10 Expensive Mistakes You Make At The Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair kicked off TODAY! If you're planning on going to the Minnesota State Fair, you've probably saved a small chunk of change so that you and your family can have a great time. Don't waste your hard earned money on costs you don't need to accrue. Here are 10 of the most expensive mistakes people make at the Minnesota State Fair.

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1. Paying for parking. There are so many alternatives and places to park that won't charge you. Plus, even if you have to walk a little bit, it's a great way to get your steps in and burn some pre-fair and post-fair calories. There are also free shuttles you can take. Look into your options before you go.

2. Paying for water bottles. The prices are marked up so heavily. If you bring your own water you'll save a ton of money. And, there are water bottle refill stations located around the fairgrounds. So, the fair is basically telling you not to pay for water.

3. Using the ATM. Since you know you'll need cash at the fair, make sure you stop at your bank before you attend. The ATM fees are NUTS. You're just throwing money out the door at that point.

4. Buying a coupon book: I've made this mistake in the past. You buy it because it sounds like you'll probably save money. But, unless there are enough coupons in that book you're planning to use that'll make the cost worth it, skip the book. The last thing you want to do is feel like you need to use a coupon on something you weren't planning to buy just because you feel like you need to use the coupon book. A good alternative would be to share the book with a friend to make it worth it.

5. Not sharing your food. Sharing is caring and it's also a cheaper way to enjoy more things. You buy a bucket of cheese curds to share and your friend will cover the cost of the deep fried Oreos. You get both things for the price of one. Honestly, you probably couldn't eat a whole bucket of curds yourself anyway.

6. Getting a bucket of Sweet Martha's Cookies. This is never a smart option...unless you plan to share them with a huge group. Those cookies only taste good when they're fresh. It's not worth taking them home and saving them for later. If that's your plan, just buy the frozen ones at Coborn's that you can pop into the oven...at least they'll taste fresh.

7. Buying food you can literally get anywhere...all of the time. I don't understand why people go all the way to the state fair just to buy corn on the cob or french fries. You can get those things anywhere all of the time. Go for the unique foods that will blow up your Instagram.

8. Buying your tickets at the gate. If you know that there's a 100% chance you'll go to the fair this year, get your tickets in advance. You're just setting money on fire if you buy them at the gate.

9. Not eating before you go. This one sounds backwards, right? Why would you fill your stomach before you go to a food paradise? You'll be more selective with your choices. You won't feel so hungry that you pay for parking just to get to the fair faster. You won't be so hungry that you run to the first food stand you see and fill up on french fries. You'll have more patience to get the fun things you'll have to go on a treasure hunt to find.

10. Not packing snacks for the kids. Your kids might just be there for the games. Their little tummies feel full faster and feel sick easier if they're not used to eating that stuff. So, pack them a PB&J, crackers, juice and other kid friendly things. That way, you won't waste money on a corn dog and fry basket they'll take one bite of and toss.