Paintball can get expensive. But you shouldn’t have to give up on the sport you love just because you’re running low on cash. Consider some of these ideas to keep you out on the field without breaking the bank.

Invite Friends for Group Rates

If you have a group of friends, classmates, or coworkers that are interested in playing paintball, you may be able to save money on admission. Check with your local field to find out about group rates.

Here at AC Paintball, if you can gather at least eleven players and book a game in advance, the group organizer plays and receives a complete equipment rental for free! Though it may include some planning and group texting to figure out the details, a full day of paintball will definitely be worth it. We accept group appointments any day of the week.

Get a Membership

Find out if your local field offers memberships. Members generally pay an initial fee for benefits such as discounted admission rates and paint. Don’t have room in your budget for the fee? Ask friends or family to gift you a membership for Christmas or your birthday and you’ll reap an entire year’s worth of savings.

AC Paintball offers a yearly membership for only $29.95. Members save 10% off all field admissions and lowest possible case pricing on field paint. If you play more than a few times a year, a membership is highly recommended. Savings are unlimited and only increase the more you play!

Prioritize Paintball

Make paintball a priority in your budget. Figure out how often you ideally would like to play: Every week? Once a month? A few times a year? Then make it a goal to get out to the field that often. Calculate your paintball costs and plan for that in your budget. Look for other areas where you can cut back financially if you’d prefer to play paintball.

Save on Bulk Paint

Paint is one of the biggest expenses in paintball. Most fields require that you purchase all paint from them for safety and consistency, so discount websites or stores are not really an option. However, find out if your local field offers and discount for buying paint in bulk. Then you can split the case with a friend or save the leftovers for your next game. AC Paintball offers bulk paintball rates discounted up to 50 percent.

Play Smart to Conserve Paint

Using less paint means you need to buy less paint, save money in the long run, and still enjoy the game. There are some simple techniques that you can practice to conserve paint. Pace your shots and don’t double shoot. Focus on developing your accuracy so you hit your mark the first time. Don’t pull the trigger until you’ve got a good chance of reaching the target.

Another idea is to agree on the surrender rule or barrel tag. Get close enough to an opponent that you have a guaranteed shot and ask them to surrender or tag their barrel. That way they’re still out, but you don’t have to waste your paint on actually shooting them.

Play Pump

If you don’t have the patience to manually pace shots, playing pump would physically force you to. Though pump paintball guns are considered old-fashioned, they also come with a lot of benefits: simple, reliable, lightweight, and accurate.

The need to pump the handle before shooting results in a slower rate of fire. A slower firing rate means you ultimately use less paint during the game and need to buy less. Playing pump can also help improve your technique: You need to be careful, cautious, and sure of your shot before firing.

Use an HPA Tank

Upgrade to an HPA (high-pressure air) tank. Most paintball markers come standard with a C02 tank. However, C02 costs money to refill while HPA tanks are generally filled with free compressed air at most fields. It will take an initial investment to upgrade, so consider asking for an HPA upgrade as your next birthday or Christmas gift if you need to.

Join a Paintball Club

If you’re in school, find out if there is a paintball club or team and join. Colleges often offer partial funding for registered clubs that comes from tuition fees, and give fundraising opportunities for the rest. If you school doesn’t have a paintball club, find out how you can start one.