June is here, and baseball season is in full swing. What better way to spend a warm summer evening than with a trip to the ballpark? 

There's just one little problem here: Baseball tickets are getting more expensive every year, and 2016 isn't likely to be an exception to the rule. Considering that it's the nation's pastime, baseball's rising consumer costs present a powerful case in point on just how expensive life can be, and how important it is to make sure your financials are all in order. 

Take me out to the ball game (you're buying, right?)
Last year, the average ticket price for a Major League Baseball game was $28.94, according to Team Marketing Report. That represented a 3.3 percent increase from 2014 to 2015 - the biggest single-season price growth in six years. From 2013 through 2015, the average ticket price rose 4.4 percent.

That's the MLB-wide trend. In some areas, though, ticket prices have gone up much, much more. That same study revealed that fans in Boston had to pay the most, as the average cost of a ticket to Fenway Park to see the Red Sox was $52.34. The Bronx Bombers were not far behind, with NY Yankees tickets averaging $51.55 each. 

And that's just the cost of admission. When you factor in concessions, the total cost of a trip to the ballpark can skyrocket. Team Marketing Report found that the average cost of a hot dog at a baseball game was $4.39, while a soft drink cost $4.07 and a beer would set you back just shy of $6. And if you needed to park at the stadium, that required another $15.88 on average.

All taken together, the typical cost for a family of four to head to the ballpark and enjoy some concessions along with the reached $211.68, according to the study - a 2.5 percent increase year-over-year. 

Given all these trends, it's a safe bet that a trip to the ballpark in 2016 isn't going to be any easier on your wallet.

You don't even want to know the bill.

Improving your financial batting average
There are a few takeaways here.

First and most obviously, going to a baseball game isn't inexpensive entertainment anymore. For most people, it's a big cost, and that makes it a special occasion.

More broadly, though, the cost of going to the ballpark illustrates how it's becoming more and more important for consumers to take and maintain control of their financial lives. After all, when something as simple and (formerly) common as a baseball game becomes a serious expense, it's clear you need to be responsible and proactive to make sure your financial game stays strong.

One of the best ways to get your finances to another, higher level is through nontraditional credit. With a service like PRBC, you can make sure all of your regular payments are being taken into account, giving you more clout going forward. And the sooner you sign up, the better.

Check out this blog on how to build credit the nontraditional way.