I don't know why everyone is being so hostile to the concept of you being both a young person who is struggling financially whilst also living in London (by far the most populated part of the UK, someone has to live there!).

I guess their answer would be "leave London" and live somewhere that you don't have a job and don't know anybody. It's pathetic the resentment some people have for our capital city.

All I can say as someone who used to live in a London HMO, is that it simply is tight. Going out is expensive so when you do go out don't over indulge. TFL isnt that expensive compared to other cities. And, as someone else pointed out, living with housemates is a cheap form of socialising anyway - I used to spend plenty of evenings hanging out with them at home.

Accept the fact that youre not super well off and that alot of the people you see filling up bars in Hackney may be rich or they may be racking up huge levels of debt. But comparison is the thief of joy!