With Coachella marking the unofficial start to your summer festival season, your bank account has several financially trying months in its future. Between The Governor’s Ball and Panorama, plus all of the individual artists on tour, you’ll be tempted to spend all of your extra cash on tickets to the biggest and best events. If you expect to see everyone you want to see this summer and not go broke while you’re at it, Ticketmaster — infamous for its ridiculous service charges — can’t be your go-to for the concert season. Check out the following apps to see if you can save on your next gig.
Festlove
If you’re saving up for the next 3-day camping experience, then the Festlove app could be the perfect addition to your phone and budget. It wears multiple hats, letting you keep tabs on your favorite artists or genre and arranging for notifications when a band or event is coming up near you. Once you get the notification, you can follow an in-app link to make your purchase.
StubHub
As the largest secondary-market ticket marketplace, StubHub can help you when an important gig is sold out. Think of it as the eBay of concert tickets. Once downloaded on your phone, you can connect with other users hoping to sell their tickets. Depending on the popularity of the event — and how many tickets are left — you may end up spending more on tickets; however, most of the tickets sold through the app cost less than their original value.
TicketIQ
Like Festlove, the TicketIQ app can help you track touring artists and festivals. Its notification system can help you zero in on sale dates and times, sending out price alert on tickets in real time. It also comes with a convenient discount of $20 off of your first set of tickets purchased through the app.
e-Seats
With direct access to venues, event promotors, and other ticket brokers, e-Seats can help locate unusual or sold-out tickets on your behalf. They’re not just a go-to for summer concerts. They’re your best bet for when you need tickets to exclusive sporting events, too.
These apps don’t offer a one-size-fits-all solution to every single concert on your list, but they can help you keep your costs low this season. Even still, sometimes, you just have to splurge on that festival or concert ticket. There’s no way you’re passing up that once-in-a-lifetime stripped down session of your fave, even if it leaves you unprepared should an emergency come along.
In all likelihood, nothing will happen, but in case you’re hit with a charge for going over your data limit (maybe by sending too many Snaps from the venue) or you’re stuck replacing an expensive part in your car (on the way to the gig, no doubt), you should learn about direct payday lenders. They offer small dollar loans that can float you the cash you’re missing until your next paycheck, so you can cover these mini-emergencies even after you nabbed those floor seats.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to keep to your budget this summer and still manage to see all of your favorites. Download the above apps to get the best deals, and remember a small dollar loan can act as a great backup when your hobby eats into your savings.