Saving at the County Fair

My local fair is in town and boy it’s EXPENSIVE – especially for a family of 6! Here are some ideas to spend a little less on a day out!

Tickets:

• Look for discounted advance tickets. Usually you can save a few dollars buying tickets before the fair opens.
• Look for Food Drive Days.  Our local fair offers free admission on a single day during the fair week if 5 canned items are donated to a food drive.  We can pick up canned items as low as 50¢ each so $2.50 in canned items is a much better deal than $9 a ticket.
• Many fairs run senior and student days.  Take advantage of your age and get a discount!

Rides:

The best way to save money?  Don’t ride the rides. At my fair the kiddie rides are 4 tickets ($2) and go all the way up to the big rides at $5 each.  Doing a little cost analysis: if each ride lasts 2 minutes that equals out to $60/per hour/per person at the CHEAPEST ride.   At the bigger rides that equals out to  $150/per hour/per person.  But if you decide to here are some ideas to reduce the cost a little.

• Look for unlimited ride days.   These are going to be the most crowded days but also the cheapest.  My fair charges $25 for this day plus admission.
• Buy tickets in a bundle.  Single tickets are 50¢ each at my fair but buying them in bundles is less expensive.

Just a thought: Most fairs have 10 or less rides.  For admission plus an unlimited ride pass it equals out  to $36.00 at my local fair. A daily ticket to Carowinds costs as low as $38.99 (when 4 tickets are purchased). So for $2.99 more you can visit a full amusement park for an entire day.  Just something to consider if you are really just after a day of  amusement rides.

Games:

• Do some quick math before handing over $2 for a ring to try and win a 25¢ goldfish.  Most of these games will frustrate kids (and adults) and be very unlikely that you will actually win a good prize.
• Avoid “game row”- where all the carnival games are.  Avoiding the temptation to try and win that super sized plush animal

Food:

• Eat before you go. Instead of purchasing a full meal’s worth of food at the fair- eat only dessert.  A funnel cake instead of a table of hot dogs and hamburgers or turkey legs.  You still get that taste of fair food without the price.  Last time we went a single slice of pizza was over $5!  Eat that pizza at home and pick up smaller fare there.
• Avoid soft drinks – they can run $3+ .  If your fair allows, bring your own bottled water.  Healthier and less expensive

Parking:

• Parking can be as much as the admission tickets!  Look for a location nearby the fair grounds that offers parking for a donation!  In my area there are even residential houses that offer to let people to park in their yards for less than the fair grounds parking.