You can easily spend hours here wandering from stall to stall, taking in the atmosphere and visiting the excellent surrounding cafes, pubs and restaurants. The only drawback is that you can also end up spending a lot more money than you thought you were going to. How can you enjoy a day at a place like Borough Market if you’re travelling on a shoestring or feeling the pinch in the run-up to payday?

I’ll happily agree that some things are worth spending the extra on, whether that’s Freedom Foods, Fairtrade goods, or good old expertise and panache. For example, the organic small-estate and cooperative coffees from the Monmouth Coffee Co cost about the same as drinks from the big chains, but to me they represent better value and I think they taste better too.

If you go around all the stalls and shops, chances are you’ll be offered enough free tasters to make up a substantial mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack if you time your visit right, although it’s best not to be too cheeky. If the weather’s good you can buy yourself a delicious take-away snack or picnic ingredients to eat in the grounds of Southwark Cathedral or Tate Modern, rather than going for a full-price sit-down meal somewhere. A perfect way to end the day is to head to the Old Vic or Shakespeare’s Globe for a spot of theatre, both are great venues too.

When it comes to shopping, I have two favourite stalls for bargains. The first is fruit and veg merchants Elsey & Bent, who are a little less chi-chi than some of the other greengrocers at Borough and consequently have lower prices. They also stock plenty of seasonal foods, which tend to become cheaper when large amounts hit the markets. On a similar note, the £1-table at the Pays D’Auge Fromages stall is a don’t-miss part of the market. They sell off ripe French cheeses that are still perfectly good for eating, and many foodies would say that’s when they’re are at their best. Happy eating!

Borough Market opening hours: Thursdays: 11am – 5pm, Fridays: 12 noon – 6pm, Saturdays: 8am – 5pm.
www.boroughmarket.org.uk

This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on the lastminute.com blog.

The recession hit local casinos hard, so they want your business. Haggle down room prices or get upgrades, and ask for ‘comps’ (freebies), ‘funbooks’(voucher booklets) and discounts to get extra gambling credit, and free/reduced tickets for shows, drinks and meals. Many supply free bottles of spirits or sparkling wine on arrival too, or have cocktail happy hours. Avoid their room service and wi-fi charges – head to coffee shops to get online for nothing – and scan free local magazines for extra coupons.

Free entertainment rules in Vegas. Dancing fountains outside the Bellagio play every half hour in the evening, but for something kitschier try the erupting volcano outside the Mirage, performance artists in Circus Circus, Elvis and Marilyn impersonators in Imperial Palace, pole dancing croupiers in Planet Hollywood or animatronic statues in the Forum Shops’ fountains. Or just walk around The Venetian, Paris Las Vegas or Caesar’s Palace gawping at the decor.

The best views are from the top of the Stratosphere Tower at sunset. Don’t get fleeced catching the main elevator to their funfair: ask staff to show you the other (free) elevator for the top floor cocktail lounge. Sip perfectly-mixed Manhattans or martinis, then take the lift and stairs a couple of floors to the viewing deck.

If you’re gambling, set an amount and stick to it, or play risk free at casino gambling lessons where they show you the rules of blackjack, poker and roulette. Play slowly, and enjoy the free waitress-service drinks (tip a dollar per drink to keep ‘em coming).

Enjoy deluxe dining for less with lunchtime and set menu meals, or fill up with quality buffet breakfasts and forget lunch (try Spice Market Buffet, the Bellagio, or Paris Las Vegas). Cheaper eats include ‘Wichcraft deli and Fashion Show Mall diners. Want to catch a show after dinner? Buy same-day discounted tickets from Tix4Tonight.

For big brand shopping bargains, catch the CAT shuttle bus to Las Vegas Premium Outlets at the top end of the Strip where they have everything from Calvin Klein to Levi’s. Beauty fans should also head to Sephora in the Venetian for cult purchases and own-brand products. Finally, cheap souvenirs can be found all over town, my favourites being 1950s-style drinking glasses, ex-casino packs of cards and zany fridge magnets. Because what happens in Vegas doesn’t have to stay in Vegas…

This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on the lastminute.com blog.

Buying these products from salons costs a small fortune, but you can cut out the middle man by visiting a hairdressing supplies shop such as Sally Hair and Beauty. They have branches all over the UK, and my favourite one is right in the middle of London on Shaftesbury Avenue. This shop sells to non-trade customers as well as people in the hair and beauty biz, so whoever you are you can just walk in and find yourself some real bargains.

Inside the shop it’s an Aladdin’s cave of shampoos, conditioners, styling products and tools, hair dyes, beauticians’ supplies and much more. If you’re not sure what products would suit you best then try the staff who are really approachable and helpful, or there’s always at least one friendly hairdresser per aisle who’ll give you the right advice.

My top tips in Sally are the salon-sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner: buying in bulk is the best way to save, with 5-litre bottles starting at less than £9.50. That’s the equivalent of 25 of the 200ml bottles from the supermarket, so you’re getting salon quality at a massively reduced price. They also stock Denman combs and brushes for different hair types which are gentle on your hair when you’re styling it, leaving it in better condition over time.

After I switched to salon-quality products my hairdresser spotted the improvement in my hair right away, so for a beautiful barnet Sally’s definitely worth a visit next time you’re in the middle of town.

Sally Hair and Beauty, 81 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 5DX. Telephone: 020 7434 0064.

This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on the lastminute.com blog.

There’s a street market here that dates back to 1778, and currently sells mainly fruit and vegetables at down-to-earth prices. Other stalls sell gourmet cakes and bread, cheese, fresh fish and household goods, with opening hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. You might even want to try your hand at haggling with the stallholders if you aren’t shy.

Fashionistas can visit the Bang Bang Clothing Exchange at number 9 to trawl through the hand picked selection of vintage, designer and high street pieces. It’s well worth putting up with the trendier-than-thou shop assistants for the chance of picking up a special garment or two.

Berwick Street’s also famous for its record exchanges and shops. Collectors can while away many a happy hour browsing through vinyl, CDs and memorabilia at places like Sister Ray http://www.sisterray.co.uk/ at number 34-35 and Vinyl Junkies http://www.vinyl-junkies.com at number 94.

Craft fans and anyone who can handle a sewing machine will find plenty to inspire them in the many small fabric and accessories emporiums that run alongside the market. Shop around to find the best prices, and pop into The Berwick Street Cloth Shop at number 14, Borovick Fabrics at number 16, or Cloth House at number 47.

The street’s lined with cafes and shops too. Grab a serious caffeine fix in the tiny Flat White coffee bar at number 17, or try the much loved veggie Beatroot Cafe at number 92 for a healthy hot snack or salad.

Berwick Street, W1, London. The nearest tube stations are Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus.

This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on lastminute.com.

I was interested to see what the £10 spa deals from lastminute.com were like, as my previous spa-hopping experience has shown me that the price you pay often has no relation to the standard of service you receive. So I bought vouchers for myself and a friend next time the offer came up, and we booked in to use a spa in Sutton.

The deal included use of the spa facilities and a choice of short treatments, including a mini facial, a back massage, a manicure or a mini pedicure. My top tip for a day like this would be to book your treatments for the late afternoon when you call the spa – the last thing you want to do is soak off the massage oil, nail polish or expensive moisturiser and eye cream by getting into the pool or jacuzzi afterwards, or sweat it off in the gym or steam room.

The spa and gym turned out to be part of a large hotel chain, and when we arrived the place looked fairly generic and anonymous. Having said that, the spa itself was excellent once we’d found it: clean and fresh with friendly and polite staff. The gym was on the small side but had everything you could want if you were hoping to burn off a few extra calories with some aerobic activity, so we got stuck in to the exercise for a couple of hours. The indoor pool was attractive and we enjoyed a swim, a soak in the hot tub and some poolside lounging around. So far so good, but the real revelation was meeting the therapists after lunch – both of them turned out to be well trained and skilled people who used quality beauty products including Dermalogica and Essie.

My friend opted for the back-of-body massage and said it was one of the best they’ve had in years, high praise indeed. The pair of us floated off home feeling fabulous, and agreed that we’d both go again at the drop of a fluffy towel.

This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on the lastminute.com blog.

When I want to eat beautiful food in sophisticated surroundings, but the finances don’t quite stretch to a fancy lunch or dinner, I head for a deluxe tearoom. The Wolseley cafe-restaurant on Piccadilly is a particular favourite of mine and is ideal for meeting friends, treating relatives, spotting celebrities or impressing a date.

The building was originally designed as a luxury car showroom in the 1920s, and has been beautifully converted into a European-style grand cafe with most of the original Art Deco features still intact, including the marble floors, huge windows and high ceilings. It’s light years away from your local greasy spoon, and serves breakfasts, lunches, and evening meals as well as gorgeous afternoon teas.

The place is very popular, so it’s advisable to book ahead unless you don’t mind waiting for a while in the busy bar by the door. The staff are efficient and friendly rather than stuffy, and they will seat you as soon as they can.

The menu covers bistro fare, Eastern European comfort foods, seafood, and, best of all, high teas and Viennoiserie. Given the quality and ambience it’s reasonably priced. On my last visit the waiter allowed me to split one afternoon tea between two people, which meant that we had a plate of finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, a choice of teas, and a small selection of pastries to share. It was more than enough for both of us, and our taste of the good life came in at below £10 per person. Worth every penny.

Tea at the Wolseley is held daily 3.30pm – 6.30pm, apart from Saturdays (3.30pm – 5.30pm).

The Wolseley, 160 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EB. Telephone: 020 7499 6996

This article by Penny Golightly originally appeared on the lastminute.com blog.