Don't want to — or can't afford to — pay for accommodation while you look for work in London?
There are volunteering communities where you can find part-time work in exchange for a bed and food, sometimes with the possibility of a small tip, though that's not the norm.
A great way to live in England without spending anything and without the risk of being stranded while you job-hunt — you can get on a plane to London with something already lined up.
Take a look at volunteering platforms like HelpX, Workaway or Volunteers Base. The last one is completely free, though it has less content; the other two work by subscription, though the prices are very reasonable.
Jump on the next flight to London and live rent-free while you practise your English and explore the country.
And if once you're there you fancy finding a "proper" job, you can go looking without the upfront cost of accommodation and living expenses.
London is awash with offers, promotions and discounts. Consumerism in its purest form. Despite the prices seeming steep on paper, it is possible to do your food shopping, eat out at half price or drink during happy hours almost any day of the week.
Why NOT to go to London to learn English
You want to live in England to improve your English, so you've decided on London. Right? Wrong!
London is an enormous, sprawling, multicultural city. So diverse, in fact, that the temptation to speak in any other language — Spanish, in your case — will be overwhelming.
When you finally get settled in the English capital, you'll end up hanging around with other Spanish speakers and won't isolate yourself enough to truly think in English.
And that, precisely, is the key to learning a language quickly. Immersion. Necessity.
If English is the only thing you hear and the only way you can communicate, you'll eventually make the switch in your head and stop thinking in your mother tongue. There'll come a point where you even dream in English.
If your reason for going to London is to improve your English, you'd be better off in a small town. Or at least somewhere smaller and quieter.
You'll notice the difference not just in your English but in your bank balance.
Life in London is expensive. Much more so than any other British city. The salaries are higher and there are more opportunities, but the competition is far fiercer. It's one of the heartlands of capitalism and the rat race that a large chunk of our society is trapped in. Run from that.
Manchester is a solid alternative — where I spent a year and a half working before starting this round-the-world cycle — and it's considerably more relaxed and affordable. Though you'll still bump into plenty of Spanish people there, so it'll be down to you whether you isolate yourself or cave to temptation.
London as a tourist
Going as a tourist is a different matter entirely — then it's absolutely worth it.
London has a huge number of things to see: massive free museums, markets, parks, streets and famous landmarks to get lost among.
Food-wise, thanks to the diversity and internationalism of its inhabitants, London has come on enormously in recent years. These days you can eat at every kind of restaurant without leaving the city. Thai today, Brazilian tomorrow. No problem.
London is a great place for a night out. The myth that everything shuts at midnight doesn't hold in London, though you do need to know where to go. With good company you can keep going well into the early hours.
There are cultural events in abundance — if you want concerts and exhibitions, you won't have time to come up for air.
London is an extraordinarily lively city where something is always happening. Perfect for the restless-footed among you!
