A Week At Electric Forest Music Festival On A $47,500 Salary

The background

I am a 23-year-old Qualitative Research Analyst living in a studio apartment in Chicago. My salary is $47,500, which feels like a comfortable starting point, but I am very intentional about where every dollar goes. I grew up in a household where money was always a topic of conversation, and that shaped me into someone who is, frankly, super cheap. I prioritize my future self by contributing $277 to my 401(k) and $500 to my Roth IRA every month. After my $1,000 rent and other essentials like my transit pass and health insurance, I do not have a massive surplus, so I plan my "fun" spending with military precision. This week is a big one: I am heading to Michigan for the Electric Forest music festival with my boyfriend, M.

A week of festival prep

The lead-up to a festival is always a balance of excitement and logistical spending. On Wednesday, M. and I decided to book a hotel for the night before the festival starts to avoid the grueling four-hour drive on Thursday morning. We used a Priceline mystery deal and snagged a room for $33.49 each. To keep our onsite spending down, I hit the grocery store for a case of water and a box of Franzia White Zinfandel ($10.60). Is it fancy? No. Does it get the job done while camping? Absolutely.

By Thursday, I was in full packing mode. I spent $14.50 on essentials like bananas, apples, and jalape\u00F1o cheddar to keep us fueled. I also grabbed a sandwich for M. because he was busy helping me get everything ready. We are trying to be smart about what we bring so we aren't tempted by $15 festival burgers every single time we get hungry.

The magic of the forest

Once we arrived at the festival on Friday, the spending shifted to "experience" mode. I spent $19.75 on a 30-rack of PBR, some gum, and a poncho because the forecast looked a bit dicey. My first real festival meal was Island Noodles ($12), which I have been dreaming about since I went to Bonnaroo last year. There is something about eating noodles in a long security line that just feels right.

Saturday and Sunday were all about the atmosphere. I have a serious weakness for the doughnut stand in The Forest. They are truly some of the best doughnuts in the world, and at $2.50 a pop, they are a relatively cheap thrill. I bought two on Saturday ($5) and split another with M. on Sunday night ($2.50). We also shared some Vietnamese noodle bowls ($13) after a long wait in line. The vendor actually gave us a discount because my mushrooms weren't cooked properly, which I appreciated.

The reality of the road home

By Monday, we were exhausted but happy. I finally treated myself to the cheesy cheese sticks ($5) I had been eyeing all weekend. On Tuesday, the "real world" started to creep back in. The drive home involved a stop at a diner for loaded hash browns and Oreo pancakes ($13.89). It was my first time using a real bathroom in four days, which felt like a luxury in itself.

I also had to stop at Culver's for a Chocolate Custard Concrete Mixer ($3.95) to stay awake during the construction delays. Once I got back to Chicago, I realized my fridge was completely empty. I spent $43.71 on a massive grocery haul to meal-prep for the coming week, including veggie burgers, fruit, and a $1 donation to the Special Olympics. Looking back, I spent about $190 for the week. For a four-day music festival, I feel like I managed to have a blast without compromising my savings goals.