Tight budget? Here's how to do the Calgary Stampede on the cheap

The Calgary Stampede — with its pricey snacks and concerts — starts Friday, but there are ways to spend less at the "Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth." 

Start with a free breakfast

"How could you save more money at Stampede than by having your breakfast for free every day?" said Brayden Woods, founder of stampedebreakfast.ca. 

There are at least 138 free breakfasts for people to choose from — so far. 

"There's still a lot more time for them to come in. So it looks like there's certainly a lot of free options for breakfast this Stampede season," Woods said. 

"Not only are more events coming in, more people are hosting events this year than last year. But there's about 20 per cent more people seeking them out, so interest is up this year." 

Woods said he usually stops after two or three breakfasts during the 10 days, but he knows some people take full advantage each day. 

Take transit 

If you want to avoid Uber surge pricing and expensive parking during Stampede, Calgary Transit is offering discounted transit day passes for adults. 

Typically, an adult day pass is $11.25, but during Stampede, the passes are $8.25 for adults and $6.25 for youth. Those passes are good for unlimited travel during the day until the end of service. 

Sneak-a-peek and value days 

On Thursday, from 5 p.m. to midnight, it's Sneak-A-Peek, and admission is half-off. 

And there are four value days when admission to the grounds is free: 

• Friday, July 7 — from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 
• Sunday, July 9 — until 11 a.m. 
• Tuesday, July 11 — from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 
• Wednesday, July 12 — until 10 a.m. for adults, and it's free for kids all day. 

Once on the Stampede grounds, shows are free at the Coca-Cola Stage. 

Deals at grocery stores

Grocery stores have discounts for Stampede. 

At Costco, you can save with Stampede Bucks, where $39.99 gets you $50 to be redeemed at Stampede. 

At Sobeys, Safeway and IGA, 10 days of entries is available for $49, or there's the Ride All Day Card, which is available for $44.99. 

At Circle K, two Calgary general admission tickets and two Coca-Cola products are $33.

Dress the part 

Zoe Budinski, owner of Zoe's Store, a thrift shop in downtown Calgary, said you don't need much to look great at Stampede, and you can use things you own or thrift your outfit for less. 

"It's about details. A bandana is cheap to buy, cowboy hats — you can decorate cowboy hats — you can dress up a little shirt with a leather belt," she said. 

She added that one idea is to buy a cheap hat and put a bandana on it to look the part. 

"On a budget you can do lots of stuff, if you're creative — go on Pinterest, scoop some ideas from there."

Budinski said that in 15 years she's never seen so many tourists at her second-hand shop in the days leading up to the Stampede.