/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

[Anonymous No.7321323]

How do you guys afford to annually attend anime conventions?


Assuming it's for a 3 day trip for one person.

$80-$130 per night at a hotel
$100-$1000 for creating an cosplay
$40-60 for snacks/drinks
$60 in case you plan on eating out/ordering room service
$40-$100 if you plan on driving there and to drive around city.
$25-$50 for registering to attend the convention
$450-$1,000 for a roundtrip flight
$200 if you plan on buying anything at a convention

[Anonymous No.7321340]

A job.

[Anonymous No.7321347]

>>7321340

OHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Anonymous No.7321354]

Anime and videogames are an expensive hobby. Don't go if you can't afford to. It will be a big disappointment. You'd just be able to attend, but not able to dress up well or buy anything. It'll just be a financial burden that will haunt you for months.

Rent
$800-$1400

Utility
$100-$200

Groceries
$200-$500

Cable/Phone/Internet
$100-$150

Leisure expenses (movies, fast food, hanging out friends/family, videogames, etc)
$20-$100

If your income only makes enough to barely pay bills, it doesn't matter how much you save up to attend an an anime conventions cause you will just end up having your heart broken and no one is going to bet here help you put the pieces back together. Part of being in love and being vulnerable.

[Anonymous No.7321360]

>>7321323
Live in LA and just commute to local cons

[Anonymous No.7321363]

>>7321323
>$80-$130 per night at a hotel
Which is usually why people room together and split the cost. Divided by 2-4 people, that isn't much.

>$100-$1000 for creating an cosplay
The expense of the costume isn't often a lump sum. It is broken up into smaller chunks throughout the year

>$40-60 for snacks/drinks
Most people bring a bottle of water with them, and even if they didn't I am not sure how you are spending that much on sacks. A bag of chips and a bottle of coke at a corner store would be maybe $5. Only being there for 3 days, and having meals on top of this, you may spend $20 on snacks if you plan really poorly.

>$60 in case you plan on eating out/ordering room service
Often people only have the big group dinner on the last night, and so yes, that can be maybe $50, depending on where you go. Other than that, fast food and sandwiches packed before hand and you cut that bill down a lot.

$40-$100 if you plan on driving there and to drive around city.
Carpooling cuts the cost of gas down a lot, and if you are driving this negates the flight cost you bring up earlier. Also, most people don't drive around the city during the con. If they do something touristy, public transit is often the preferred method.

>$25-$50 for registering to attend the convention
Again, you can often get a group rate if you have enough people.

>$450-$1,000 for a roundtrip flight
Where are you flying from that a flight costs $1000? Besides, there are often flight deals with hotel packages, and seat deals now and then. It's all about planning.

>$200 if you plan on buying anything at a convention
You don't have to spend that much on merch. Most don't.

Bottom line, grouping up to split costs, bringing your own snacks and ready made meals, and planning ahead cuts down a lot of the costs. Also, your price ranges are quite off.

[Anonymous No.7321373]

The reason why big name cosplayers and youtube personalities can afford to go conventions is because they live near metropolitan areas where conventions take place and have donations from fans. Sometimes they run an online store or sell the things their fans give them.

This is coming from someone who gives money to Sachie so she can continue being beautiful on camera for me. I admire her and buy stuff from her and donate stuff to her because in some way I am making her happy. One day I hope to attend an anime convention and chance upon her.

[Anonymous No.7321388]

Going to a convention alone is expensive. Go in with a group of friends even if they aren't big anime fans. As a last resort, hang out on the convention forums and see if anyone is willing to room with a stranger (Be careful though, many people to bail out on the last day and leave you to pay for everything. Also they can be very rude and steal your stuff).

[Anonymous No.7321396]

>>7321323
>>Only go to local cons in NYC
>>use train
>>Sleep/change outfit for free at friend's dorm few blocks away
>>Get pro pass/$30 pass because published illustrator
>>Most expensive costume only $300, over two years
>>$13 a month out of paycheck for costume

Even after I move all I have to deal with is gas money to travel with

[Anonymous No.7321413]

>>7321323
As a broke college student, it helps a lot that norcal has a shitton of local cons. As for the cosplays themselves, I tend to try and find similar things at thrift stores and modify them. It's not the greatest solution, but it certainly helps my wallet out. I do tend to go all out on my props though.

[Anonymous No.7321418]

My fanboys give me money

[Anonymous No.7321442]

>Hotel
I usually room with heaps of people, minimum four and max eight, though I think we might have gone as high as ten when we were younger.
>Cosplay
Coupons are your friend. My costumes usually only cost about 100$ max each unless it's something really extravagant, which is rare for me. I try to only do a handful of costumes a year. 500-1000$~ throughout the year isn't bad.
>Snacks/drinks/eating out
Hardly eat during a con myself, so it's not something I worry about much. Usually get by on maybe 10$/day for food.
>Gas
Split with people, never gone on a long road trip for a con alone, and I've never flown for a con (but honestly, if you're paying 1000$ round trip for a flight in the US, you're doing it fucking wrong).
>Vendors
Rarely buy anything unless it really strikes my fancy. Most I've ever dropped in a dealer's room for myself is maybe 60$. Not a materialistic person.

It doesn't HAVE to break the bank if you're smart and have people you can split the costs with.

[Anonymous No.7321504]

I wish I were a beautiful , fun, and interesting girl. I'd have a youtube channel and entertain people and people would give me enough money so I can afford to eat something.

[Anonymous No.7321547]

>>7321323
It depends on the con. ALA is my cheapest con since work it. Half an hour away, staff lounge access for meals, buddies work in con suite so they pass me food, too, badge paid for by worked hours, Denny's is down the street, room is reimbursed at a later date, and I usually spend $50 or less in the dealer's hall and AA combined.

Fanime is my most expensive con, since it's about $100 for room, $50 for gas (after dividing it between the carpool), way more than $60 for food (there are actually good places to eat around Fanime), badge costs, and $50-100 to spend between AA and the Dealer's Hall.

So yeah. Jobs.

[Anonymous No.7321578]

I got a sugar daddy.

[Anonymous No.7321582]

>>7321547

Fanime. So hard to get in and so hard to get out.

[Anonymous No.7321585]

It's called having a boyfriend.

[Anonymous No.7321591]

For $1000 I can get from here to Asia, don't know where you got that number from.

[Anonymous No.7321602]

>>7321323
My parents pay for the whole thing. They think I'm in law school.

I'm also seeing a couple reasonably wealthy guys on the side. Lolita's an expensive lifestyle and I wouldn't really be able to sustain it without them.

[Anonymous No.7321606]

I'm an only child so my parents pretty much pay for my commute to cons so I can be happy. I do commissions on the side to afford cosplay. I find it disgusting of me to do these things, but I have fun so I don't really care.

[Anonymous No.7321609]

Unrelated, but I know too many people who can barely pay for school and rent yet they're leaving the country (I live in Canada) every other month to go to a American cons then beg friends to loan them money so they can buy groceries or pay for gas.
Don't be that person. If you can't afford it, get it through your head. Cons and cosplay are luxuries, not a necessity/priority.

[Anonymous No.7321625]

When I go to AX I usually don't spend more than about $300. $100 for hotel stay split with some roomies, a little for parking, a badge for $60, a couple little trinks or whatever, and maybe 20-30$ to eat at IHOP or something.

Cosplay itself isn't really that expensive unless you're going crazy on props. And you can always wear costumes you've already created in the past so its not that big of a deal. I never need to spend more than $300 on a costume. Even expensive fabrics don't have to cost that much with one of those 40% off Jo-anns coupons.

[Anonymous No.7321630]

>>7321585
You better be giving him some elite blowjobs at the con if he's paying everything for you, including your costume expenses.

[Anonymous No.7321639]

>>7321418
Go home, Jessica.

[Anonymous No.7321677]

>>7321630
He just loves me.

[Anonymous No.7321734]

>>7321677
And you love manipulating. You dumb whore.

[Mr. Roboto No.7321751]

>>7321323
A job, financially planning and saving. Cutting costs by splitting with people.

For my home con:
$80 for the weekend for the hotel
$0 for a cosplay
$10 for snacks/drinks
$40 to eat on during the weekend
$20 in gas
$0 for badge (Comped)
$0 for flight
$0 for buying anything.

It is usually cheaper to split a room though I usually stay under 5 people per room.
I do cosplay on a budget so it is a lot cheaper than you think.
Snacks are super cheap at a grocery story.
If you have enough snack, you don't have to eat out as much. Plus don't eat out at expensive places or just order pizza.
I don't drive around a city for a con, I usually go straight to the con and straight home.
Registration is about your price range.
Driving your own car, a bus, or even a train is cheaper than most flights.
I don't buy things at a convention. Never seen the need to buy something when most dealers and AA prices are higher than their normal website prices.

[Anonymous No.7322044]

Don't forget extra batteries for your camera and a back up SD card.

[Anonymous No.7322088]

>>7321354

>you will just end up having your heart broken

Why?

[Anonymous No.7322115]

>>7322088

Because you go there constantly worrying about money instead of having a good time.

[Anonymous No.7322124]

>>7322088

Because you go there unable to pay for anything.

[Anonymous No.7322135]

>>7322115
>>7322124

That makes sense. I thought it was a literal statement in regards to romantically having your heart broken.

[Anonymous No.7322159]

>$80-$130 per night at a hotel
more like $0-$40 because people either stay at friends places or rent rooms together
>$100-$1000 for creating an cosplay
Again I'd say $80-$300 is more typical, rarely are most people going past that
>$40-60 for snacks/drinks
Who the fuck spends that much on food? Even for 3 days it's not hard to budget and spend only $20-$30max
>$60 in case you plan on eating out/ordering room service
the very vast majority of people don't do this
>$40-$100 if you plan on driving there and to drive around city.
Most people don't go to cons that are far away, where are you getting these numbers?
>$25-$50 for registering to attend the convention
this one you can't help
>$450-$1,000 for a roundtrip flight
People don't do this unless they were invited and got there for free or it's part of a trip they already planned
>$200 if you plan on buying anything at a convention
again most people budget and probably don't spend more than $80-$100 since the people with that much or more money tend to know you can buy 90% of the stuff for much cheaper

answer: people save up and budget
I don't even buy tickets anymore, I transit to the local cons, and rarely spend more than $100 including the costume.

Seriously, where are you getting these numbers?

[Anonymous No.7322194]

I usually end up paying 400 or so per convention without cosplay.
$200 round trip (usually I go to around the same area)
$100 for food (I tend to spend a bit more now that I am old enough to drink)
$80 or less for the badge
And and around $100 for the room since I go with a lot of friends and we stuff.
It's not too bad. I only go to one or two a year.

[Anonymous No.7322201]

Actual expenses for my 1 convention per year:

$90 for 1 night at a hotel

$100 for each cosplay

$40-60 for food for the weekend

$50 for gas

$18 for registering to attend the convention

$50 to buy things because anything more expensive could be found cheaper online.

Rounding up, ~$400

>How do you afford one trip at $400 per year?

I work a mcjob for $7.35/hour at 10-20 hours per week ( I made just over $4,000 last year), and I can still afford this shit while also paying for my boyfriend while going to college.

[Anonymous No.7322208]

>>7322201
Your bf is a lucky guy, nice to know there are women like you out there.

[Anonymous No.7322216]

Family near major con cities.

[Anonymous No.7322213]

>>7322208
Well, he's not as interested as I am, and I feel like I'm dragging him along (though he said he enjoys it, I can't help feeling bad) so I don't make him pay for anything.

He'll usually pitch in for gas or food though.

[Anonymous No.7322222]

I think your problem is that you're assuming a lot of things of the average con-goer. I don't know about ya'll, but my breakdown is more like:

$10 for gas (split between friends because we carpool)
$40-100 for a room (once again, split between people)
$35-50 for registration (I usually pre-reg as early as possible unless I'm doing a day trip)
$50-70 for food the whole weekend

I agree pretty much with the Dealer's Room budget, but most people I know don't fly to cons and they don't take the burden of the bigger expenses like gas and room by themselves.

As long as there's some planning in advance, it's something anyone with a decent part-time job can easily budget for unless their other expenses are really high or they just don't get enough income.

[Anonymous No.7322227]

>>7322222
I guess I forgot to add cosplay which can tack on anywhere between $70 and $300, but I wouldn't call cosplay (or lolita) a con expense since it's not something you NEED to attend a con (unlike, say, food and parking).

[Anonymous No.7322254]

Sometimes I compare being alone with no friends or family to having friends and family. I compare when it is better to be alone or not. It is not better to be alone in an anime convention. Even big name cosplayers share a room with friends to make their trip more affordable. Never share a room with strangers, they bail on you before having to pay to stay at the room. There is no making sure they commit to paying. You can ask strangers for money upfront for sharing a room, but they'll just steal it whatever chance you get. you won't be enjoying yourself, you'd be constantly keeping an out for that stranger to not screw you over.

[Anonymous No.7322276]

>>7321373
That is creepy as fuck.

[Anonymous No.7322301]

Most of my con expenses are travel and food because badge/hotel are covered by working, and even if I do make a costume or two, it's nowhere NEAR $1000, typically $100-200 per outfit. When it wasn't a work thing, even an expensive con like AX would only run me about $1000 with costumes, travel, hotel, etc. Buy your badge early for the cheap rate, share a room with friends, carpool and split the gas and parking costs.

[Anonymous No.7322309]

>>7322213
No, don't feel bad. If he says he enjoys it, I'm sure he's being honest about it. I'm sure he actually enjoys getting away once a year with you.

You sound like a real sweetheart. Good for you.

[Anonymous No.7322346]

If you go with friends, just go your separate ways at the convention. It's like going to a museum, got to take time to appreciate art on your own. Going with friends rushes things. Your friends may not be into certain anime as much as you and you may not be into certain anime as your friends. Last time I went to a convention with non-anime fans, no one took the time appreciate voice actors dressing up as character they voiced for. No one understood any joke or reference. Nothing will catch their attention .

It's embarrassing leaving Q&A panels 20 minutes in because they think the voice actors saying stuff in 'anime voices' is dumb. It's disheartening to be pulled away from having a chance to meet big name cosplayers , artist, or voice actor because friends want to leave .

Just let everyone do their own thing. Go there as a group, enjoy things by self, then return to hotel as a group.

[Anonymous No.7322358]

>>7322346

>going to cosplay skit with non-anime fans
>"Oh my god, Anon. This is so embarrassing! Why are we here? How are these people liking this?!!"

[Anonymous No.7322361]

ITT people who weren't spoiled as a kid think OP's standards are fucking insane

[Anonymous No.7322378]

>>7322222
Quints speaks the truth, but I don't see how someone would need 70 bucks for food for four days.

[Anonymous No.7322379]

>>7322346

>going to anime convention
>friends say they want to join
>they don't like anime, but offer to help pay for expenses
>let them join me
>hardly get to go to convention
>friends keep wanting me to tag along with them to explore the city

[Anonymous No.7322535]

>>7322361
Some of OP's standards are insane. You don't need to spend that much money on most of the things he's mentioned.

[Anonymous No.7322541]

Easy, I have a real job.

[Anonymous No.7322560]

>>7322309
Thanks, anon.

He's got a pretty shitty home life, so I try my best to do stuff to cheer him up like that.

[Anonymous No.7322563]

>>7322378
It depends on if you just get junk food, or if you get some actual food.

I went camping for two days and bought $50 of food, we ate pretty much all of it. I got some chips and soda and stuff, but I also bought lunch meats and bread to make sandwiches so we weren't just eating shit the whole time. I'd get sick eating like that.

[Anonymous No.7322572]

>80-130 for hotel room

pfffft. Penthouse or nothing.

[Anonymous No.7322587]

>>7322572

>you will never rent a Penthouse with Sachie

[Anonymous No.7322603]

For me
$120-150 for super badge if available
$30-50 for teaparty
$300-400 for a new outfit/accessories for the con
$30 worth of gas from staying off-site
$200 for dealers room (i spend at most half of that usually)
$20 parking
$30-50 food

its a lot, so i only go to 1 or 2 a year.
I wouldnt be able to afford going out of state for anime Expo, although hopefully I will be able to at some point.

[Anonymous No.7322612]

>>7322378
it depends on the location of the con. if you find yourself in a downtown area, meals with your friend could be as much as $10-20 and that times 4ish meals? Plus the $10 box of pocky and the $5 melon bread.
But this may just be me, I dont like to be hungry.

[Anonymous No.7322679]

>all these people saying con expenses aren't expensive because they live next a con

No shit.

[Anonymous No.7322728]

Yay for German ghetto cons
in which I pay 5,90€ for a bus ride and don't buy a ticket for inside because inside is nothing but shitty AMV contests and equally shitty merchandise, so everyone stays outside and has a good time in the park instead.

>tfw never being able to visit all those famous American conventions

[Anonymous No.7322738]

>Dat feel when I almost exclusively do closet cosplay.
>Dat feel when more monies for artist alley/dealer den.

[Anonymous No.7322741]

I live in Minnesota and I only ever go to cons in my state including Anime Detour...


I really would like to travel to a con outside here, What is the best recommendation?

I dont mind cost as long as its worth going. Like id prefer going to one in a state closer if its far better than one farther away..

Also has anyone been to a brony con? Is it worth it money wise from where I live in MN?

[Anonymous No.7322753]

>>7322679
Still, the OP estimate is kinda ridiculous. I can get across the other side of the world and back for $1000 if I book ahead, and I'd be doing a damn sight more than just going to a con if I were going that far

[Anonymous No.7322765]

>>7322741
> brony con

Good God
>love mlp
>love new mlp-FiM culture
>decide to go to Bronycon
>so excited
>wearing simple mlp custom shirt with yaya pony ears
>show up
>full of autists
>disturbing outfits
>barely anyone my age 17
>mostly 25+ year old men
>25+ year old autists
>everyone who speaks to me (even the girls who are all whales) appear mentally/socially retarded
>very uncomfortable
>dont go back for next day

unless you have aspergers you really wont fit in
It was nothing of what I expected , I knew that older men will be there in pony shirts and stuff but seeing it real life is rather jarring...and I regularly go to anime cons. I didnt fit in at all.

[Anonymous No.7322762]

>local convention
>just need to pay $20 to get in
>hardly anyone cosplaying
>anyone who is cosplaying an anime character gets laughed at (they were actually good cosplayers)

[Anonymous No.7322776]

>>7322679
My con is a 4 hour drive away and I spend less than $300.

[Anonymous No.7322789]

>>7322765
Not that anon but I'm so sad to hear that! I love MLP but I'm just so uncomfortable around people with developmental issues that I feel like I'd end up buying a bunch of merch and just going home. Sorry to hear you had such a bad time anon.

[Anonymous No.7322805]

>>7321323
Bored/curious so I'm going to calculate my costs
>hotel for 3 nights ~ around 700$
>Split between 4 people = 175
>10 dollars per day including travel days for food, rest is brought from home = 50
>about 150 for gas, split 4 ways = ~38
>prereg in advance = 35
>spending money - usually 50 because this shit costs so much
Total con cost - around 350, let's add 50 for extra shit
So 400 dollars for con

For this year I have spent 120 dollars on wigs, 65 for a commission, and 50 for fabrics/materials for another costume. Will spend about 30 for a third simply costume, 25 for shoes, and probably 25 more in other supplies.
I sold one costume for 75, and another for 100.
So 315 - the 175 = 140 for cosplay.

Total cost is under 600 dollars. Even if I had sold nothing it would still be under 800.
So I guess the best thing you can really do to afford cons would be:
>Split costs, this one is key really
>Go to local/ish cons
>Register ahead!
>Bring your own food
>Save in advance
>Resell old costumes
Also the hotel would be infinitely cheaper if we all weren't so insistent on going to a con-affiliated one. Totally worth it to get to line up early for major guests.

[Anonymous No.7323465]

>>7321323
>$80-$130 per night at a hotel
I usually don't stay at a hotel so $0
>$100-$1000 for creating an cosplay
I've gone without cosplay before and just Jfashion clothes so $0 and a normal cosplay costs up to $130 but those costs are spread throughout time anyways
>$40-60 for snacks/drinks
...No. What on Earth are you buying? I spend like $10-$12 and that's just because I think it's fun to buy a bunch of junk food I don't need
>$60 in case you plan on eating out/ordering room service
Once again if you only go for a day you don't have this problem
>$40-$100 if you plan on driving there and to drive around city.
And if you don't it's not that much at all
>$25-$50 for registering to attend the convention
This is true.
>$450-$1,000 for a roundtrip flight
Holy shit what?? And there are conventions you don't have to fly to you know, I've never once flown to a convention.
>$200 if you plan on buying anything at a convention
Buying anything? No that's if you buy a lot. This is my biggest expense and I usually bring $150 or so for buying things but that's only because I only go once or twice a year so I bring money to blow for fun. My friends usually only spend $10 to at most $60
So if you're just going for a day or are within driving distance it's not that expensive at all, also you don't have to cosplay or put together an amazing cosplay and if you dress Jfashion you could just wear that.
I've been going since I was a 13 year old jobless teen, all I had to do was save up for a bit. I'm sure if you had any job you could save up to go to one.