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Mevious
Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 78
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:58 pm
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I rarely go to cons due to the cost. However, I regret not going because of the potentially amazing deals.
A friend of mine went to Otakon years ago and managed to get the Z-Gundam Boxset - normally $200 - for $40. It shakes me to this very day.
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LunarianWarrior
Joined: 16 Sep 2007
Posts: 57
Location: NYC
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:08 pm
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The money shortage at the end relates to me when i was at my 1st convention where i spent every single dollar i had its crushing when u cant get somthin u rlly want. Nina....get two jobs. it will work out later on.
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matthewlow
Joined: 04 Feb 2004
Posts: 147
Location: San Ramon, California
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:14 pm
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$600 for a plane flight? Crazy talk. I don't think I've ever paid that much... and I'm here in NorCal CA, and I go to about 6-8 cons a year.
This is why you go in a group, fly using Southwest for cheap fares and no baggage cost. Prereg badge (well, if you don't get a free one that is). Book early. Seriously. GenCon Indy's flight is $223 round trip from CA booking early.
Obvious secret:
Drive to FanimeCon
Fly to: AnimeExpo, San Diego ComicCon, GenCon SoCal (when it existed...), one other con below
Go for free using Rapid Rewards to: GenCon Indy or Otakon, whichever is more expensive
Works every time. And that's not to mention the random trips to LA for other purposes.
I estimate $700-800 for plane flights to 5 conventions + Fanime at no plane cost. And two are opposite coast.
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Wyvern
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Posts: 1579
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 4:55 pm
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It's funny because it's true.
Every year I go to Otakon, and every year I think "if I just had a little more money, I could just go wild in the dealer's room." And then the next year, I have more money, but I still end up with like eight bucks in disposable con income.
This cartoon doesn't even mention overpriced con food. Six dollar pocky! Eight dollar coffee! Three fifty for a can of coke! Yay?
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LydiaDianne
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:02 pm
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Wyvern wrote: |
This cartoon doesn't even mention overpriced con food. Six dollar pocky! Eight dollar coffee! Three fifty for a can of coke! Yay? |
Last year, at Anime Expo, some guy with a mobile roach coach pulled up outside the registration area. He had a grill and a fryer. I don't remember what he was selling hamburgers and fries for but it was a hell of a lot cheaper than anything inside...probably tasted better too. And his sodas were $1.35, if I remember correctly. He was doing a brisk business.
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kefkaownsall
Joined: 05 Jul 2008
Posts: 189
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:05 pm
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LydiaDianne wrote: |
Wyvern wrote: |
This cartoon doesn't even mention overpriced con food. Six dollar pocky! Eight dollar coffee! Three fifty for a can of coke! Yay? |
Last year, at Anime Expo, some guy with a mobile roach coach pulled up outside the registration area. He had a grill and a fryer. I don't remember what he was selling hamburgers and fries for but it was a hell of a lot cheaper than anything inside...probably tasted better too. And his sodas were $1.35, if I remember correctly. He was doing a brisk business. |
Food wasn't so bad at my convention but then again, it was at a college so the prices were probably the same as they were for the students.
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kefkaownsall
Joined: 05 Jul 2008
Posts: 189
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:05 pm
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LydiaDianne wrote: |
Wyvern wrote: |
This cartoon doesn't even mention overpriced con food. Six dollar pocky! Eight dollar coffee! Three fifty for a can of coke! Yay? |
Last year, at Anime Expo, some guy with a mobile roach coach pulled up outside the registration area. He had a grill and a fryer. I don't remember what he was selling hamburgers and fries for but it was a hell of a lot cheaper than anything inside...probably tasted better too. And his sodas were $1.35, if I remember correctly. He was doing a brisk business. |
Food wasn't so bad at my convention but then again, it was at a college so the prices were probably the same as they were for the students. Oh and sorry for my previous double post, I'm using a slower connection then I'm used to.
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TsukasaElkKite
Joined: 22 Nov 2005
Posts: 3988
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 5:52 pm
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I feel her pain.
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fighterholic
Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:18 pm
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Well, maybe it's better sometimes to just drive to where ever you're going, even if it's on the other side of the country. You might get deprived of sleep but at least you're not paying hundreds of dollars just for the plane ticket alone. Although overpriced food is and always will be an issue.
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samuelp
Industry Insider
Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 2241
Location: San Antonio, USA
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Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 9:43 pm
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fighterholic wrote: | Well, maybe it's better sometimes to just drive to where ever you're going, even if it's on the other side of the country. You might get deprived of sleep but at least you're not paying hundreds of dollars just for the plane ticket alone. Although overpriced food is and always will be an issue. |
Not with gas $4 a gallon. You might save some from flying, but it's not nearly as much as it used to be.
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Nermal
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 223
Location: I was made to hit in America
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 1:23 am
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wandering-dreamer wrote: | And that's why you
1. Pre reg as soon as possible
2. Go to a local con (gas may be expensive but planes take more gas than cars).
3. Bring your own food.
4. Bring friends, you can mooch off of them and have them help split the cost of driving and hotel room.
Poor Nina though, hopefully she has learned from this. |
Word. This year I didn't spend nearly half as much as I usually do for AX: pre-reg'd on the 1st day possible, split gas with my roommates, bought bento from Marukai on the way, and didn't need a hotel since it was fairly close to where I live (although I kinda missed having an air-conditioned room to come back to throughout the day). Maybe Nina should split taxi/room fare with Kevin and Paola for the next con
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
Forums Superstar
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 16954
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:24 am
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daedelus wrote: | Oh, that reminds me. I need to pre-register for ZOMG-con!
It's always terrible when you find a rare gem at a con, only to lack the funds to purchase. I've been there. Poor Nina. |
Better yet is when they only take cash. And you have to scramble to find an ATM as fast as possible. Only every damn ATM is out of cash. Then when you do find one 20 min later and make it back the figure just got sold 2 minutes before you got back. Ain't life grand? Nina's hands in the air near the end reminded me of Shawshank Redemption for some reason though heh. Poor Nina. Always trying so hard and always just falling short.
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DuelLadyS
Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: WA state
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:27 am
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Psycho 101 wrote: |
daedelus wrote: | Oh, that reminds me. I need to pre-register for ZOMG-con!
It's always terrible when you find a rare gem at a con, only to lack the funds to purchase. I've been there. Poor Nina. |
Better yet is when they only take cash. And you have to scramble to find an ATM as fast as possible. Only every damn ATM is out of cash. Then when you do find one 20 min later and make it back the figure just got sold 2 minutes before you got back. Ain't life grand? Nina's hands in the air near the end reminded me of Shawshank Redemption for some reason though heh. Poor Nina. Always trying so hard and always just falling short. |
This is where my second con habit comes into play- get ALL spending money as cash from the bank ahead of time- not only does it solve ATM-finding problems, you don't have to worry about fees to use the ATM, and sometimes a dealer who'd normally charge sales tax will let it slide to avoid having to make change.
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zanarkand princess
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Posts: 1484
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:01 pm
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This is why I wait for a local con.. That reminds me the Ny anime festival is coming up soon. (like 2 months) but still.
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bglassbrook
Joined: 29 Aug 2006
Posts: 1243
Location: Gaithersburg, MD
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Posted: Thu Jul 10, 2008 8:43 pm
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DuelLadyS wrote: | Now see, this is why I only attend 1 con a year (my local con), AND spend the entire year going up to it saving spending money- seriously, I come home from the con, pull out a calendar, and figure out how much money from each paycheck I need to set aside for the next year's con. |
Exactly. Like any other athlete, otaku need to remember to stay in shape all year long, and that they cannot just go into the season cold.
Though I do agree with matthewlow, the hotel and [pre-boarding] plane prices do seem switched.
penguintruth wrote: | That L.E. boxset is such bullshit, anyway, Nina's better off. I mean, really, dubtitles? "Special features" that are just interviews with the dub cast? And the Mop Sprite Kunushi mini plush looks almost nothing like the character itself. I expected better from Funimation. |
You are welcome to wait until the second coming of Geneon, more BDs for the rest of us. (prime_pm ... apparently not)
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