LIVE THE FANDOM LIFE ON A BUDGET

Live The Fandom Life On A Budget: Above, Police Public Call Box Doctor Who purse with money spilling out of it.

From Merch to Experiences, Get it All Without Breaking The Bank

By Mélissa M Azombo

You didn’t choose the fandom life. The fandom life chose you. If there’s one thing you know, it’s that merch cravings are real. Long gone are the days of peacefully watching your favourite show on the sofa. Singing along to your favourite songs in your front room is no longer enough. Now, you want it all and the fandom cogs are routinely whirring, to frequently present you with too much merchandise to fill a TARDIS (is that possible?).

Too often, we stare across the TARDIS-sized gulf between ourselves and the fan-fulfilling treats we desire. These are not materialistic wants to a fan, but tokens of joy. Owning a part of something we enjoy can genuinely feel fulfilling. So, if you are priced out all of the time, this can feel disappointing.

Thankfully, it doesn’t always have to be this way. Whether you’re a music, TV or film stan, there are ways to live the fandom life on a budget.

Above: Taylor Swift performing to a crowd at her Reputation Stadium Tour. Image courtesy of Billboard

If you’re a fan of a particular musician, concert tickets or artist merchandise are probably the main reason your wallet gives you the side-eye. Pandemic life may have taken music events away from us but back in “normal” times, ticket prices were notorious for not exactly equating to pocket money. But, if you’re willing to, there are ways you can side-step this and still see the performance of your dreams.

If you really want to cut costs, refreshing the page the second tickets are released is a pastime you’ll have to say goodbye to. Holding out until the last minute is your new friend. Although this method does not give you any guarantee of a ticket, this is your chance to benefit from someone giving away an unwanted ticket at a portion of the price or even completely free. Post regularly on your social media pages to ask for a spare ticket. You never know who might get back to you. Keep a look out on platforms like Gumtree too for people listing spare tickets but beware of fraudulent tickets.

If you can’t quite say goodbye to refreshing the page on ticket release day just yet, it’s time to compromise. This means you won’t be grabbing front row seats. You may have a balcony seat or slightly obscured view but at a fraction of the cost of a front of stage seat, you will still be able to enjoy the music and see your favourite artist or band perform.

Are they on tour? Check out where they are playing. It might be worth booking to see their performance at a smaller venue rather than at a festival, because those performances tend to have a lower ticket price. Venues like The Roundhouse in Camden, London, even offer memberships or schemes you can join to get a further discount.

Of course, with concerts come official merchandise. While possible to save up for and definitely worth the money, given the time and effort that goes into the design and production of it, it’s no secret that it may not be budget friendly for everyone. Unfortunately, official artist merch is a trickier area to navigate when it comes to getting a bargain. You can see if someone resells the item on apps like Depop or Vinted. They may even post about it on social media or listings sites. Some wishful thinking is involved here but people giving away items they no longer want does happen. They may even turn up in vintage stores, along with other merchandise.

When it comes to official merchandise from franchises like film & TV shows, it becomes a little easier to grab a bargain. Remember suppliers will distribute their products across various retailers – except in cases of exclusivity – who are likely to all have different prices. It’s worth putting in the effort to compare prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal on your faves.

There is one way of snapping up free merch or concert tickets and that is to subscribe to newsletters and enter competitions. The artist’s newsletters should keep you updated on competitions. Staying tuned to their social media and website, as well as listening to the radio and reading a newspaper every now and again will keep you aware of chances to win freebies and experiences.

Golden Music: Above, the Doctor Who Series 9 Soundtrack album release.

When it comes to the music itself, you can stream the album on YouTube or other free music platforms, as soon as artists have made it available. If you wait a while, you can even borrow a CD from the library (when those open as usual again).

The same can be said for DVDs or soundtracks of your favourite shows. You should also be able to borrow these from your local library, along with books. With so much content available online nowadays, if you’re a TV or film fan, you may find that an online streaming service subscription is enough. At the same time, this new age system of online streaming has scattered shows and films throughout various different platforms, so it may not be viable for you to sign up to all of them just to watch your favourite shows. If you really want to own that DVD box set on a budget, second-hand shops like CeX or charity shops are a great way to own a piece of fandom at a fraction of the price.

Doctor Who: Time Fracture, a Doctor Who immersive experience, presented by Immersive Everywhere. Image, courtesy of TodayTix.

With Doctor Who’s Time Lord Victorius launching in September across books, audio books, and comic books, libraries, charity shops & digital download are all affordable options to access the full story and not feel like you are missing out on any of it. In fact, while libraries remain closed to the public or maintain limited access, you should be able to download and borrow digital copies of the books.

Time Lord Victorius will also feature an immersive theatre experience. Although concessions are not available when booking for Doctor Who: Time Fracture, discount codes are. In general when booking experiences, remember to track these down and select concessions, such as student discount, if you are eligible. Don’t forget to compare prices of booking online vs in person. Is there a booking fee or do they offer lower rate online than in person?

Tickets out of this world: Above, a Doctor Who Experience ticket and Toy Story 4 Cinema ticket.

If you’re a movie buff, you should use the same strategy to secure cheaper film tickets, whenever it is we are allowed to go to the cinema again. Look out for specific days or times a cinema might have cheaper tickets like Vue Mondays. If you’re a regular, it might be worth joining schemes like Meerkat Tuesdays or getting a membership like BFI Under 25.

So, while it may be a windy road sometimes, there are multiple ways to live the fandom life on a budget.