Greetings from the end of GenCon in Indianapolis! For four days, I gathered with thousands of my fellow gaming enthusiasts to play, trade and make merry with like-minded fellows.
Now that the weather is starting to cool down once again and students are heading back to school, it is time once again for many of us professionals to begin thinking about convention season once more. Many of us elect to attend professional conventions as a way to continue our professional educations, while others find conventions as a great way to gather with like-minded people and relax for a weekend. No matter your reason for attending a convention, there are ways to do it that are complimentary to this frugal life.
From paying for conventions to booking hotels for cheap, the right combination of points, miles, and cash back can make every event accessible. Here are three strategies every frugal travel should consider when planning to attend the convention of a lifetime.
Book early and book often: Depending on the convention, there may be two key purchases every traveler has to make. First, there is the convention badge, which gets one into the convention. Next – if it is that type of convention – are the side events that often come along with the event itself.
Obviously, the best advice any frugal convention traveler can heed is to book early and book often. The sooner travelers’ book their convention passes, the cheaper they become. In addition, side events are also more plentiful to those who book the earliest of all. A solid cash back earning credit card, like the Citi Double Cash Card or the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express, can cover those expenses quickly and easily.
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Search the convention discount, then shop with points: In most every situation, the conventions will have a partner airline, hotel, or other travel provider they will recommend attendees to do business with. In exchange, travelers may be able to access a discount on their flights or accommodations.
While these programs can often give an idea to the preferred availability, they are not the only way to book around a convention. Instead, with the preferred availability in mind, travelers can then use points or cash back to book their hotels at a low overall price. From hotel points earned off of credit cards, to transfers from flexible points or other programs, there are plenty of ways for frugal travelers to earn towards their convention stay.
Credit cards can help travelers get around: Finally, points and miles are not just good for booking convention passes and accommodations. Driving around a single convention point can be a difficult process, which is why I always recommend taking mass transportation or other ground transportation options.
The good news is that even with these options, frugal travelers can still cover their fares back and forth to the convention. Uber has partnered with American Express to allow travelers to pay their fare with Membership Rewards points at an exchange rate of one cent per point. While not the best exchange rate for points, a free ride is still free. Additionally, flexible travel cards, including the Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard, allows travelers to use their points for all travel related expenses, including all ground transportation.
While making it to the convention can seem like an expensive proposition, it does not necessarily have to be. Travelers who are smart about their spending can make it to the next big event, without breaking the budget and leaving plenty of spending cash for their event!
How do you budget for your favorite events? Let me know your ideas in the comments below!