WCAF, what's your budget?

[free2beme]

What's your budget for attending the WCAF show? I have not ever attended and want to try to make it for 2013. I am working on our 2013 budget for the shop now and want to factor this in to the numbers. Do I have to consider anything other than Airfare, registration fees, hotel, and food? What's the average amount your shop spends sending one person to this event?

 

[David Waldmann]

You also need to get from the airport to the hotel. Unfortunately the monorail doesn't go to the airport. I'm sure the taxi drivers' union had something to say about that...

I bet you could do it for $1000 if you're willing to scrimp, search around for the best flight deals, hotel deals, meal deals and take just a few classes a la carte. But remember that it's a fully (except meals and entertainment, which are only 50%) deductible expense, so it will only "cost" you somewhere between 50 and 75% of what you lay out. So we always plan on quite a bit more. This year we're renting a Corvette convertible to get back and forth. Of course, we may drive around the desert a bit too... And, living in the boondocks, fine dining is something you only see on TV (if you have satellite) around here, so we like to spend at least a couple hundred on dinner a time or two. Then there's Cirque du Soleil and numerous other shows that are ripe for watching. It will be a whole lot more fun if you plan on $2000.

 

[mbboston]

Vegas hotels don't have coffee makers in the rooms on purpose. I always bring my 4 cup coffee maker with me. It saves me 20 minutes in the morning to get coffee and quite a bit of money (Vegas prices a cup ranges from $3 to $4). I like to shop so I can't advise you how much would it cost, but I save on coffee.

 

[Grey Owl]

You also need to roughly estimate how many days you will be there. Will you come in on Saturday and leave on Wednesday, or will you do the show only without taking classes, so you come in Tuesday morning and leave Wednesday night.

Look at the schedule this year to get a rough idea of the classes offered. They will be some differences of course.

Also budget for the grumble dinner.

 

[Rob Markoff]

Also budget for the grumble dinner.

What Grumble dinner?

If you mean the WORLD FAMOUS Chinese Dinner and Limo Extravaganza, figure $20 for transportation and $25 tops for dinner .

BUT - if you want to come, get your reservation in. We are already at 5 short of filling the first limo!

 

[SusanG]

Remember the resort fee. You might need to take a taxi,bus or monorail a few times. I love to take home a few tacky souvenirs as my donation to Vegas.
Susan

 

[JWB9999999]

Assuming you eat out at a few places, and see a show or two (like I did), $2000 is very reasonable. I spent something like that when I went this year.

 

[BatesMotel]

I found out about the bus line last year. For $7 a day you can get on and off as much as you want. There is an express and a local that runs the entire strip. I found it the best way to get around without schlepping through all the casinos to get to the Mono Rail. With the bus it runs the strip and you can get up to old Vegas, Freemont St, and check out a whole different Vegas. The Neon Graveyard/Museum is way cool, the Pawn shop that is on the TV show is up there, some good bars with decent prices, The Golden Nugget, Freemont Light Show, Heart attack Grill, etc, etc. I'll be getting the 3 day pass this year.

 

[Dave]

Don't forget the gambling moneys... just sayin'!

 

[Kirstie]

Where we find we need to budget is on what we are going to spend on materials at the show. Do you plan to buy close out moulding? Do you plan to increase your in-stock offerings of desk frames, prints, moulding, and so on or are you just going to order free samples and look around. You can spend a whole lot more on the trade show floor than anywhere else.

 

[Baer Charlton]

OMG!! Someone was actually thinking about THE SHOW!!!

Thanks Kirstie, I have been pounding home for the last several years in
my classes.... "add $5 to every order - it will take you to Vegas to buy
that new stuff to try or fall in love with. . . and a few $$ for the room
and food."

Yes, they all take credit cards to scoop up those killer deals on close outs
and show specials (BTW Frank's has a great deal this year... come on by
and schmooze with Frank - - he's having me to the demos now so you
can come relax and chat with The Man of the Cloth himself El Papa.).

But when you get home, it's great to have that fund ready to pay off
that CC, instead of cutting the hot-dogs in half to go with the four table
spoons of beans...to pay it off.

 

[Rhonda in MT]

The budget from Montana to anywhere is very dependent on airfare. We don't get many deals here. So I start with that and add $100 per day per person. Then we look at classes. Last year we flew on Allegiant Airlines and got air and hotel for $420 for both of us. We didn't take many classes because we were seriously shopping and knew we wouldn't have time. We don't gamble much either.

 

[Grey Owl]

OMG!! Someone was actually thinking about THE SHOW!!!

Thanks Kirstie, I have been pounding home for the last several years in
my classes....

Yes, they all take credit cards to scoop up those killer deals on close outs
and show specials
f.

Yes, the show specials can be great.

I'm a small framer and don't buy in box quantities, but some of the moulding suppliers offer 50% off length if you mix and match a minimum order of 20 feet (2 or 3 sticks) of any single moulding, as long as you order a total of 100 ft or more. Some suppliers may not mention their specials but make sure you ask.

The show gives you a chance to talk to the reps of suppliers that don't visit. For me that is NB, Crescent, Franks, and others. I always have a plan of what I want to talk to with each.

Also allow time to walk through those you don't carry, because some of their framing examples can very amazing.

I am very happy with my moulding suppliers so I don't plan on adding any new moulding suppliers, but I did add 2 smaller volume lines I didn't plan to, in the last two years. Those being Dennis Mathewson (designer Moulding) and Rhonda Feinman.