Convention Tip #2 – Know the Costs
AKA Enough Money to Have Fun
For any convention you attend, there will be some financial costs – admission ticket, hotel, travel, etc. The earlier you plan and save for these costs, the more money you can have to enjoy yourself while actually at the convention.
forgot someone?lAdmission - Most conventions happen around the same time each year. For example,
World Fantasy is held at the end of October. Cons will often have ‘early registration’ discounts on their admission tickets, so check out the con website as soon as you know you want to attend to buy your ticket.
Hotel - Depending on the size of the convention, there may be multiple hotels, some of which are cheaper, but you may have to walk or take public transportation between them and the main hotel to attend most of the activities. For very large conventions, like DragonCon, the main hotels can sell out quickly (within hours), so keep an eye on the con website. If you can share a hotel room with friends, that cuts your costs. If you can share a friend’s house, use the money you save to take them out to a nice dinner.
Travel - How are you getting to the convention? If you are driving, make sure to account for gas costs, and a check-up on your car if you are going a large distance. If you are flying, keep an eye on airfare sales from all airlines, consider joining a frequent flyer program, or, if you can afford the time, take a flight with stops instead of direct. Don’t forget about travel to the hotel if you are flying. Does the hotel have a free shuttle? Or will you need to pay for a taxi or schedule a shared ride?
Food – Plan for at least 2 meals a day. Convention websites do a good job of listing other eating places than what is located inside the hotel. And gas station convenience stores and Starbucks also carries sandwiches.
Fun – Bring a bit of cash to have some fun. If that means buying a photo-op with a celebrity, or getting the latest hardcover collection to be autographed by your favorite author, make sure you have some extra money to spend on you. And maybe some souvenirs for your friends who couldn’t make it out to the con this time.
Now that you have an idea of the main costs of attending a convention, you can start setting aside the money you will need. Whether it’s a total of $100 or $1757 dollars, you can make it happen … if you want to.
Jeeves: Travel is highly educational, Sir.
- Jeeves and Wooster
Dec 1, 2009
Categories: conventions
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