It’s that time of year when festival tickets start to go on sale – and music fans everywhere rush around to firm up their summer plans. Young Money Blog has long documented the economics of British music festivals, so we know all-too-well that booking your place in the crowds can be tough (and expensive!) So I thought I’d ask a real expert for some tips on how to make that amazing festival experience more affordable. Victoria Bamber has worked in journalism and PR for many years and is now part of the team at Skiddle, the UK’s most popular ticketing website. Who better to give us a run-down of the top music festival hacks for 2019?
Victoria Bamber
It may seem like an unusual time of year to be thinking about camping, but actually, one of the most popular times of year to buy tickets for festivals is in January and February!
Of course, this time of year can be a nightmare for our bank balances. That’s why I have come up with some top insider tips to make sure you can attend the music events you love this year without breaking the bank.
1) Look out for early-bird offers
Andrea Reiman
Festival tickets can be up to 50% cheaper if you buy as soon as they go on sale. Organisers don’t hang around either – many festival tickets for the year ahead go on sale the day after the current one finishes. Most cheap tickets are available from December to February, so you’ll need to be organised to get the best deals.
2) Sign up to receive newsletters and emails from any festivals that take your fancy.
NeONBRAND
It’s easy to ignore your inbox, but customers who have subscribed to festival mailing lists often receive the best deals or the cheapest early-bird offers before tickets go on general sale to the public.
3) Ticketing outlets like Skiddle offer regular competitions throughout the year that give music fans the opportunity to win the cost of your festival tickets back.
We also always need help with customer surveys and offer festival tickets or money to spend on Skiddle as a reward for your effort. Make sure you’re following us on social media and
are signed up to our mailing list to take part.
4) Inner-city festivals are often cheaper than their countryside camping counterparts.
Michael Benz
Check where your favourite artists are playing: some festivals, like Camden Rocks, Community Festival or Made In Leeds have impressive line-ups and relatively cheap ticket prices.
5) Festival organisers love a Black Friday deal!
Claudio Schawrz
Festivals of all sizes often offer 2-4-1 or discounted tickets on or around this date to boost sales before full line-ups have been confirmed. Make sure you pop the date in your diary to take full advantage.
6) Many festivals offer group discounts.
Mike Erskine
You could well get five tickets for the price of four. If you’re looking to buy with mates, get involved and make sure one person buys on behalf of everyone. Then split the cost equally (or allow one lucky [or skint] friend in for free!)
7) Sign up as a festival Rep
Vladislav Klapin
Many festivals run Rep systems and the Skiddle App offers a great opportunity to see which festivals have signed up. Rep systems allow you the opportunity to earn money or exclusive prizes such as artist meet and greets, backstage passes and free drinks, all for something as simple as sharing a link with a few friends.
8) Spread it
Hanny Naibaho
Finally, most festivals now offer payment plans, which spread the cost of festival tickets. This means your bank account doesn’t take as big a hit all in one go (phew!)
