With summers arrival and a queue of festivals lined up over the holidays, it is an exciting period for music-lovers around Europe. But as we know festival tickets ain’t cheap, so when you’re at the event there are some simple things to do to save some cash. Here are some tips on how to get the best value for your money at ...
1) BORROW A TENT
Ask around as friends and family members are bound to have one lying around in the garage somewhere OR find a cheap one. Amazon sell 4 person tents from £35 compared to the average price of £75. Amazon and Ebay are great websites to find camp chairs from £19.99. Or split the cost between a group for a bigger tent.
Useful tip: bring duct tape just in case you get a hole in your tent, it will fix it right up. This will save you having to fork out money for a new tent next year.
2) TAKE YOUR OWN FOOD
Simple but money-saving! Food stands at festivals are usually pretty expensive - even for just some fries. Make some sandwiches and bring some tasty snacks to pack with you for the weekend.
3) SHARE LIFTS TO THE EVENT
Car sharing is a great way to save money on travel because everyone can chip in for petrol and parking. Plus, it helps the environment, lowering fuel emissions and cars on the road. Or take the Big Green Coach if you live far, the most environmentally friendly way to travel to Festivals.
4) BE A VOLUNTEER
Volunteering at Festivals means you’re working but with the advantage of seeing your favourite artists for free. Even charities like Oxfam attend the UK’s biggest festivals with 5000 volunteers so sign up to be a steward here . The perks of being a volunteer means you can see everything for free and in most cases you don’t have to pay for food. You shift might only be 4 hours a day so the gaps in between can be used to enjoy the festival. You can also switch shifts with other volunteers so you don’t miss your favourite act! The job of a steward is to man the site, direct traffic, and check wristbands.
5) SET A DAILY BUDGET
Some festivals can be as long as 4 or 5 days which can become pretty expensive. Set yourself a daily budget to stick to, that way you don’t have to miss out on all of the delicious festival food, but you’ll be able to save your pennies a lot better.
6) LOCATE THE NEAREST SUPERMARKET TO THE FESTIVAL
A good money-saving tip is to find a local grocery store to buy food and drink on the cheap. This is popular practice at festivals; just grab a meal deal, a bottle of vodka and spirit and voila!
7) BRING A PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER
The worst thing is your phone running out of battery when you’re about to see your favourite act live. Festivals will make you pay to charge your phone at one of the charging stations. Bring an older phone as they don’t require as much charging time and battery life will last longer, a massive help when trying to locate your friends (or if you find yourself in an emergency). Also, at festivals you’re at risk of your phone being smashed, getting stolen, getting muddy...so you may want to bring a spare old phone just in case anyway…
8) BRING CASH
Most ATMs at festivals charge you extra to take cash out. So make sure you bring all the cash you need for the event.
9) BOOK TRAVEL IN ADVANCE
If you book your trains, flights or coaches way in advance they will much cheaper than leaving it it until the last minute
10) DON’T BUY FESTIVAL MERCH
It’s simply a waste of money. Nobody cares if you’re rocking a festival tee outside the festival. Buying a t-shirt just says “Oh look I’ve been to Reading Festival”. And you don’t want to be that person. Rock the free wristband instead.
11) KNOW WHAT YOU’RE ALLOWED TO BRING
To avoid losing your well spent money, make sure you read the festival’s rules on what you’re allowed to bring. For example, at Reading Festival, you’re not allowed to bring glass bottles onto the campsite, so make sure to pour your alcohol into hip flasks or reusable metal or plastic bottles. This will save your 5 bottles of vodka being taken away on entering the camp. Usually, alcohol is not permitted on the actual event site. One of things usually allowed on to campsites is disposable BBQ's! Winning!
12) BRING A BUM BAG
Sure, they may look a bit stupid but they’ll keep your money safe! Losing money at a festival, or getting it stolen is a pretty common occurrence.
13) BRING DRY SHAMPOO, TOILET ROLL IN BULK AND BABY WIPES
Some festivals make you pay for showers and toilet roll. Not worth the cost. So buy toilet roll. In BULK! You may also want to bring a load of baby wipes and dry shampoo, to save you getting in a muddy shower cubicle. You’re allowed to be gross. It’s a festival. Again, read the festival’s rules on what you’re allowed to bring.
For example, you can’t bring aerosols to some campsites so be sure to bring a roll on deodorant.
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