The maximum amount people are willing to spend on a weekend music festival is £192 on average. However, with many UK festivals charging more than this for the tickets alone (Glastonbury costs £355, the Isle of Wight festival £269.95 and Reading and Leeds £323), you may be keen to spend as little as possible when you get there.
Now festival season is in full swing, Which? has 10 tips to save you money on tickets, travel, camping and more.
1. Save on your festival ticket
Lots of festivals offer early bird tickets that are cheaper than the general ticket price. However, you’ll often have to secure your ticket up to a year in advance and put down a non-refundable deposit.
For example, the Isle of Wight festival had early bird adult weekend tickets for £209 in total, but now the cost is £269.95 - over £56 more.
If you don’t mind a bit of work, you can sign up to volunteer at a festival and still have time to catch plenty of acts.
Volunteers are required to work three eight-hour shifts over the weekend, but they also enjoy free camping and a meal voucher per shift.
Although applications have now closed for most schemes, it’s worth bearing in mind for next year’s season if you’re interested.
Find out more:2. Plan your travel in advance
You can make hefty savings by buying your train or coach tickets in advance.
Train
Booking advance single tickets, which typically go on sale 12 weeks before the trip, can save you a lot of money.
You could also consider buying a railcard – it costs no more than £30 a year and could pay for itself with the money you save on your journey to the festival. There are nine types of railcards available, with discounts varying from a third to 50% off.
Find out more:Coach
Lots of festivals offer coach packages or a free shuttle from the nearest train station.
Car
If you do end up driving, try to car share where possible. You should also shop around for the cheapest fuel — generally, larger supermarket chains offer the lowest forecourt prices.
Find out more3. Save on camping equipment
See if you can borrow or rent your camping equipment rather than buying new.
Find out more
4. Don't forget a portable charger
Many festivals have charging stations with secure lockers, but you’ll have to pay to use these.
You might be able to find free portable charging at a festival. For example, this year Vodafone’s Connect & Charge tent will also offer free phone charging and wi-fi at Glastonbury. However, these often have long queues.
5. Bring your own food and drink
Most outdoor camping festivals allow you to bring your own food, and some may even let you bring alcohol, so it’s worth checking the rules before you travel.
For example, Glastonbury bars charge ‘London prices’ according to its website, however the festival allows you to bring alcohol with you as long as it’s not in a glass bottle.
Wherever you choose to shop, see if you can order the food to a supermarket near the festival using click and collect – it may save you lugging it around and means the food will be fresher for longer.
6. Bring your own water bottle
You could be charged anything between £2 and £4 for a bottle or can of water at a festival.
Bring your own bottle to fill up yourself. Many festivals have dedicated water drinking facilities where you can replenish your water. Not only will you save money, but it’s a good way to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day.
Find out more:
7. Buy festival clothes second-hand
There are plenty of ways you can shop around for festival ‘outfits’ without spending the earth.
You could also swap outfits with friends or upcycle older items to give them a new lease of life, for example customising an old denim jacket.
For practicality, if you need a raincoat, our experts have reviewed the best waterproof jackets worth the money.
Find out more:8. Avoid festival ATMS and set a daily budget
Withdraw all the cash you need before getting to the festival, as the ATMs on-site may charge a fee. Some independently operated machines can charge around £3-£5 per transaction, so if you do need to use one, get all your cash at once.
Do keep your money on you rather than leaving it in the tent. And bear in mind that your festival may be cashless so take your bank card as well.
To help control your festival spending, try setting a daily budget for food, drink, and activities and doing your best to stick to it.
If you’re with a group and plan on doing rounds at the bar or splitting transport to get to the festival, it might be worth using a budgeting tool to keep track. Splitwise is a free tool for friends to track bills and other shared expenses, so everyone gets paid back what they’re owed.
Find out more:
9. Recycle paper cups
Many festivals have a scheme where you pay a small deposit on the cup when you buy a drink at the bar, which you get back when you return the cup. So if any fellow festivalgoers have ditched their cups, collect them up and cash in the deposit for yourself.
At Reading Festival, every cup and bottle sold in the arena has a 10p deposit included in the price. You can collect five and take them to the cup recycling stations for some ‘cold hard cash’, according to its website.
10. Protect your valuables
If you do need to take a laptop, camera, or portable speaker, a travel insurance policy can protect your valuables for trips in the UK and abroad against loss or theft, so it could cover you at the festivals you plan to attend.
To avoid any issues if you do need to make a claim, make sure you keep valuables on you and don’t leave them unattended.
The festival you’re attending might also have a locker facility to rent.
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