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A convention can be expensive. Check out these five tips to save money at conventions. There’s an infographic version of this post located at the bottom.
Pick a hotel further away from the convention center
The closer you are to the convention center, the more expensive a room will be. If you pick a hotel a few blocks away, you can save some money. This does not imply that you have to choose a hotel far away. You can pick one within walking distance.
Eat outside the convention center
The food inside the convention center will be expensive. If you choose somewhere other than the convention center, you’ll most likely save money. Of course, it also depends on the type of restaurant. There are some restaurants that are more expensive than others, so do some research to see what options you have.
Buy merchandise on the last day
Vendors want to sell as much as possible at conventions, so they sometimes reduce the price of merchandise on the last day. You might even be able to negotiate a price during the last few hours the dealer’s room is open. Keep in mind that this does not guarantee that what you want will be left for the last day. You’ll have to decide whether you want to take a chance to save money or if the product is too important to pass up.
Bring your own water bottle
If you bring your own water bottle to a convention, you can refill it whenever you like. Even water bottles at conventions can be expensive, so bringing your own and refilling it at their water fountains will save you a few extra dollars.
Bring merchandise for autographs
You can always buy something at the convention, but if you want to save some money, then bring your own item to get signed. It’s not always doable, especially if you don’t have anything to begin with, but you’ll probably save money even if you still buy something elsewhere other than at the convention.
You can buy posters of various sizes on Amazon to get signed, some with multiple characters to get more than one autograph. My brother and I have bought some posters from Trends International, like this Star Wars: The Clone Wars poster, and have gotten them signed.
Infographic
Check out these other convention tips to improve your convention experience.
Do you have any money-saving tips? Let me know in the comments. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to notifications.