V Festival advice please

Teresa60

Hi, my daughter is going to the V Festival in Weston Park this week. Any idea how much money she would need? All you festival goers can give any tips?

Judderman_2

Personally, I think it's very much down to the person and how much restraint they have over their purse strings... I went to the Download festival this year taking just £20, but once I saw the burger vans (even tho you go saying you won't, they;re just too convenient), drinks to stop dehydration etc, I ended up spending over £100... it also depends how much food they're taking in the first place, and how long they'll be staying for

lilmissmup

I would say about £100 but depends on how old she is i.e can she drink? I am a festival goer and the food is so expensive about £4/£5 for a burger and then another £2 if she wanted chips. I spent about £100 last year at Reading, tried sneaking my alcohol in though for most of the time.

crank_girl

I've been to quite a few festivals and have found ways to economise over the years. This year at glastonbury we only spent about £50 between two of us over 5 days but we did take all our food and alcohol.

How much you spend is really determined by how much you take with you (both in terms of money and food/alcohol). A small gas stove and a supply of pot noodles/breakfast in a tin/tinned chilli etc will save your daughter a small fortune. If she is going with other people she could take a disposable bbq and a few burgers/sausages, rolls and a bag of salad etc to have a communal barbie on the first night. Also it's worth taking a few bananas and other snacks. I tend to spend on food when my blood sugar dips and I always end up eating rubbish and regretting spending the money and the subsequent indigestion! Alcohol is a tricky one since I think that you can't take it into the arena with you, so you will have to spend money if you fancy a drink once in. But it's worth taking a bit of what you fancy for drinking around the tents.

Do make sure she has the necessary waterproofs and wellies. They cost a fortune on site when it rains (£20 for wellies and £10 for ponchos). Better safe than sorry. Mine have got a lot of use over the past few years.

Hope she has a great time. If she gets a taste for festivals then she should try a proper one next year like glastonbury, sunrise, knockengorrock, shambala...

foreign_correspondent

I second the above advice, festival food is a rip off, especially for often dodgy burgrs and hot dogs etc...take a little camping stove and pan, a fork, plenty of instant noodles, tins of beans with sausages and other stuff in etc... cereal bars and crackers etc.
Also loo roll and wet wipes can really avoid discomfort!!

SorryToStay

Teresa60 wrote: »

Hi, my daughter is going to the V Festival in Weston Park this week. Any idea how much money she would need? All you festival goers can give any tips?

My girlfriend and her younger brother went to V festival last year. Me and my girlfriend are going this year. I've already asked her several questions about what to take / what to expect etc.

I'm faily sure she mentioned something to me about there being cash machines in the grounds of the festival (could possibly charge for usage as the machine is at convenience). I would suggest taking just enough - probably around £30 maybe?

I would tell your daughter to sleep with her possesions (purse / wallet, camara, mobile phone) in her sleeping bag, as I have heard stories of things being stolen from the persons tent whilst they sleep.

Make sure she doesnt take anything overly valuble either. They may get lost / stolen.

There are plenty of mobile phone charging points too within the grounds.

I also agree with the other users about taking your own camping stove, food, water etc. try to discourage your daughter from drinking excessivly, mainly due to the dehydration part of it. She will be more tempted to buy drinks from the stalls / bars if dehydrated and doesnt have any water with her - a cup of tea cost my girlfriend £2 or something last year. ridiculous.

V Festival in 6 days

Hope your daughter has a brilliant time!


EDIT - I forgot to mention. If using a tent with pegs (not one of those pop up tents you can get now) - make sure your daughter takes a mallet, as opposed to a hammer. Hammers are not allowed in the grounds of the campsite or arena.

crank_girl

SorryToStay wrote: »

I'm faily sure she mentioned something to me about there being cash machines in the grounds of the festival (could possibly charge for usage as the machine is at convenience). I would suggest taking just enough - probably around £30 maybe?

If these are anywhere as popular as the ones at the festivals I've been to, you could be in for a very long wait. I queued for 3 hours at glastonbury; friends of mine have queued for longer. It's an expensive wait too, given the price of tickets (and what you could be missing!).

I moderate for festival information services for glastonbury festival official message boards and always advise virgin festie goers to take all the money they think they will need for the festival. You could always put half or more in the secure lock-ups provided at festivals (I'm sure V will provide them) and make regular trips back to top up funds. It means you spend more wisely and don't risk losing any or having it stolen.

On the topic of security, thefts at festivals are not uncommon so I would advise anyone to sleep with their money in their sleeping bags at the bottom and only take items you can afford to lose. It's not a huge problem, by any means, but having your money/camera/ipod/<insert expensive item here> really puts a dampner on things.

impy78

£100 should about right.

girldownroad

This will be my 6th time of going to V.

It depends what sort of person she is. You dont want to be carrying to much money around with you and you dont want to leave it in the tent. i have never had anything robbed, but i dont leave vaulables lying around.

The carpark is between £8-£10
Most of the food is priced between £3.50-£6.00
Drinks usually £3.50.
there is also a fair with a few rides.

There is usually 1 cash machine and approx 4-5 hour queue. the stalls there do tend to offer cash back.

The main expense is food and drink....

Teresa60

Thanks for all your replies. All very helpful. I think I'm going to be worrying the whole time!!!

crank_girl

Teresa60 wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies. All very helpful. I think I'm going to be worrying the whole time!!!

Fun to be had is directly proportional to parental worry!