How to Afford Music Festivals Without Going Broke in 2022

After two years of postponed reveals and cancellations, music lovers are flocking to massive festivals throughout the nation.

Whereas festivals themselves are superb, the injury they inflict in your pockets isn’t. Journey, lodging, meals, admission and incidentals all add up rapidly.

Simply check out 2022 ticket costs for some standard music fests across the nation: 

• Bonnaroo in Manchester, Tennessee: $350 and up for 4 days
• Coachella in Indio, California: $449 and up for 3 days
• Lollapalooza in Chicago, Illinois:  $350 and up for 4 days
• Electrical Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, Nevada: $359 and up for 3 days
• Okeechobee Music & Arts Competition in Okeechobee, Florida: $350 and up for 4 days

Most ticket costs don’t embody choices lile parking, tenting, meals and different add-ons, not to mention Insta-worthy VIP experiences or glow-in-the-dark rave followers.

Once you tally every part up, it’s straightforward to spend $1,000 per particular person at a competition by getting swept up within the second — or making rookie errors.

Save financial institution and benefit from the expertise with these professional tips about afford music festivals.

Save Cash on Tickets

The earlier you buy your competition tickets, the higher. You’ll must plan forward to get the very best value.

Presale Tickets

Presale tickets are essentially the most reasonably priced. They normally go on sale anyplace from 9 months to a yr earlier than the competition.

You’ll want a presale code to get the cheaper charge. Some festivals, like Coachella, allow you to register for the superior presale on their web site.

Enter your title, cellular quantity and e mail, and also you’ll get notified with a code when the presale begins so you’ll be able to seize your early tickets.

It’s additionally straightforward to seek out presale codes on-line by Googling the title of the competition + presale code.

Tier Tickets

Miss the presale? Purchase your tickets as quickly as doable anyway. They may solely get costlier because the occasion nears.

Most festivals launch tickets in “tiers.” As one tier sells out, the subsequent tier turns into accessible — at a better value.

For instance, when Bonnaroo 2022 tickets first went on sale, a four-day move price $299. However two weeks earlier than the occasion, the identical tickets price a whopping $350. And that’s earlier than an additional $67 in taxes and charges are tacked on at checkout.

Ought to You Layaway?

Many music festivals, like Extremely and EDC, allow you to arrange a fee plan so you’ll be able to unfold out the price of your ticket in installments over the subsequent few months.

Most layaway applications embody extra charges. They’re normally fairly modest, between $15 and $30.

In case your month-to-month finances can’t stand a $200 to $400 blow , spreading the associated fee over 4 or 5 interest-free funds is a stable various.

Simply be sure to issue within the installment funds in your month-to-month finances so that you’re not caught off-guard by computerized prices.

Rating Final-Minute Tickets

For those who’re prepared to take a threat, you’ll be able to normally rating a last-minute ticket at a all-time low value the day of the occasion.

Scalpers and festival-goers unable to attend the occasion might supply tickets at a steep low cost to recoup a few of their unique price.

Patricio Solano, 35, has nabbed discounted tickets for his pals by competition Fb teams and message boards.

“Within the days main as much as occasions, folks gained’t be capable to make it, and lots of instances you will get the passes on-line from folks at a fraction of the associated fee,” Solano mentioned.

It’s by no means a assure although, and festivals are infamous for scammers. So proceed with warning.

Make a Competition Price range and Plan Forward

Begin mapping out your finances for the competition as quickly as you purchase your tickets.

Which bills are you liable for? Which of them are you able to break up with pals?

Determine how a lot cash you’re snug spending your complete competition and divide that quantity throughout every day.

Overestimate how a lot you’ll spend. Festivals are filled with surprises — good and unhealthy —  so that you don’t need to come up quick on cash as a result of unexpected circumstances. Nobody likes to borrow cash from pals or rack-up bank card debt.

Preserve Your Cash Secure

Some folks like taking money to festivals as a result of it’s straightforward to make use of and can assist you stick with a finances.

However money can be very easy to lose. Particularly once you’re in a crowded, unfamiliar place and presumably underneath the affect of, ehm, a vigorous competition ambiance.

Festivals are additionally infamous havens for unhealthy actors who make the most of good vibes by stealing telephones, wallets and different belongings.

For those who’re hesitant to make use of money, take into account bringing a pay as you go bank card or app-based financial institution card with an allotted finances loaded on it as a substitute.

Whether or not you go money or card, preserve your cash on you always. Purchase a fanny pack or a cash belt and get within the behavior of checking in your belongings all through the day.

Save Cash Whereas Getting Your Rave On

You acquire your ticket — however you continue to want to determine get to the competition.

You’ll additionally must determine the place you’ll sleep and what you’ll eat with out going broke.

Getting There

The place to Keep

• Many festivals have on-site tenting however you’ll be anticipated to convey your personal tents and provides. Discover out forward of time how a lot tenting passes price and what objects are permitted so you recognize prematurely in the event you can convey issues like your personal firewood and transportable range.
• For those who’re going with a bunch, take into account pooling your assets to hire an RV.
• An Airbnb could be a cheap various to dear accommodations close to the venue.
• For those who don’t thoughts sleeping in a room with strangers, staying at a hostel can prevent massive bucks. It’s possible you’ll get a free breakfast too and the chance to satisfy new folks.

What to Eat and Drink

• For those who’re not tenting on-site, search for lodging that embody a kitchen. This fashion, you should buy groceries, cook dinner for your self and lower your expenses on meals when you’re on the town for the occasion.
• It’s straightforward to splurge on meals and drinks at a competition. Be sure that to convey a CamelBak or a pair bottles of water with you, and take a look at these different tremendous easy ideas for saving cash on meals whereas touring.
• For those who determine to go away the competition grounds for a scorching restaurant meal, don’t neglect to verify on-line meals offers earlier than you go.
• Set a foods and drinks finances for your self on the competition and withdraw money previous to the occasion so that you don’t overspend.
• Problem somebody to a pleasant guess on the beer tent. For those who win, the opposite particular person has to purchase you a drink.
• Make your personal hummus, Lunchables, granola and different snacks to take with you.
• Double verify the competition guidelines about meals and alcohol earlier than you go. You don’t need to spend tons of cash on booze simply to have it confiscated on the entry gate.
• For those who’re staying off-site, eat earlier than you go to the competition and keep away from that $12 scorching canine and $15 slice of pizza.

How Fellow Penny Hoarders Save Cash at Music Festivals

Once you need to know get issues performed, it’s vital to speak to the specialists — that’s, the individuals who attend music occasions.

We requested a bunch of devoted festival-goers on Fb for his or her finest money-saving ideas and methods.

• “Mainly simply be prepared to barter,” mentioned Brenton Rhein, of Orlando, Florida. “Discuss to your neighbors and see what you’ll be able to pool collectively. Most individuals are prepared to do that, and it’ll save everybody cash in the long term.”

• “Make issues and be inventive with every competition,” Jeremy V., additionally of Orlando, recommends. “I at all times hand make issues as a facet hustle, in order that I can use it for trades or money. I depart festivals with cash made.”

• “Plan meals along with your group and all pitch in on components and labor. We made stir fry, bacon grilled cheese and an enormous breakfast on a regular basis. We didn’t spend a lot on meals contained in the fest, and spent perhaps $80-$100 per couple on the groceries,” mentioned Alex Gallo of Woodstock, Georgia.
• “Don’t spend cash on souvenirs and merchandise on the competition,” mentioned  Solano, a Florida resident. “Most of these can be found on-line at a less expensive value and also you run the chance of dropping no matter you got on the competition.”
• “We had a massive group,” mentioned Florida resident Courtney Lord. “[We] assigned sure snacks and drinks to singles and {couples} introduced meals. Everybody was liable for bringing their very own case of water.”
• “Goodwill and DIY for outfits,” really useful Alexa Mucci, a resident of New York Metropolis. “A lot of folks spend a ton of cash on their rave gear or competition trend, however you’ll be able to repurpose thrift retailer finds or make actually inventive stuff out of low-cost materials and enjoyable greenback retailer stuff.”

Assume Outdoors the Field

Listed here are a couple of different methods to save cash on music festivals.

Change into a Volunteer

Festivals at all times want volunteers to assist with issues like distributing wristbands on the gate, promoting applications and cleansing up after the occasion.

In return, you’ll get free entry to the competition. You would possibly even rating different perks like free meals and ideas.

“You normally work about 5 to 6 hours per day and get the remainder of the time to benefit from the competition,” says Kelli Wheeler from Orlando.

Simply be sure to enroll as a volunteer as early as doable as a result of positions refill rapidly.

Write in regards to the Competition

Give you an attention-grabbing story angle and pitch it to an internet site that is perhaps prepared to select up a number of the price to ship a contract author to cowl the occasion.

Enter Contests

When all else fails, typically you simply must make your personal luck.

Bands, music venues and radio stations randomly give away free competition tickets. It’s possible you’ll must be caller quantity X to get a pair of free tickets on the radio.

“I went to Okeechobee totally free as a result of I entered [around] 10 completely different on-line contests,” Mucci mentioned.

Give it a Google and add your favourite bands on social media so you’ll be able to study giveaways and contests.

Rachel Christian is a Licensed Educator in Private Finance and a senior author for The Penny Hoarder. Lisa McGreevy is a former employees author at The Penny Hoarder.