To me, it seems like “festival season” is all year round. With events early in the year such as Ultra Miami and Coachella, EDC Las Vegas and Tomorrowland in the middle of the year, and Life Is Beautiful and Snowglobe towards the end, music festivals seem to never end!
While music festivals are fun and stress-free, they aren’t exactly friendly to your wallet. Travel, lodging, meals, and the admission all adds up quickly. Below, I go over how you can prepare for a music festival on a budget and save your wallet some damage.
1. Getting There
If possible, drive your own car. It is the most cost-effective way to get to the festival. Save even more money when driving by carpooling. Split gas money and parking among your friends to reduce the overall cost. You can save hundreds by choosing not to fly. However, if flying is necessary, book your flight months in advance and keep your eye out on flights. Prices tend to fluctuate daily.
2. Lodging
Most festivals have on-site camping but you are still expected to bring your own tent and supplies. Whether you are camping, glamping, or renting a house, it is also helpful to have a few friends joining you to cut down on costs. Many hotels like to increase their prices during weekends that festivals are in town. Booking an Airbnb is another inexpensive alternative to pricy hotels near the venue.
3. Looks For Less
Create your festival look for less by avoiding shopping for brand new clothes. You can spice up an old outfit you have lying around by adding accessories to it or playing mix-match with other clothes in your closet and it will look like a new outfit. If you are feeling creative, try DIY outfits. Head over to a craft store and get creative with materials you find. Also try checking out your local Goodwill or Vintage Stores. Sometimes you can find unique pieces and get a festival chic look for a lot less!
4. Find Cheaper Tickets
Weeks or days before a festival, there will be people who are going to be desperately trying to sell their tickets. If you wait until the last minute you can find tickets for less than face value. I’ve had luck finding tickets on Facebook group pages and event pages. People usually comment on the event page when they are trying to sell their tickets but beware of scalpers and make sure to take the actions necessary to avoid fraudulent tickets.
5. Volunteer
This is one of the easiest ways to earn your way into the festival. Sure, you have to work some of the event but usually you get a free ticket, discount, or a whole day you don’t work and can enjoy the festival. Large festivals need tons of volunteers so check out the festivals official website a few months before the date. Most websites will have a section where you can request to be a volunteer.
