So that means there was a period you weren't using them? How many shows did you go to with no plugs?

Mgla was in town the other day and I actually had no idea until a friend at work told me the same day it was happening. I had no time to order plugs so I checked out the local music shop and ended up with some Hearos High Fidelity plugs. They don't seem to have a high NRR and only protect up to 20 decibels but my ears felt fine afterwards and the sound was better than what I was used to from ear plugs. Still, the high frequencies were diminished compared to what I would've liked, making it difficult to hear all the notes clearly. Apparently they are Etymotic ear plugs, just rebranded, which is a highly rated and popular brand on the internet.

One day I'll just have to fork over for some custom ones. They aren't too expensive for what you get - all considering.

I find concerts sound better with plugs in; all the venues I've been to at least (though it's not that many) have had these really annoying high-frequencies "rattling" around and covering everything up, and putting even cheap plugs in seems to filter all that out. Well that, and after the first live show, my hearing was severely diminished for the whole day after, and I kinda worried whether it would be permanent (it wasn't fortunately).

I'm also in a sound engineering course, so there's double motivation there

I use a pair of these guys when I go to concerts: http://www.etymotic.com/er20.htm They don't alter the sound at all, but do make it much quieter, so they're perfect for concerts, clubs, etc.

My grandfather lost his hearing working next to heavy machinery and perhaps because I noticed all through my childhood how the TV and radio had to be turned up (when visiting our summer house he'd go sit in his car to listen to the news because then the volume wouldn't bother the rest of us), how one would have to talk loudly in order for him to hear what you said, how he'd talk really loud because he couldn't hear himself etc., I'm terrified of losing my hearing so I always wear ear plugs when going to concerts. The only exception I can think of has been a few classical concerts with no amplifiers.
For a long time it was just the foam plugs, but I found them annoying and this summer I finally bought a pair of better plugs. They "only" filter out 14dB however, and that has almost been too little in a few instances. On the other hand, they're absolutely wonderful to wear, they're soft and very comfortable, so comfortable in fact, that I a few times had to check if I'd really remembered to put them in! Also, at least to my ears, the music is now at a comfortable level - unlike the foam ones, I can still hear everything clearly, just at a better (less painful) sound level.
And not to be all mother-like, but seriously, don't wait until the hearing is damaged to start wearing protection! A friend's boyfriend suffered from tinnitus, and although it was uncomfortable, it was "manageable". Until one night at a festival where he got drunk and ended up at a concert without his ear plugs. Now he's in serious pains from it, she's told me he'll wake up crying in the middle of the night because of it. Between his and my grandfather's fates, I know I'll keep wearing ear plugs at shows.

There's cheap plugs that are filters with higher db ratings. The ones I've last used were a pair of Surefire EP4s (cost me like $15) which are rated at 24 db. The aforementioned er20s also fall in this category, but those are rated at 16 db I think. The nice thing about the EP4s, is that they have a filter cap that you can pop in and out. With the filters out, they just do 12 db, but with the filters in, it is 24 db. Lets you sort of adjust the noise level without having to pop them in and out which I find nice.

I assume custom ones work better, but then again the price.

It's funny, because I almost never wear plugs when I go to metal shows, but I'll always wear protective ear gear when I'm using power tools and stuff like that. Then again, I don't go to many shows these days.

I do not listen loud enough to have to protect my hearing.

Do you drive fast enough to wear a seat belt?

Yes.

Yes, but only in band practice.