Since starting this blog about personal finance and becoming debt free, I’ve spent countless hours looking to reduce my spending. So, you might be surprised that I spent so much on a concert.
Do I regret it?
Adele in Concert
The backstory: I had a family reunion in New York. Using credit card miles, my room was free (savings of nearly $500).
One of my best friends wanted to go see the Adele concert. And I wanted to see her too. But, we needed tickets and the concert was only a few days away.
We spent a lot of time on stubhub looking for reasonably priced tickets. There were none.
About three days before the concert, the insider hold tickets became available. These are usually reserved for industry insiders: pr people, record executives etc…
The tickets were expensive, but in a great location: front row for about half the concert! (see for yourself in this video!)
Adele: Live in New York at Madison Square Garden
Budget: Choosing Where my money Goes
Getting out of debt and sticking to a budget can be hard. Inevitably, one will be tempted with something you really want.
The benefit of doing a budget is you can know exactly how you’re spending your money.
Once I took control of my money, I was able to choose what was important to me. And most of the time, experiences are better investments than stuff. (See my post on, Why we buy What we buy here.)
Experiences vs. Stuff:
I made a lot of progress in cutting back on spending and living a frugal life. However, when I had the chance to see Adele live in New York with one of my best friends- it was an experience I could not pass up. And it was totally worth it.
We wound up spending a lot on the tickets, but we had the best seats in the house. This photo was taken by me. We were basically front row for about half of the concert. It was amazing!
With that said, I am not sure I would want to spend that much on concert tickets again any time soon. Here are some great tips to help you save on your next concert.
6 Tips for spending Less on Concert Tickets:
1. Sit near the back
You won’t have the best view, but you’ll still hear the music. In general, a seat farther back at a concert costs less than sitting in the first row. Take a look at the price for nosebleed seats before you dish out more for the front section.
2. Get cash back on your tickets.
I use Ebates and they do give cash back for concerts and tickets. Ebates gets a commission from stores you shop at and they share the commission with you. Average cash back is about 7%, which is great. Right now, they are offering a $10 Gift Card when you join and spend $25. More about Ebates Here.
3. Buy from a reseller
Check out resale tickets from verified secondary sellers and ticket resale brokers — which can be offered at a better price and with a guarantee, according to Gary Adler, executive director and counsel of the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB), a nonprofit trade association and a member of the Council of Better Business Bureau’s National Partner program.
4. Wait until the last minute
We got lucky with the Adele tickets because they became available a few days before the show.
While concert ticket prices are unpredictable, in some cases prices could drop as the performance approaches, says Chris Leyden, communications manager at SeatGeek.
5. Smaller Cities
Ticket prices can vary depending on the location of the concert — even for the same artist and the same tour, Leyden says. Compare prices at concert venues to find lower prices.
“Check out the nearby shows,” Leyden says. “You don’t have to take a massive trip where you fly from Miami to St. Louis. If you live in New York, you can do a quick weekend trip to Philly or a weekend trip to Boston.”
6. Sit solo
When searching resale options, you’ll generally see better deals on single tickets, says Jessica Erskine, a spokesperson for StubHub.
“Often someone might buy tickets in threes or fours and have one friend who can’t make it, and they’re trying to sell that one ticket,” Erskine says. “It’s so hard to find someone who’s willing to go to a show as a single guest that often you can find single-price tickets at lower prices.”
7. Concerts at the Fair
OK, maybe Adele still isn’t in your budget. If you’re not picky about who you want to see live, check the fair circuit. Some county fairs grant free admission to a concert along with paid entry to the fair, which usually costs less than a concert ticket.
This was an Amazing experience for me. Plus, I shared it with one of my favorite people in the world.
We posted pictures and video on social media of Adele singing Hello Live in front of us. It was an Amazing Night! It was an incredible experience.
Am I telling you to spend $600 on concert tickets? No.
I learned that an expensive experience can be much better than spending money mindlessly.
What I learned is that I want to spend my money consciously. I want my spending to bring memories that last. And that paying off debt makes me feel great. So, unless there is something truly special to spend my hard-earned money on, I’m keeping my money invested so I can retire early.
Share your thoughts in the comments!
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If you don’t spend money on what you really care about, what is the point in saving? You have to reward yourself occasionally. And you can’t go wrong with Adele.
Thanks PFK!