[Ansteorra] Period on a budget

[Jennifer Carlson]

When I was a poor college student, I bought the absolute necessities - 
bedding, feast gear, and clothing (well, the cloth, anyway - I did my own 
sewing).  Everything else I shared or bartered for.

I never went to an event by myself - travel expenses were the biggest item 
in the budget, even back when gas was cheap, and sharing gas and tolls was 
often the difference between making one event in a semester, and making 
three.

I found people who would give me tent space in exchange for helping set up 
and break camp.  If an event has a tavern or sideboard for an extra charge, 
buy it - it's often cheaper than bringing your own food.  Or, get with some 
friends and pool your resources to buy food for the weekend.

If you want to make a cook love you, offer to serve at feast.  At many 
events, the servers get fed for free.  Ditto for musicians who will play 
during feast.

Make sure your membership is paid up, and save yourself the non-member 
surcharge.  Over the course of the year, it pays for itself.  Ask for a 
membership as a birthday or Christmas present.

As others have suggested, barter for your clothes and other items.  Many of 
us have items we no longer use (or no longer can wear) that would appreciate 
a good home.  Let it be known you're on the hunt.  And if what is offered 
isn't what you want, consider if it can be taken apart and reworked into 
what you do want.

That's the doing it on the cheap.  As for doing it period, it's already been 
said that research is the key, and many have made excellent suggestions 
already.

My last advice is this:  buy the best that you can afford.  It will serve 
you better and last longer.  Thrift and stinginess are not the same thing.

In servicio,

Talana