What do you give up to afford Broadway?

[goodlead]

I know that most people here know of all the good ways to avoid paying full price for tickets. Nevertheless, you all spend a lot of money on shows, seeing the same show multiple times or whenever a significant cast change takes place. And all that adds up. So what do you not spend money on to have money left over for Broadway?

[Bwayfan292]

delete

[greenifyme2]

I don’t really go out to bars or drink much at all. My husband will go out and spend $100 in one night on drinks with his friends. So I spend my $100 going to shows instead.

I also don’t really put importance on fashion, so I feel like I spend a lot less than other women by not buying a lot of new clothes, purses or shoes. I also take public transit or walk everywhere and never take cabs or Ubers, which can add up fast if you get in that habit.

It took me 7 years of living here to realize there are affordable ways to see shows. I’m definitely grateful to producers who offer lotteries and discounts, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to see all that I do. It’s definitely something really special about this city and a highlight of living here.

[rg7759]

basically ditto, alcohol and friends.

[JudyDenmark]

Ditto for me too. I don't drink anymore, and am not the type of girl to spend money on expensive shoes and purses the way a lot of my friends do. Theatre is my splurge, other than travel.

Also worth saying that age/career has a lot to do with it. When I first moved to the city and was living paycheck to paycheck I was obviously seeing WAY less than I am now in my late 30s with an established career. I've worked hard to get where I am and feel very grateful to be in a position now that I can see whatever I want to see. Certainly wasn't always the case. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Safe sex.

[LizzieCurry]

Gaming, buying a house, buying a car, having pets.

But I don't really see it as "giving up" stuff since these are things I never cared a lot about anyway. (Plus I rent the house I live in and my roommates have a dog.) I do drink, but not more than maybe twice a month, and nothing expensive. I take a cab or use Lyft only three or four times a year.

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

I don’t go out often, only when visiting friends which is usually like three times a year. I don’t eat out much unless I have gift cards. I don’t live in the city but I don’t live super far either so I can save money by taking a bus into the city during my trips.

[Impossible2]

Drinking.

[vampire musical]

I do hair modeling to get free haircuts (or sometimes even get paid to have my hair cut) and skimp on other expenses like that (do my own nails, don't get my eyebrows waxed, etc). I'd rather pay $100 to see a show than pay $100 to get my hair trimmed. I try to get as many comps as possible but it's harder to do for hot shows. I try to only splurge on prime tickets when it's something I really want to see and has a limited run. 

[Sondheimite]

I have friends in the community who I help get tickets and who help me get tickets.

I am starkly against materialism so I don't buy vinyl, new clothing (unless I have to), or all the other little things that add up quickly like I used to!

I stopped drinking completely, which saves me a LOT of money a money. 

And I don't live outside of my means.  If I don't have money in the bank to buy something, I don't buy it.  I have a modest apartment and I don't go out to eat (unless it's grabbing Papaya Dog or something off a fast food value menu).  

By not racking up debt, I don't have to pay debt off.  I work hard and splurge on a full price ticket rarely (Lazarus as NYTW is the last full price ticket I bought) and line up early for a rush ticket if I have to see a hot ticket.  I use seat geek or stub hub right before curtain for a hot ticket show and can usually see shows for very cheap (sat in the orchestra for Angels for less than $70 this way... and that included tickets to both plays).

There are ways to live a full life, not starve yourself, and see every show in a season.  

 

[Bwayfan292]

Weed.

[Sondheimite]

Bwayfan292 said: "Weed."

Now, see.  That's where I draw the line hahahaha

I think I would have loudly groaned so loudly it would hav stopped the show in the Carousel revival at multiple points if I gave that up.  

[vanbrig]

I don't live in the city, so my cost of living is a lot lower in general, which leaves more money for shows. However, this also means seeing things on Broadway costs a lot more, because I have to take into account flights, hotel, and such. I do take advantage of some ticket discounts, but usually not rushes or lotteries since I don't have as much time for those when I'm visiting. Plus, I like the guarantee of having a ticket in advance.

Basically, the way I manage it is through a combination of having a decent paying job (for my field, anyway) and utilizing good planning and budgeting. I set money aside each month for one or two trips to New York per year, and to afford this I avoid spending money on alcohol or expensive meals. I do buy clothes occasionally, but usually from this awesome cheap secondhand store in my city. I also don't spend much on hair or makeup.

When planning my Broadway trips, I do a lot of research to find the best time to go so that I can see the most shows that I want to see, and I also research the best times to buy flights and book my hotel. There's only a few shows that I see multiple times, which some might see as a loss but in my opionion makes me appreciate my viewings even more. I have a goal of eventually seeing a show in every theatre on Broadway, so if there is a show that I would like to see but it's in a theatre I've visited already and I think it will likely tour, then I usually skip it on Broadway and just wait for the tour (which tends to be cheaper).

Sometimes I wonder if I would be better off eventually moving to the city, and I might one day. But it's pretty hard to give up the perks of my current job, and one good thing about being away is that it makes seeing Broadway shows a very special and memorable treat for me.

[robskynyc]

greenifyme2 said: "I don’t really go out to bars or drink much at all. My husband will go out and spend $100 in one night on drinks with his friends. So I spend my $100 going to shows instead."

exactly the same here.

 

[bwaylvsong]

-I don't have a car and don't take cabs/Uber/etc. I find the most cost-effective thing for me is an unlimited weekly metro card. I don't buy the monthly so I can account for days off here and there when I don't have to travel, and it ends up costing me less.

-I don't have cable/satellite/Netflix/etc. Nothing wrong with broadcast TV and the internet. I go to the movies maybe once a year.

-I usually wear something a couple times before putting it in the laundry. Unless you sweat profusely and/or roll around in dirt, how dirty can clothing possibly get in one day?

-I don't eat breakfast; just coffee. And then I have an early lunch.

-It sounds silly, but I don't pay extra for any apps. I'm always shocked at how many people will, for example, spend money for boosters on candy crush... just download another [free] game!

-When I want to treat myself, I find a good deal- a price-fixe dinner, a happy hour drink, a rush theatre ticket, etc. Depriving yourself of having any fun at all in the present for the sake of *possibly* having fun in the future is silly.

[adam.peterson44]

I don't drink alcohol or eat meat, or own a car, or live in NYC, so those things tend to leave some money free for a fair bit of theatre.  I also no longer do other kinds of traveling because of my injury/disability and resulting ankle pain, so money that i used to save for a one or two-week vacation each year involving hiking or walking around new cities now goes to 2 or 3 five-day trips to NYC per year to see shows.  It's the only fun thing left that doesn't hurt my ankle every time.

[Marianne2]

I also don't spend a lot of money on going out or buying brand new things. Like I don't need the latest or most expensive things. I do have a car because of where I live, but it's mostly for getting to work and if I need to run errands. I always buy used and never have had a very expensive car.

It also helps that I work for a retailer of closeout items. The stuff is less expensive than at most other stores, plus I also get an employee discount.

[ahhrealmonsters]

I rarely drink, which is a big money saver. When I go out to eat, I go to moderately priced restaurants and get an entree, that's it (no drinks, appetizer, dessert, etc., which add up quite a bit). I rarely get my nails done professionally. I don't buy new clothes very often, and when I do, I buy non-name brands and/or on sale. I grocery shop at Trader Joe's, which is cheapest. I mainly see shows through TDF; I very rarely spend full price or even more than $50 on a show. I don't see every show of the season. There are a few shows (ex: Mean Girls) I haven't seen yet because of the price. I didn't grow up with a lot of money, and I kept a lot of the frugality as my family did when I was a kid.

[Robbie2]

Sometimes we pay full price and usually don't see a show more than once with the exception ...Hello Dolly!

[Jarethan]

I have made a science out of purchasing tickets.  Small theatre with no discounts means cheap seats, e.g., row 7 of the Booth balcony ain't exactly awful; small theatre with discounts means orchestra and we will split up if singles get us better seats, etc.  If I think a show is going to be a hit, I will probably get tickets before the reviews and price increases.  I don't get to Broadway as much as I used to -- probably 12 - 14 shows a year, but I see a lot in Florida, including touring shows, two local rep companies that are actually excellent -- I enjoyed Spamalot and Once more in Florida than the Broadway productions -- and the tickets are a lot more reasonable, e.g., I saw Beautiful (for the fourth time) in Tampa for $80 in the front orchestra.

Re sacrifices, stay in Jersey (Secacus) instead of Manhattan when I am paying (we have a close friend with some sort of Hilton Club thing that costs us nothing) and usually keep dinner reasonable, e.g., great Thai, Turkish, Juniors, neighborhood Greek.

[Marianne2]

Something else I just remembered is not spending a ton of money on vacations. Like I do go away sometimes, but it isn't mandatory for me. And I try to keep things inexpensive. I know people who go on cruises or an expensive trip out of the country or to Disney World every year. Me, I'm taking a bus back up to Boston and staying in a hostel to see more theatre this year.

[Rainah]

- well paying job

- rush, standing room, discount codes, etc, lots of ways to get cheaper tickets. I have limits on this, I genuinely do not see the point of sitting in rear mezz and I'm wary of rear orch unless I've done my research (It was fine for Anastasia, and we got tickets for $50 each, but at Hamilton it's partial view) 

- ...bootlegs. I don't live in NYC so the cost of travelling there is quite prohibitive. It allows me to see more shows. 

Saving money in real life
- I'm cheap as heck when I go out to eat, will choose the cheapest thing on the menu and water. Or just wait till I get home
- Like many said, I don't drink
- When I do go out, we choose cheaper things to do or find ways of having a good experience for cheaper. Bring sandwiches to a theme park instead of buying food there. Have a picnic for free. Go to a nice restaurant for lunch, it's half the price of dinner.
- I'm an avid thrift store and kijiji shopper. Bought a couch for $100, pants for $8, at the local value village I can often find brand name stuff too. 
- Investing in doing it yourself. This is a time as much as money investment. Instead of spending $$$ on skincare, learn to do it yourself with simpler ingredients. I was sick of paying for stamped jewelry, so I bought a stamping kit and learned to do it myself. I would not call myself a handy person at all, but I can still drywall, tile, paint, and otherwise make stuff other people do not bother to learn how to do. 
- Cut down on small luxuries. Give your self 10, 15, 20 bucks a week to cover all nonessential purchases. When I was in college and working a min wage job, I could not believe how often my coworkers would order food (When we got soup for free), order a drink after work, come in with frozen yogurt, uber to work, etc. I ate the free soup and soft drinks, walked or biked to work every day, and took myself to NYC with the money I saved. 
 

[uncageg]

For many years i got invites when i came to town. Still get some living here.

I have a tdf account and that is a big help. Especially since there are a lot of off-Broadway shows out there and i have been trying to see more of them.

I have cut back on buying lunch and dinner out. Most nights I stop by the grocery store and shop for the bargains i get with my store card (Stop n Shop) and cook at home. I have also cut back on going to bars. (I just get drunk at home!) I do not live in NY so my cost of living is a bit lower.

It is very rare that I see a show twice. If I do, the second time is usually on an invite. The only shows i can Denver paying to see twice are PLATINUM, WICKED and URINETOWN.

I also plan way ahead. If a show is announced that i want to see, I look at the starting dates and put it into my budget. That way if something pops up, like a Broadway concert i am going to in 2 weeks, I don't feel too bad buying the tickets. I just got a ticket to BROADWAY BY THE YEARS on tdf the other night.

[Wick3]

My rule is to always see a show via standing room or rush or lottery first. If I loved the show, then I will buy a non-premium priced seat (discounted if there’s a mailer discount) In front orchestra section. I’ve come to learn the experience of seeing a show is simply different from sitting in rear balcony to front side orchestra.