I love watching the Baltimore Ravens play football. It's so cool being in Baltimore on a Friday before a game and seeing the majority of people on the street wearing purple. Even in business meetings, people in Baltimore have figured out how to incorporate purple on those Fridays. Team Spirit is everywhere. But being loyal to a NFL team can be expensive. Tickets to games, official jerseys, parties at your house and all the stuff to decorate your car, home and office with your team logo can derail your Spending Plan. Fear not. There are ways to show your team spirit without blowing the budget. Look for apparel like long sleeve t-shirts, polos or sweatshirts at discount places like Kohls or Walmart. Royal Farms often has NFL car magnets, lanyards or hats at a decent price. Try eBay or even yard sales, some people ditch their team when they move from the area ( disappointing, I know). If you really want to go to a game, try Stubhub or SeatGeek for tickets or try to find someone who has season tickets but doesn't want to go to every games. While these are not always low cost options, they may be less expensive than full price tickets. If you bring in food or even one bottle of water to the game, do it! Park farther away from the stadium if safe and possible, a little extra walking can save lots on parking fees. Toward the end of the season, try negotiating with those vendors outside the stadium, they don't want to have that merchandise sit around for another 6 months and may be willing to give you a good deal. If you're having the gang over to watch the game, do a pot luck so you don't bear the cost of everything. Stock up on football decorating things at the end of football season, when most Party City stores will discount those items 50%.
So. do what you need to do to support your team-in a financially responsible way. GO RAVENS!!!
