All too often we stay holed up at home just because we are terrified of what going out might do to our pockets. Well, lack of money is no excuse not to join the crowds for a bit of fun, sun or fresh air. There are many things that one can do without having to swallow hard at the cash machine. Like with all the best things, it’s just a matter of keeping an ear to the ground and an open mind.

Here we show you some of the ways you can find free or cheap tickets to events:

Dig Day to Day Opportunities

I will never tire of going along to 100% free events, such as art talks, film screenings, gallery openings and history talks that crop up on a daily basis. I can also wholeheartedly affirm that many of the best things I have ever seen and done have been inexpensive activities organized in conjunction with local authorities, cultural associations and even private entities. The precise nature of what is available in any one place does depend on what is in vogue in the area, many areas have a lot of live music, others excel in theatre or comedy, some frequently host all manner of street activities.

Finding out where officially recognized activities take place does not take too much rooting around, usually they are partly funded by local authorities who will do their best to let people know. Local activity and culture guides should have comprehensive listings of all such forthcoming events, as well as ample information regarding pricing, location and entrance arrangements. I really like to take advantage of summer events as they often combine different things to create events that will appeal to a broad spectrum of people and ages.
One great resource for finding free events and activities is FreeAttractions.

Plan for Big Events

Another type of event that always excites me is the themed festival, which most cities use to attract attention and encourage latent local talent to emerge and develop. Here, I refer to theatre and comedy festivals, music festivals, art, fashion etc. Again, the specific nature of such events does depend on local preferences.

Entrance costs can vary between nothing and lots, so it pays to start looking early on. There are usually opportunities to opt for cheaper entrance fees for those who book ahead, for groups and for specific times of day. You should also look out for the fringe events that tend to take place in parallel to the headline events.

Children are often well catered for during these events at no cost to parents, well you’ll probably have to stay nearby but there should be activities aimed at them too.

Know What’s Happening on the Ground

Venues that organize events and activities on a regular basis, also tend to offer a large number of public workshops and classes. Most require a payment or some sort of fee or contribution, but it is likely to be small. Likewise many clubs and societies offer all sorts of open days, special events and workshops as a way of attracting interest and informing the public about their activities.

Such events are often less well advertised, so finding them will require some interest on your part. Browse through the ‘clubs & societies’ section in your local paper, for lists of groupings that might interest you. If your local library has a notice board, it will likely provide you with a wealth of information; libraries seem to be hubs of knowledge for local events.

If you are lucky enough to live in a place that has a university, go on to its website and have a quick browse too. Universities tend to value the contribution and interest of members of the local community, and the clubs that exist under their auspices often aim many of their activities at their local community. Getting to know people in such institutions can open many doors in your social life too.

Social Networking

Get to know people who are interested in, or involved with, the kind of activities that you would like to partake in. There is no better means to anything than knowing people, it’s even more effective than having buckets of money.

Use whatever means you have at your disposal to network within your areas of interest. Good relationships with the right people can mean free tickets to sporting and cultural events of all types, learn to nurture such relationships over time.

Groups and Clubs

If you think that you can organize a group outing, why don’t you try to negotiate some free tickets? Groups almost always get reduced ticket charges. If you are the one who arranges and negotiates the event, you could easily negotiate a few free tickets for yourself and your family. You must be ready to deal with the demands of getting everybody to commit to the date, and the more people that make up your group, the harder you’ll be able to negotiate. Remember, you are putting yourself out to organize a good time for other people, it’s not wrong to reward yourself with some freebie tickets.

Some places may be readier to negotiate with you if they believe that you are some sort of club or society, so be prepared to portray yourself in that light. If you have kids and can integrate their extra-curricular activities into your leisure, you could try to help organize an after school activity. School groups often get lots of privileges, so if you wouldn’t mind getting involved, why not give it a go? It might be another good way of getting to know the right people for future events too.

Right Place Right Time