We’ve ALL been there. You wanna go to a show or festival, but money is tight. No worries! Here’s how to save money when planning for concerts and festivals.

For concerts:

  • Buying Tickets: If you can make it happen, presale tickets usually have the best prices. Just request the presale code and be ready to purchase during the presale. Can’t get a ticket? No problem. Even if the show is sold out, wait until the concert date and try ticket resale apps. There is always someone who can’t make it to the show on the day and they need to sell their ticket. You may even end up paying less than face value. Trust the process; I’ve seen true magic happen at the last moment!
  • Food & Drinks: If you can help it, avoid buying food and drinks at the venue. Prices are always inflated, and most of the time, they’re not worth it. Instead, eat a hearty meal beforehand and have some drinks before you go into the venue.
  • Water: hydrate or dydrate! Most venues allow you to bring an empty plastic bottle or hydration pack for water and offer free tap water. Don’t be the fool who pays $7 for a water bottle! If there is no water refill station, you can always ask the bartender for tap water (make sure you specify you want tap instead of a bottle).
  • Merch: All right, I get it. That band tee is sick, BUT buying it directly from the artist’s website is probably cheaper, and you won’t feel the pressure to tip a merch person. Some fans also sell their older merch online for heavily discounted prices, so be on the lookout. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up with an even cooler T-shirt.
  • Parking & Transportation: Save some travel costs by attending concerts with friends! Carpool whenever possible, and if you’re using ride-share, split the cost with friends. If that’s impossible or you prefer going solo, search for parking just a bit further from the venue. Avoid any lots or garages that say “event parking.” They’ll charge you an absolute minimum of $20 if not more than that. I sometimes use the app Spothero in advance to find parking that is both walkable to the venue and affordable. Using parking apps also allows you to pay in advance.

For Festivals:

  • Buying Tickets: ALWAYS buy tickets as soon as you possibly can. Tickets for festivals are often offered at tiered pricing, meaning the sooner you buy, the less they will cost. Depending on the volume of the festival, you may need to buy at the presale and be ready with your laptop or phone the minute they go on sale. If you are buying with friends, have whoever can get tickets in their cart faster buy the tickets. You can pay each other back later. Most large-volume festivals do sell out, so don’t wait! If you missed your opportunity, it may be possible to get a resale ticket, but wait until the week of the festival for the best price. If the festival tickets are too much for you to pay, don’t worry! Most festivals now offer payment plans to make them more afforable.
  • Accommodations: Now that we got tickets out of the way, where’s the cheapest place to sleep? If the festival offers camping, this is always the cheapest accommodation. Airbnbs and hotels will have inflated pricing because of the festival, so it’s best to stay on the festival site if possible (read my camping hacks below to save extra money on supplies). Staying off-site will cost extra for transportation, a parking pass, a shuttle pass, etc. You can also save money by splitting costs with friends if you’re able.
  • Food & Drinks: Hooray! You have your ticket and ideally a camping pass!! Now we need to eat and fuel up for all-day raging. Festivals typically allow you to bring food and drinks to your campsite so stock up! This will save a ton of money if you bring enough food and drinks to last the weekend. Plan daily breaks to return to your campsite and fuel up instead of buying food inside the festival. (I once spent $40 on what was basically ramen… obscene and un-fabulous)

Camping Hacks

  • Lodging: tents can be pricey if you don’t own one. I recommend any SUV owners utilize the back of their car as their tent. Tent extensions for your SUV or truck allow you to leave your trunk open while not exposing your car to the elements. As a bonus, these tent extensions are pretty cheap and you will get much better sleep than you would in a tent. I bought one on Amazon for $60. If a tent is necessary, I have found plenty of affordable tents and canopies on Facebook marketplace.
  • Shade: ALWAYS bring some shade for camping. Many festivals have attendees camping in a field, which means no shade from the sun. If buying a canopy is too expensive, try bringing a large blanket or tapestry to hang up. I have also used a parasol for walking around the campgrounds. You will thank yourself for bringing some shade to relax under.
  • Food & Drinks: Avoid going to the festival general stores as much as possible. They charge extra for simple items. If you don’t have camping cookware, never fear! You can always bring military meals or food that doesn’t need cooking. You can never go wrong with hearty sandwiches, fruit, nuts, avocados, salads, the list goes on, just make sure you’re getting enough fuel for the day. Freeze water bottles and use them for ice packs to keep your cooler cold. Once they melt you have cold water.
  • For Heat: if the weather is unbearably hot there’s plenty of ways to beat the heat! Bring a mini pool or large container to dump cold water in. Set up some chairs around it and you have a nice spot for you and your gang to cool your feet off. Another option is to put ice into ziplock bags and put them on your feet. If that all sounds too weird, no problem, personal fans are cheap too which are also great to use if it’s too hot in your tent or car. And of course… DRINK WATER!!
  • For Hygiene: don’t wanna pay for a shower you’ll have to wait an hour for? I got you. Bring shower wipes, baby wipes, paper towels, and hand sanitizer. Portable showers can be inexpensive too, but not every festival allows them. The combination of these items will make your camping much cleaner.
  • Comfort: I promise it’s a good idea to make sure you have a comfortable space to hang out when you need a break from the festival. Bring a blanket or mat to set on the ground so there’s a spot to relax without being on the grass. Also, make to bring some kind of chair to sit in. Your back will hurt after sitting on the ground for three days. I recommend buying an air couch if you can afford it. I got one for $40, and you don’t need to blow it up. Ultimately, bring anything you feel will make your space more comfortable.