Spring is finally here and with that comes blossoming flowers and college kids going crazy in Cancun. For me, Spring means mostly one thing… the start of baseball season. I will watch over 130 Red Sox games this year. While I love watching the game on television, it doesn’t compare to going to a game. They are completely different experiences.

Going to a major league baseball game is expensive. In Boston, if you are lucky enough to get tickets at face value, it will cost you $314 for a family of four with beer, hot dogs, and soda. It’s not just the cost of tickets and concessions, there’s souvenirs and parking (up to $100 a game) as well.

If you have to buy tickets on the secondary market it can get much more expensive. Some tickets for regular season games go for $1000 or more a piece. While that’s the high end, even the bleacher seats get marked up 100% or more.

Here are some tips for enjoying baseball games despite your situation.

• Consider Minor League Baseball - Though this a complete cop out if your favorite team is a major league team, some great savings can be had. Here’s a great story about a blogger saving money at a minor league baseball game.
• Eat before the game or bring your own food - Many people don’t realize it, but many ballparks allow to bring your own food to the game. For instance, Fenway Park has a long list of items of not allowed, but food is not listed. For drinks, you might be limited to juice boxes since they prohibit nearly every other container I can think of.
• Take public transportation - One thing I learned quickly is that it is much cheaper to drive near the game and take public transportation the rest of the way. I find that I get home quicker because I don’t have to deal with traffic when the game finishes.
• Buy souvenirs in advance - Hats and shirts are likely to be more expensive at the game. If I were taking a family of four, I
  would hop on Ebay and buy clothing in advance. You’ll not only save money, but you’ll look good tailgating before the game.
• Prepare for weather - I’ve gotten a sunburn and nearly suffered from hypothermia in the same game. Now I make sure that I
  have a strong sunblock on, dress in layers, and bring a blanket.
• Watch your favorite team in another city - This is more appropriate for those who have to deal with the secondary ticket
  market. Why not plan a summer vacation around the baseball schedule of your favorite team? Washington D.C. can be an extremely fun and educational vacation - and you can catch the Red Sox and Yankees there August 18th-24th.

I’m not the only one to try to tackle the raising cost of the national past-time. You might want to read other related articles at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity and Money and Values.

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Lazy Man has been a lender at Prosper since February 2006. He is the author of the personal finance blog, Lazy Man and Money and the health and fitness blog, Lazy Man and Health.