Want the irreplaceable experience of seeing Beyoncé live rather than on TRL? Dying to cheer for the Red Sox from Fenway Park instead of your buddy's couch? Or maybe you just need some weekend fun and don't care about bright lights or stadium seating? Whatever your ideal entertainment is, it may not be that far from reality. With a little know-how and a few tricks, you might be able to grab those tickets without selling a kidney.

So you don't want to spend your college tuition on tickets? Think about how many ticket takers, ushers, and concession workers it takes to run any one sporting event or concert. Contact venues directly for job or volunteer opportunities.

If you're willing to compromise big venues, you can access big entertainment for less. Consider rocking out to bands that aren't yet MTV hot shots. Many up-and-coming bands or artists compile volunteer street teams to hand out promotional items such as bumper stickers, CDs, T-shirts, and concert flyers in exchange for free tickets. Most bands have a website or a MySpace music page where you can learn more. Check local newspapers for events and artists that won't be listed on mainstream websites like ticketmaster.com. You'll be able to say you knew them before they made the Top 40.

For the sports lover on a budget, the minor leagues can offer major edge-of-your-seat competition for an unbeatable price. For example, a mere $5 gets you in to see the Burlington Royals play, a minor league baseball team in North Carolina. Perks of such a venue include cheaper parking and concessions, as well as in-between inning contests, competitions and giveaways. You'll also score with other "minor" leagues, such as the Arena Football League (AFL), that offer the thrills of competitive play without the obscene ticket price.

Becoming search savvy is a must. Try these places to find those tickets you've always wanted for less:
• Shop around the web. Compare ticket prices at ticketmaster.com, ticketsnow.com, stubhub.com, oyaka.com, and even ebay.com. The broader your search, the better.
• Visit the band or team's website. Artists and teams sometimes reserve blocks of tickets to sell for less to special fans or members of a fan club.
• Ask your credit card companies. They sometimes have pre-sale or preferred tickets set aside for cardholders.

You're cruising down the highway to Gwen Stefani's latest hit, only to find out she's performing nearby soon. Don't panic. Here are a few more tricks to get tickets:
• Take a friend. For popular shows, ticket sales may be done by lottery. The more friends you take with you to the box office, the more chances you have at getting good tickets (or tickets at all).
• Go en masse. If you have a large group of friends (usually 10 to 15 people), some events offer group tickets at a discount.
• Try last minute. Some venues have last-minute or day-of-show tickets for sale a few hours (or even minutes) before the show begins that may be cheaper than a regular ticket.

There's nothing quite like live entertainment, but that doesn't mean you have to blow your savings for tickets. Make sure you remember the double-overtime victory, not the budget-breaking tickets. You might even have enough money leftover for popcorn at halftime.

Sources:

teammarketing.com; oyaka.com; careerbuilder.com; creditcardtipsetc.com; msnbc.msn.com; gonomad.com; espn.go.com; minorleaguebaseball.com