How to spend less at a sci-fi (or any other) convention
Posted
Jun 08 2008, 08:56 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
We've been to a Star Trek convention (or two) and had the self-restraint to limit our spending to a Bajoran earring (which broke the next day). Nick at Punny Money is apparently on the road to becoming a convention habitué (geek), and shares his tips for attending without breaking the budget.
"Here's how we're saving tons of money at this and other similar sci-fi/fantasy/anime/whatever conventions while Joe Nerdboy is devoting all $6.25 an hour of his job at the video-rental store to coming here," Nick wrote in an early morning post from Balticon 42.
Nick worked as nighttime security at that convention. Working allows you to skip the convention fee and possibly score some free meals, although you may have to pay a portion of your room costs. Nick added, "If being on the staff of a convention isn't your cup of tea, Earl Grey, hot," -- a sly reference to the spectacular Jean-Luc Picard, for those who didn't get it -- "then you can still reap some of the benefits by volunteering a few hours of your time helping out with odd jobs."
Stick with the same sponsors. The convention sponsors may host several events in your area. "And if you're a particularly helpful or distinguished staffer at one of them, you're often treated to lots of free drinks or even meals by grateful folks at the next convention," Nick said.
Avoid the merchants' room. Don't go there, even if you know an authentic Klingon bat'leth would impress your friends.
Take your own food and drink, be sociable so that you get invited to private parties, and carry only one low-limit credit card. Nick said, "This way there's no way you can take home that $8,000 1:50 scale model of the mothership from 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' if you lose your monetary senses."
