Convention Budgeting Guide: The Real Cost of a Furry Con (2025 Edition)

Let's be honest: the "estimated budget" on the convention website is a lie. It assumes you will eat bread for every meal and never buy a badge commission.

Attending a major furry convention (like MFF, Anthrocon, or Eurofurence) is a serious financial commitment. This guide breaks down the actual costs you need to prepare for in 2025, including the "hidden taxes" nobody warns you about.

The Core Costs (Inflation Adjusted)

1. Registration

Prices have gone up.

• Standard Reg: $70 - $120
• Sponsor: $150 - $400 (Usually includes a T-shirt and shorter lines)
• Super Sponsor: $500+ (Includes banquet, special gifts)
• Pro Tip: Pre-register. Door prices are often $20-30 higher, and the line to buy badges on-site is the "Line of Regret."

2. Hotel: The Biggest Expense

Unless you are piling 6 people into a room (which we don't recommend for hygiene reasons), the hotel will eat 50% of your budget.

• In-Block (The 'Lottery'): $180 - $260 / night + tax.
• Out-of-Block (Walking Distance): $250 - $450 / night.
• Overflow (Shuttle Required): $150 - $200 / night.

The "Ghost" Fee: Remember to add roughly 15-18% for hotel taxes and fees. A $200 room is actually $235.

3. Food & Drink

Convention center food is essentially airport pricing.

• The "Survival" Diet (Grocery store runs, Ramen): $20/day
• The "Average" Diet (Food court, one nice meal): $60/day
• The "Baller" Diet (Steakhouse, hotel bar drinks): $150+/day

4. Travel

• Flights: Book 3-4 months out. Prices spike hard 30 days before the con.
• Uber/Lyft: Warning. Surge pricing hits hard when thousands of furries leave the con center at once. Budget $50-$100 just for local transit if you aren't staying connected to the venue.

The "Fun Money" (Dealers Den)

This is where self-control goes to die.

• Stickers/Pins: $5 - $15 each
• Prints: $20 - $50
• T-Shirts: $35 - $50
• Badges (Commissioned): $40 - $100+
• Ears/Tails: $60 - $200+
• The "Oops" Fund: Always budget $100 for something you didn't plan to buy but fell in love with.

The "Hidden Taxes" of Con Life

These are the costs that surprise newbies:

1. Badge Reprints: Lost your badge? That's full price to print a new one. (Buy a sturdy lanyard!).
2. Forgotten Toiletries: Gift shop toothpaste is $8.
3. Tips: Housekeeping ($5/day), Bellhop ($5), Servers (20%). It adds up.
4. "Con Crud" Meds: Buying DayQuil at the hotel convenience store is robbery. Bring your own.

Three Realistic Budgets (4-Day Con)

1. The "Broke Student" (Maximum Savings)

• Reg: $70 (Early Bird)
• Hotel: $150 (Floor spot in a 4-person room split)
• Food: $80 (Cooler with sandwiches, water only)
• Travel: $50 (Bus/Carpool)
• Spending: $50
• TOTAL: ~$400

2. The "Standard Suiter" (Comfortable)

• Reg: $90
• Hotel: $400 (Split room with 1 friend)
• Food: $200 (Daily nice meal, some drinks)
• Travel: $300 (Flight)
• Spending: $300 (A few badges, some merch)
• TOTAL: ~$1,290

3. The "Power User" (Sponsor & Privacy)

• Reg: $250 (Sponsor)
• Hotel: $1,000 (King room, solo or with partner)
• Food: $500 (Good food, room service, bar tabs)
• Travel: $400 (Flight + Uber Black)
• Spending: $1,000+ (Art auction, dealer room spree)
• TOTAL: ~$3,150+

Final Advice

Cash is King. The WiFi will fail in the Dealers Den. Card readers will go down. Vendor apps will crash. Bring enough cash to cover your food and "must-have" items. It also helps you stick to a hard limit.

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