7 tips to save £100 at your first festival 

Festival season is officially upon us, with many Brits getting ready for what may be their first post-pandemic festival, or even their first festival ever! Though British festivals tend to be cheaper than a holiday or staycation, costs can add up – particularly if you leave preparation until the last minute.

To help Brits save money this summer, CashLady.com has partnered with thrifty festival-goer Alex Fisher, to share her top festival savings tips.

Alex is a Manchester-based seasoned festival-goer, having attended over 22 festivals and counting at the age of 26. Her seven tips aim to help first-time festival attendees or those simply looking to cut costs on their trip, to save over £100 in total. Alex commented:

“British festivals are the best part of the summer for me. I started going regularly as a student, so I’m more than used to planning my trip on a budget.”

“Once you’ve bought the festival ticket, it can be daunting when you realise the additional costs involved, from travel to camping essentials. These tips should help to save at least £100 in festival preparation – enough money to cover a good chunk of a weekend festival ticket in the UK!”

1. Tent

“If you need to buy a tent for a festival, always go down the budget route. In my experience, cheap tents always do the job and can last for years, particularly if you’ll mostly just be using them for festivals.”

“Share your tent with a couple of pals and get them to chip towards the cost. At Argos, the cheapest two-man tent costs £20 whereas a four-man tent costs just £35. Get three friends together and pay just £8.75 per person – that’s £12.25 less than if you were sleeping solo.”

“Not only will this save you some cash to put towards festival spends, but it will add to the overall festival experience. Plus, it means there’s a much lower likelihood you’ll be the one having to carry it home!”

Estimated saving: £12.25

2. Transport

“Opt for a coach over a train when booking public transport to a festival. Trains will usually be more expensive anyway, but there’s also the hidden cost of paying for a taxi or bus to take you from the train station to the festival entrance when you arrive.”

“A return trip on a coach from Manchester to Glastonbury Festival, for example, is around £60, whereas the train is roughly £80 with a railcard or a whopping £120 without.”

“Coaches may seem like the less luxurious option, but they will save you a good deal of money and take you straight to where you need to be. This option also means you can avoid the hassle of lugging your bags on and off connecting trains and taxis, it’s a win-win!”

Estimated saving: £20 (£60 without a railcard)

3. Food and drink

“It’s no secret that food and drink prices at most British festivals are extortionate. Many first-time festival-goers make the mistake of over or under-packing food and drink, but I would recommend budgeting and planning for one meal bought at the festival per day.”

“On the first day, scout out all of the food vendors to work out which option is the best value for money (noodles are usually a winner for me) to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.”

“The rest of the time you can live off breakfast bars, pot noodles, bananas, crisps and nuts, all of which should be bought ahead of time. It’s hardly a balanced diet, but it’ll keep your stomach and your wallet full throughout the day.”

Estimated saving: £20 (based on saving £5 per day on lunch food at a four-day festival)

4. Clothes

“Resist buying unnecessary new clothes ahead of a festival. Don’t overestimate how many outfits you need – the likelihood is you’ll spend most of the time in a jumper and wellies given the British weather, so buying a new outfit for each day may end up redundant anyway.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love festival fashion, and festivals are a great place to get creative with your style and push yourself out of your comfort zone.”

“Why not rework some old pieces from your wardrobe and, if you do need some new clothes, try and buy as much as you can from charity shops. It’s cheap, ethical, and you’ll have a unique outfit that you can almost guarantee you won’t see on someone else around the festival.”

Estimated saving: £30

5. Preparation 

“The trick to not overspending whilst at the festival is preparation. The more you buy before and take with you, the less you’ll spend when you’re there where the same items probably cost double the amount.”

“Do some research and create a checklist of everything you need – then hunt for the best deal. Often it will be items such as camping chairs that rookies may not account for and will need to source once at the campsite. You can get a cheap chair for around £8, whereas at the festival it could be closer to £15. This may seem like a minor saving, but these costs add up!”

“The downside is that your luggage will be heavier, but if you want to get the best deals this is the price you have to pay.”

Estimated saving: £7

6. Merch

“Avoid buying merch at a festival. You may be tempted to snap up a memento of your trip whilst you’re there, but there will be the option to buy similar items online once you’re home. That way, you have more time to consider your purchase and shop around for better deals.”

Estimated saving: £15

7. Glitter

“No festival outfit is complete without slapping on a face full of glitter. There will be multiple stalls dotted around the festival with people who can glitter you up to a professional level. Though this can be incredibly enticing, if you’re looking to save you’re best doing your own.”

“You can usually get a tub of glitter for around a pound, so stock up, head to Pinterest and get practising. You’ll get a similar outcome for a fraction of the price.”

Estimated saving: £7 (Glitter from home £1, glitter at a festival £8)

Overall saving: £111.25

Commenting on the tips, CashLady.com‘s Personal Finance Expert, Dan Whittaker, said:

“Many Brits have long-awaited summer 2022 after the pandemic caused the majority of festivals and events to be pushed back, or even cancelled in years prior. Although it’s a time to celebrate after a difficult few years for everyone, the majority of the UK are currently impacted by the cost of living crisis, so it may be important for you to cut costs where possible.”

“Alex’s tips are testament to the fact that research and small changes to your festival preparation can go a long way in terms of savings. These tried and tested savings hacks are particularly useful for those attending a festival for the first time, where it can be easy to get carried away with spending or making uninformed decisions on purchases.”

These festival savings tips have been created in partnership with Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authorised and regulated credit broker CashLady.com, an unsecured loan broker that allows customers to browse credit options from over 30 lenders to get the best APR.