Let’s talk about money- more specifically- budgeting. Yeah, super glamorous, I know. If you are like me and hate having to deal with anything money and finance related (especially budgets), then this post is for you. That being said, budgeting for festivals is all about planning, thinking ahead, and staying organized. You don’t need to make any spreadsheets, but it helps to think about festivals as a series of elements all of which you will need to budget for.

TICKETS

The first purchase you are going to make when you decide to go to a festival is obviously going to be the tickets. Depending on the event it may end up being the biggest purchase as well, but there are ways to ensure that you get your tickets without breaking the bank and still leaving money left over for everything else.

Money Saving Tip: Get your festival tickets as early as possible

Yeah, this is where that piece about planning comes in. I know it’s hard to give up the feeling of spontaneity that comes with getting your tickets at the last minute, but if you are on a budget, this could end up hurting you more than helping. The early bird tiers are often the cheapest the tickets will ever be, so plan which festivals you want to attend in advance, and grab the tickets at their lowest price.

Money Saving Tip: Do you really need VIP?

When you go to purchase your tickets take a second to think about if you really need to pay for VIP. Yeah, it can be great, especially at massive events but for the most part, it is an additional fee, that comes with amenities you may pay for but never use. If you are on a budget, think twice before you decide to shell out extra money for VIP. Will you really use all the extra bells and whistles that come with it?

Summary: Purchase early, and really stop and consider if it’s worth it before shelling out the big bucks for VIP.

HOUSING

The second thing you’ll need to plan is where you are going to stay. Maybe you like hotels, maybe you’re into camping, maybe you have a friend whose couch you can crash on. Either way, you are going to have to make some spending decisions. If you go about it the right way, you can save a ton of money.

Money Saving Tip: Book Early

Yup. Like with basically everything mentioned in this guide, acting early is the key to saving money. As the event dates get closer, the hotel rates are going to increase, and availability is going to go down, putting you in a pretty hard spot if you decided to wait until the last minute. Reserve rooms early to get the best rate.

Money Saving Tip: Check Sites like Trivago for the best deals

Make sure to take the time and find the locations with the best deals available. It may take a little more time to comb through all of the hotels and check the trip advisor/ yelp reviews, but it can end up saving you a fair amount of money.

Money Saving Tip: Share a Room

Another great way to save money is to share a room. If you are going with a group, get double bedded rooms and split the bill. The more people who are down to share a room, the more money you can save.

Summary: Book early, check websites like Trivago for the best deals, and if possible try and share a room and split the bill.

TRANSPORTATION

Transportation to and from the event can also add up relatively quickly. Depending on how far away you are from the festival you may even need to purchase plane tickets. This is going to be yet another situation where planning is going to come in handy.

Money Saving Tip: Reserve Early and Check Flights for the Best Rates

Just like with hotels, and festival tickets, making sure to reserve your flights early is what will save you money in the long run. However, you can also save money by using websites like Kayak to find the best deals on flights and save even more money. Yeah, it can be a little annoying going through pages and pages of flights, airlines, and times, but your wallet will thank you.

Another option is road tripping. I would take a long car ride over a flight any day because I like being able to see my beautiful country, but it can also be a little more budget friendly than flying (depending on where you’re located).

Money Saving tip: Carpool

Carpool! If you and your friends are going to the same festival, just split gas and make it a road trip you’ll never forget. You’ll all save money and get to spend even more time with one another on the drive up and back home! If it’s a long drive, you can even take turns driving to make sure you aren’t dead on your feet when you get to your hotel. If you are camping, carpooling together can also save money on vehicle passes for your group. Just make sure that the person with the biggest car drives and pile in.

Summary: If you have to fly, make sure to check the rates and reserve early for the best prices. If you can drive to the event try to carpool with your group and split the gas money.

OUTFITS

At least as far as I’m concerned this is the most fun, but also the hardest when it comes to sticking to a budget. Festival fashion is a passion of mine, and it is very hard not to spend every single cent in my bank account on new rave clothes for every event, but clothes, shoes, and accessories can add up quickly. So, if you are planning on raving on a budget, be sure that you are as disciplined with your outfits as you are with getting the cheapest tier of tickets.

Money Saving Tip:mix and match old and new

Instead of buying an entirely new set of outfits, first, go through your rave closet and see if you have any old pieces that you can supplement with a new accessory or maybe one new addition. If you have an awesome pair of bottoms, maybe buy a new top to match them, instead of buying an entirely new outfit.

Money Saving Tip: Check the Clearance Page on Your Fave Stores

A lot of retailers, especially bigger ones like iheartraves or Dolls Kill are always having sales. Depending on the time of year you can find some awesome pieces for a fraction of their original prices, especially if you buy things with events later in the year in mind. For example, if in fall you see a crochet shrug perfect for EDC on sale, maybe consider buying it now and saving it until spring. Yeah, maybe that is taking planning a little too far, but hey, if you’re on a budget planning is your best friend.

Money Saving Tip: Invest in Basics

This is more for when you are first starting out, but it helps to try and purchase basic pieces that you can make interesting with every new wear. This way you don’t feel like you’ve worn the same thing a hundred times and you won’t need to buy entirely new outfits. Instead, you can use accessories to make new combinations.

Summary: Instead of buying entirely new outfits for every event, invest in basics you can mix and match, spice things up with accessories, and check the clearance pages on your favorite store’s websites.

CONCLUSION

Budgeting for festivals can be a little tricky, especially when every event is amazing and you wish you could attend them all. However, if you really take the time to budget, you can save enough money to add festivals to your list, or even upgrade from GA to VIP at your favorite one.

Sometimes the key is finding little swaps to make your trip a little more affordable, but mostly, it’s just down to being organized and planning ahead.