Cost for convention
 

So I will be starting as a demo in a few days, only for discount though. My demonstrator told me that from now on all the conventions will be in UT which is to my advantage since I have family there that I can stay with.

So if I dont have to pay for a hotel, then are the only costs of convention the airfare? Or is there something else you have to pay for?

Thanks!:)

Only $250??!!?!?!?!?!? :shock:

Ill be there next year for sure! :mrgreen:

What about flights/hotels...........they are the biggest cost for my travel to convention?

Yes.......I read that, very nice to have family there.......a huge bonus & savings!!!

I do plan to attend in 2008, and have estimated expenses at a minimum of $1500(CAD)plus spending money........time to start saving!!!

One alternative
 

Some Demo's post that they have rooms to rent cheap at their homes near convention. I have seen them in the past when I was going through thread here I believe. Also remember that you can split costs of rooms with other demos looking to cut costs. And food outside of the convention in Utah - you can eat fairly cheap. Plane fare is another story. Unless you get frequently flyer miles - it is a big expense! But all and all it is well worth it and great fun!
Time spent with other stamping buddies is always time well spent!

The best way to budget is to have at LEAST $1000. $250 paid in advance of course for your convention fee, leaving the balance for hotel, meals, snacks, and souvenirs (meaning the kind that you pick up in local shops and such, since all memento mall items are paid via whatever method of payment you have set up in our ordering system, credit/debit card or bank account)

hth!

agreed - since you have your lodging taken care of then your expenses would be:
* registration - $250
* airfare - varies based on where you are flying from and when you book your tickets. Likely the tickets will be more expensive since SLC isn't a major city/hub
* spending money - food, car rental, souvenirs

I was able to use frequent flyer miles for my plane ticket last year, otherwise it would have been a pricy ticket (I don't recall how much though) from where I live. Since we were staying at a hotel within walking distance, we didn't need a car, but you might depending on where your family lives in relation to the convention center. Then, just figure how much you want to budget on food and souvenirs. Any purchases at Memento Mall and the kits available at convention go through the account you have set up with them, so you don't need cash for that.

imho, you do miss out on some of the Crazed Convention experience if you stay off site. It's more fun to plop on the bed after being out all day, showing each other your swap cards and discussing new stuff you learned.

Car rental (previously posted) is not aways necessary, they had shuttles from the airport in SLC to our hotel, and I think most the hotels are in walking distance from the Convention Center. So is food and a great outdoor mall!

I have family in UT, so I'm looking forward to going to my first convention next year too. I wondered about the differences of staying in a hotel vs. staying at my dad's house. Maybe I can bring a bunch of friends and we can have a slumber party in my old room in the basement! Hee hee. ;)

Hi all,

I live in WA, and I went last year, but I did price it out this year. You really need to plan to spend $1000. With extra food, hotel and airfare, it comes up to that.

Also don't count on it being in UT every year. I was at convention last year, and what Shelly said was that as long as the UT convention center was available in SLC they will have it there. But if there is a scheduling conflict they will move the convention to another city.

Cindy

Last year she said it would be there for at least 3 years after this year's convention.

I would like to add swaps to the cost of convention. It can get expensive if you make a lot of swaps/join a lot of swaps, not to mention the fact that the new catty comes out right beforehand, and if you're anything like me, that first order is always a doozey.

I agree. And it was awfully convenient to be able to run back to the hotel at lunch to drop swaps and get new ones, etc. I think my roomie snuck back at lunch one day to shower... it's just nice to be *right there* in the middle of the madness!

I really do NOT like sharing rooms, carpooling, etc. etc. etc. So sharing excitement is not what I want when I get done during the day...I want to be alone. So that is one of the main reasonson I would be so excited to have family there where I have my own room and bathroom instead of sleeping with aquaintences or strangers.

Actually, SLC is a Delta hub. I live in Northern Utah & we have a few Delta pilots as neighbors. (Unfortunately it is no flight perk for us :).
Also, Southwest flys into SLC so that is usaully a cheaper option.

Oh that's good to know! I thought it was all cash and carry like a regular store. So do you give them your demo id and they ring you up through OEX or something?

That's great for you! Most people, though, I think enjoy the camaraderie involved in staying in a convention hotel. And, again, the location angle was important to me. There is always the option of staying alone in a hotel, but I get the idea of wanting to save some money, too.

I went last year too...(but not this year) and I used mileage to buy airfare (for me and a friend) and then we used my hubby's travel connections to get us an upgraded room at our hotel so we could use the concierge suite for breakfast, snacks and hors d'oeveres (which was nice but not really utilized as much as it could have been - and it was REALLY crowded).

I shared a room with 2 other people, which was nice, I think if i were to do it again I'd share with just two so we could each have our own bed...although we were so tired by day's end it really didn't matter we just fell asleep quickly.

For meals we were pretty simple, went out one night for Mexican and ordered pizza the next...again, shared expenses so it wasn't that big of a deal. We went to a local drug store to get snacks (chips, pop, water, etc) and grabbed coffee/muffin for breakfast at the Convention center.

I think staying with relatives is great but I do think you'd miss out on some of the excitement of staying in the convention hotels, plus the sessions start early in the morning so getting up even earlier and parking a car for the day is also $$ so why not find some roommates and stay!?

I'm with you ebeth,

I have chronic fatigue and have very low energy in the evening. I am not big on roomies.

But, last year I met a lady much like myself, and we clicked. We had a great time hanging out together. I did not stay at the shiloh, and did not have the hot water run out, and the power go out.

I would walk back to my room every afternoon and relax.

We each have the opportunity to enjoy the convention in a way that is meanful to our individual likes (and there is nothing wrong with that)

cindy

When I get the "official" word from SU that all is a go, then I'll talk to my upline about it more. I know she is going to convention this year. My husband and our daughters were going to come with me on the trip so we could have a set date to visit our relatives more. Maybe we'll just stay at a hotel near the convention and then they can drive to the relatives while Im doing stuff during the day.

:D

Im just a very picky person, and at least if I stay at a hotel I want to and Im willing to pay for them Im ok with that. And if my husband stays with me he already knows what he's in for.

Thanks for all the info!
 

My brother lives in Draper UT, and my SIL works in downtown, so I am ready to go next year! All this information has been incredibly helpful, because I am only a year into my demoship this week! I'm leaning towards staying in Draper to cut costs, and since I rarely see my brother and SIL, I'd appreciate the opportunity to visit with them.

I live in Draper Ut too! Last year I invited 5 friends to stay in my home for convention and they paid for a hotel room for my family. My son was in heaven having a pool but next year we will have to make sure that the bed at the hotel is better.

Anyway it is about a 30 minute drive into the city from here and we had a ball and the first night we had a pj party with a contest of who had the best pj's (the gal that won stamped "just stamp it" across her fanny). One of my club members and best friends brought us a fruit boquet for snacks as a surprise and we just had a delightful time.

Next year I plan on having enough room for aout 12 ladies here. We will have a grand time.

See you monday all you session 2 goers and the rest of you next year!

I've never gone .... was hoping to this year but it didn't work out. I keep hearing it is so wonderful but I can't help but think about how MANY stamps $1000 would buy .....

Just wait
 

I know that $1000 seems like a lot and IT IS - but the experience of convention will totally change your business and outlook with SU. I think of it as like Disneyland for stampers, the skits are hysterical and the energy is something that if they bottled it up gas would be .05 per gallon because we wouldn't need all that much anymore!

I have missed the last three but attended my first two years and have made it to one Leadership conference and two regionals since- NOTHING COMES CLOSE!

i'm a totally hobby demo but I did go to convention last year. i do think everyone should go...at least once...just to see the people in real life and meet/see the other demos and the facility...and experience it all.

while $1,000 is a lot, if you plan ahead and save a little each month it is do-able. also, you can use a single charge card that will earn you mileage and/or hotels (like Capitol One or American Express) - just pay off the balance each month and you can earn your flight (which can be a lot of $$ for those on the East Coast) and share your hotel.

I don't recall spending that much money, but I had a great time! I stayed at a small hotel within walking distance to the convention center, maybe 2 blocks, it included a full hot breakfast, and was lovely! I will stay again next year, and probably by myself. I spent alot of time trying to make more swaps in the evening. I watched tv till all hours and met up with the group in the am. I also know that the SHILOH hotel was an issue. No hot water or air, and some of the rooms were really dark. I paid $95 a night, and these other ladies spent over $100+ to share. Personally I felt like I was at a spa, my room was a corner room, and HUGE!

I have also stayed at the PEERY Hotel that was right next door to the Macaroni Grill and a few blocks away. REally cool and also reasonable. Found it on Hotwire.

Can't wait for next year since I can't go this year! boo hoo

My first year, I had a lush corner room at the Marriott and last year, I had a beautiful garden room at the Little America and both were fabulous! The Marriott would be my first choice as far as locale but, since I did have a vehicle it didn't really matter how many blocks away I actually was from the Salt Palace staying at the Little America.

Frankly, I was able to attend Convention & all the other hoopla events that go along with it and not once did I feel like I was missing fellow demo-companionship or the demo-camaraderie. Infact, the only time you really have at your hotel is for showering & sleeping and than it's right back to the Convention schedule.

So, for me...I personally am not interested in another schedule of when I can shower...kwim? I too, like my privacy not to mention that after working crazy hours all week...my one and only dream is to do what I want and when I want to so, unless I meet my twin...I probably will be rooming solo again next year & loving it ;)

ps. the only downside I see is really the cost...

I'm here in Denver with my DH, though had we not decided on him coming, I'd be on my own. With my own personal circumstances (including being pregnant, so this is the last time I'll be "on my own" for quite a while), I really wanted to have my own space. I've been thinking about future conventions and I'm not entirely sure I'll ever be up for sharing a room, even though the cost can be a big issue. Not only do I appreciate some privacy, but I have my own health issues to account for, and I'm not one who will be comfortable taking care of myself when there are others with different needs around. But if I don't take care of myself, I'll not be able to enjoy a good time! So, anyway, I'm glad I'm not the only one who's not totally gung-ho on room-sharing. LOL

This is my 2nd Convention, and last year we drove in with my family, so I didn't have the experience of other stamping roomies then, either. I DO like staying in hotels with other stampers because I get to meet people in the lobbies, elevators, etc. It is also so much fun just to walk up and down the streets and here in Denver see stampers on the mall shuttles, etc. So much camaraderie just in that!

Anyhow, no matter where you stay or how you get to Convention, it is a GREAT time! :D

I would love to go to convention, but I didn't know that some of you go alone. I don't know any demos so I am a loner..... I am seriously considering going next year, even if its all by myself............ thanks ladies!

Well, it just so happens that I am planning on going next year even though I thought I would wait until 2009, but really want to next year, and guess what? I am from southeast IOWA! I probably won't have anyone to go with from here, but my husband said if I can't find anyone, he will go. So, where are you in central Iowa?

It sounds like Convention is NOT to be missed next year! Thank you fellow demos with experience for giving us 'newbies' advice and insider info to help in planning! I am saving for 2 big trips next year, so hopefully I'll get to go to SLC, too. I am happy to hear about Southwest because my hometown, manchester, has a hub also!

What hotels should we stay away from??

Kristin