Festival season is here, and for lots of us this could be the first time we’ve been able to enjoy one in three years. But if you’ve not got your ticket yet there are going to be a couple of problems.
First, the hottest tickets, such as this month’s Glastonbury, have sold out. And if tickets are still available elsewhere, they’re really not cheap.
Even without the current cost of living crisis, I can baulk at some of the prices. With fees added then drinks and food on top, it’s easy for a one-day event to top £100. Throw in travel and camping gear for weekenders and that’s a huge amount of money disappearing from your bank account.
Fortunately there’s a great hack to get access to even the biggest festivals that can mean you won’t have to shell out on the costliest element — the ticket. All you need to do is volunteer.
In return for your time, usually an eight-hour shift each day, you’ll get free entry, access to secure camping (and showers!) and a meal token or two on top.
The organisers seem quite happy to let you switch these shifts if they clash with your favourite bands (as long as you can find someone willing to swap), and often you’ll be able to coordinate to work with friends if they also volunteer.
You will have to shell out a refundable deposit, but that’s to make sure you actually turn up for your volunteering. There’s usually also an admin fee or charity donation of around £10 on top.
The roles on offer can vary. You might be serving drinks at a bar, picking up litter, campaigning for a charity or be on hand in the camp site. There’s also a chance one of your shifts will be overnight — it all depends on the festival.
And many of the sites I looked at are still taking applications for events throughout the summer — from one-day events such as the British Summer Time (The Rolling Stones), Field Day (Chemical Brothers) and All Points East (Gorillaz, Nick Cave), through to camping festivals including Latitude, Leeds, Womad, Boomtown and We Out Here.
There are a few sites to check out. Some are via charities such as Oxfam, WaterAid and MyCause. Or you could try Hotbox and Feststaff. As each organisation has a different volunteer allocation you might find one is full for your desired festival, but another still has space. Sadly, Glastonbury opportunities are all gone.
Before you rush off to apply, it’s worth working out if your time is more valuable spent elsewhere. A good way to do this is to use the ticket price to calculate the equivalent hourly wage for your shift (remember to factor in any admin fee and if you get a free meal).
Obviously all the festivals vary, but for Field Day in London, you’re effectively getting £9 an hour — that’s less than the National Living Wage of £9.50 — whereas for the more expensive Rolling Stones gig it’s much higher at £14.50. But if you’re short on cash or don’t have the opportunity to earn more money, volunteering is a great way to get your festival fix.
Andy’s best buys: Amex refer-a-friend boosts end soon
If you’ve got a mate with an American Express (Amex) credit card, then it’s worth quickly asking them for a referral link so you can get a boosted welcome bonus.
Bear in mind some of these cards have fees, and you will be required to spend a sizeable amount in a short space of time to trigger the bonus. And obviously make sure you completely pay off the balance each month to avoid interest charges.
There are a few on offer, but these two give the biggest increase to the normal promotions. A point can be worth 0.8p if converted to Nectar points via Avios, meaning 30,000 points equals £240.
Amex Card: The Platinum Card
Boosted bonus: 65,000 Membership Rewards Points
Offer ends: June 7
Annual fee: £575
Condition: Spend £6,000 in six months
Amex Card: Preferred Rewards Gold
Boosted bonus: 32,000 Membership Rewards Points
Offer ends: July 19
Annual fee: £0 in year one, then £140
Condition: Spend £3,000 in three months
Andy Webb is an award-winning blogger and podcaster from Be Clever With Your Cash. Follow Andy on Twitter, YouTube and Instagram via @andyclevercash
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