- So there's a popcorn stall behind me,
and I was like, oh, great show, popcorn.
Unfortunately, it's was £14.
So, very much out of me budget.
(orchestral holiday music)
Hello, I'm Ayesha, I'm a video producer at BuzzFeed UK.
And today, I am going to see how much £5
can get you at a London Christmas Market.
London is well known for its Christmas markets,
we have a ton of them.
Every year, people flock from around the country
and around the globe, even,
so you come and check out our Christmas markets.
However, London Christmas markets
are renowned for their priciness.
They are incredibly expensive.
Typically, you're looking to spend
a couple of hours there at least.
You wanna get some food, you wanna get some drinks,
maybe you wanna get a little gift.
So, I'm really curious to see
how much I can stretch this money.
Like, can I even get anything?
I don't know.
I've told a few people about this idea
and they have been pessimistic
that I could even get one thing.
I am hoping to make this stretch across a few things.
(cheerful guitar music)
So currently, I am here at the market at South Bank.
It's a famous Christmas market,
it's got a lot of stalls,
a lot of things to offer.
I found a few food items,
like snacky things, which are £5.
So, for example, there's a churro stand behind me
which is £5.
A crepe stand right behind me,
which is £4 for a sugar crepe.
Lemon and sugar is £4.50, if you wanna jazz it up.
But I wanna do more than that,
so let's see if we can do it.
I am gonna take a proper look around, see,
check out a few prices,
and figure out exactly what to spend my money on.
I saw Lucky Dip over there,
which is, you pay £5 and you get a parcel
that has six things in it,
but you know what they are,
that's why it's Lucky Dip, so it's all wrapped.
I don't just wanna spend money on anything I don't want,
so I'm not just gonna buy something just because it's cheap.
I want it to actually be something worthwhile,
something I actually wanna give to someone,
or something that I actually want for myself.
So, yeah, let's see.
I think this is going to be challenging.
None of the gifts I've seen so far are under £10.
A bit worried now,
I don't really know what I'm gonna do.
So, I'm gonna take more of a look around,
but so far, I am gonna struggle to buy more than one thing.
Sadly for me, I don't think I'm gonna be able
to get any mulled wine or any type of alcohol.
I did actually see some beer that was £3,
which, if you know London, that's bloody good!
I unfortunately do not like beer, so, wasted on me.
I have just stumbled across a stall
that does really affordable desserts.
So they have doughnuts, cronuts, cookies all within budget.
So, that's super exciting.
I have just found another dessert place,
it is £1.
Did not think that that was a possibility.
So, it's called Köhler Küsse luxury chocolates.
It is a chocolate thing.
It's £1, £1!
You could buy five of those if you wanted for £5.
All you would eat all day is chocolate,
but I mean, there's definitely worse things to eat all day.
You know what?
Maybe this challenge,
maybe I spoke too soon,
maybe this isn't a challenge.
So what I'm gonna do is,
I'm gonna have a look around a little bit more
and see if I can find a souvenir that fits within my budget,
and then work my way backwards from there.
'Cause I think food, like, I'm sorted.
- [Woman] Hot mulled cider, guys,
only £2.50 a cup!
- I take back what I said about the alcohol.
Mulled cider, £2.50 a cup.
You heard that right.
At South Bank.
One of the touristiest places in London.
£2.50.
I am shocked.
Cider and some chocolates.
That sounds like a great day out to me.
I was wrong, the mulled cider is non-alcoholic.
I feel dumb.
But you live and you learn.
So, no alcohol for Ayesha.
It's fine.
In the meantime, I've been trying to look for a gift.
I have found nothing under £5.
Except a Christmas tree decoration
that's like a foldable star.
But I don't like that.
No offense to the staff.
Let's keep moving along.
Starting to feel a little bit more pessimistic.
Gorgeous coasters right behind me, £5 each.
So, yikes.
I managed to find a stall where I think
I'm gonna be able to get my gift.
Actually, I might be able to get two gifts.
These are hand-made eco-friendly bookmarks
made out of natural wood.
And they're really cute, like,
you can look at the design of them
and there's loads of 'em as well.
Loads of different options.
And they ave some kind of greeting cards as well.
This is £2.50.
And there's also incense over here,
which is 50 P.
So, what I'm thinking is I will get a bookmark
and some incense for £3,
and then I can spend the rest of the money
on the snacks I found earlier.
I really like this one,
so I think I'm gonna for this one,
I think it'll make a great gift.
Or maybe I'll just keep it for myself
'cause I like the smell of it.
Thank you very much. - Thank you.
- Yeah!
£2 left in my hands.
I have just seen a stall that does
vegetable samosas for £1.
- Thank you very much for your kind cooperation!
- Thank you so, so much. - Thank you.
(cash register chimes)
Thank you very much! - Thanks, love.
- It is a Bailey's chocolate thing.
So, managed to get a little bit of alcohol.
Look how big it is.
It's not a small chocolate.
It's pretty good.
I came into today thinking I'd maybe get two things
if I was lucky.
I've got four!
I'm leaving feeling pretty satisfied,
I actually feel overjoyed
that I managed to get four things, quite,
but like genuinely, it's made my day.
I don't know, maybe I should be
getting a more interesting life.
That's me signing out.
South Bank markets in London.
Possible in £5.
Better in £10.
But possible in five.
(orchestral Christmas music)