Planning for 2012

[Gaetznes]

So this would be my first time going to TFcon. Im very excited, however the wife and I are still trying to figure out finanices.

Whats hurting me the most is that i'm so cheap. I've spent the last few days searching online as the best I can find for airline tickets is $455 roundtrip per person.

The hotel block is open at the delta and the guy there told me 109 a night before taxes (which is an awsome price). I just need to convince the wife for us to spend almost $1500. Thats not including anything we would be spending while we are there.

Decisions Descisions.

[Bruticus82]

You could always take a few more days off and drive from out east, make a stop in Montreal, and in Ottawa, convince the wife it's a good opportunity to see some of the country!

That might not be cheaper in absolute terms, but you can spend the money spending a night in Montreal, and a night in Ottawa, rather than spending it sitting on a plane...

[Akroyer]

We'd like to go too, but working out the finances and having enough to spend while we're there to enjoy ourselves is the trick.

So I know how you feel. I would love to have gone last year to see Gary Chalk. We loved Optimus Primal not too mention his work on SG-1 but we didn't get it worked out.

[Gaetznes]

So I talked it over with the wife and she is all for it. Even wants to go to the convention..... vs just going shopping. Sadly we worked out the figures right down to the dollar. It aprox breaks down to:

Plane Tickets for 2 911.34 911.34
Cost of Hotel per night 123.17 x 4 492.68
Cost of Food per day 50 x 5 250.00
Taxi fare per ride 30 x 2 60.00
Tickets for TFcon 45 each x 2 90.00
Total 1804.02

As an average we would need to put away $50 every pay right up to the pay of the Convention. That way we come out with some spending money. So totally do able. Just need to see what I want to bring as a budget for spending in the Parts Trade Room and Vendor Room.

What do you guys say is an average amount to bring? 300,500,700 or more?

[Bruticus82]

Originally Posted by gaetz

So I talked it over with the wife and she is all for it. Even wants to go to the convention..... vs just going shopping. Sadly we worked out the figures right down to the dollar. It aprox breaks down to:

Plane Tickets for 2 911.34 911.34
Cost of Hotel per night 123.17 x 4 492.68
Cost of Food per day 50 x 5 250.00
Taxi fare per ride 30 x 2 60.00
Tickets for TFcon 45 each x 2 90.00
Total 1804.02

As an average we would need to put away $50 every pay right up to the pay of the Convention. That way we come out with some spending money. So totally do able. Just need to see what I want to bring as a budget for spending in the Parts Trade Room and Vendor Room.

What do you guys say is an average amount to bring? 300,500,700 or more?

Well, depends on what you want to buy...if you're buying masterpiece figures, or even bigger g1s (headmasters, etc.) $300 or even $500 doesn't go too far.

That said, if you're mainly buying TF: Prime stuff, or RID, $300 is probably plenty.

You know what TF prices are! Just estimate how many things you want to knock off your list in one trip. Only thing I'd say is prices at the parts party (which people also sell bots at) are probably better than the dealer room, and the dealer room will vary between great prices, reasonable prices, and horrible prices.

[RageD]

Personally, I make a list with two columns.

What I want to get and what Im willing to spend on it.

This year my list came out to $645 and I ended up spending just over $500 and got everything.

Budgeting is important. The dealer room is overwhelming and you just want to buy everything in site, which is never a good idea!

[Cheers Ian]

As far as spending money is concerned, it all depends.

I probably only spent about $150ish on Transformers and some non-TF stuff at the convention itself. The rest was pre-arranged deals and trades I made over the weekend. I already had the funds set aside for those transactions.

However, the year prior I spent almost $600 dollars and only came home with about 12 figures and some art. This was because other than a few Gobots, I picked up 2 complete G1 Headmasters and several Botcon toys.

Like I've said in the past, you could go with $100 and come home with 1 or 2 toys or you could come home with 20-25 toys depending on what you are looking for.

I usually budget for a few hundred dollars - this gives me a large "cushion" to work with. Plus my collecting habits have changed, I'm not collecting in the same way I was in past years.

[brr-icy]

Originally Posted by RageD

Personally, I make a list with two columns.

What I want to get and what Im willing to spend on it.

This year my list came out to $645 and I ended up spending just over $500 and got everything.

Budgeting is important. The dealer room is overwhelming and you just want to buy everything in site, which is never a good idea!

this, but i know the rough worth of what i'm looking for, and look for great deals

[zuffyprime]

hey man, glad you're thinking of coming for tfcon 2012, the convention is my favourite 3 days of the year

You may wish to consider coming by yourself. You could also room with other board members thereby reducing costs even further.

hope to see you here

[Gaetznes]

I think I'll budget myself for 25% of my TF want list, So probly somewhere around 500 Plus. The other thing is, I want to Trade it up like a crazy Mofo.

So, I'm going to be flying with westjet and i'll be spending the extra $20, so I can bring another peice of luggage. The idea is I'll bring all my cloths in my two carry-ons. Then put all my transformers that are for trade in the two suitcases. Well as many as I can fit as I have about 5 totes worth of TF's and Gi joes i'd love to bring but its not reasonable.

I think closer to the con, I will try to organize trades like Cheers Ian did. Save on space for random figures. I know i'll bring all my g1 stuff, but then its a toss up between Rid, Unicron Trillogy and all the movie stuff I have.

In peoples past experince, have others brought Gi Joe stuff?

Oh oooo, If I organize trades in advance I could also do video games. 1700+ and counting from nes to ps3. Yeah I know its over 8 months away and I'm already whoring myself. I mean Promoting myself yes yes..............


Now i'm basically writing down an internal monologe. I just need to worry about purchasing so much that I don't have space in the suitcases due to not trading enought. Ah the wifes lauggage. I'll give here the $20 so I can bring an empty suitcase. Muhahahahahaha.... I think i'm going overboard on this planning and it being so far out. Meh its fun though.

Edit: Yea the whole going by my self idea would be bad, as this is in a way our honey moon we never had. Hence we both can justify us not being so cheap. Were going up to the Toronto area several days before the convention to see the sights etc and do the traditional tourist trap things. Visit some relatives in Oshawa, Burlington, Brampton and Tillsonburg. There are some places I would love to go to in the downtown area but sadly my cuz has told me most of those place no longer exist, like Sam The Record Man on Young St. So you can take a guess at the last time I was up.