, consider taking public transportation instead of taxis. Edinburgh is very well-connected to other parts of Scotland and the UK by bus and trains. Buses further afield can be taken from Edinburgh Bus Station and trains further afield can be taken from Edinburgh Waverley Station.
4. Take trains during off-peak hours
On the topic of transportation, if you plan to take a day trip from Edinburgh and want to get there by train, consider taking trains during off-peak hours for cheaper fares. The exact hours may vary by train company, but they generally fall outside rush hours and include weekends and bank holidays. You can also look for other ticket options, such as advance tickets.
5. Use student or senior discounts
If you’re a student, make sure to bring your student ID for discounts at many attractions and businesses. Make sure to inquire in advance or ask staff about student discounts, especially if you don’t see discounts posted.
Similarly, many places offer discounts for seniors. The starting age at which a business considers someone to be a senior differs, but it is typically around the ages of 60 or 65.
6. Choose budget accommodation
A common tip for anywhere you may be travelling to is of course to choose budget accommodation. Consider hostels, guesthouses, or even couchsurfing, which are all available in Edinburgh. Staying a bit outside the city centre can also save you money, but be sure to factor in the cost of transportation.
7. Save money on food
There are a multitude of ways to save money on food if you don’t mind not trying out various cuisines and restaurants! Cooking your own meals can significantly cut costs. Hostels and self-catered apartments often have kitchen facilities.
If you don’t want to do full-on cooking, you can also consider packing a picnic so that you can save money on at least one meal per day.
8. Shop at budget grocery stores
On the topic of saving money on food, consider shopping at budget grocery stores like Lidl and Aldi. If there isn’t one close by to where you are and you’d like to visit one of the main shops like Tesco or Sainsbury’s, do note that the smaller versions, Tesco Express and Sainsbury’s Local, are more expensive than their normal-sized counterparts!
9. Buy a meal deal
Keeping to the topic of food, in shops like Tesco and Sainsbury’s, among many others like Morrisons and Boots, you can get a meal deal, which is a deal of three items: a main, which is usually a sandwich or wrap, a drink, and a snack, usually crisps or chocolate, for the price of around £3.50, although the price varies by shop. Many shops have a wide selection of choices for mains, and meal deals are very commonly purchased for lunch in the UK, so it’s another great way to save some money!
10. Shop at charity shops
For budget shopping, consider charity shops. Areas like Stockbridge, Morningside, and Newington have many charity shops, including Shelter, Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, Oxfam, and more.
11. Buy a cheap SIM card
If you’ll be visiting Edinburgh from outside of Europe, avoid those pesky roaming charges and instead buy a SIM card for loads of data at a very inexpensive price! It’s really easy to order a SIM card and purchase a pay as you go deal. For example, with giffgaff, one of the cheaper UK providers which runs on the O2 network, a one-month plan costs £10 for 15GB of data and also includes unlimited UK calls and texts.
Of course, there is free WiFi available in various places in Edinburgh as well. If you’ll be taking a Lothian Buses bus or tram while you’re in town, you can get free WiFi on board. There will be an available network indicating free WiFi and you’ll just have to accept the terms and conditions to be connected.
Many shops, cafes, and the like will offer free WiFi as well.
12. Book tickets ahead of time
If you’ll be visiting during the summer months, it’s advisable to book your tickets ahead of time to guarantee entry, especially to popular attractions such as Edinburgh Castle and Palace of Holyroodhouse. As well, many attractions offer a cheaper price if you book your tickets in advance. You can also avoid queues if you book in advance!
We hope this was helpful in giving you some tips on how to save money for your trip to Edinburgh! If you have any questions, leave us a comment below and we’ll be happy to help!
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Planning a trip to beautiful Edinburgh and looking for ways to save money? In this blog post, we share some of our top tips, such as Edinburgh’s free attractions, buying meal deals, and more!