Money Crashers: How to Get Cheap Concert, Event & Musical Tickets

This fall, Brian and I are doing something a little unusual for us: we're going to a show.

The reason it's unusual is that, come on, have you seen what tickets cost? People are dropping a grand at a time to see Hamilton, but pretty much any Broadway show will run you at least $100 a seat. We just can't bring ourselves to spend that kind of cash on a regular basis.

However, I recently started digging into this topic for Money Crashers, and I discovered that there are, in fact, ways to see a good show—maybe not the hit of the season, but a good show—for a lot less than this. And the same goes for concerts, sports matches, and other events with normally ridiculous ticket prices.

Some ideas include:

• Choosing cheaper events—like a weeknight performance, a concert by a lesser-known artist, or a mid-season game that doesn't have as much riding on the outcome.
• Choosing cheaper seats, which may be more isolated or have a less perfect view.
• Knowing where to shop. Options include buying on Craigslist, going directly to the venue, or using a site that offers price alerts.
• Knowing when to shop. Prices often fall closer to showtime.
• Taking advantage of special offers, which include working for a seat, winning one in a giveaway, buying student rush tickets, or using a "seat filler" service.

In the process of researching this article, I looked at some theaters in my area to see their tickets cost—and lo and behold, I found that the State Theatre in New Brunswick was offering a one-night improvisational comedy performance by Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood, of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" fame. And the cheapest seats in the house, rear orchestra, were only $25 each. A total of $50 (plus tax, plus parking) is still a bit more than Brian and I usually spend on an evening's entertainment, but we figured for a special event like this it was worth it.

This bargain basically took advantage of several of the tips I covered in the article. The State Theater is a pretty major venue for New Jersey, but it still ain't Broadway, so we didn't pay Broadway prices—and since it's a weeknight, the price was lower than it would be for a weekend. We chose cheap seats, and we avoided fees by buying directly from the venue.

The show's in October, so I'll let you know afterward whether it was worth the money. In the meantime, you can check out the article for more details on how to get a good deal on an equally cool event in your area:

How to Get Cheap Concert, Event & Musical Tickets