With the NFL season underway, many football enthusiasts are anxious to make it to a game. Unfortunately, NFL ticket costs have skyrocketed in recent years, increasing 4.5% in 2010 alone and averaging $76.47 a piece. With savings currently a high priority on everyone's list though, there are a few ways that you can still make it to a game without burning a hole in your wallet:

1. Research ways to get a discount.

Preseason tickets are significantly cheaper than the cost of tickets throughout the remainder of the season. To take advantage of preseason prices, make sure that you plan on purchasing tickets well ahead of time since these tickets sell quickly.

For the more daring football enthusiasts willing to avoid the comfort of a stadium seat, "party passes," or standing room only tickets, can be purchased for less than $50 a piece.

If you are unable to jump on the preseason bandwagon or want a chance to actually sit down once in a while within a three hour period, check various websites like TicketCity, StubHub, and Craigslist, which generally offer tickets at a fraction of the cost. Just take precautions to examine the individual's seller history before making a purchase to avoid getting scammed.

2. Sit in the upper level.

When it comes to pro games, one thing is certain: the better your view of the game is, the more expensive your tickets are. To give you an idea of the differences in costs, we looked into a single ticket for an upcoming Dallas Cowboys vs. St. Louis Rams game and found the following:

  • Club Level- $507.83
  • Main Level- $186.83
  • Upper Level- $82.83

The difference between paying for a club level and an upper level ticket is a shocking $425! Taking this into consideration, the mere sacrifice of sitting further away from the field allows for significant savings.

3. Look for packaged deals.

Since gong to an NFL game is more fun with friends anyway, consider looking into group packages, which are offered at discounted prices compared to those that aren't bought in a large quantity.

Make sure to research group packages well ahead of time as they are not always available for every game of the season and sometimes require football fans to purchase tickets for a minimum of two games.

For the same Cowboys vs. Rams game, a group package of twenty tickets or more costs between $25 and $179 a piece. That results in a savings of up to several hundred dollars for each ticket!

4. Eat beforehand.

If you make a point to eat all or even a portion of your meal before heading to the game, you will find yourself saving a bundle as stadium food is notoriously known for its outrageous costs. In an article by Esquire Magazine detailing NFL concessions, journalist Emily Thomas discovered the following:

Taking these steep prices into consideration, buying a full meal at a stadium could easily cost over $30.00 a person!

5. If all else fails, tailgate!

If you love the atmosphere of an NFL game, but simply can't afford the costs, consider hosting a viewing party at your home or gathering together outside the stadium for a tailgate. You may not have a stadium seat, but you will still get minute to minute coverage of the game at a fraction of the cost.

Additionally, if all of your friends each bring food or drinks to contribute, you will have a feast fit for an NFL quarterback without having to empty out your wallet!

What is your favorite part of the football season? Have you been able to make it out to a game yet and if so, what steps did you take to save money?

This post originally appeared at 360 Mortgage Group.

This article originally appeared at 360 Mortgage Group. Copyright 2014.