Our love of our football team often hurts with dashed hopes, relegation worries and club strife. It can hurt us in the wallet too. According to the BBC, only 11 out of 104 clubs in England and Scotland offer adults a day at the football for less than £20 this season. And another money website found that over 1 in 5 supporters had spent over £1,000 last season, and of those, 1 in 7 had spent over £2,001 following their team. That’s over £50 a week over a 39-week season. For example Premier League football tickets including Chelsea Tickets, Manchester United Tickets, Liverpool Tickets & Arsenal tickets, Euro 2012 tickets have risen 2000% on average over the last ten years so you need to watch the finances carefully!
Our money-saving tips can help you love football for less.
Getting to the game
- Reduced ticket prices. Check if club membership offers you reduced ticket prices. If you have children, membership may offer even greater discounts, but there may be other special offers, for example some games allow ‘kids for a quid’. As ticket prices may vary between different seating areas, consider how much you may save if you choose a lower priced ticket.
- Ticket exchange. You may be able to buy cheaper football tickets through a ticket exchange website, but check if there’s a refund guarantee if something goes wrong. If you already have a season ticket but you can’t go to a match, check whether you can sell the match ticket back to the club or on a ticket exchange website.
- Away games. Plan in advance to save money on rail or coach tickets. This will usually be cheaper than going on a supporters coach. Hotel tickets are also cheaper in advance if you need to attend a midweek game a long way away. Check websites for advice on local prices.
Club loyalty – but at what price?
- Food. We all know that food inside the ground can be expensive, so why not bring your own to eat on the way, or to bring into the ground if your club allows? If you’re taking children to the match, preparing them their favourite match-day food at home may stop them nagging you for it later on! In winter, when only something hot will do, a bag of chips outside should be a cheap option. Even cheaper and healthier though is bringing your own soup in a flask, but check first if your club allows it.
- Replica shirts. Shop around to see if you can get team shirts cheaper. High-street stores can offer discounts on prices in club stores. But to make a long-term saving you could just buy a retro shirt instead so you don’t feel you have to buy a new shirt each season.
- Football-club financial products. Whether it’s a credit card, umbrella company
or savings accountthat is connected to your club, don’t let your loyalty get in the way of getting the right deal for you. Check the terms for how you or your club benefits. If it’s not right for you don’t be tempted. If you really want to help your club, consider making a donation to your club or club’s supporter trust instead.
Other footy fun
- Unexpected cup run. Consider saving something extra to pay for extra matches in a long cup run. If your club goes far, you’ll be glad you had the money rather than having to borrow. If you get knocked out early, you can use the extra savings to cheer yourself up, or put them towards a season ticket for next season. (If they win, start saving for Europe!) Our savings calculator can help.
- Non-league clubs. Even if you support a league club, consider taking a few matches off to support your local non-league teams instead. Many fans supported Non-league day last season, and it will take place this season on 3 September. Not only should a ticket be cheaper, but you can get closer to the action. If you have young children, they may have the opportunity to meet players after the match, if the club bar is family friendly.
- Televised football. Shop around to compare the cost of digital TV packages. Some may also include phone and internet service which may save you money. There are many price comparison sites that provide information on the prices of these services. Use a comparison site accredited under the Ofcom Price Accreditation Scheme. If you intend to stay with your current provider, check if you can order the sports channels on a month by month basis. You could check the TV listings (usually up to three months in advance) and plan when you need them.
Next season
- Is your season ticket value for money? Before renewing your season ticket, review how much your ticket cost you compared to how much individual tickets would have cost. If it’s not good value for money, but you want a guaranteed seat, consider sharing a season ticket with someone else.
- Can you avoid a season ticket loan? Any form of borrowing is likely to be more expensive than saving up for something. If you use a credit card, make sure you are able to pay it back quickly otherwise the cost can quickly mount up – see our credit card calculator. Instead of borrowing, see if you can get your money in order by creating a budget. Try our budget planner – just enter your income and expenses and it will do the sums for you. But if you do intend to borrow, check out our loans section to find out what your options are and to get the right option for you.
