Has this ever happened to you?
“Hey, watcha got going on next Saturday?”
“Nothing much, what’s up?”
“Well, Band XYZ is gonna be in town that night, do you want to go see them?”
“Oh, I would be so down, let’s do it!”
There’s nothing wrong with making spur-of-the-moment plans with friends and family, especially during the summer. The most memorable nights and events in our lives happen on short notice. While making choices on a whim can be great for the soul, they might not be the best for your wallet. RVCU is here for wherever life takes you, and we’re here to help when it comes time to say “YOLO” or to say “no” on those summer plans.
Summer concerts
It’s great to be a Stateliner during the summer concert season. Between Summerfest, Lollapalooza, and others, there are hundreds of opportunities within short driving distance to get your groove on in the summer. However, we’ve all come to know how pesky ticket fees for live events can be, with some services raising prices by over 25% in fees alone. But there are ways to combat these costs:
-Make your purchase 24-48 hours ahead of the show: If you’re buying tickets secondhand via Ticketmaster or StubHub, aim to make your purchase within 48 hours of the show. It’s even better if you can buy secondary tickets on the day of the show. As the show gets closer, sellers will get nervous about their inventory and would rather make *some* versus not making any money at all, which is why prices tend to drop closer to showtime
–Shop your venues: Like we mentioned earlier, Stateliners are in a great position to see concerts and numerous venues between Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Rockford. Chances are that your favorite artist will likely play a couple of these cities in short succession as a part of their tour, especially with Chicago and Milwaukee. Be sure to do your homework and see if the artist of your choice has multiple stops in the area, and compare prices, you may just end up saving yourself some money.
Summer sports
Much like summer concerts, there are plenty of options in and around the area to get your fix in for summer sports, whether it’s on the diamond, the pitch, or somewhere else, there’s something for everyone. But just like summer concerts, a lot of the same issues arise in terms of making your summer sporting events affordable. There are solutions, though!
Go with a weekday instead of a weekend: Less crowds, more sunshine, and most importantly, cheaper prices can be coming your way if you choose to go on a Tuesday or Wednesday as opposed to a Friday or Saturday. Also, at many ballparks, Sunday is usually family day, so be sure to look for discounted rates on those days as well.
Major League Spending at Minor League prices: While most RVCU members are within short driving distance of three MLB teams, don’t forget about the Beloit Sky Carp and the Rockford Rivets. Both offer high-level baseball at much more affordable prices.
Road Trips
Maybe something’s calling your name beyond Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin and it’s time to hit the road. But as we all know, road trip costs can add up quickly between snacks, eating out and fuel, there are ways to combat the costs of the open road.
Fuel Economy Trip Calculator: Wanna budget your trip without having to play a guessing game on where to get gas? That’s where fueleconomy.gov/trip comes into play. With this tool, you can input your car’s information along with your route, and in return, you’ll get an estimate on what you’ll spend on fuel costs. Give it a try!
Using your RVCU debit card in your mobile wallet: When it comes to spending in the Stateline or wherever the road takes you, be sure to add your RVCU debit card to your mobile to make payments with the tap of your phone! With mobile wallet, you can authenticate your purchases with Face ID, keeping your transactions safe. Plus, you’re earning those sweet Rock Rewards Points with every purchase.
