Whether it's your first Bonnaroo or you’re a music festival veteran, we welcome you to Inforoo.
Here you'll find info about artists, rumors, camping tips, and the infamous Roo Clues. Have a look around then create an account and join in the fun. See you at Bonnaroo!!
Post by bigconcertfancom on Jun 4, 2017 20:30:38 GMT -5
Here's my story. Huge concert fan, love music festivals. The largest one I've ever been to is Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis which is 3 days. Never been to a 4 day festival or one where a lot of people camped out. The ticket prices keep me away if tickets are $100+.
This year is worse than any other. My mom has a stage 4 breast cancer and she's trying to keep the house she's lived in most of her life but she has no income at all other than a $600 disability payment (because she's terminal). I've been really helping her out a lot whenever I have any spare income. I don't want her to be evicted and have to move right before she passes but she's still $1,200 behind in house payments. The doctors have given her an estimate of about a year longer. Things have gotten so bad that I've even setup an online fundraiser for her (shameless plug: www.gofundme.com/savemothersdaynow - but that really isn't why I'm posting here).
I never would have considered Bonnaroo this year honestly. I've put so much into keeping her stable. Near all of my bills are late, house payment late. I have $20 cash to my name and my vehicle needs an oil change ($22) before I go anywhere else. Totally maxed on credit cards. Like not even $5, most are over limit. But I actually WON 2 general admission tickets in a contest online. Now i'm looking at all the possible costs involved. Gas to get there (I'm a few hours away), lodging (or camping which I love/hate the idea of...), charge for parking, food, drink? I mean, I don't know... I do know that music festivals/concerts can be higher with everything. I reeeeeally don't want to miss it. I mean, I seriously, really don't want to miss it, but my girlfriend has started suggesting to me that maybe I sell the tickets and get caught up with bills and go some future year.
Can some people who struggle tell me about the finances of Bonnaroo? I mean, obviously, if we stayed off site, we'd probably have a lot cheaper places to eat/drink. I'm pretty used to not buying food/drink at festivals like this and just toughing it out. Will I have the time of my life if I go? Will I feel miserable in the hot sun, poor, and regretful?
I am in a similar boat being gifted a ticket, but know I have enough cause I calculated it out a few weeks ago to make sure. I calculated my gas from Akron, OH round trip to be about $100. I just bought a parking pass, $65 and no way around unless you can find someone to ride or crash with. Food can be done completely by bringing your own. If you plan to eat in centeroo expect snacks to be $6-$10 and meals to be $8+ (you can find cheaper things but this is probably average). I budgeted $25 per day in food (including Wed, and Mon due to drive and potential food stops and to be sure I'd have enough). So $100+ in food if you plan to eat in center mostly. I don't like leaving centeroo once I go in, so I don't eat more then pop tarts in the morning at camp.
If you choose to sell you will need to ask $250 obo or you probably won't sell this close. There are a lot for $300+ on stubhub and similar.
honestly, in your situation i'd sell the tickets. you can do roo really cheap, but it sounds like even doing it cheap would still put a financial stress on you....
with that being said, if you decide to do it anyways, camp. it's so much cheaper and nearly everyone camps. it's the only part of bonnaroo that makes it feel different from other fests. but you will need a tent, canopy, and a cooler. then you have the cost of ice onsite. you can get food and water (and booze) before arriving and sneak some booze into the centeroo if you want. if you prepare adequately, you shouldn't NEED to buy anything onsite. With that being said, if you do buy stuff onsite, it isn't OUTRAGEOUS, compared to what it could be. Water-fill stations are all over the inside of centeroo and you can bring in an empty waterbottle for that. But you have to be able to spend money ahead of time to be able to not spend money there, which is where the cost comes in.... I've lived off of lunchables ($1/ea at Wallyworld), water, and beer before, so it can be done, but if you have all that going on, i say wait for a year where you'll be in a better place to make it work, otherwise youll just be stressing the whole time you're there (and still feeling the affects after).
I will agree with what others have said about selling the tickets. that may be the best decision based upon what you have said. However, if you do not go that route and decide to go, Being at bonnaroo can be cheap, but you would need to bring your meals and beverages ahead of time. if you HAVE the goodies already, you can eat all your meals at camp saving a huge ton of $. I normally budget $20 a night on dinner inside roo and then eat my lunches and snacks all at my campsite. I usually go back to my site to get a beer but as sundown and then just drink enough in centeroo to keep a buzz.
You should sell your tickets. It sucks but if you have $20 in your pocket and need a $22 oil change then your net worth is -$2. A few hundred bucks could help dig you out of a hole instead of digging it deeper.
Post by crazykittensmile on Jun 5, 2017 13:57:35 GMT -5
I'm going to echo the others and suggest selling and staying home. There will always be other festivals to go to, and adding to your financial issues at the moment will surely bring you more stress as soon as you return home.
If you do go, though, I urge you not to stay offsite. Lodging expenses and gas to get in/out every day will exponentially offset any savings you're imagining (and you'd then be forced to eat at the vendors while at the festival). The cheapest way to do it is to camp and take in ALL of your food/drinks with you, and go back to camp periodically throughout the day for meal/drink breaks. And utilize the free water stations.
It's a very pricey endeavor though, lots of hidden costs that add up extremely quickly.
Post by bigconcertfancom on Jun 5, 2017 17:21:27 GMT -5
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
Unfortunately I also don't have the tickets yet. I was just announced the winner a few days back and they said they are going to get back to me to let me know how to obtain them. I can almost totally assume they involve picking them up (so I'm going to have to maybe go hours away either way - the gas expense is likely unavoidable) and maybe somehow it will also even be impossible to sell them (I mean they might be preregistered to me or something?)
Just so much up in the air. Sometimes winning something like this is both a blessing and a curse
I'm almost straight up half and half with what I should do. Maybe 51% sell tickets and 49% go... haha... but then especially if I'd have to go on-site to pick them up... just wow... I don't know..
Post by bigconcertfancom on Jun 5, 2017 17:26:34 GMT -5
If I had a better/more comfortable tent setup, I'd likely be more in the go column. I do actually have a tent but I've only used it one night and it was pretty basic. It was pretty uncomfortable and I don't remember sleeping much because of how much it felt basically just like sleeping on ground (and we had sleeping bags although I think they were pretty basic too).
Post by bigconcertfancom on Jun 8, 2017 15:24:02 GMT -5
I did end up selling. Instant regret honestly. Paid some bills with the money but now I'm just broke again and no roo.
If my financial situation doesn't improve next year, I hope you all consider me for that yearly competition on this board where you buy someone a ticket lol
