The summer months are winding down and so are the summer music festivals. We’ve already seen Coachella pass by, and Outside Lands was in early August. However, this doesn’t mean that the music has to stop.

Whether you are into pop, country, or obscure indie folk music, there are plenty of concerts coming up in the next few months. Buying tickets always seems to be the hardest part about going to concerts and often the most tedious.

Here are a few purchasing tips to help you get as near to your music idols as possible. Be aware of when your favorite bands are coming to town.

Follow their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to be the first to find out about tours and upcoming shows. Once you are following them on social media, there are often presale events you can join that will give you information or access to tickets the day that they are released.

These early bird sales are usually cheaper than the regular tickets that will be available to everyone eventually. If you miss the presale, spend some time checking various ticket sites. Personally, I prefer using Stubhub or Ticketmaster. Take time to compare the prices from each site, and a few others (remember to check the band’s website for tickets as well).

Always be careful with second party sale sites, make sure it’s a legitimate and trustworthy name (like LiveNation), and review your ticket before heading to the event. Subscribe to emails from
these sites as well. Stubhub will send spontaneous emails about upcoming concerts with links to available tickets. There are also several apps that you can download to keep up with your personal music scene.

Songkick is an app that assesses the music in your playlists and offers you filtered information about those artists and their upcoming appearances. These apps can help you find out about an event that you didn’t know about and find passes that are within your budget.

If all else fails, post something on social media—ask if anyone is getting rid of a ticket. You never know; there could be someone who needs to get rid of a ticket as badly as you want to get into that concert.

Try out these tips the next time you’re craving some musical cleansing. You’ll find it’s easier to get affordable tickets than it seems.