Author Topic: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?  (Read 20360 times)

Mocking Morning

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So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« on: April 16, 2011, 06:36:13 AM »
Alright, since we have multiple threads about various conventions going on right now, I'd figure we should have a thread discussing the amount of money that you've spent while attending these conventions. Let's face it, sometimes we overspend our budgets when attending a con, so let's discuss our con budgets as well.

The most money I've spent was about $3500 at Otakon '08, all that money either went towards the hotel room or the dealers room. (plus parking at hotels is also a wallet busting experience)



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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2011, 06:43:40 AM »
I went to AWA in 2007 and 2009 and both times I dropped about a grand on merch and hotel.  Never bought art though, and parking at our hotel is free.

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2011, 06:54:51 AM »
like $300

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2011, 07:33:23 AM »
Price of a train ticket and single day admission.  Smuggling your own food, and window shopping gets you pretty far.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2011, 01:40:51 PM »
A couple/few hundred for merch and stuff, and a couple hundred for hotel and transportation. I buy less merch now than I used to, since its easy to buy stuff online for cheaper most of the time. But I will hunt for the few rare trinkets.

One thing I like to get at cons these days is commissions. Prices are usually pretty reasonable and usually done before the end of the con. Plus you get something that's one of a kind and support an artist who could use the money.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2011, 02:02:35 PM »
Considering all costs combined, I dont' think I've ever dropped more than $500 on a convention.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2011, 02:15:06 PM »
more than a thousand, maybe 2 depending on my paycheck, because really if I wanted to I probably buy a thousand figurines at one go...

heh, what I'd do if I had a credit card without limits.
I probably swipe every damn thing.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2011, 06:03:49 PM »
I don't understand how anyone could spend more than a thousand dollars on a convention, holy christ. Then again I am poor and impoverished, so I don't think I've ever gone over.... $100 dollars, cosplay expenses and all things included. And I only go to one, because the Rocky Mountains don't seem to have many people who are nerdy enough to host cons in the first place. -__-

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #8 on: April 16, 2011, 07:00:38 PM »
I don't understand how anyone could spend more than a thousand dollars on a convention, holy christ. Then again I am poor and impoverished, so I don't think I've ever gone over.... $100 dollars, cosplay expenses and all things included. And I only go to one, because the Rocky Mountains don't seem to have many people who are nerdy enough to host cons in the first place. -__-

When you factor in going to a con by yourself, the cost can add up rather quickly. The things that busted my wallet involved the dealers room (Otakon '08 was my first convention ) and buying a ridiculous amount of figures, doujinshi, artbooks, import games (no paying for shipping costs when buying at a con),  those damned body pillow covers and bed sheets that cost $80+ and making the extremely stupid mistake that the bottle of Grey Goose sitting in my hotel room was complementary.

And finally, not taking advantage of the steep discounts hotels offer to government employees, and I'm a government employee.  :ohdear:

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UncertainJakutten

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2011, 07:16:59 PM »
Let's see...on average I spend $300 to $500 between hotel/badge/cosplay/food. I'm not much of a dealers room girl.

However, one time I went to Otakon on $100. Including badge.


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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2011, 08:17:34 PM »
Let me see...

On average, covering my room for the event is about ?150. Registration is normally around ?40.

After that, it varies on how much money I actually have; which by this point isn't that much. I think the most I've spent on stuff at the con itself was about ?80.

So roughly ?270. (Yes, get me with my pounds instead of dollars.  :3 )

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #11 on: April 17, 2011, 01:56:02 AM »
I don't understand how anyone could spend more than a thousand dollars on a convention, holy christ. Then again I am poor and impoverished, so I don't think I've ever gone over.... $100 dollars, cosplay expenses and all things included. And I only go to one, because the Rocky Mountains don't seem to have many people who are nerdy enough to host cons in the first place. -__-
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #12 on: April 17, 2011, 03:06:49 AM »
Let's see...on average I spend $300 to $500 between hotel/badge/cosplay/food. I'm not much of a dealers room girl.

However, one time I went to Otakon on $100. Including badge.
I went to Otakon completely free a couple of years ago, best thing ever.  Usually I'm floating around $500-600 total, although last year was pretty bad wallet wise.


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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #13 on: April 17, 2011, 03:26:05 AM »
I went to Otakon completely free a couple of years ago, best thing ever.
Didn't you mention that you managed that by being Otakon staff, though?

helvetica

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #14 on: April 17, 2011, 04:04:19 AM »
Didn't you mention that you managed that by being Otakon staff, though?
Now that I think about it, I've had a free ride twice.  Panelist badge one year, press badge another.  The panelist year I carpooled with Suzuran and got room with him for free.  I was completely broke and really in a bad situation family wise and if it hadn't been for him I wouldn't have went period.  The press badge year I got a plane ticket for my birthday and two awesome guys from another community I'm in put me up in their suite and covered my share too.


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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #15 on: April 17, 2011, 04:27:36 AM »
How much I spend at cons varies by con. The small cons that happen at high schools, I don't spend more than 40 or 50 dollars. Larger cons, I can spend a few hundred on merchandise. The most I've spent is $785 and counting for reservations at Anime North.


Rin Kagamine

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2011, 04:49:35 AM »
Actually, AWA is my splurge convention.  Every convention I've been to in NC (Animazement, Ichibancon) I've only paid for my badge and stayed at home/with friends.  Otakon I don't think I spent more than $100 on merch.

Kozau

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #17 on: April 17, 2011, 05:54:46 AM »
Let me see...

On average, covering my room for the event is about ?150. Registration is normally around ?40.

After that, it varies on how much money I actually have; which by this point isn't that much. I think the most I've spent on stuff at the con itself was about ?80.

So roughly ?270. (Yes, get me with my pounds instead of dollars.  :3 )

Oh lol, this. I assume you are talking about MCM, right?-- Oh, no, not MCM... one of the smaller cons? xD I live in london so I don't need a room- I've probs spent ?120 max at a con. I went a little crazy because I had money, which is always a bad thing. D: >

I have better things to spend my money on then anime gear- like that shiny new saxophone I've been eyeing recently, partying, or travelling the country. Though that being said, the next con near me is in May and I have virtually no money for it, yet I wish I had at least ?100 for it. Going to cons with no money is dull. :<
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #18 on: April 17, 2011, 06:37:09 AM »
I'm so cheap I once cosplayed Tenshi just so I could eat the peaches off my hat in lieu of going to the food court

In all seriousness, it's rare for me to take more than $200 cash on any given trip.  (Transit and hotel are credit, creaky Peter Pan bus/Motel 6 all the way, obviously.)  My most expensive con was probably Otakon '09, somewhere in the neighborhood of 300-400 on transit and hotel combined, perhaps 80 on food, 45 on dealer's room/artist's alley.  I think part of it is that I was raised frugal, and I get buyer's remorse like you wouldn't believe--I get home with a shiny new toy and the first thing I'm doing is looking up prices on Amazon and eBay.  When Amazon had MangaStudio EX for $80 on Black Friday, I vacillated until the deal expired and I had to buy it from a third-party seller at a premium.

I think another part of it is that I have like 8 Master Grade Gundam kits that I'll never build sitting around my parents' garage

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #19 on: April 17, 2011, 11:14:20 AM »
I don't understand how anyone could spend more than a thousand dollars on a convention, holy christ. Then again I am poor and impoverished, so I don't think I've ever gone over.... $100 dollars, cosplay expenses and all things included. And I only go to one, because the Rocky Mountains don't seem to have many people who are nerdy enough to host cons in the first place. -__-
For me, I probably go to one of these things like once every 2 years, I do what most asian people do, save hard.
so what to do with all that saved money? well, I certainly set aside it for the anime purchase and whatever, this however, is special and since I can attend this one every so long a time I don't really wanna care if it is gonna come bite me in the ass.
Truth to be said, like you I have bills to pay and things to do, but what I really wanna do is of course, of no importance in the big scale of things, but it doesn't mean I cannot spend what I have set aside for this special little occasion. Then again, i overspend a lot, for example, for 2 days ago during my friday outing, I finished 130 dollars flat on beer, cigarettes and cover charges.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #20 on: April 17, 2011, 08:47:57 PM »
Though that being said, the next con near me is in May and I have virtually no money for it, yet I wish I had at least ?100 for it. Going to cons with no money is dull. :<

I know what you mean; it's why I tend to split cons apart based on when the last one was. My next one isn't till November now (FushiCon) so I'll have plenty of time to save up... with or without being concerned by returning to university in September. That and sorting out cosplays which, I don't know about anyone else, eats up my money before the con is even near.  :ohdear:

Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #21 on: April 17, 2011, 08:54:34 PM »
Less than $100 really.

I spend it mostly on food and a couple of T-shirts. I have no real source of income other than doing a few things like these speech contests I'm thrown in every now and then. It's all good though, I go to 'em just to be with my friends really.

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #22 on: April 17, 2011, 09:11:22 PM »
I know what you mean; it's why I tend to split cons apart based on when the last one was. My next one isn't till November now (FushiCon) so I'll have plenty of time to save up... with or without being concerned by returning to university in September. That and sorting out cosplays which, I don't know about anyone else, eats up my money before the con is even near.  :ohdear:

Ah, you don't go MCM then. Its the biggest con in the UK I think; but its somewhat annoying because its over-run with 4chan and Narutards these days. :ohdear:  I haven't any interest in cosplay, but I do remember a few years ago when I did, it did indeed take up lots of money. :(

I start Uni in September, so that is effectively going to take all my money. [/Is going to be a super budget student- no anime for me, sob!]
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #23 on: April 18, 2011, 04:08:01 AM »
Roughly about $300-500 (not including food, badge, hotel, etc.). If I charged stuff on my card, it'd be way more :ohdear:

I'm thinking of going to Otakon this year, seeing how I don't think I'll be at Pokemon Nationals this year so I can use that money for Otakon (roughly a couple hundred)

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #24 on: April 18, 2011, 08:38:31 PM »
Hate to say it, but I've never been big into non-gaming cons. And even at those I'm a miser (read: $60 tops for food, a board game and a Sealed Magic: the Gathering tournament). I am looking to get into this sort of thing though, even if I have no clue what sort of stuff happen in the Michigan-area...
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #25 on: April 19, 2011, 01:02:26 AM »
R$30 to R$50, entrance fee included.


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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #26 on: April 19, 2011, 04:40:47 PM »
Ah, on another note, I am really good it seems in scouting out the cheapest places to stay, which makes me sorta able to spend as little as possible.
I was in Taiwan when this happened and I found a place to stay for less than 5 US dollars.
which is pretty cool in my book. the bed sucks, but who needs a bed when you can sleep on the floor? I also go in the morning and spend my whole day there so yeah, and one night I just slept in seven elevens.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #27 on: April 19, 2011, 08:32:25 PM »
I'll be bringing around $200

does it all need to be cash?

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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #28 on: April 19, 2011, 11:30:57 PM »
I'll be bringing around $200

does it all need to be cash?

In a dealer's room I'd say most vendors will have ways to swipe credit/debit card. However, if you plan on getting anything at, say, the Artists Alley... you're going to need cash.
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Re: So, How much do you spend at anime conventions?
« Reply #29 on: April 20, 2011, 01:59:43 AM »
In a dealer's room I'd say most vendors will have ways to swipe credit/debit card. However, if you plan on getting anything at, say, the Artists Alley... you're going to need cash.
Don't trust it, and don't trust you'll be able to get cash out while at the con, especially at Otakon.  Generally every ATM within a 5 block radius goes empty by Saturday.


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