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CONFERENCE BUDGET GUIDE ! More on Events! Cut Costs and Save
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Table of Contents !
Full Cost of Changemaker Summit
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Cut Costs on Event Registration
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Apply for The International Discount or Need-Based Scholarship Register for Changemaker Summit ASAP Use A Payment Plan Option Staying The Whole 5 Days or More? A VIP Pass Is Worth It. Volunteer Your Skills and Time
Cut Costs on Accommodations
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Stay for Free Stay Together Budget Hostels/Hotels
Airfare + Transportation
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Travel Hacking Tips to Search For Cheap Airfare Transportation- Taxis, Subways, and more!
Cut Costs on Food + Drink
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Cook Where You Are Staying- Make A Group Dinner! Eat Out Affordably Bring A Reusable Water Bottle Pack Food, Snacks, and Tupperware Allowed Through TSA
Free NYC Attractions
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Free Sites, Parties, Tours, and Live Performances
Fundraising The Rest The Minimum Amount of Funds To Raise 3 Ways You Can Fundraise
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Full Cost of Changemaker Summit Summit Budget Without Discounts or Shortcuts
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Average Cost Per Day
Cost for Full 5 Days
Transportation- Taxis, Buses, Subway Rides
$10
$50
AirBnB Accommodations
$80
$400
Food and Drinks
$35
$175
Travel to Summit/ Average AirFare
$100
$500
$7
$35
Full Price of Summit
$72
$360
Full Price of Extra Events (ChangeFest & Impact Tour)
$36
$180
$340USD
$1700USD
A Tourist AttractionMuseum, Guided Tour, etc.
Total Amount:
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In this guide, we will show you how to cut the full price down from $1700 total or $340/day to $450 total or $90/day, including flights. There are many ways to bring down the cost of events, travel, and other related items while you are attending a conference. This guide will show you ways to cut costs before you go, save more money while you are in NYC, and possibly receive reimbursement after you travel. You can also apply all of this knowledge to future events We hope you’ll find these tips and tricks useful for any event. Let us know if you have a question by emailing hello@under30changemakers.com. 
Cut Costs on Event Registration !
Apply for The International Discount or Need-Based Scholarship All internationals and low-income attendees qualify for discounted tickets at $90 total. We also offer payment plans with a $30 up-front deposit, so you pay the remaining $60 over a monthly time that works for you. With a payment plan, you can pay either $20/month for 3 months or $10/month for 6 months. Our optional events like ChangeFest, our epic afterparty, and our guided Social Impact Tour in Manhattan are also discounted for international attendees and scholarship recipients. You can apply for all these discounts here.
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Register for Changemaker Summit ASAP The longer you wait to register for Changemaker Summit, the higher the cost of your ticket. Grab your ticket as soon as you can, because it will be more affordable and you’ll be able to plan and connect to other Summit attendees sooner via our online Changemaker Summit community of 350+ attendees.
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Ticket Prices for Changemaker Summit General Registration
500
VIP Passes
375
250
125
0
February
April
June
August
Use A Payment Plan Option This year all of our sales pages are using MoonClerk, one of the few online services that can create monthly payment over a 3 or 6 month period. All payment plans include a $30 deposit, but the remainder can be paid over a period of time that works for you. You can choose this installment payment option for Summit Scholarship, VIP Registration, and General Registration.
! Staying The Whole 5 Days or More? A VIP Pass Is Worth It. If you are A VIP Pass includes all extra events, plus our VIP Dinner at St. Mark’s Place with all of our special guests at The Bao and an adventure to one of NYC’s top underground speakeasies or dessert bars. All of our extra events are included: NYC Social Innovation Tour of Manhattan (valued $120), ChangeFest: A Cultural Affair (valued $65), and extra networking opportunities with VIP guests, mentors, and teachers. If you buy all events together with the VIP Package at $350, you would save $400. Register here.
! Volunteer Your Skills and Time All volunteers who work with us to create, promote, and coordinate the conference receive full compensation on all Changemaker Summit Events. These volunteers join Summit Teams from January to April and work on a Monthly Mission until the Changemaker Summit in September. You can make some money by joining the Sponsorship Committee where you will receive 7.5% commission for any sponsor you close on your own. Right now there are opening in the Food and Event Planning Committee. Learn more about Committee Role and Responsibilities and read our Volunteer FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) before you register to volunteer here.
! ! Highest Est. Savings: $540 (volunteer) ! ! !
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New Trip Total: $1700 - $540 = $1160
Cut Costs on Accommodations Stay for Free There are three main options for staying in NYC for free:
!• Message friends who live in the area to see if you can stay with them. Or ask
your friends of friends if they know someone trustworthy who can host you. Post to Facebook requesting NYC host recommendations. • Apply to get matched with a local Changemaker who can host you. Internationals and need-based scholarship attendees get priority matching. • Hospitality networks like Couchsurfing are free options to stay with a local while exploring the city. Be sure to sign-up and schedule in advance with your host to build rapport. It’s not a bad idea to have a backup in case they cancel.
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Stay Together Ask Summit attendees in Changemaker Summit Facebook Group if they wish to stay together in an AirBnB. Try to split the costs beforehand using PayPal or even Tilt (use code “u30” to waive fees). Some AirBnBs can help bring the cost down significantly for groups, just be sure to read the fine print of rules. Budget for any cleaning or additional person fees if you’re using AirBnB.
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Budget Hostels/Hotels Here are three options for cheap accommodations when you want to live by yourself in NYC:
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Pod51 Hotel- $75/night NY Moore Hostel- At $50/night, this East Williamsburg spot is a steal Row New York Hotel- $71/night Find a cheap apartment sublet on Craigslist or Gypsy Housing for a week Single Room AirBnBs in a shared space
! ! Highest Est. Savings: $400 (host stay) !
New Trip Total: $1160 - $400 = $760
Airfare + Transportation Travel Hacking Our sister group, Under 30 Nomads, contains many posts about how you can save big on airfare. Here are some more resources: • Changemaker Michael Gasiorek’s Beginner’s Guide to Travel Hacking: How to Fly for Free Every 3 Months. Watch U30’s YouTube video too! • Get email alerts from Scott’s Cheap Flights. Be sure to choose your location. • Read Nomadic Matt’s article on How To Find Cheap Flights.
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Tips to Search For Cheap Airfare
• Disable the cookies on your browser and search for airfare in Incognito mode. • • • • •
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Airfare sites can hike up the airfare price if it notices multiple searches. Use Google Flights, Matrix ITA Software, and SkyScanner for the best deals. Search for error fares on Secret Flying or The Flight Deal. AirfareWatchdog will alert you when there is a drop in your flight’s pricing. Book your ticket as soon as you have the funds. It is better to book now than to wait until later. Prices go up the closer to the date. Flying might not be the cheapest option. Map your trip using Rome2Rio. It will find out the cheapest travel options for you.
Transportation- Taxis, Subways, and more! Stick to the subway system, not the taxis or Ubers, and fill up you card based on how many trips you need to make. NYC is created so that subways can reach almost any part of the city. Taxis are usually unnecessary unless where you are heading is far from local transportation, otherwise walking is a great way to get around. Be sure to map all distances and transportation out beforehand and learn how to use the subway system if you are a NYC newbie.
! ! Highest Est. Savings: $200 ! !
New Trip Total: $760 - $200 = $560
Cut Costs on Food + Drink Cook Where You Are Staying- Make A Group Dinner! Grocery stores, farmer’s markets, and corner stores all carry foods where you can buy ingredients to cook at the place you are staying. A few affordable food markets to shop at are You can team up with other Changemakers who want to take shifts cooking meals or host a group dinner. Just post in our Changemaker Summit Facebook Group if you want to try an idea out. Remember: lunches and snacks are covered from September 8-10.
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Eat Out Affordably Check out our article in Under 30 Nomads of 20 places in New York City where you can eat a healthy meal for under $10. There are many other websites to help you locate cheap eats around the city, like NY Eater or TimeOut’s maps.
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Bring A Reusable Water Bottle Drink water! The easiest and fastest way to save lots of moolah. Then pass up the alcohol, which is also big bucks. We aren’t a huge drinking crowd anyway.
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Pack Food, Snacks, and Tupperware Allowed Through TSA If you have extra room in your luggage or carry-on bag, it would be a great idea to bring portable high-protein, high-carb, high-fat snacks with you to keep you full and focused while in New York City. It’s easy to get caught up in all that’s going on and forgetting to eat. It’s always a good idea to keep a snack on you no matter where you are. Tupperware can also be brought along to pack up leftovers or bring along meals made at home. Fight the food waste!
! ! Highest Est. Savings: $75 ! !
New Trip Total: $560 - $75 = $485
Free NYC Attractions !
Free Sites, Parties, Tours, and Live Performances Most of these festivals are seasonal, during the spring and summer, so check their websites for schedules:
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Get a customized tour of NYC with a local Big Apple Greeter For free museums, check out freeMuseumday, Museum Free Days, Trevii’s Ride the Staten Island Ferry and capture amazing shots of NYC. Visit the New York Public Library Main Branch, New York City’s and the United State’s largest library. It is home to over 50 millions books and usually has its own free museum gallery in the middle of the main hall. Indie art and otherwise fringe events - subscribe to Nonsense NYC to get email listings of underground, oddball, fringe performances and events. Most are free or very cheap. Visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. John The Divine’s Cathedral. These cultural sites are magnificent. Walk the NYC Highline, an above-ground garden walkway. This is now a known spot for many but less known for first timers. Use the stairs behind the Chelsea Market and head upwards (north). It is 1.6km long. Tickets to Comedy Central's The Nightly Show, created by Jon Stewart, with Larry Wilmore. Arrival time is 5:00 p.m. Show typically ends at 7:15 p.m. Feel free to contact the ticket hotline with any questions. 212.649.6250. Must be 18+. Buy your free ticket here. Visit NYC Go’s Free NYC for local free events around the city. Catch a ferry to Governor's Island for free. There's a 2.2-mile bike path, mini golf, a picnic area, plus military sites such as Admiral's House and a 'ghost town' of sorts at Nolan Park. Ferries leave from Battery Maritime Bldg, Slip 7, Lower Manhattan.
Highest Est. Savings: $35 (free)
New Trip Total: $485 - $35 = $450
Fundraising The Rest The Minimum Amount of Funds To Raise The biggest variable for each attendee will be airfare. Definitely prioritize covering your airfare costs first so you can book a cheaper flight in advance. If you are fundraising, I would add up your airfare cost September 7-11 roundtrip with $200. Let’s say you are traveling from Liberia, Costa Rica and the lowest airfare from Liberia to NYC in September is $400. Add that to $200, and then $600 is the minimum amount you should raise.
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3 Ways You Can Fundraise Here are three ways you can fundraise your minimum amount and more:
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• Sponsorship- Find a local or international corporation to sponsor your flight. We can provide brand visibility for your sponsor at the event. Once you register, we will send you templates for sponsorship outreach.
• Online Crowdfunding- Raise money from a group of people online in your network who can support your efforts. We worked out a deal with tilt.com that waives all credit card fees using the code “u30”. This online campaign can reach beyond just your network and can be combined with sponsorship. With this fundraising method, it’s important to share your personal story.
• Reimbursement- Some schools, companies, and governmental organizations may reimburse your event registration and travel expenses. Many corporations value their employees investing in their own self-education and skill-building. By highlight the skills you will learn at the event and how it will contribute to your work, you can convince your employer or dean that your
! travels will also benefit your community back home and should be supported. We hope this can help you budget your next event. Got questions? Email us at hello@under30changemakers.com