Enjoying the Free Side of SXSW

South by Southwest is a music festival held in Austin, Texas that has gained global recognition for it's stellar line-ups and amazing atmosphere. People from all over fly to Texas to specifically attend this event. However, you don't have to spend tons of cash to have a great time at SXSW. There are lots of free concerts, free food, free beer, and free parties to fill your spring break week without breaking the bank. Here are five awesome ways to enjoy SXSW on a budget.

Plan Ahead of Time

There are so many free events at SXSW, you just have to know where to find them. That's where planning comes in. If you want to enjoy SXSW on a budget, it's best to plan ahead of time. If you like the SXSW group on Facebook, you can network and find links to free events that are posted by other people. There's even a group specifically dedicated to free events at SXSW. So go ahead and make a list of all the free events you find, and organize it, so you know where to go and when.

Go to Auditorium Shores

Sometimes it's hard to find all the free events posted online. It takes a significant amount out searching to get to them. So if you're tired of trying to find links to free events, know that Auditorium shores probably has the best free shows. During Spring Break 2011, The Strokes, Blue October, and Bright Eyes are all playing free shows on different nights at this venue.

Find Events that Aren't Music Related

IFC has some really cool free events and all you have to do is reserve your wristband to gain access into many of their free events. For those of you who don't know what IFC is, it's the independent film channel, so there will be lots of cool indie flicks and short films.

Stay With Friends

For Texans who want to attend SXSW on a budget, don't forget the people that you know in Austin, Texas. Friends are a great resource and are usually happy to let you crash at their apartment, so you can all attend events together. So many people go to Austin and then forget about the people they know who live there! Hotels can get really expensive, so start networking and ask around! If you don't have any friends there, try making some this year, so next year you'll be set!

Wander

A great way to experience SXSW is just to head into downtown Austin and wander around. Of course, it's great to plan, but there's also a lot of events that aren't advertised and are just as cool! 6th Street is the mecca of the festival and there's always tons of stuff happening on this street or around it.