Festival spending warning: Eight ways you can save while enjoying favourite acts

Whether you’re at Glasto this week or have a string of local jazz festivals to attend throughout summer, it’s incredibly easy to spend a lot of cash once at these events.

MoneyMagpie is all about having fun without breaking the bank, so we’ve come up with a few ways to save at a summer festival so you’re not stressing about fun-induced debt come September.

Find Deals for Festival Kit

Knowing what you need to buy is a great way to plan and budget your festival fun. It also means you can spend time shopping around for the greatest deals and discounts to save even more on your festival food, power banks, camping kit and more.

If you’re not an outdoors person but need some camping gear, ask friends and family to borrow theirs. Or check online sites like Freecycle and NextDoor to nab some deals on second-hand kit. It’s quite likely your tent could get ruined at the event, so don’t spend a lot of cash on one.

Don’t Splurge on Your Festival Wardrobe

You’re going to get covered in mud, beer, sweat, and who knows what else. While it’s always fun to shop for a summer wardrobe, don’t splurge on new clothes for a festival.

Thrift from charity shops if you want to get something new, or find a second-hand bargain on apps like Vinted. Make sure you’re prepared for all kinds of weather too – an emergency poncho might not be attractive but it can keep you dry in an unexpected downpour.

Check the In-Festival Purchase System

More festivals than ever run prepaid wristband schemes. These digital wallets have your festival cash on them to keep your bank details safe and prevent you losing cash in the mosh pit. Some also offer extra rewards for signing up to the scheme, such as free drinks.

However, some schemes are better than others. Check whether the scheme is mandatory, as some festivals only allow payment by these systems. If not, split your cash between the wristband and spare money kept on your person. This will help protect against theft or loss, or if the digital system breaks down.

Find out if you get discounts or freebies as part of the scheme, too. This could save you a lot of cash – but read the small print before you load your money onto the system. Refunds can be nigh on impossible to get for unspent money, so find out if you can top up the band while you’re at the festival if you need rather than lose unspent money to the ether.

Share with Friends

If you’re camping overnight with friends at a festival, make sure you’re not bringing unnecessary stuff. Plan ahead who will bring the camping stove and who is responsible for the food. This will help you save on supplies as you share kit instead of buying new.

Travelling to and from a festival together in a car pool, or in a cab from the nearest train station, will also reduce your costs. Plus, you get to start the fun early!

Think About Drink

Check the festival’s alcohol policy. Many of the larger events won’t allow you to bring your own alcohol, so check before you go so you don’t have it taken off you at entry.

If they do allow alcohol, split the cost with your friends and head to a wholesaler to bag more bargains on the booze.

If you’re buying alcohol on site, pacing yourself is not only good for your health (and safety), but also your wallet. Avoid getting into buying rounds if you can, too. There will always be those who drink a lot more than others, which could leave you significantly out of pocket.

Water is also something to consider before you arrive. It can easily cost more than £5 for a small bottle once you’re on site. If you’re camping, take a large water bottle you can keep in your tent for rehydration. Invest in a water bottle like Chilly’s or Sho Reusable for when you’re dancing away, too.

These are better than using a plastic bottle as your water will keep cool no matter the temperature outside. Water fountains or free tap water should be available at events to refill as you go along.

Pack Snacks

Find light and shelf-stable snacks to keep in your bag or tent. It will save you a considerable amount of money when you consider it’s hard to get a drink and snack for less than £15 at most festivals! Budget for buying one meal a day and pack snacks for the rest of the time.

Breakfast bars, protein bars, trail mix, portable fruit like bananas, apples, and clementines, crisps, and biscuits (not chocolate ones) are all great as they’re light, small to carry, don’t need cooking and won’t melt in the heat.

Some festival goers swear by taking a jar of pickles with them (they’re great for hangovers thanks to the electrolytes), just make sure to put them in a Tupperware box first as glass may not be suitable. Salty snacks like pretzels and crisps are also great for keeping your salt intake up during a couple of hot and sweaty days.

Keep Your Items Safe

This is less about saving money than it is saving yourself from theft or loss. Invest in a close- body bag or a running sleeve to keep your money, ID, and phone in. Having it strapped to your body makes it harder to forget it when you’re distracted, and much harder for someone to pick your pocket, too.

While most festival vendors take card payments, avoid taking all of your bank cards with you. Consider getting a prepaid Mastercard or a pre-loaded one like Revolut. This will prevent you from the hassle of lost or stolen cards, while also preventing overspend at the festival.

Pre-Charge Power Banks

Get hold of a couple of power banks and charge them up before you go. Some festivals restrict access to charging lockers by forcing you to pay a fee, and it also means you’re stuck in location instead of at the front for your favourite artist.

Power banks are useful outside of festivals too, so they’re a good investment. You could opt for a solar-powered one but bear in mind they can take a long time to charge up. When you’re back home, charge the power bank at night on a cheaper rate and use it to keep your phone going during the day to continue the savings!