We’re in the middle of a cost of living crisis, and it is getting harder to get through the day without breaking the bank thanks to the surging prices of…basically everything.
Rail prices have always been a cause of problems for many. And once again, rail prices have surged by a whole 5.9% this March, which adds hundreds and sometimes thousands of pounds annually for people’s daily commute.
Many people make their journey into London for work from various parts of the country at least once a week, if not more, and with this dramatic surge in prices, it’ll become increasingly expensive for hybrid workers to get to their workplaces.
Just to provide an example, post the fare increase, an annual commute from Brighton to London will now increase from £312 to £5,616.
So how can one save on their commute journeys? The team at Raisin UK have shared some tips on saving some money among the surging rail prices.
Bid for spare seats on your trains
Use apps like Seatfrog to bid for first class upgrades on your seats. While normally upgrades can cost almost £50, with Seatfrog, you can get upgrades by bidding from just £5.
Split your journeys
Split ticketing is an easy way to reduce the price of your train ticket, and works by comparing demand for tickets.
There are websites that you can use that tell you which tickets to purchase, or apps like Trainline will alert you if you can split your ticket and save money. Alternatively, rail operators like LNER provide systems like Smart Save where they will automatically find you the cheapest ticket available with no hidden fees.
Try to buy tickets as early as possible in order to save as much money as you can.
Invest in Railcards
Railcards can be a lifesaver while on your daily commute. Be it on the tube or on National Rail. It costs £30 for a year, and there is a railcard suitable for every passenger. These railcards can help you save up to 50% on every ticket purchase.
Additionally, some train operators offer student discounts to students. LNER occasionally offers a 40% student discount when passengers use a Unidays discount code. If you are a student, sign up for your free student discount sites and see where you can redeem your discounts.
Invest in Flexi Season tickets if you’re a hybrid worker
Working from home some days and going into the office the rest? The Flexi Season ticket might be for you.
This ticket offers 8 days of travel in 28 days — any time between two stations. It’s flexible to how you work so you can ultimately commute your way, and is ideal for hybrid workers.
Prepare snacks for your commute, or subscribe to food loyalty schemes
It is often more convenient to just buy a coffee or a meal deal on your daily commute. But before you know it, those everyday minor costs can stack up. Subscribing to coffee subscriptions (like those offered by Pret) or signing up to loyalty schemes can help cut down on your snack costs.
Alternatively, you can meal prep and make your own food so you don’t have to spend any money at all on your snacks.
With the cost of living crisis not slowing down anytime soon, and the prices for virtually everything showing no signs of decreasing, we’ll take all the help we can get.