Quick Tips
My Surprising Concert Parking Win Thanks to SpotHero
This week, I had a chance to cross an experience off my proverbial bucket list after my wife and I drove to Tulsa, Oklahoma (that’s not the exciting part) to see Sir Paul McCartney in concert. I’ve enjoyed The Beatles’ music since I was a kid, but over the past few years, I’ve not only come to appreciate their discography more but have also dove into McCartney’s solo work and time with Wings. As a result, I’d say he’s among my favorite artists, meaning that getting a chance to see him on this tour he’s embarking on at age 83 was quite exciting for me.
I say all of this because, while I knew I wanted to go as soon as the show was announced, my attendance wasn’t a given due to the cost. In fact, after struggling to find tickets in my budget initially, I monitored SeatGeek regularly until I found a pair of seats at a price I was happy with. Yet, even after those were secured, I was taken aback when the parking passes SeatGeek offered to sell me started at $40! That’s where SpotHero — true to its name — came to save the day.
I’d actually used SpotHero before. Specifically, I was able to score a deal at a parking lot in Chicago during my stay at the Palmer House. So, I decided to see what they might have available in the area for the concert.
When I went to the site, it actually had an option to select the event I’d be attending at BOK Center and filled in the date and times for my search. That’s when I was surprised to find that I could buy parking at a garage a couple of blocks from the venue for a total cost of just $10! I instantly snapped up a pass at that price.
One surprising thing is that, while i had anticipated getting a barcode to scan for entry into the garage like in Chicago, it instead just asked for my license plate. That was really the only instruction, so I went with it and hoped for the best.
I’ll admit that I started to lose faith in this plan as we neared Tulsa. If you didn’t have to scan a code to enter, wouldn’t a parking garage that close to the venue fill quickly? And, if there was someone present, I assumed they’d tell me to kick rocks and charge me whatever the going rate was. Sure enough, as we approached the garage, I clocked a $20 event parking sign and took the Jackson out of my pocket in preparation for the inevitable.
But then it happened. As we approached the attendant, my wife flashed the pass on the phone. Before she could even explain, he said, “You’re all good,” and we were in! I was honestly shocked, yet delighted.
The good news is that I was indeed able to park for “just” $10 and had a completely reasonable and easy walk to the concert. Alas, the downside was that we did have to wait for a good 30 minutes or so after the show to get out of the garage. Then again, some people paid twice as much and still had to do that — so I’ll still take it as a win.
While I can’t say for sure that the lots and garages you encounter after booking on SpotHero for event parking will have as much integrity as this one did, I do now think that it may be worth a try. Heck, even if I did have to pony up another $20 to park and eat my $10 reservation, I’d still have only paid $30 in total versus the $40 to $60 other prepaid options asked for! Ultimately, I was happy with my decision as it made my dream concert experience even better.
Quick TipsYou may already know that Credit Utilization is the second-largest factor FICO considers when determining your credit score. Specifically, it makes up 30% of your score, topped only by Payment History at 35%. But what does that look like in practice? Well, I recently got the "opportunity" to see firsthand. In April, I elected to...
Travel Product ReviewsAs I've mentioned more than a few times before, after purchasing a pair of water-resistant Allbirds Runner-Up Mizzles a few years back, they quickly became my go-to travel shoe. That's because they're not only comfortable but also help protect my feet from wet weather while on the road (there are few things I hate more...
Quick TipsWelcome back to another Quick Tip — and the latest edition of our occasional, unofficial series Things Kyle Wants to Buy. When I returned from my most recent trip, for some reason, I had hardshell luggage on my mind. That's strange because my current soft-sided luggage has served me well and, moreover, I've traditionally not...