Let's face it, we’re all tightening our belts and counting the pennies - and the Edinburgh Festival can be a great way to take a summer break without making a huge dent on your bank balance. Here’s a guide to saving money at the Fringe and getting the maximum amount fun from each pound:

Cheap shows
Check our guide to the best Fringe show previews for £5 during the week before the Festival really starts (Wed 4-Sun 8 Aug). Additionally, many shows also run 2-for-1 offers during the first week (Mon 9-Sun 15 Aug).

Free shows
If you want to go even cheaper we have listings for over 700 free shows at the Festival in 2010.

Accommodation
It’s worthwhile hunting down the best deals online and booking your accommodation as far in advance as possible. These Hotels.com discount codes and Travelodge discount codes are a good place to start. Or, treat it like a music festival and stay on one of the campsites around Edinburgh to keep costs down.

Additionally, many students studying in Edinburgh choose to rent out their room or flat during the festival to offset the cost of paying rent over the summer holidays. Look on Gumtree and on sites such as http://www.freefringeforum.org and letinedinburgh.co.uk.

Travel
Getting to Edinburgh by train can sometimes be more expensive than going abroad – so be sure to check out www.thetrainline.com’s cheap fare finder. If you’re willing to compromise on the time it takes to get there (and perhaps a bit of comfort too) then also check out Megabus. Deals for £1 are not uncommon.

When you get to Edinburgh, don’t fall into the trap of taking lots of short bus trips. Edinburgh is a compact city centre and most of the venues are located centrally, so often a short walk is more appropriate.

Food
If you can take a packed lunch, then do – many of the restaurants around Edinburgh will raise their prices around festival time. You can also check out this restaurant vouchers page to see which chain restaurants have deals available.

Work at the Festival
You can always get a job at the Fringe. Most bars and venues need extra staff to cope with the added demand. You might not get to watch the whole show during a shift, but you’ll see it for free (and even be paid at the same time!). Free tickets are often given out to staff too.