One of my favorite past times, along with my friends, is to head to a concert venue to see any of our wide variety of music interests. Whether it’s hard rock, country, jazz, classical, pop rock, folk, blues, or heavy metal head bangin’, you’re likely to fund us at a local show. Of course, most of those concerts aren’t free. And, in a tight economy, there are times that we skip a show or three because timing, cost, or venue. For example, there is an upcoming show at a baseball stadium that we’ve deemed too expensive to attend. In essence, we determined it would be cheaper to buy the blue ray disc of the performance, the blue ray disc player, AND travel three states away to watch the show with one of our friends than it would be to buy ONE ticket for the concert, let alone three tickets! One thing, though, that we try to do for the shows we will definitely be attending is to find the best deal we can on tickets. Finding deals on concert tickets through authorized agencies can cut costs and create a savings opportunity.
There are a number of avenues you can take to find savings on tickets to see your favorite band or performers in concert. First, look for area discounts from sponsors. Some concert series are sponsored by a store or chain of stores in your hometown. One recent offer was for $10 off per ticket. Another source of discounts is a membership concert hall. Although there can be an annual fee involved, the savings may outweigh the cost. Or, by subscribing to the concert hall’s newsletter, you will get advanced opportunities to save. Third party ticket agencies are another source to buy tickets. However, you will need to determine if the agency is offering savings. Prices through ticket agencies depend largely on demand for the event, and ticket availability. Odds are you probably will not realize a savings on major events, but if you’re concerned with savings, it’s worth a try.
Concert venues may offer additional savings without venue or newsletter membership. Smaller venues offer a discount on tickets bought in advance. This discount is normally $3 – $5 for buying tickets prior to the day of the concert. If the concert venue is smaller, you may be able to avoid fees altogether by calling the venue itself. Just recently, I managed to get tickets at a cheaper cost by calling and talking to someone at the venue. The employee of the hall ran my charge card by phone, which avoided all of the fees. Another cool trick is to have your tickets waiting at the Will Call window. Utilizing Will Call can save you on processing fees associated with having the tickets mailed to your home, or emailed to your email address. Believe it or not, be aware that there may be a charge for having the tickets sent to you in the virtual world! This information is generally explained when selecting the method of delivery for your tickets. Charges vary pending on the method choice, time element, venue, and agency.
Even when you are attending a concert or performance, you may still find additional savings opportunities. Some venues offer ticket upgrades the day of the show. Although you will be spending money, you may find that the upgrade offer is still less than the seats would have cost if you bought them online prior to the show. Also at the show, be on the lookout for offers on upcoming events. Realizing from an economic standpoint that it’s better to have people in the seats, stands, or on the lawn, venues offer discounted tickets for upcoming events during shows.
Ticket prices for concerts & performances, just like everything else, seem to be going up all the time. Finding discounts on shows can be challenging. But if you look hard enough, and pay attention to purchasing deadlines, you should be able to scalp anywhere from a few dollars to a solid percentage off the regular ticket prices. When the curtain goes up and the music begins, you’ll be able to raise your beverage of choice knowing you saved a few dollars for other opportunities. And remember, when you attend the show, be aware of offers being advertised for upcoming events you are interested in attending. You may just find by attending one event, you’ll be able to turn up the volume & stage lights on another show!
