How to Save £100 at Crufts: Our Insider Tips!

Crufts is brilliant, overwhelming, and surprisingly expensive if you go unprepared. After two full days exploring the halls as breeding educators, we’ve put together our best insider tips on how to navigate Crufts like a pro, save money, and make the most of your visit.

Our Crufts Visitor Guide

The real tips you need before attending

This week, Sara (the Canine Family Planner) and I attended Crufts both as breeding educators. We’ve walked the halls, spoken to exhibitors, chatted with fellow dog people, explored the stands, and of course recorded a couple of Breeders Brew podcast episodes along the way!

Crufts is incredible. But it is also huge, busy, and very easy to spend far more money than you planned. So here are our favourite Crufts insider tips and the questions people always ask when planning their visit.

​How to Save £100 at Crufts
Without Missing the Fun

Let’s start with the fun bit. With a little planning, you can easily save £100+ with our top tips... All the more for your spending spree!

1. Wear comfortable shoes (seriously)

This sounds obvious, but it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make. You will easily do 10,000 steps without even trying when walking around the halls at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre). By mid-afternoon your feet will absolutely tell you whether you chose the right footwear. We watched more than one person wandering around looking for emergency insoles because their shoes weren’t up to the job.
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Comfortable trainers will save your feet and your mood.

2. Bring a granny bag

Our biggest practical tip? Bring a wheeled shopping bag. Yes… I do mean a classic “granny shopper.”

Crufts has hundreds of stands, and if you plan to do any shopping at all you will quickly end up carrying multiple bags. The halls are busy and navigating crowds with armfuls of shopping becomes exhausting. A wheeled bag makes the whole day far easier.

3. 'Does Crufts have a cloakroom?' you ask

There is a cloakroom at Crufts, which costs £3 per item. This can be great if you want to ditch your coat or drop off shopping.

However, we discovered something useful the hard way. While there are no clearly advertised weight or size limits, the staff will refuse small bags that are overly heavy.

Our rucksack was considered too heavy, so we had to split the contents into two bags. Just something to be aware of.

4. What size bag can you take to Crufts?

This was one of the most frustrating questions to research before attending. We tried searching  "What size bag can I take to Crufts", "Bag restrictions at Crufts", "What size bag can I take to the NEC" and we couldn't find any guidance. So we found out for you. We saw people entering with large bags, backpacks, and wheeled shoppers (with no issues). There are no bag size restrictions for Crufts, you may just find any very large suitcases need to go in the Cloakroom.

So if you are planning your visit, bringing a larger bag for shopping is absolutely workable.

5. Can you bring food and drinks into crufts?

Yes. And this is one of the biggest money-saving tips. You can bring your own food and drinks into the venue. Food inside the halls can be quite pricey. Typical prices we saw included:

• Chicken gyros: £15
• Fries: £6
• Mr Whippy ice cream: £7.50
• Coffee: £4.60
• Water: £3

That means fuelling yourself for the day will easily cost £36. If you want to save money (or simply spend it on dog goodies instead), bringing a packed lunch is a great idea.

6. Bring a waterbottle

On that note, shopping is thirsty work. The NEC has free water refill stations, clearly signposted throughout the venue. You will find them in the cafés and near the entrances to halls. So if you bring a refillable bottle you can save a few pounds throughout the day.

7. Actually talk to the stall holders

Crufts is not just about shopping. Many of the stands are run by true experts in their field, from dog grooming to equipment to training. Don’t be shy about asking questions. You might discover that:

• The food you’ve always fed your dog is outdated
• There’s a grooming tool that would make life far easier
• There's an amazing new dog training tool 

The exhibitors are there to help, not just sell. Take advantage of the knowledge in the room.

8. Plan your shopping spree

There are hundreds of stalls at Crufts - and the layout is vast (and can feel overwhelming). If you have a long shopping list, it is worth checking the exhibitor list beforehand and planning your route. Many brands offer Crufts-exclusive discounts, so it is a great opportunity to stock up on things you use regularly.
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Some stands even give away freebies. We grabbed a free coffee at the K9 Jet stand, which was a lovely mid-morning boost.

​9. The VIP Crufts Bag Is Actually Great Value

The official Show Guide costs £15. It is a lovely keepsake and includes additional articles and schedules. However, if you know you want one, there is a better option... Buy the VIP Crufts Bag instead. It includes: the show guide, a branded Crufts jute bag, sample products, mini grooming items, trial dog foods, treats and supplements. The freebies alone are easily worth £25, making it surprisingly good value.

10. Many stalls are now cashless

We didn't expect it - I raided my piggy bank for my spending budget oopsie! Quite a lot of the stands are now cashless, so make sure you bring a card or contactless payment method.

Bonus Tip: How to get free tickets for Crufts

Crufts is full of lovely dog people. And because many visitors only stay for part of the day and people sometimes have spare tickets.

Last year both Sara and I were approached by people offering a free spare ticket. It happened again this year too. No catch, no hitch - just nice people, doing a nice thing.

If you’re feeling brave, try politely asking people leaving the venue if they have a spare ticket they’re not using. You might save £30 instantly!

Follow these tips, and you'll easily save £100+

Crufts really does feel like Christmas Day for dog people. Whether you are a breeder, owner, or simply someone who loves dogs, it’s an unforgettable experience. 

And if you spot me and Sara wandering around the halls recording podcasts… come and say hello.