Quick Roadtrips & First Concerts :: How To Make Precious Memories On A Single Mom Budget
You remember Middle School, it’s the time when music really starts to resonate with you and you start to relate to the meaning of all those personal lyrics and you drown yourself and your newly developing hormones in solitude and become one with your favorite artist, wearing your air pods or dancing secretly in your bedroom. Nothing is better than this escape and you start to dream of seeing your favorite artist in concert.
Seeing your dream concert isn’t as accessible these days with the high cost of concert tickets and the rising cost of living, especially as a single mother, but when my daughter saw that her favorite artist was going on tour, I saw her eyes light up and that dreamy look in her eyes. My daughter doesn’t ask for much so that fact in itself makes me even more determined to give her more. So, we began to plan on how we could make this concert happen.
Earn the Experience
The first step was to teach her to value of money. If she could save for her ticket, I would figure out the rest, so she saved up Birthday and Christmas money until she had enough to pay for her ticket in full. I gave up buying anything extra, no morning boutique coffee, no work lunches, etc. until I could do the same. It was a relief when we could mark our concert tickets paid in full.
The closest venue to Baton Rouge was Houston, Texas so I put in PTO and decided we would make the drive the morning of the concert. PTO days are few and far between for this single mom, so I have to use them wisely and sparely.
To make the trip as comfortable and budget friendly as possible, the backseat was filled with fluffy pillows, blankets, plenty of snacks and waters. The trunk was loaded the night before with our overnight bags and the special outfits we designated to wear to the concert.
We picked up a friend on the way who was willing to help participate and support this adventure. She would be the ultimate road trip buddy, while sharing in gas and parking or an overnight stay. On this trip I was blessed to have one of my best friends in Houston offer her camper for us to crash in for the night.
The morning of the concert, we picked up my girlfriend from work and she loaded up her bags in the trunk and we set off for Houston. Road trips are much better with friends. Hours fly by much quicker with good conversation and someone to sing along to the radio with. This road trip was a little over 4 hours, stopping for bathroom breaks, to get gas, to stretch our legs, and to switch drivers.
Due to our late start, we only had less than an hour to get ready before we had to leave for the concert (I highly recommend leaving early morning for less stress, but that was not possible this time) so we arrived and unloaded and hurriedly got dressed and ready for the event. We then drove to the Toyota Center to see Melanie Martinez.
Parking is another thing that is overpriced these days so if you can get there early, you may luck up and get a $20 lot instead of a $35 lot. We finally parked and everyone was more than ready to be out of the car for hours.
The Moment Is Finally Here
As soon as we parked, we were greeted with the ultimate in concert goer people watching, young women and teens dressed in mostly pink lace, babydoll dresses, rabbit hoods, handmade mushroom outfits and much more. I watched my daughter take everything in. She was in a rush to get to the seats as the opening act was coming on.
The concert was a sell out and the screams when the opening act came on filled the stadium. Watching Melanie Martinez was like a cross between a concert, a play, and a surreal immersive “Alice in Wonderland” experience. The best part of the night was watching my daughter wide-eyed, big smile, watching her favorite artist in amazement. I got to watch her sing along, scream in unison, record her favorite parts and Facetime her friends to share it with them. And at the end of the concert, my daughter spent her savings on a t-shirt souvenir and quickly passed out in the car.
Twenty-four hours to Houston and back, two PTO days taken, 8 1/2 hours driven equals one exhausted mom, but it was so worth it to make these memories. I hope my daughter remembers this forever. I know I will.
