I often get asked how I can afford to go to so many concerts. First, let’s keep in mind that I am 25 years old and have a great paying job. But even when I was in high school I paid for all my own concerts (and sometimes had to pay for half or whole of my mom’s tickets if she was going with me)
In middle school and high school I worked summers. I’d keep some of that money aside. I also found Hanson stuff at the mall and sold it to people online for more money than I paid for it. It might have been only $1 or $2 per item, but if you keep it all kept aside for a specific purpose (concert tickets) it would add up. Somehow if there was a concert coming, I always found a way to earn the money for my ticket (if I already didn’t have enough saved).
Once I got an actual hourly job at 16, it was a lot easier to save money. I chose a certain amount per check that I put into a separate savings account that wouldn’t leave me broke. (but it could be as easy as throwing $5 into an envelope after you cash your paycheck, just make sure it is in a safe place and not so well hidden that next week you can’t find it! lol) Some weeks I was able to put in more. Other weeks I had to skip putting money in all together. If I got birthday money or money for holidays I would put some of that money away as well.
The key is trying to be consistent. Now that I have regular hours – it is easy to say that I want to put X amount of dollars away per week and stick with it.
I also used to cut back in other places as well – If you go to the movies every weekend with your friends, maybe cut back to every other weekend and throw the $9+ you would spend on your movie ticket in to your concert fund. Skip a trip to Starbucks here and there and throw that $$ in to your fund. I’m not saying don’t have any fun ever, but pick and choose where you are spending your money if going to concerts is really important to you.
Even if you have no concert in mind to buy tickets for – chances are your favorite band is going to end up touring at some point. It is better to have all that money saved up front than scramble for it when tours and ticket sales are announced (especially if your favorite band is notorious for announcing dates just *days* before they go on sale!)
This method might not work for everyone – but I spent something like $1000 on concert tickets in 2009 (and this is NOT including my cruise to the Bahamas on the Rock Boat) so I know it works for me.