I am committed to thrifty spending in 2016 without a drastic change in the my life. Every year in May I start traveling on my birthday and keep going … until August. The best part of my travels are the stepper weekend events that take me from Virginia to as far as St. Louis and Atlanta and then Detroit to Orlando. Goodness, if you are on Facebook it isn’t hard to find a Chicago style steppin’ weekend event for any week in the summer and fall.
As much as I enjoy traveling state to state, my bank account is always my reality check. Between airfare, hotel stays and event passes the lifestyle can be very expensive. After doing this for some time I’ve learned how to save some money, plan for spending and know what to expect. Here is what I do to ball on a budget – obvious ones but sometimes overlooked.
- Pay early bird pricing for event passes. Early bird pricing usually requires paying months earlier to the event but the discount usually can be enough to pay for a good portion of a workshop or private. And now, more than a few event all weekend passes include the workshops. Best new idea ever. Commit and plan.
- Don’t just book the host hotel, check other lodging options. No mistake, the host hotel is convenient – most steppers are at the hotel, the main event is there too. Everything you need is right there. But…. in places where hotels are close in proximity sometimes I can get a room almost $30 less per night only a 2 minute walk from the host hotel.
- Rent a car only if required. In places like Atlanta I pay for parking “everywhere” so I aim to survive the weekend with no car. I get to where I have to go with no issues. Sometimes scheduled shuttle transportation is available and public transportation is an option. Hosts think about everything now.
- Find a hotel roommate. Splitting costs with someone is always a good option. I have some good travel buddies that are as enthusiastic as I am. We share rooms and split the expense. I don’t spend much time in the room. I change. I go.
- Buy airplane tickets early. The best time to purchase I’ve found is between midnight and 4 a.m. on Wednesdays 2-3 weeks before the travel date. I save my points and rack up points for a free ticket in less than a year easily.
- Take time for a road trip. If I can get to an event in 6 hours or less by car, mostly likely I hop in a car with my roadie. I’m not flying. Why should I?
- Budget for one good late night group meal. There is ALWAYS one night of the weekend that I’m invited to breakfast with people I’ve just met. Be social. Connect.
Do I want to make it to every event? Do I feel left out when I see photos on Facebook from the event I didn’t go to? Yes and yes! So, I do at least one or all of these things to stretch my stepper balling budget and make it to most events. I hope these considerations help someone make it to more dance floors soon. I’ll see you there! Happy travels!