Don't roll your pretty little eyes at me like Oh c'mon! A Blogher conference post *already?* We'll have to hear enough about this come June, July, August and maybe even September. GAH! I'm not even going. Who can afford that?
Ahhh… but you see, that's entirely my point. While attending Blogher's annual conference in August may make your ears ring with cha-chinging at the mere thought of a pass! New York City! airfare! the Hilton for christ's sake! etc., there are actually ways to stop the cash flow hemorrhaging and still make it to epicenter of where internet meets real life FOR LESS THAN YOU THINK!
(That was my best Billy Mays impression, take it or leave it.) (RIP.)
Why I want you there and why I think you (AND YES, YOU!) should be there is a whole other post for a whole other day.
Here are some of my suggestions:
1. Buy your conference pass NOW. As in, on or before February 28 which is this Sunday, after which it will cost you $100 more to attend.
Second possible option? Last year when Blogher sold-out, they offered a lobbycon (I think that's what it's called) pass. Pros: Waaay less money than the full pass. Cons: You don't get to attend the sessions in the rooms but rather hear them in various lobbies via TVs and over speakers. It's unclear whether the lobbycon pass is being offered this year. (I asked on Twitter, but haven't heard back yet.)
Third possible option: If you're not as interested in attending sessions all day at Blogher and more inclined to see whose avatar matches their actual face and socialize (or maybe Blogher is your excuse to see NYC) opt for the cocktail parties only pass for $50. You, lush you!
2. Shack up with some roomies. At $200/night plus taxes and fees, there's nothing like making the most of your quality time together than putting four people in two double beds. When you thought of attending Blogher it wasn't because you were envisioning restful nights and peace and quiet, right? (If it was, well then, let's talk.) Split that $200 four ways and you're down to $50/night per person. AT THE HILTON. Tom Bodet can't beat that. Now, that being said, you could stay somewhere else. But before you salivate over the thought of a cheaper-per-night hotel, be sure to consider these things:
- How far is it from the Hilton where Blogher is? (Think cab fare, walking distance, etc.)
- Even if you can walk to your hotel from the Hilton, it's not necessarily safe to late at night when you've decided to leave the cocktail party and head for bed.
- Maybe you plan on walking with a group of friends back to your other hotel but know that realistically, this probably won't always work out. Someone might want to head back earlier or later; someone might choose sleeping on someone else's floor at the Hilton in lieu of walking in those goddamn heels another ten feet.
3. Watch airline prices for a couple of weeks before purchasing. Tuesday and Wednesday nights typically have the best deals. (Seriously.) Both Southwest and Virgin America fly into NY and either La Guardia or JFK airports will suffice.
SUPER SAVER TIP (ha): Flying home on Monday rather than Sunday can save you almost $200. But wait Megan, you say. That means another night at the Hilton! More money! Well, hold your britches, missy/mister. IF you can coerce your roomies to also stay until Monday (sell them on the cheaper airfare) then that means only another $50 each (see #2), thus saving you each $150 in airfare than if you had come home Sunday. PLUS! you get all day Sunday to see NYC. Double win. You're welcome.
4. Save now to spend then. Besides your Blogher conference pass, hotel stay and airfare you will need some cash to spend at Blogher. Think cab fares to and from airport, meals (the ol' hot dog from the street cart vendor will lose its luster quickly) and hey, let's face it, not everyone is a one-drink-ticket kind of mingler. So here's my super simple plan that's much easier said than done:
Your grande 2 pump non-fat mocha with whip costs you $3.65 every day, 7 days a week because you're a devoted Starbucks customer. BUT WHAT HAS STARBUCKS EVER DONE FOR YOU? (Except make you an addict and drain your wallet? EXACTLY.) So what I want you to do is – and sit down for this – I want you to *skip* that grande 2 pump non-fat mocha with whip 4 times a week beginning March 1 and put that money away in an envelope that cannot be touched, even in a full-blown PMS emergency.
If you do this straight through July 31 (22 weeks – BUT YOU CAN DO IT!), you will have saved $321.20. Plenty of spending money for Blogher.
Fine. You're like me and totally incapable of giving up your cappuccino/latte/mocha/americano, I GET IT. Here's your other option. Save your change. Seriously. Spend cash, save all your coins in a jar and roll them come the end of July. And don't be all CoinStar lazy about it either. Take an hour out of your precious time to roll your own damn pennies and nickels and quarters and dimes and take them to the bank to cash in. You'd be surprised how much you can rack up.
And when you do arrive at Blogher NYC, I expect a goddamn hug or fist bump or something for these savvy little savings tips I just provided.
***
Added: I didn't mean to offend anyone with this post nor insinuate that it was merely a matter of determination in order for you to make it to Blogher. We all have different financial situations and I was simply hoping to point out some ideas that might make it easier for people to go; perhaps ideas that hadn't been thought of. Newly laid-off, I'm having to think very carefully about how I'm going to get to NYC and I was only hoping to help, not offend.
