Like many, I utilized the Gatwick Express for my first few UK visits. Then I graduated to taking Southern Railway. It is possible to shave ₤5 off the oneway fare by using Southern.

Reading the sticky in the UK forum on reducing your train travel costs gave me some ideas about splitting the journey. I have found that it is possible to shave that by another ₤2.50 by buying two tickets - London Victoria to East Croydon and then East Croydon to Gatwick. If you carefully check the schedules at www.nationalrail.co.uk, you can actually stay on the same train for the entire journey. It is not necessary to even step on the platform at East Croydon. The entire journey can covered for ₤9.40.