This week we have a special guest blog from Student Money Saver to help you save money just in time for your summer festival.
There it is, glistening on your calendar. Waiting: the date marking your festival weekend. You’re expecting mud, cheap booze and you’re reliably informed there may be a little music too. The ticket was expensive enough that you’ll never ever speak of it again, but the real worry is how you’re going to afford to eat or drink. Sleeping probably isn’t really on the agenda, but it’s always good to have a tent anyway – just in case.
So to keep every penny spare for glowsticks and ice lollies, follow the tips below:
1.) Book your transport early
Having your ticket bought is hardly enough – it won’t even get you there. Having to travel? Driving is likely far too ambitious (are you really prepared to man a car with everyone smelling that bad?) so either look for a train deal or use National Experess. If you can cope with a coach, you’re able to pick up tickets from just £1. Make sure you’re not accidentally doing one of the 8 ways people pay too much for train fares, and book up early – tickets are released 12 weeks before a journey, which is when they’re cheapest.
2.) Take enough cash
Festivals aren’t content with selling overpriced doughnuts as part of their cunning ploy to slowly but surely relieve you of your life savings. Cash machines are a disaster – they almost always have a charge of around £1.50 - £2 to take out money. There’s no reason on earth to pay £12 for £10 - it’s straight up extortion. Have your cash ready to go beforehand and you’ll avoid those charges, which quickly add up.
3.) Go to the supermarket
When burgers and hotdogs cost £6 a time, your diet is going to be as expensive as it greasy. Forget the stalls and stock up at the local supermarket: it’ll be a lot cheaper and you might even eat something healthy, which may not feel too appealing now but you’ll be thankful for after a few days of hot dogs.
4.) Luxury tents aren’t a thing
No matter how expensive it is, no tent is luxurious. Frankly, if it doesn’t have brick walls, a roof and a butler, it’s not luxurious. Many people make the mistake of paying out for the finest tent they can find, reasoning that a pricey tent will last and prove itself a decent investment. But trust us on this one - it’s complete nonsense: your tent is more likely to end up on fire than it is to end up being used another year. Find the cheapest tent you can and go for it – and don’t forget to try places like Lidl who, despite being a supermarket, appear to have a policy of always selling incongruous items at dirt cheap prices.
The same logic applies to sleeping bags – a good one is essential for camping, certainly, but nothing comes out of a music festival intact. And don’t bother shelling out for a pillow – just roll up your spare clothes and stuff them into your tent bag. It’ll do the same job and that’s a few quid saved!
5.) Keep everything close by… and don’t take much
Regrettably, festivals aren’t the safest place in the world. But if you take anything particularly valuable, don’t be surprised if it goes missing. Avoid this by sleeping on or holding onto anything worth something – it’s always a good idea to put it in your sleeping bag, or by not taking anything you’re attached to at all. Take the old Nokia, or pick up a cheap emergency phone, with no top up necessary.
If you simply must take your valuables, be sure to get insurance. Otherwise, you’ll face a hefty bill to replace everything.
6.) Buy everything on the last day
Just seen the most splendiferous performance of all time? Fallen in love with the greatest frontman to ever strut a stage? If only you could get something to remember it by… oh, what a coincidence, there’s a seller with some bargain t-shirts at just £25 a pop.
A familiar scene? Sellers cash in with hugely overpriced merchandise/tat, taking advantage of slightly tipsy and/or emotional fans. Wait until the last day to pick up anything. You’ll find everything heavily reduced and besides, you won’t end up using your new prize t-shirt to mop up the beer.
