Recently I went to a Jack White concert and even more recently I went to a hurling match in Ireland. In both cases I bought tickets on the day of the event. I think this is the way to go and will explain why.
Concert/Sport tickets
Now is the age of online tickets and there are often dozens available the day the event is to occur. Some websites sell tickets until an hour before the start and others up until the start so you will want to know the deadline. As the event approaches the tickets become less valuable as they are worthless when the event is over. If sellers are smart they will prefer a little money, even less than face value, over no money. Therefore, as it gets closer to the deadline prices go down. However, there will be others wanting to buy tickets at lower prices so it is a delicate dance. I almost got Lana Del Rey tickets for $25 after fees, but my card thought it was fraudulent and when I went to buy again it was gone. I have
10 cards and I chose that one, but that’s another story.
Another method is to go to the venue. The same deadline exists, but you will have to do the negotiation in person. For the hurling match I got the ticket at face value, but I should have attempted to get a better deal. The key is you must be willing to walk away. This is easier if you have a venue nearby and can go back home or do something else.
Amusement park tickets
It is more difficult to get a deal on park tickets. You could get an annual pass, like I did with skiing. This only makes sense if you will be going 10+ days. Sometimes there will be a grocery store offer for discount tickets or something random like bring a Coke can to Six Flags and then buy one ticket get one free.
My best deal was buying tickets to Six Flags on eBay that expired at the end of the year. It’s a similar situation to the concert tickets and people are rushing to get rid of them. Then I resold them to people going to the park who were going to pay full price. We all win in that case, except Six Flags, so I guess you know why they went into bankruptcy protection. Be sure to follow the terms and conditions of the tickets.
Conclusion
If you want to see Beyonce forget everything I just said and give away all your money. Otherwise there is hope.
