I love going to concerts, but I hate paying high costs for concert tickets. To be honest, I can barely afford the gas it takes to drive to a concert lately, so I ESPECIALLY hate paying TicketMaster high convenience fees for selling me overpriced concert tickets. The only thing “convenient” about the fees is how quickly the profits they generate add up for TicketMaster…..
A few months ago I missed seeing my absolutely favorite band (Rilo Kiley) in concert because I could not find the money to pay for a ticket before the show sold out. I became determined to find a cheaper way to purchase tickets so that I would never suffer that same indignity again. I’m proud to say that I have finally found a way to buy concert tickets cheaply! Only two nights ago, I saw a $55 concert for $20. I also found cheap tickets for seven of my friends at similar prices and earned a few popularity points in the process.
Here is how I did it and how you can do it too:
1. Find at least one other person who wants to buy a cheap concert ticket with you.
Cheap tickets always come in multiples of two, so be prepared to buy at least two.
2. Wait until the final days before the concert to search for tickets.
A few days before the concert everyone will be desperate to sell their extra tickets, so prices will drop significantly. The longer you wait, the more desperate people will become. However, I do not recommend waiting past noon of the day of the concert to contact potential sellers.
3. Search Craigslist and Ebay for tickets.
In my experience, this is where the cheapest concert tickets are listed. There are several ticket resale websites that list cheap concert tickets, but they, much like TicketMaster, often charge high convenience and shipping fees.
4. Respond to listings via phone and email, and/or make bids on the cheapest concert tickets you find listed. I recommend responding to multiple listings since some tickets listed may already have been sold.
5. Haggle your way to the cheapest concert tickets possible.
Don’t be afraid to offer people a little less than what they are asking the tickets. You might respond to a listing for $30 tickets with a message that looks something like this:
“Hello! Are the (artist’s name here) tickets still available? I have seen several pairs of tickets advertised at $25, would you be willing to accept $50 for a pair? Thank you!”
6. Establish methods for payment and delivery
This step is crucial if you do not want to be ripped off. Only pay for tickets online through PayPal, and only if the seller is PayPal verified and has a positive rating. The last person I bought tickets from online was PayPal verified with over 500 positive reviews, so I was able to purchase from them with total confidence. After you pay through PayPal, the seller will likely email you E-Tickets as an attachment. You will open the attachment, print out the tickets, and take them to the show with you.
If you are meeting a seller in person, be safe! Meet them in a well populated, public place, and if possible, take a friend with you. Look over the tickets to be sure that they are legitimate before giving the seller any money.
7. Enjoy the show!
Also enjoy one of the greatest benefits of buying cheap concert tickets: use the money you saved to buy a t-shirt, poster, snack, or drink at the show!
