Before Your Next Outing You Must Find Discounted Tickets

I have been pushing my kiddos on the idea of experiences over things for some time. It is sometimes a tough sell, but they always seem to enjoy the experience and it tends to bring our family closer together. The problem with experiences is a lot of them are expensive especially for a family of 5. Here are some of my tips on obtaining discounted tickets or free experiences.

Check Discount and Local Sites
Of course, everyone is familiar with Groupon and other coupon sites online, but they are fantastic resources for discounted tickets. The most important thing about checking these sites is to not be too picky. If you are looking for a museum, for example, be open to a number of different local museums. In fact, if you haven't been there before it may be an even more rewarding experience. There are also Facebook and other social media sites that advertise discount tickets. Before heading out, I always check these sites and check to see if any discounts are available. I also look for free events in the community. I have found especially in the fall and around Christmas there tends to be a plethora of free community events. I put them on my calendar and prioritize those over purchasing tickets.

Purchase Your Tickets Online in Advance
Before I go anywhere, I always check to see if the tickets are discounted online. There are a number of locations that offer a significant discount online and it also saves you from having to wait in long lines upon arrival. I have found museums and amusement parks almost always offer these discounts. The challenge here is to not purchase a ticket when you will not use it. Therefore, I usually buy these tickets when we are literally walking out the door. This avoids wasting money on tickets when kids are sick, the weather is not good, or other unforeseen challenges stop you from going.

Look for Group Purchasing Power
If you are able to purchase group tickets, they are almost always discounted. Check with your local church, community organization, or school for the ability to purchase discounted tickets to your favorite amusement park, zoo, aquarium, museum, or event. Facebook and other social media groups have made it easier to identify groups selling discounted tickets. Just be careful that the group is legitimate and you are sending money to a reputable group.

Get the Membership or Season Pass
I understand these memberships and season passes can be expensive, but if you do the math, it typically only takes 2-3 visits to equal the full price of admission. If there are museums or amusement parks we frequent often, I always do the math before purchasing a ticket. I also consider realistically our commitment to that location. I have limited our memberships and season passes to one or two per year. This makes sure we obtain the full value of our membership and keeps us from growing tired of an experience. In this manner, I am able to rotate the years we spend at the aquarium, zoo, museum, amusement park, etc. I also try to consider the timing of the experience (e.g., one summer membership and/or one winter membership) so we are able to enjoy a full season of activities.

Let Your Membership Expire or Check for Member Only SpecialsI have found if you let your membership expire, they will often offer you an additional discount to recommit. Often, existing members are also provided with incentives to continue the membership. As noted above, make sure this is an experience you want to recommit to for another year. Sometimes, it also makes sense to let it lapse and alternate with different memberships to renew your interest in the experiences.

Ask a Member to Tag Along
I have found that memberships frequently offer specials to members, such as free or discounted tickets. If you ask an existing member to tag along on their membership, they may be able to pass along those discounts to you. Even better, coordinate with a friend or family members so you can go to each experience. We have coordinated with family where one family purchases a membership to the zoo and we purchase season passes to an amusement park. We are able to all go together to both so it's a win-win.

Just Ask
I have found (especially if I have been a past member) that if you just ask they may offer you a discount. A lot of museums etc. receive a substantial portion of their revenue from memberships. Therefore, they may be willing to offer you a 10 or 15% discount (which they are probably already offering to their existing members). It just never hurts to ask.

Check Out the Library
Our local library is fantastic. We frequently visit the library to check out books and movies. The library also hosts a number of events for kids and adults alike. My husband and I enjoyed a murder mystery event and they always have readings and other events for the kids. One of my favorite perks of the library is the availability to access free tickets. The library offers a number of tickets that you can check out like a book. These include tickets to the local zoo, museums, and such. The only thing better than discounted is free so make sure you visit your library before your next experience.

So, before you head out on your next outing make sure you are looking for free and discounted tickets. And have fun!