Alright folks, buckle up because this summer I was absolutely determined to hit a couple major music festivals without completely blowing up my bank account. Last year? Total disaster. Figured I’d actually plan it right this time.
The Early Prep Starts
First thing I did was stalk ticket release dates like it was my job. Set reminders on my phone, followed all the festival social media pages, the works. None of that last-minute scramble nonsense. Grabbed early bird tickets the second sales went live for two different fests – way cheaper than waiting.
Then, I started hounding my friends. Seriously, group chats blowing up. “Yo, who’s actually serious about going?” Got a solid crew of four committed early. Crucial for splitting everything later.
The Big Expenses: Where The Real Savings Happened
Accommodation was next. Hotels nearby? Forget it, ridiculously priced. Looked into official camping passes – still kinda steep. So I got sneaky. Found out you can sometimes snag passes from people who bought extras or backed out on local forums and groups. Took patience, but scored both camping passes legitimately, cash in hand, at almost half price. Scary? A little. Worth it? Totally.
For getting there, driving our own car split four ways was the winner. Did the math on gas plus parking vs. shuttle passes or ride shares. Driving won by miles. Plus, we controlled when we arrived and bounced.
Surviving On The Ground Without Starving
Food inside fests? Yeah, that’s a highway robbery situation. Our strategy:
- Absolutely crammed the cooler. Sandwiches, wraps, tons of snacks, fruit – stuff that travels well.
- Made friends with the neighbors early! Ended up doing a big shared BBQ one night.
- Allowed ourselves one hot meal inside per day max. Usually split something huge like a pizza four ways.
Hydration? Found out almost every fest I looked at had free water refill stations. Brought reusable bottles for everyone. Saved a fortune avoiding $5 bottled water every hour.
Merch & Extras? Tread Carefully!
Merch booths are dangerous. This year, I set a strict merch budget beforehand and stuck to it. One cool shirt per fest, that’s it. Saw too many people drop hundreds on stuff they’ll never wear again.
And the unofficial stuff? Locked my wallet tight. Fake tickets, shady “merch,” overpriced junk – nope. Stick to the official zones.
The Verdict? Totally Worth the Effort
After experiencing the festival robbery last year, getting organized early made all the difference. Skipping the convenience traps, pooling resources, and being a little bit shameless about hunting deals saved us a ton of cash. Easily saved over $200 per person per weekend compared to winging it. More money for actual gigs next year? You bet. Don’t just dream it, plan it.
