How to stick to a budget at the Minnesota State Fair in 2023
Crowds descended on the Mighty Midway at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 25.
Caroline Yang for MPR News
Every year prices seem to creep up at the State Fair, from admission to your favorite food. For example in 2017 a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies was $16. Now it’s up to $19. Many think it’s worth the price. But what if you’re on a budget? Is there a way to have a cheaper day at the fair? MPR News reporter Nicole Ki wanted to find out. She joined guest host Tim Nelson to talk about what she learned.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
TIM NELSON: Every year, prices seem to creep up at the Minnesota State Fair from admission to your favorite food. For example, in 2017, a bucket of Sweet Martha's Cookies was $16. Now, it's up to $19. Many think it's worth the price. But if you're on a budget, is there a way to have a cheaper day at the fair? Our reporter Nicole Ki wanted to find out, and she joins us now. Hello, Nicole.
NICOLE KI: Hey, Tim. Good to be here.
TIM NELSON: Start by telling us a little bit about how you approached being on a budget. Did you make a plan? How did you-- how did you come up with this?
NICOLE KI: Yeah, this year was my first time ever at the fair. And I made a TikTok on cheap finds. So I basically crowdsourced suggestions from all types of places-- Instagram, online guides, and people within the newsroom. There wasn't a specific budget in mind, but I knew I wanted to find things that was a few bucks or free since fair prices can get expensive. And the TikTok that I actually ended up making was from the perspective of someone who was going to the fair and sharing food with friends. And that was a suggestion from our Instagram audience.
So after a few days of gathering ideas, I just threw them in a Google doc, and then went to the fair, and tried to check off as much as I can. Turned out, most of my money was spent on food. And then when I wasn't eating, I was at a free exhibit or entertainment show.
TIM NELSON: Well spent there. Were there attractions or food items you decided to skip because they were too expensive?
NICOLE KI: I had to make decisions on the fly, so I skipped everything that was over $10. And a lot of the must-tries at the fair were in the $10 to $15 range. And I wanted to keep it on a budget, so I had to skip on even a lot of things that were under $10 because it was kind of piling up with my budget. And I was getting really full. So I skipped the pork chop on a stick, deep-fried dill pickles, and didn't really try any of the new foods that came out of the fair this year.
And as for attractions, I skipped most activities that weren't free, except for a $3 reptile show. And that was a pretty spontaneous decision. I just walked by it and was like, I have $3 to spend, and I went in. And it was pretty fun.
TIM NELSON: And it's a fair classic. What tips do you have for people who aren't trying to break the bank at the fair?
NICOLE KI: Definitely go with friends or family. I wasn't able to finish all the food I had in my TikTok because you get a lot of food at all the vendors. And if you want to try a lot, that would be my number one tip. My other tip is bringing your own bottled water. The first day I went, on opening day, the weather was probably, well over the 90s. So the refill stations were a lifesaver for me. And then, I, also, made sure to bring cash before the fair because the ATM fees at the fair are like, $3.50. So that can also pile up, too.
TIM NELSON: Now, penny pinchers are often relying on the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book. It's very popular. It's $5 and full of deals. Did you use that? And did it help you save money?
NICOLE KI: I didn't actually use the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book, but it was a suggestion that I saw while I was doing my research for my TikTok. I wanted to show sample day for a casual fairgoer. And I mean, I know, I often can't be bothered to keep track of coupons. But I do know that the Blue Ribbon Book is a good way to save money. And if you are looking to get it, you should definitely check out the coupons to see if it's worth it for you to go.
And buy one. I think there are only $5. And a lot of the deals on foods are like, $5 and under. I asked a fair worker who was stationed right at the beginning of the entrance like, what was the best coupon to use? And she said a $9 off coupon for rides at the [INAUDIBLE]. So that's a really great option for families.
TIM NELSON: Very helpful for parents. I can attest to that. So you're out there the whole hot day. What was the best deal you got?
NICOLE KI: Yeah, my best deals were anything that was really cold. So the $2 all-you-can-drink stand. The milk stand was a steal. And if you love milk, it's a great refresher. The other thing that people told me about was the apple freezie pop at the Ag-Hort building, but I didn't actually make it there when I filmed the video, but I think it's about like $2 or $3.
TIM NELSON: And another classic, by the way. So how much did you wind up spending for your whole day?
NICOLE KI: Not including the ticket, I ended up spending a total of $39 on my full day at the fair. And I made sure to get a ride with a friend to avoid parking costs. The ticket itself was $14, and then public pre-sale prices were $15, and I think if you're buying now, it's $18.
TIM NELSON: And as you mentioned, this is your first time at the fair. What was your initial impression of it all?
NICOLE KI: It was really fun. I can-- I can understand why people are huge state fair goers every year and look forward to it. It was really cool to see all the different kinds of foods and activities. As someone who just moved here to Minnesota, it was really a great way to get a taste of all things Minnesota.
My favorite free exhibit was the Miracle of Birth Center. I got to see a mama pig give birth for the fifth time. And she had 24 piglets, which is really cool. I had never seen that before, so it was really interesting. And the 2:00 PM parade was also a really nice surprise, as well.
TIM NELSON: And anything you'd do differently if you went back?
NICOLE KI: Yes, there are a few things I would definitely do differently. I wish I went on the $6 Sky Ride because that gives really nice views at the state fair. I was also really bummed, I couldn't check out the haunted house. That's only $5, and a few of my friends said it was really fun to do that. And the--
TIM NELSON: And a lot of fun.
NICOLE KI: Most of--
TIM NELSON: Yeah.
NICOLE KI: Yeah, a lot of fun. The other things I really wanted to do was just, like, eat more food, but a lot of the foods were out of my budget. One of the places I wanted to check out was the International Bazaar, but definitely will plan to check it out next time.
TIM NELSON: Excellent. There's Nicole Ki. She's a reporter for NPR News. To see her full day at the fair, find NPR News on TikTok.
NICOLE KI: Hey, Tim. Good to be here.
TIM NELSON: Start by telling us a little bit about how you approached being on a budget. Did you make a plan? How did you-- how did you come up with this?
NICOLE KI: Yeah, this year was my first time ever at the fair. And I made a TikTok on cheap finds. So I basically crowdsourced suggestions from all types of places-- Instagram, online guides, and people within the newsroom. There wasn't a specific budget in mind, but I knew I wanted to find things that was a few bucks or free since fair prices can get expensive. And the TikTok that I actually ended up making was from the perspective of someone who was going to the fair and sharing food with friends. And that was a suggestion from our Instagram audience.
So after a few days of gathering ideas, I just threw them in a Google doc, and then went to the fair, and tried to check off as much as I can. Turned out, most of my money was spent on food. And then when I wasn't eating, I was at a free exhibit or entertainment show.
TIM NELSON: Well spent there. Were there attractions or food items you decided to skip because they were too expensive?
NICOLE KI: I had to make decisions on the fly, so I skipped everything that was over $10. And a lot of the must-tries at the fair were in the $10 to $15 range. And I wanted to keep it on a budget, so I had to skip on even a lot of things that were under $10 because it was kind of piling up with my budget. And I was getting really full. So I skipped the pork chop on a stick, deep-fried dill pickles, and didn't really try any of the new foods that came out of the fair this year.
And as for attractions, I skipped most activities that weren't free, except for a $3 reptile show. And that was a pretty spontaneous decision. I just walked by it and was like, I have $3 to spend, and I went in. And it was pretty fun.
TIM NELSON: And it's a fair classic. What tips do you have for people who aren't trying to break the bank at the fair?
NICOLE KI: Definitely go with friends or family. I wasn't able to finish all the food I had in my TikTok because you get a lot of food at all the vendors. And if you want to try a lot, that would be my number one tip. My other tip is bringing your own bottled water. The first day I went, on opening day, the weather was probably, well over the 90s. So the refill stations were a lifesaver for me. And then, I, also, made sure to bring cash before the fair because the ATM fees at the fair are like, $3.50. So that can also pile up, too.
TIM NELSON: Now, penny pinchers are often relying on the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book. It's very popular. It's $5 and full of deals. Did you use that? And did it help you save money?
NICOLE KI: I didn't actually use the Blue Ribbon Bargain Book, but it was a suggestion that I saw while I was doing my research for my TikTok. I wanted to show sample day for a casual fairgoer. And I mean, I know, I often can't be bothered to keep track of coupons. But I do know that the Blue Ribbon Book is a good way to save money. And if you are looking to get it, you should definitely check out the coupons to see if it's worth it for you to go.
And buy one. I think there are only $5. And a lot of the deals on foods are like, $5 and under. I asked a fair worker who was stationed right at the beginning of the entrance like, what was the best coupon to use? And she said a $9 off coupon for rides at the [INAUDIBLE]. So that's a really great option for families.
TIM NELSON: Very helpful for parents. I can attest to that. So you're out there the whole hot day. What was the best deal you got?
NICOLE KI: Yeah, my best deals were anything that was really cold. So the $2 all-you-can-drink stand. The milk stand was a steal. And if you love milk, it's a great refresher. The other thing that people told me about was the apple freezie pop at the Ag-Hort building, but I didn't actually make it there when I filmed the video, but I think it's about like $2 or $3.
TIM NELSON: And another classic, by the way. So how much did you wind up spending for your whole day?
NICOLE KI: Not including the ticket, I ended up spending a total of $39 on my full day at the fair. And I made sure to get a ride with a friend to avoid parking costs. The ticket itself was $14, and then public pre-sale prices were $15, and I think if you're buying now, it's $18.
TIM NELSON: And as you mentioned, this is your first time at the fair. What was your initial impression of it all?
NICOLE KI: It was really fun. I can-- I can understand why people are huge state fair goers every year and look forward to it. It was really cool to see all the different kinds of foods and activities. As someone who just moved here to Minnesota, it was really a great way to get a taste of all things Minnesota.
My favorite free exhibit was the Miracle of Birth Center. I got to see a mama pig give birth for the fifth time. And she had 24 piglets, which is really cool. I had never seen that before, so it was really interesting. And the 2:00 PM parade was also a really nice surprise, as well.
TIM NELSON: And anything you'd do differently if you went back?
NICOLE KI: Yes, there are a few things I would definitely do differently. I wish I went on the $6 Sky Ride because that gives really nice views at the state fair. I was also really bummed, I couldn't check out the haunted house. That's only $5, and a few of my friends said it was really fun to do that. And the--
TIM NELSON: And a lot of fun.
NICOLE KI: Most of--
TIM NELSON: Yeah.
NICOLE KI: Yeah, a lot of fun. The other things I really wanted to do was just, like, eat more food, but a lot of the foods were out of my budget. One of the places I wanted to check out was the International Bazaar, but definitely will plan to check it out next time.
TIM NELSON: Excellent. There's Nicole Ki. She's a reporter for NPR News. To see her full day at the fair, find NPR News on TikTok.
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