In previous posts I’ve talked about how music is something that pushes people to travel to new places and different cities all around the world for events like concerts or festivals and things like that. It’s something I’ve personally done a countless amount of times – I genuinely think I’ve gone to more concerts outside of my own city than I have in my own – and I’m always getting questions about how I can afford to go to so many different shows in so many different places. The truth of the matter is that it honestly isn’t hard to spend as little money as possible when trying to do so, and I feel like a lot of people don’t seem to realize that.
I put together a little list of four of my favorite tips and tricks that make it a little easier on your wallet if you’re trying to branch out and travel somewhere out of your own city for something like a show:
1) Find the Cheapest Travel Option
It’s always the first thing that most people will think of: how to get there. In all honesty, it’s pretty easy to find cheap flights as long as you stay consistent on checking as well as trying to be flexible with dates. I’ve found that apps like Google Flights and Kayak help the most with telling you what travel dates are the cheapest option. If flying seems too costly for the time that you’re trying to go, grab some friends who also like the artist/band you’re going to see and make a fun road trip out of it! Splitting the cost of gas along the way would most likely be less than $100 per person.
2) Stay With Friends
I think the biggest factor that goes into how much someone’s going to spend on a trip is usually going to be the hotel or other types of costly accommodation. My biggest tip that has been the main aspect that’s saved me the most money when I travel for shows is always going to a city where I know someone who lives there and staying with them instead of wasting money on a hotel or Airbnb. If you don’t happen to know anyone in the place you’re traveling to, the next best thing is to travel with a group of friends and splitting the cost of the most affordable place you can find.
3) Rent A Car
I’ve honestly come to realize that what’s been costing me the most money while I’m on trips is the amount of Ubers/Lyfts I end up taking while I’m in whatever city I’m in. If you’re with a group of at least 3 or 4 people, renting a car for a couple days and splitting the cost is honestly a much better option if you know you’re going to be moving around the city a lot.
4) Find the Cheapest Concert Tickets
We all know how expensive concert tickets can be, especially nowadays. Something I found that is a secret trick to getting them inexpensively is waiting until pretty much last minute to buy your ticket to the show. It seems risky and stressful, but trust me when I say you’re never going to end up without a ticket if that’s what holds you back from doing it. Keep checking websites like StubHub and Seatgeek as the date to the concert gets super close and you’ll find that sellers will start dropping prices as time goes by. If you want the absolute best and most inexpensive price as possible and you aren’t afraid of waiting, the best time to purchase your ticket is honestly a couple hours before the show itself. You’ll find that prices will be even lower than they initially went on sale for – I’ve gotten front row tickets before for as low as $15 and $30 before when I bought my ticket an hour or two before the doors opened. Also, Ticketmaster and the box office at venues almost always release tickets last minute the day of concerts and they are usually amazing seats.
Hope these tips motivate you guys to get out there and go see your favorite artists in different places! Have fun and happy travels :)