Where to Look for Special Offers on Tickets

With event attendances hitting a boom period, the challenge for the punters is less about getting a great deal on a ticket than just finding a fair deal, or even a ticket at all.

Getting A Fair Deal

If there are more willing ticket buyers than there are tickets, then there is no need to pull in the punters with special offers. Instead ticket sellers can now exploit demand by charging what they like. As a result, exorbitant additional booking fees are the norm and heavily marked up second hand ticket sales are rife.

Instead of hunting for the big savings, price conscious punters often must instead focus their wiles on just getting a fair deal.

Cut Out The Middleman

The prime objective of the cost-cutting event goer should be in buying a ticket at its ‘face value’. This refers to the cost of the ticket before any additional booking fees, postage charges or second hand mark ups are added by agents or secondary ticket sellers.

Whether you’re purchasing sports tickets or concert tickets, most are sold through a booking agency, who add on their own, often extortionate, administration fees. To avoid this extra cost it is always worth trying to book from the venue directly. This will not only mean you can save money by purchasing tickets at their face value but you may also be offered cut-price tickets.

Fan-Only Discounts

If you enjoy going to see your favourite football team or music artists in concert then it is worth visiting their official website and registering for their mailing list or fan club. In an effort to help their genuine fans get to tickets before the ticket touts, mailing list and fan club subscribers are not only offered the chance to buy concert and football tickets before they go on general sale but also, on occasion, at discounted prices too.

Comparing Ticket Agencies

If there is no other way of purchasing an event ticket without employing the services of a ticket agency, then you can still try to get the best deal by comparing the total price from different agencies. The main companies are Ticketmaster, Ticket Web, Star Green and Seetickets but there are many others offering competitive prices for the same events.

Getting Sold Out Tickets At Face Value

With so many events selling out, the second ticket market – such as on sites like eBay – has become a very popular place for punters to get hold of that elusive ticket. However, with most secondary sellers out to make a sizable profit out of fans’ desperation, this is far from a cost-efficient option.

Fortunately one ethically minded ticket seller has made it possible for people to buy tickets at their face-value for sold out events. The Scarlet Mist website is ticket exchange service for people who, for whatever reason, don’t want their ticket anymore and are willing to sell it on at its face value to those that missed out in the first place.

Theatreland Special Offers

The world of theatre is one area where there are still opportunities for special ticket offers. The two main techniques involve either visiting the various discount theatre ticket websites or waiting until the day of performance and picking up a last minute bargain.

For pre-plan theatre ticket discounts then websites like Lastminute.com and Theatremonkey are worth a visit, as they advertise special half-price and discount deals on lots of big shows.

If you are planning a trip into the capital for a show then why not travel by train and take advantage of the National Rail’s ‘Go By Train’ scheme, which offers 2-for-1 deals for lots of popular performances.

Alternatively you could save money by just avoiding the West End rush and heading to theatreland’s fringes, where there is lots of varied entertainment on offer in cosier and more intimate settings.

On The Day Bargains

There are various bargains to be snapped up on the day of performance if you are willing to take the risk and are not too finicky about what show you get to see.

Many theatres are known to hold back a certain number of seats until show day when they release them at a discount. It is common for queues to start forming outside the box office from 8 in the morning. The over 60s, students and the unemployed are encouraged to take in a show by many theatres who offer 70% offer tickets sold in the final hour before the start.

As long as you’re not too fussy about which West End show you want to see, then Leicester Square’s tkts booth offers a great way to get a ticket for a sold-out show and also get between 25% and 50% knocked off the price.