DD wants to spend £800 on concert ticket

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DD (17) has just inherited £1800 from the sale of her grandfathers car who recently passed away.
She is autistic, and has special interests which change after around a year or so.

At the moment it's Taylor Swift, which is the concert she wants to buy a ticket for next year. She reckons it will cost £800 for a 'pit' ticket, where you will (might) be close to the stage.

In a few years, she will need to buy a car, and also needs a laptop.

How would you feel if this was you?
She is quite right when she says it's her money, she can spend it how she likes, but I think it is such a waste of a lot of money.
AIBU?

I think it’s crazy to spend £800 on a concert ticket. Surely there must be cheaper tickets for that concert??!

Can’t she compromise and get a more reasonably priced one? It’s a mad amount to pay.

That’s far too much. Just no. And I have an autistic DD too, so understand a bit. Good luck.

Absolutely ridiculous and frankly disrespectful to her grandfather.

Maybe sit down with her and look at what cheaper tickets she could buy, and what else she could get for £800? I mean, how much do tickets to a music festival cost? Surely better value for money (though you may not want her doing that of course!).

It is really tough. I think you need to try to talk her round, or ask someone she respects to do so?

It's a total waste of money. On the other hand, it is her money. Make it clear that once its gone, thats it. Car and laptop will have to be saved for.

Where does she think it will cost this much? At venues where there is a standing area then if you get there for doors opening (many hours ahead of time) you can stand at it near the front. You don’t need to spend more than anyone else.

so, that aside, for a one off experience with money in the bank I would raise half an eyebrow but not stop her (but does she expect someone else to go with her? How does that work?).

You should explain to her that sometimes in life you will get lucky and get one of those expensive, but not outrageous, tickets for face value. Relish those moments, it makes them sweeter. Paying scalpers prices is foolish.

Ah let her. She can make more money.

It's a complete waste of money. But it's her money.

It's not "disrespectful to her grandad" FFS! Spending the money on nazi memorabilia when he'd fought in WWII, yes that would be disrespectful (and totally appalling of course).

But buying a Taylor Swift concert ticket?! Come on.

Does she understand how crowded it will be and how noisy it will be?

They haven't released a tour or tickets for any Taylor swift tours yet (assuming she'll do one with her album out next week!) but £800 isn't a realistic price for any ticket. It'll be cheaper than that!

Having been to many concerts, including in pit, it is the best ticket and it is such an amazing experience for true fans. It’s her money, it’s a lot but it gets you truly up and close with the artist.

For context I saw Coldplay at Wembley this summer and it was £150 each for a seat - standing was cheaper

Pit is literally right next to/either side of the sage (depending on the layout and if there’s a catwalk style part which Taylor often has). It’s different to general standing.

Tour dates haven't even been announced yet - what makes her its going to cost £800. Unless that includes travel, accommodation etc but that's still expensive unless going to a different country?

I understand she has autism and this may limit her options, but could you not compromise and agree that she gets a little part-time job and saves up some of the money and then uses other half from her inheritance?

I think it's a lesson for her to learn. Terrible waste of money and she'll no doubt regret it when she doesn't have the money later, but no amount of telling will convince her of that now and it might even make her more determined to spend it.

i wouldn’t guess they would be £800?? Decent seats at her stadium tour a few years ago we’re about £70 and I think VIP standing was around the £150-£200 mark. I could be wrong though! She’s bloody good though and worth seeing if she’s into her but £800 is ridiculous. I doubt very much they will be that much!

It’s disrespectful to absolutely squander a huge amount of money that he will have taken a long time to earn, when I’m sure he would have wanted it to go to something worthwhile.

Fucking hell, how much??!! That's a ridiculous amount for a gig and I love TS. As a fellow autistic there's no way I'd want to be in the pit though.

I could imagine my child doing the same for Harry styles. FWIW we saw Harry this year and the 'pit' tickets definitely had a worse view than us in seated, spent all day in the baking sun securing their spots and lots of them were fainting. I know it's hard getting a teenager to understand this logic though when it comes down to their idol.

Where has she got £800 from? They're usually around £150 for pit

I have paid a similar amount for a concert that meant a lot to me (but not Taylor Swift). It’s a lot of money if you don’t care for Taylor Swift’s music but not a lot of money if you’re a huge fan.

I wouldn’t stop her buying the ticket but I would break it down for that she’s spending over a third of the total money for something that lasts a few hours and see how she sees it then. Ultimately the grandad left her the money for her to do what she wants with it. It’s not for anyone else to dictate.

For added detail -
She has based the £800 on 'previous ticket prices'. Apparently.
She will go on her own if necessary.
She will get a job to save for a car.
She has been to a mini festival so knows it will be loud etc. (Amazing how she can suddenly cope when she wants to…)
It will be a once in a life time experience.
'It will be Taylor Swift's last ever tour'. No idea how she knows this.
She is bloody bloody stubborn.