Sample Budget (for people who are trying to figure it out)

[SuperKawaiiNeko]

I've been doing this for more than ten years now, and I've been to cons as far away as AX. You guys seem to have the money covered, but I've got one tip for you, and that is to always have some extra money (if you can spare it, not everyone can.)

We call this the "Holy Shit! Fund" and the farther away from con you are, the larger this needs to be. If you're local, you could probably get away with around twenty dollars or so. If you're a couple hours away, you'll want at least 50 to 100. If youre from down south or out of state, $100 to $200 is nice. Sometimes, things dont go according to plan. Sometimes, unexpected things happen. And then you go "Holy shit! I need cash!" This is where the Holy Shit! Fund comes into play. Perhaps gremlins poke holes in your tire and you need to buy a new one. Maybe you lose track of time and miss your train, and you need to buy a new ticket. Maybe the omg BEST. BAND. EVAR. is playing one night only and you NEED to go see them. Maybe your friend gets arrested and you need to post bail. Maybe the roads get closed or the train breaks down and you need cash for another night at the hotel.

Maybe you meet the girl or guy of your dreams and decide to elope.

All of these reasons and more is why we have the Holy Shit! Fund. Have any of them ever happened to me? Nope. Do I still set money aside whenever I have enough to spare? Hell yes. You also have to remember that the unexpected can happen both on the way to the con, at the con itself, and on the way home. I suggest setting aside an amount that you deem appropriate, and keeping that money entirely seperate from your normal money (keep it in a different wallet in a different spot on your person, or even leave it in the hotel room (in a place where the cleaning lady wont think it's for her.)) Dont spend it until monday, and if you can keep at least half of it just in case of emergencies on the way home (sometimes I spend my food money and use the remainder of The Fund for food on the way back XD)

Will you need it? Probably not. But if you don't prepare and you end up wishing you had it, I hope you think of meee~ ^_^

[Glitch]

Alright, I've only been to one convention but in general I'd make sure not to eat anything that's going to make you feel like crap and not want to walk or feel sick. I'm not talking about eating Junk Food all weekend but just anything that you think will make you, I wouldn't take the chance. Because if you get to feeling sick on Friday or Saturday it won't be much fun, will it? ;)

Alright, thanks for the info too! ^^

I second this opinion. My first fanime, when it was at the sccc, my friend and I had eaten some chicken strips from denny's, the next day we had food poisoning. My friends and I pretty much sat in the lobby the entire morning and afternoon trying to feel better. Thanks to miso soup and 7-up though, I felt much better.

Yeah, this is why I try and stay away from fast food during Fanime. Even if you don't get food poisoning, I've found that all that grease and such tends to make me feel sluggish and tried. Not good when there's anime to be watched!

Agreed. Bringing some fruit to eat once in a while is a good idea(juicy grapes being my favorite ^^). I try to eat a fast food meal at least only twice during the entire time at the con. And eat plenty of wheat in the morning. Plenty of those carbs will fuel you well when you run around the con like a maniac.

[heeroyuy135]

My budget as of now is $750, that includes the hotel, reg, food, spending cash, and other various items (photoshoot fees and so fourth).

Looking good...:)

[Dragon Ninja]

My parents are going to be paying for part of my trip.

[darkstar]

Basically, what I'm being told is:

If you can't string together $500 AT MINIMUM for Fanime, don't come...

[Moonblossom]

That sounds about accurate. It is a luxury, not a right, after all. Hell, my budget's nearly two grand, but I plan to spend a lot in the dealer room and my plane ticket was about six hundred alone.

[darkstar]

And note that that $500 probably assumes you're splitting a room 2 or 3 ways...

I mean, with the "no sleeping at the con" bullshit, you're probably damn near required to get 4 nights of hotel (and that's Th-Sun -- a post-con Monday would make five!).  A person going alone and wishing to remain alone probably sucks that $500 up right there, and that probably takes them a significant distance from the con, so they already lose a significant portion of the con if they don't want to end up on the Psycho Express or the Homeless Express.  (Personally, if they're going to make a production of demanding people get hotel rooms, then they really should force all attendees to disclose where they are staying for the con.  No disclosure = see ya.)

I mean, you're talking $60 for the con, anywhere between $20-$100 for transportation (and, if you're flying, forget it, that's at least $100 just for LA, and anything further, it goes exponential), probably $30-50 for food/day (and that's if you're not going to a big restaurant like some of them in the hotels), and then we still have to talk about Dealers' Room, Artists' Alley, etc.

Maybe, with all the signs that the cons are having to ban, perhaps a means test to actually be allowed in the door might not be such a bad idea.

[Gwydion]

If you live anywhere nearby, you don't need $500 bucks. If you don't have money for a room, then drive or take public transit to get down here, and know when the last trains leave to head back home. In 2005 I drove from Hayward to San Jose all four days to enjoy the con. It was just me going, and I wasn't about to pay 300 bucks for a room to stay there by myself. If you live too far away to drive there well, you're just going to have to get a room or make a friend to share with. That's why there's a roommates thread. You don't need 500 bucks to enjoy the con unless you're going to be spending some major cash in the dealer's room. If you're creative you CAN do it for less.

And if you don't have the money...well there's not much you can do. No one is going to pay for you out of the kindness of their hearts. There are no free rides or lunches. Everything revolves around money. It's a fact of life. Honestly, anyone who thinks they can sleep in random places around the Con (or god forbid, outside) and NOT get their asses robbed or taken advantage of is incredibly foolish.

[Trumby]

Unless I'm flying to a con I usually only spend $300-400. Like for Sakura-con this year I only spent about $350 and the majority of that was my hotel room ($180) and transportation ($100). I don't really ever buy anything in the dealers room or artists alley so that is a huge chunk of money a lot of people spend that I don't.

Expecting to spend around $400 on Fanime..with plane tickets included.

[KyraEnsui]

I booked my room back in December when it first came on and I live 2+ hours away from San Jose. When you split the total cost of rooms with the number of roommates, it'll becomes cheaper. However, I don't like rooming with more than five people since my last experience in 2007.

I am not getting what you mean [Psycho Express or the Homeless Express.  (Personally, if they're going to make a production of demanding people get hotel rooms, then they really should force all attendees to disclose where they are staying for the con.  No disclosure = see ya.)] Fanime is not forcing anyone to get a hotel. It's the attendee's decision to get a hotel especially for those who do not live close to San Jose.

Hmm... I'm expecting to spend close to $800 including hotel and badge. =) At least, I'm going to sell some at swap meet to make some money back.

[FanFicGuru]

And note that that $500 probably assumes you're splitting a room 2 or 3 ways...

I mean, with the "no sleeping at the con" bullshit, you're probably damn near required to get 4 nights of hotel (and that's Th-Sun -- a post-con Monday would make five!).  A person going alone and wishing to remain alone probably sucks that $500 up right there, and that probably takes them a significant distance from the con, so they already lose a significant portion of the con if they don't want to end up on the Psycho Express or the Homeless Express.  (Personally, if they're going to make a production of demanding people get hotel rooms, then they really should force all attendees to disclose where they are staying for the con.  No disclosure = see ya.)

I mean, you're talking $60 for the con, anywhere between $20-$100 for transportation (and, if you're flying, forget it, that's at least $100 just for LA, and anything further, it goes exponential), probably $30-50 for food/day (and that's if you're not going to a big restaurant like some of them in the hotels), and then we still have to talk about Dealers' Room, Artists' Alley, etc.

Maybe, with all the signs that the cons are having to ban, perhaps a means test to actually be allowed in the door might not be such a bad idea.

Seriously, that's enough. Stop whining about cost of the convention. It doesn't cost 500 dollars minimum. If you live in the area it costs more like...the cost of the convention +food. If you don't live in the area or set up local lodging then that's your problem and nobody cares or wants to hear your sob story. Even people who live out of area can make it cost less than $500.

Tony offered you some advice, I suggest you take it- don't come to the convention. Judging by your attitude on the whole thing, you seem to be a very bitter Fanime attendee who wants everything given to them for free.

For the last time, a convention is a luxury. If you have the money that you earned with your part time job or got from your rich parents (not anyone's fault if your parents are or are not rich), then you can attend. If you don't have the money, don't come.

[otakuapprentice]

And note that that $500 probably assumes you're splitting a room 2 or 3 ways...

I mean, with the "no sleeping at the con" bullshit, you're probably damn near required to get 4 nights of hotel (and that's Th-Sun -- a post-con Monday would make five!).  A person going alone and wishing to remain alone probably sucks that $500 up right there, and that probably takes them a significant distance from the con, so they already lose a significant portion of the con if they don't want to end up on the Psycho Express or the Homeless Express.  (Personally, if they're going to make a production of demanding people get hotel rooms, then they really should force all attendees to disclose where they are staying for the con.  No disclosure = see ya.)

I mean, you're talking $60 for the con, anywhere between $20-$100 for transportation (and, if you're flying, forget it, that's at least $100 just for LA, and anything further, it goes exponential), probably $30-50 for food/day (and that's if you're not going to a big restaurant like some of them in the hotels), and then we still have to talk about Dealers' Room, Artists' Alley, etc.

Maybe, with all the signs that the cons are having to ban, perhaps a means test to actually be allowed in the door might not be such a bad idea.

Seriously, that's enough. Stop whining about cost of the convention. It doesn't cost 500 dollars minimum. If you live in the area it costs more like...the cost of the convention +food. If you don't live in the area or set up local lodging then that's your problem and nobody cares or wants to hear your sob story. Even people who live out of area can make it cost less than $500.

Tony offered you some advice, I suggest you take it- don't come to the convention. Judging by your attitude on the whole thing, you seem to be a very bitter Fanime attendee who wants everything given to them for free.

For the last time, a convention is a luxury. If you have the money that you earned with your part time job or got from your rich parents (not anyone's fault if your parents are or are not rich), then you can attend. If you don't have the money, don't come.

shit, i have made it cost $400 for the last two years, because i was responsible and I MADE A BUDGET.

darkstar: shut up. the numbers you punched in for money expenditures are ridiculous: its $55 for the con, not $60(thats if you reg at-con, cheaper if you pre-reg); IF YOU HAVE A ROOM, its more like $10-12 for food/day(i can go lower than that number, and still eat three times a day, plus snacks); the lowest you can possibly pay for a room while sharing with others is $70...thats around $150 right there, and thats before adding things like arcade, dealers, etc. which puts you below your projections.

either save up money for a whole year so you dont have a problem for 2009(thats if you dont get yourself banned first, which im sure you will), or STFU.

[darkstar]

If you live anywhere nearby, you don't need $500 bucks. If you don't have money for a room, then drive or take public transit to get down here, and know when the last trains leave to head back home. In 2005 I drove from Hayward to San Jose all four days to enjoy the con. It was just me going, and I wasn't about to pay 300 bucks for a room to stay there by myself. If you live too far away to drive there well, you're just going to have to get a room or make a friend to share with. That's why there's a roommates thread. You don't need 500 bucks to enjoy the con unless you're going to be spending some major cash in the dealer's room. If you're creative you CAN do it for less.

And if you don't have the money...well there's not much you can do. No one is going to pay for you out of the kindness of their hearts. There are no free rides or lunches. Everything revolves around money. It's a fact of life. Honestly, anyone who thinks they can sleep in random places around the Con (or god forbid, outside) and NOT get their asses robbed or taken advantage of is incredibly foolish.

1) If you take public transit, that pretty much ends your con, if you don't live right on the light rail, probably 8 or 9 PM, in most cases.  That would probably make similar worth of being escorted back to a hotel room that you didn't leave between 9 PM and 8 AM...

I mean, after the Fanime debacle, I tried that with A-Kon, and was left, really, with "Why the Hell did I go to this con just to end up in the hotel room?"

And even if you do live on the light rail, you can figure out that you're not going to be going to see that Hentai marathon you've always wanted...

2) *does some rough figuring*  You'd probably STILL be out at least $150-200 by transportation, food, and the entry fee anyway.  We still haven't touched the dealers' hall yet...

3) I'd really like to know where you can get a real hotel room that'll allow you not to have to miss 12 hours out of every 24 at minimum and NOT pay at least $75/night.  Especially as late as some of us had to actually decide...

[darkstar]

I am not getting what you mean [Psycho Express or the Homeless Express.  (Personally, if they're going to make a production of demanding people get hotel rooms, then they really should force all attendees to disclose where they are staying for the con.  No disclosure = see ya.)] Fanime is not forcing anyone to get a hotel. It's the attendee's decision to get a hotel especially for those who do not live close to San Jose.

No, they're making it a force issue -- I just wish that they'd take that force issue to it's logical extent.  All the big cons are getting too big to handle anyway, and any way that they can use to dissuade people like me from attending them probably will do them good in the long run.

Between that and the inappropriate glomping fiascos...

[otakuapprentice]

I am not getting what you mean [Psycho Express or the Homeless Express.  (Personally, if they're going to make a production of demanding people get hotel rooms, then they really should force all attendees to disclose where they are staying for the con.  No disclosure = see ya.)] Fanime is not forcing anyone to get a hotel. It's the attendee's decision to get a hotel especially for those who do not live close to San Jose.

No, they're making it a force issue -- I just wish that they'd take that force issue to it's logical extent.  All the big cons are getting too big to handle anyway, and any way that they can use to dissuade people like me from attending them probably will do them good in the long run.

Between that and the inappropriate glomping fiascos...

no, you are making it sound like its a force issue.

*does some rough figuring*  You'd probably STILL be out at least $150-200 by transportation, food, and the entry fee anyway.  We still haven't touched the dealers' hall yet...

I'd really like to know where you can get a real hotel room that'll allow you not to have to miss 12 hours out of every 24 at minimum and NOT pay at least $75/night.  Especially as late as some of us had to actually decide...

i didnt see any reason to quote that whole post, save for these two points.

badge: $55
food(if you know how to stretch your money out): $10-15 food/day
transportation: depends on how far away you are traveling from(where are you coming from anyways?!)

just how much money do you have set aside for con, if you do not mind me asking? also, how old are you(this has a small point to it)?

you really don't know how to set up a schedule/budget for something as big as fanime, do you? you keep saying that you don't want to miss anything, yet you post "I'd really like to know where you can get a real hotel room that'll allow you not to have to miss 12 hours out of every 24 at minimum".

choosing to sleep that many hours each days is your fault, no one else's. the least amount of hours that your body typically needs for sleep is about 8, and you shoot off 12.....you're an idiot. for con, you still need to sleep, and if you dont want to miss so much, 4-6 hours of sleep/night lets you not miss much(that small point between 6am and 11am has little to nothing going on, save for the marathon rooms and a few vid rooms with some classic stuff)

but back to the whole room thing....

if you are traveling from a very far distance, then getting a hotel room should be as much of a necessity as getting a badge. if you live really close to the con center(which a good amount of the people here do), you can go back to your abode, but they choose to get a room, and why: convenience.

to put it in very simple words: you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.

[Trumby]

What you are trying to accomplish here, darkstar, really? If you can't figure out how to budget for a con and ways to save money (like splitting a room, bringing food with you, not spending as much money in the dealers hall..if any, preregging early) then well that is your own fault. Don't like to take public transit if you live nearby? Don't go to the con then. I did that for my first con..1.5 hours one way...and I still enjoyed myself immensely. So you can't go to the late events..big deal. If they are that big a deal to you then save money and get a hotel room.

And while the con isn't forcing people to get hotel rooms, it does help the con when people do because it gives them more leverage with the convention center regarding dates and all (don't get enough filled rooms one year you don't get your same date next year type of thing), plus it allows the con to secure the huge discounts on the rooms. Telling people they can't come o the con if they don't get a hotel room would quite literally kill any convention so that is just a stupid suggestion or whatever it is.

[Rei-Rei]

What you are trying to accomplish here, darkstar, really? If you can't figure out how to budget for a con and ways to save money (like splitting a room, bringing food with you, not spending as much money in the dealers hall..if any, preregging early) then well that is your own fault. Don't like to take public transit if you live nearby? Don't go to the con then. I did that for my first con..1.5 hours one way...and I still enjoyed myself immensely. So you can't go to the late events..big deal. If they are that big a deal to you then save money and get a hotel room.

Exactly, I mean we're driving there from two hours away, and I wouldn't have been able to stay there overnight... But since I saved up enough money, I could afford a hotel room there. I don't know what you are trying to accomplish, darkstar.  Note, I'm not 18... And I don't have a job. So I don't get what you're whining and complaining about. Do some chores around the house, babysit, or take some odd job here and there.

[Steve.Young]

For one person, split 4 ways on a room, it averages out to be 125 dollars per person. Badges cost about 60 bucks. Thats 185.

185 for Badge + Room.
Food = 20 dollars a day x 3-4 days = 60-80 dollars for the entire weekend.
Transportation - Gas for a full tank of gas is like 50 bucks. Plane tickets (Depending on where you are coming from) are anywhere from 50-500 bucks.

So lets say 500 bucks + 80 bucks + 185 bucks = total of 765 bucks.

You have 360 some odd days to save before the con.

So if you saved about 3 dollars a day, into a little savings account you would have 1080 dollars at the end of the 360 days. Enough to spend for a 500 dollar plane ticket, food, hotel, and badge.

It's not hard to plan a budget. Just takes a little effort. Less effort than bitching about con prices and no sleeping rules. HELLO, IF YOU DON'T like the LAW,  GO CONTACT the MAYOR. It's out of our hands. Bitching like a little kid doesn't help anything but contribute nothing.


Dealers room, arcades, etc. all that other crap are extra luxuries added on to the con (as it is a luxury). Can't afford it? Don't do it.

[Haruka]

Everyone who is whining about money needs to stop, right now, please.  It's annoying and unnecessary.

Is Con expensive?  You bet.  Do you need money to attend?  Of course.  Are the Con planners forcing you to get a room?  No.  Short of a gun to your head, no one can make you do anything.  Is getting a room a good idea?  Yes, but is not absolutely necessary.  And if you are selfish enough to not want to share your room with others to cut the cost, then you're pricing yourself out of the experience.

I'm hearing a lot of entitlement and as Neko can atest, I am not a big fan of entitlement.  There is not one person on earth who deserves that which they do not earn.  If you do not have enough money to attend, do not attend.  However, when I first began to go to Fanime, my budget was pretty modest.  I lived in San Jose at the time, so my friends and I made the best of it.  We shared a room every year, and still do, even though we come from various parts of the state now ($130/Con each).  There have been as many as six of us sharing a 2 bed room.  It's a little incovenient, but we only sleep and shower there so who cares?  We bring our own food and eat at restaurants as a treat($40 for groceries).  And we spend what money we have wisely.

Bring what you can.  Dole your money out, prudently.  And try to con your friends into letting you stay in their room for free, cuz you're broke.  It works, I swear.

[Moonblossom]

Amen to that!

To me, Fanime (well, the con and mostly seeing my friends) is a reward for working my flat little white-girl ass off the rest of the year. Admittedly I have the awesomest job ever (work in a toy store that specializes in Transformers and Star Wars stuff) but that still doesn't change the fact that I have to work. I've earned this trip. And the whole "well I WANT it so I should be able to have it for free whine whine whine" mentality pisses me off to no end. Thankfully, most of the people in this thread don't seem to think that way, only a very select little pocket.