Going Wild Series #1- The Budget
For those of you in the planner community, you probably have heard the news that Go Wild 2023 will be hosted in Washington DC this coming March and if you’ve already attended any of the prior Go Wild Conferences or if you are a member of Wild U then you’ve already had the opportunity to snag your tickets! If you’re new to Go Wild you still have time to plan, general ticket sales start on 9/29/22 at 1pm EST.
Go Wild 2022
Go Wild 2022 was my very first Go Wild and I had the BEST time!
So, while you wait on ticket sales to start, or if this is your very first Go Wild event and you were already able to snag your ticket because you’re a Wild U Member, I thought I would share some tips and tricks with you in the meantime! Please note that these tips and tricks are based off of my own experiences at Go Wild and could vary from person to person! Today we will start with possibly the most important tip- Your Budget!
The Budget
When it comes to Go Wild, the best thing you can do to prepare yourself is make sure you budget. The ticket, the hotel, the food, Ubers, and other extras can add up quickly so it’s best to be fully prepared!
The Ticket- Your ticket includes access to all the Go Wild Session, access to the social events, a welcome goodie bag and t-shirt, workshop materials, a wild swag bag, and more surprises! Note that this doesn’t include your meals, transportation, hotel room, or other items you may choose to purchase.
Presale Ticket- $649 plus ticket fee
General Admission- $699 plus ticket fee
The Hotel- The Hotel will vary based on where you choose to stay. Go Wild does have a block of rooms at the hotel where it is taking place. Note that this does not include a fridge in your room or parking which will be an additional fee. If you choose to find roommates, you can split this cost in half per person or possibly even into 4 ways if you all choose to share beds!
Hotel (after fees)- Approx. $316/night
Transportation- Transporation will vary a lot from person to person. If you drive, you will need to calculate not only gas money but potentially tolls as well depending on where you are driving from. If you are flying, you will need to pay for your tickets to and from the conference as well as a potential additional fee for your bags if you choose to check them (depending on the airline). You may also need to park your car at your airport which could be an additional fee as well. Also take into consideration an Uber to and from the airport/train station if needed or an Uber if you plan to leave the hotel and venture out.
Transportation- VARIES
MEALS- Meals will also vary from person to person. There will be some snack breaks at Go Wild where sponsors will provide light snacks and drinks. You will want to plan to save money for actual meals while you are at Go Wild and plan out where you may want to eat as that will affect your budget for food. I always take snacks with me when I travel so I don’t have to spend money on more expensive snacks in the hotel gift shop. Also remember where you are traveling to. Although I’ve never been to DC before, it is a bigger city than where I live and so I can expect things to be on the pricier side.
Meals- VARIES: I plan on saving $60/day for food
Tablemate Gifts/Contact Cards- Although tablemate gifts are absolutely NOT necessary to give out, I have included it here because many do choose to purchase tablemate gifts. You can really spend however much or little you want on tablemate gifts. Some people shop their own stash for tablemate gifts while some people will go all out for their gifts. Last year I purchased custom notepads for my tablemate gifts along with a dual tip pen. I was able to get my gifts on sale during Black Friday (shop sales y’all) so I didn’t spend too much. This year I’ve already picked out my gifts (shhhhh, they’re a surprise!) and will probably be around $25/person which will total about $250.
Tablemate Gifts- Varies X 10 for your entire table (including you)
Contact Cards are personalized little credit card sized sticker sheets that include your personal information (typically your name and Instagram handle). These are also completely optional! If you’re handy enough to make your own, you can do it quite cheaply. Otherwise, many stores will offer a custom option once it gets a bit closer to Go Wild. These will also range in price but last year I paid $75 per 50 cards.
Contact cards- Approx. $75 per 50 cards
OTHER $- There are some other things that you may want to keep in mind while budgeting. If you’re a shop owner, you may want to attend the Shop Summit which is an additional cost. You may also want to explore DC and do some sightseeing before or after Go Wild. Lastly, there are some great stationary shops in the area (there will be a blog on these later!) that you may want to check out as well which you may want to budget for.
Overall, Go Wild can get VERY expensive but if you plan out you budget and save beforehand, it can make it much more doable.
If there’s something else you budget for that I missed, be sure to leave it in the comments below! I’d also love to hear what other topics you’d like me to cover in this series and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any posts.
Next week I’ll be sharing my tips on Going Wild by yourself!
