Think you can't afford Blogher NYC? Think again.

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.

Comments

[Jane]

Damn. Still can't afford it...I can't even afford a hot dog from a street vendor. :-) Maybe next year, when I'm not road-tripping.

[Jess]

This is genius. Good thing we're cohorts and can keep each other's asses in check. I'll be requiring a weekly Excel calendar with your designated "off" days from the Starbucks addiction (I'm the same with DutchBros but mine is $4.25/day. Eek!) so I can text you an excessive number of times to make sure "You haven't bitch slipped up have you?!". That's what you want. Right? I knew it.

BH or Bust Biaaaaatch! (<---that is sober. take a minute to soak it up. go on.)

[Miss Grace]

I'll be there, penny-pinching and all.

[Pop and Ice]

I'm going! Purchased Student Tickets for my daughter (grad gift surprise!) and I, reserved three nights at the Hilton (saving up to pay for other two nights as I paid the one night deposit) and have found super reasonable airfare, even Thursday through Sunday. So. As soon as I have some $$, I'll be purchasing the airline tickets; hopefully within a week. But spending money. This is tricky. I don't buy anything on a everyday basis (anyway, I'm a tea drinker) and extra change goes to my church. Any other ideas for saving up spending money?

[heather...]

Fucking Tom Bodet.

[Lori Luna]

GREAT post! To answer a few questions -

1) we do not have LobbyCon on the agenda for this year.

2) we serve breakfast, lunch and breaks on both days - that should help with the food and beverage costs.

3) the $199 per night at the Hilton is single OR double occupancy (to further illustrate your point)

4) GREAT POST!

Lori Luna
events manager
BlogHer

[Lori Luna]

p.s...for item 1 I should have said, "LobbyCon is not on our agenda *right now*" - anything is possible.

[laura]

i really like how you outlined the affordability. it IS do-able but it takes work and planning. our finances are in the toilet what with prolonged unemployment and underemployment right now but i am still determined to go. i purchased my ticket last summer as a means of committing me. my hotel is booked and yes, i will gladly entertain roomies. i come with blogging references too. :) and i have started my own BlogHer fund where i am squirreling away money from my own personal spending money. i have never been to NYC and that is added incentive. i will be there and i will be proud of myself for following through by committing and planning and i can't wait to meet you!

[tracey]

Hey, would if I could. And I know all about saving that change. How do you think we buy our gas and groceries?

Have fun. Hope I am in a situation next year where $50 sounds cheap...

[Maura]

I don't see how anyone could be offended by any of that -- your tone was clearly helpful and encouraging.

Because I'm afraid of what you'll do to me if I don't go, however, I'm that much closer to going thanks to your...encouragement. ;-)

[Adrienne]

All great ideas, but check with the Hilton when you make your reservation if you do stay the extra night, the Hotel in Chicago was not too nice about extending the rate a day.

I am hoping to go, but I think it may just be unattainable this year.

[A Vapid Blonde]

I think you have given some valuable tips. I am going...on a whim and a prayer but I can drive to NYC so its kind of easy for me!

[Issa]

I think this is great. And I last night was thinking about what I could give up to make it possible...not Starbucks mind you, but stuffs.

[UD]

Adrienne - I've personally called the Hilton and they did extend the Blogher rate to the extra nights I'm staying. But yes, each person should double-check that when booking their room.

[Ewokmama]

Gah. I'm totally seeking reasons to NOT spend the $1K it's going to cost me to attend all the way from CA. I'm getting married in Sept - isn't that reason enough? You just made it that much harder.

(Totally tongue in cheek here. I'll probably praise your justifications the day I buy my reg.)

[Kristel]

Who on Earth would get offended by this?!? There is nothing but rainbow and unicorn-like goodness in this post! You rock!

[David K]

Ok, there's no way I'm going to Blogher, but I am a veteran of travel to Manhattan, which I assume is the venue.

Between cabs and walking, there is the subway: convenient and damn cheaper than a cab. Ask the concierge at the hotel which line to take. It's not hard. Buy a multi-ride card: it's even cheaper. Don't use all the rides? Give it to someone as a tip.

And there are limo services, which are cheaper than cabs, too. You just have to plan for them because you can't hail a limo.

My favorite budget hotel in Midtown is The Empire. Get an interior room (away from the street) unless you can sleep through the nightly cavalcade of garbage trucks. It's a block from Lincoln Center on the 1-9 subway line.

[Miss]

Coinstar Lazy. LMAO

[avasmommy]

Um, I don't get how someone could get all butt-hurt over this post. Some folks? Need to lighten up. **Insert eye rolling here**

Great tips. I will employ them for next year. :)

[Angela]

This *almost* convinced me to go. (Until I saw that students passes were sold out). Really don't understand how someone could be that offended though.

[Susan]

FYI for anyone who does the coin collecting:

Most banks will have to run each and every coin through a coin counter. So please don't roll up your coins. (or check with your bank to see if they would prefer rolled or loose coin) We're just going to break them open anyway. Save yourself some time and don't roll your coin. If your bank is like the one I work for (counting each and every coin), your bank teller will thank you for not rolling the coin. (or ask you not to roll it in the future after they've spent the last half hour crowded around the coin machine with 2 coworkers breaking open the rolls of coin you spent an hour rolling.)

[Avitable]

Excellent advice. I hate hearing people whine about not being able to go months in advance when they could probably do it if they really tried.

[statia]

But if I act now, do I get this fantastic book light?

[kate]

I'm going, I'll be attempting the Starbucks trick for cash savings, and I can't wait to fist bump you!

[maria]

THIS.
I wanna kiss you for this.
Stop spreading your cheeks for sponsors and save some damn money. Or borrow it from somebody. Get your begging off my internets.

(I couldn't give a shit if that's offensive to someone. lol)

[Tina Cruz]

Great ideas, woman. And I am NOT flying Southwest this year. I am going Virgin America, because.

So are you with me?

Also, love that you aren't blowing sunshine up anyone's ass and just bein' real.

Tina

[AmazingGreis]

LOVE this post! People that really want to go will make it happen. I've got a separate bank account that I use as savings for trips, etc.

[Peeved Michelle]

I hardly spent anything at BlogHer last year. There is free food all over the damn place at the conference.

[Ginger]

You almost make this sound reasonable . . . hmm. But why do you think I can skip the caramel machiato? It isn't safe for the drivers around me, I tell you. Thanks!

[Melanie @ Mel, A Dramatic Mommy]

I'm not offended. I also don't see anything wrong with a sponsorship that makes sense for both parties. Personal choice. I bought my pass today and will be squirreling away my ad revenue and some other things. BlogHer is over my birthday so it seems like it's my duty to go. :D