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23 Ways To Score Cheap Concert Tickets

ways to score cheap concert tickets a band performing on stage band silhouette
Image from Shutterstock.

Nobody wants to pay an arm and a leg for concert tickets, but they’ve risen significantly over the past year. Luckily, there are some ways to be more economical with your investment.

Let’s dive into a few of the best ways to score cheap concert tickets. As long as you’re willing to put in a little additional effort and make some sacrifices, it should be a piece of cake to nab a more affordable ticket selection. 

1. Ask For Tickets as a Gift

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Image by Bob Coyne on Unsplash

One of the best ways to score cheap concert tickets is to avoid buying them yourself – which, of course, means receiving them as a gift. If a birthday or holiday is coming up where you know you’ll receive a gift, make clear you’d love concert tickets instead of other items.

2. Buy Last Minute

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Although it doesn’t always happen, some seats may be held until a few weeks, days, or hours before the event. Sign up for notifications and check the website that’s selling tickets leading up to the date to see if any tickets go up.

Additionally, ticket brokers can sometimes lower their prices on websites like Stubhub at the last minute. So check for your event ticket just a few days before to see if you can get a deal on the ticket price. 

3. Enter Raffles

a handful of orange raffle tickets
Image by Julia Morales on Unsplash

Raffles are another way to win free tickets, whether they’re through a work event or something on a radio station. Check the website and social media of the artist, venue, and your favorite platforms to see if they have any offerings available. Also, follow websites like MusicinMinnesota.com, which frequently hosts ticket giveaways. 

4. Listen to Radio Shows

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Photo from Pixabay.

Sometimes, radio shows offer free or discounted giveaways for dedicated listeners. These might be through contests, call-ins, or additional opportunities.

5. Buy Tickets from People Outside Venues

a concert with bright lights
Image by Andre Benz on Unsplash

Although this method is one of the riskiest ways to score cheap concert tickets, it’s worth it if you’re determined to land a discount. Speak to people outside the venues selling tickets right before the show begins – but ensure you get a legitimate ticket, not a scam version.

Do keep in mind that at some venues, ticket re-selling is not allowed. Therefore, while we mention this on our list, we don’t recommend relying on it for great seats at a concert event you really want to see.

6. Look for Cheap Seats in Cheap Cities

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Image from Shutterstock.

If you’re okay with a little compromise at your next Taylor Swift concert, aim for the cheapest cities and the cheapest tickets in the venue within that city. The nosebleeds in Louisville should be much more affordable than floor seats in Los Angeles or at Madison Square Garden

Related: Taylor Swift Ticket Prices

7. Sign Up for Access to the Presale

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Image by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

The presale is the best way to invest in tickets at face value, accessing them before resellers up the price point significantly. There are a couple of ways to access the presale, from joining their fan club to signing up for emails.

8. Join a Fan Club

beyonce on stage in a gold outfit
Image from Shutterstock.

As mentioned above, becoming part of the fan club for the artist playing at the concert is the best way to access tickets at face value. Check out artists like Beyonce and Miley Cyrus to determine how to land access to those affordable tickets.

9. Sign Up For a New Credit Card

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Image by Avery Evans on Unsplash

Another of the best ways to score cheap concert tickets is to sign up for a credit card. Although they can be a pain, some cards offer exclusive presale opportunities and even cashback to spend on your concert experience. 

10. Consider Groupon

stadium style seats at a concert venue
Image by Tyler Callahan on Unsplash.

Although many have forgotten about this wonderful tool, Groupon is an excellent way to get coupons for concerts, whether you’re seeing Justin Bieber or Olivia Rodrigo. Typically, you will find cheaper tickets for shows less than two months away.

11. Split Up Seating

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Imaage by Kaleb Nimz

It tends to be much more expensive to invest in a group of seats rather than a single one. To cut down on the price, think about going to the event by yourself or splitting your friend group into several smaller sections.

12. Buy the Day They Drop

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Image by Max Brinton on Unsplash

One of the best ways to snag tickets at a lower price point is to purchase them right when they drop before resellers grab them. Set an alarm, understand the website you will use, and ready your wallet for the day of the official ticket drop.

13. Sign Up For Emails

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Image by Brett Jordan on Unsplash.

One of the ideal ways to score cheap concert tickets is to sign up for emails from websites selling tickets, like Ticketmaster. This tactic will ensure you’re notified and ready to buy right when they appear.

14. Use the Box Office

a concert with a large group of fans with their hands up
Image by Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash

Sometimes, approaching the box office at the venue location is the best way to purchase a ticket at face value before it gets purchased and resold by someone selling tickets outside a venue. Plus, you don’t have to deal with the processing fees that come with using Ticketmaster or other resources.

15. Look For Campus Exclusive Rates

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Image by Charles Deloye on Unsplash

Students, seniors, veterans, and more often fall into the category that can receive discounted tickets to an event. If you go to college, check to see if you have any campus deals for the venue.

Frequently, there are concert ticket sales for events that happen on a college campus. Even if you aren’t currently a student, it might be worth seeing if the venue near you is selling tickets at a discounted rate. 

16. Become a Venue Employee

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Image by Hunters Race on Unsplash

One awesome way to get discounted tickets is to see if there are any bonuses offered to employees at the arena. If you need a job, work there, and you might be able to snag presale tickets and cheaper versions of access to the events.

17. Go to Shows on Weekdays

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Image from Shutterstock.

One of the best ways to score cheap concert tickets is to buy during the week. People would much rather go to a Jay-Z concert on Saturday than Wednesday, so you might have a better shot thanks to less demand. 

18. Consider Buying Tickets in Standing Areas

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If you don’t mind standing, consider investing in a ticket in this section at the venue if they provide it. These are much less than sitting selections, and sometimes you can snag an empty seat anyway.

19. Think About Festival Options

a music festival with multi colored lights and lots of people
Image by Aditya Chinchure on Unsplash

A music festival ticket will stretch your money much further than a stadium ticket. If your artist is playing at a festival, consider seeing them there instead for a better value. Not to mention that this will let you see multiple artists for one general admission price! 

20. Look on Social Media

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Image by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash.

One of the most obvious ways to score cheap concert tickets is to continue to check on social media. Look for posts from the artists, venue, and more to gather information on cheaper tickets. 

Most large cities have specific Facebook groups for resale tickets, and you can score big when you buy tickets last minute directly from the ticket holders. People are always getting sick or having something come up that forces them to sell tickets at less than face value. 

Related: Facebook Ticket Scams and How to Avoid Them

21. Sit in the Back

a female rapper on stage with a dance crew performing
Image from Shutterstock.

If you’re okay with sacrificing your seats, consider sitting in the back of the stadium. Although you won’t get as great of a view, you’ll save a couple of dollars on your online ticket and still get to see your favorite band!

22. Look for Rescheduled Concerts

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Image from Shutterstock

From time to time, even the hottest band has to reschedule their show. When this happens, you’ll see many tickets for sale as the holders can’t attend the new dates. Check the secondary market and with friends to see if anyone is reselling their rescheduled ticket. 

23. Use a Ticket Exchange

a silhouette of a band
Image from Shutterstock.

Maybe you won admission tickets to your third or fourth favorite band, and you would much rather have a pair of Taylor Swift tickets. Look online for ticket exchange platforms that can let you exchange the tickets you have on hand for the tour tickets you really want.

Related:

Written by Hope Davis

Long-time music lover Hope became a full-time writer in 2020 after being laid off from her regular job due to COVID-19. She now spends her time traveling the world to see her favorite bands while writing about them!

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