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BLOWING CASH OUT MY ASS!!! How much are you spending?

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:20 pm
by BunnyBoobs
With all the talk of how many miles it takes you to get to BM there was also a lot of talk about how much MONEY they spent getting to and from.

I'm curious to know much CASH you blow on this amazing event. I'm blowing cash out my ass left and right at present in preparation- and loving every minute of it I might add!

I'm curious to know how much we all spend in this fabulous little trip.

Me? Last year I think I clocked $1400 on a ticket, camping gear, food, party favors, costumes, gas, bikes, ice and el wire. I am sure I spent 1/4 of it on just the party favors alone too! hahah!

:D 8)

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:28 pm
by ozwald8804
This will be our first BurningMan and we are blowing the cash at rock star rates. So far the big thing has been our tent trailer, and all the accouterments. But also a ship load of sarongs and other light weight garb. And camping gear, and favours, and and and...

We are having fun doing it all, and the bills won't land till we are back. Our VISA, hallowed be thy name...

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:12 pm
by Captain Goddammit
Shit, that's nuthin'...

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:14 pm
by pizzamancer
$2300 - flight from Nagasaki to Seattle
$450 - Dragon Wagon from Seattle to BRC
$300 - Ticket
$300 - el wire, light sticks, bike lock, and other unnecessary junk form amazon
$80 - and 2 cases ob PBR for camp dues
$10 - used bike form Craig's list

$3440 so far, and there is a ton of stuff I didn't list here. Goggles, food, TP, and the rest of the stuff that will catch my eye as I leave for the playa.

Oh man this is going to be a good time.

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:09 am
by Toolmaker
$20,000 in coke alone
I lost track of the total around $300,000

Thank you Publishers Clearinghouse!

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:24 am
by Dr. Pyro
I don't know about you guys, but the way I see it, I just saved $2100. How, you ask? Well, 600 gallons of propane at $3.50/gallon that won't be used on my mutant vehicle, oh sorry, art truck, because it won't be allowed on the playa so there will be no fire effects. Candidly, I would have rather spent the 2-large plus entertaining the denizens of Black Rock City, but that now will not be the case. Thank you DMV for saving me from myself!

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:37 am
by BunnyBoobs
That's the other thing, when I first got my introduction into this community I noticed that these people were not the mooching, job-less burnt-out hippies living on almond butter. A lot of burners are fucken LOADED! Haven't you seen those ginormous rockstar tour busses that pull into BM? Those babies aren't cheap to own OR rent!

The first dude I met (who shall remain nameless) told me about his hotel he owns in Thailand that is a big swingers hotel! Holy hell!

Its really true that broke ass hippies generally can't afford burning man. I find it really fascinating that burners are actually middle to upper class folk who spend oodles of money getting themselves to the desert when they could easily go to Europe and vacation in Portofino every summer. At least, I sort of could, instead I prefer eating bacon off a dusty plate in the middle of 98 degree heat after no sleep. yeahhhhh!

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:03 am
by AntiM
MyLarry's retired Navy/blue collar trucker. I'm a homemaker and bring in no income. Yet we make it and enable others so they can too.

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:06 am
by theCryptofishist
Scott made it whem he was on SSI. Of course, he had a useful skillset.

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 10:29 am
by betrdanevr
Thank you, AntiM and Cryptofishist! :)

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:18 pm
by Toolmaker
It might be worth noting that some folks make it on a showstring budget and some put in tons of work and wind up paying nothing.

I've seen every walk of life represented at BM. There is a definite tendency towards well off folks showing though. The more you need to camp with the more you will spend. I will be an expert this year in camping minimalist.

The coke and RV is for someone else.

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:55 pm
by thirt33n
i'm attempting to do this for under $1000.
attempting.
I actually think i can do it but i'm havin' a hard time fitting everything into my truck.

shoestring was the only way i could do it this year....

i'm leaving tomorrow.

see you there.

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:03 pm
by Captain Goddammit
Basically, the cost is proportional to how comfortable you want to be.

Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 9:15 am
by pinemom
Shit I would say a all expense trip to paris with a houseboy,personal chef and a maid in a 3000 sq. foot hotel suite.
still wouldnt be as fun!


Art Car: 3000.00
Bigger Boobies emt and more shade clothe: 600.00+/-
Remanufactured haul Trailer bottom to top: 1500.00+welding supplies
Alcohol: 400.00
Food: 250.00
repair on all vehicles: 1500.00
Tickets:3 days on the playa building art last weekend
Gifting Tickets: 400.00
Etc&misc....300.00



Living in the dust for 15 days with all my amazing peeps....
PRICELESS

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:42 am
by gammaray27
[quote="pizzamancer"]$2300 - flight from Nagasaki to Seattle
$450 - Dragon Wagon from Seattle to BRC
$300 - Ticket
$300 - el wire, light sticks, bike lock, and other unnecessary junk form amazon
$80 - and 2 cases ob PBR for camp dues
$10 - used bike form Craig's list

$3440 so far, and there is a ton of stuff I didn't list here. Goggles, food, TP, and the rest of the stuff that will catch my eye as I leave for the playa.

Oh man this is going to be a good time.[/quote]

you win.

-D

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:16 am
by Captain Goddammit
gammaray27 wrote:
pizzamancer wrote:
$3440 so far, and there is a ton of stuff I didn't list here.
you win.

-D
That one "wins"?
Math ain't your best subject, huh...

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:27 am
by Spicy
Personally I've spent about $4000 on camp. I'm sure as a group we've spent over $10,000 this year.

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:32 pm
by BunnyBoobs
I just got the shit kicked out of me by the universe and suddenly I'm realizing just how trivial all the crap is that one can pay for or bring in order to have a good time out there.

Due to some circumstances arising recently, my tolerance has been put to the test early and I'm now seeing how me being stingy, or my "maybe you should have thought to bring your own goddamn EL wire" thoughts are really going to impede ME from having a great time out there. Not how much money or cool stuff I brought.

My attitude is really the most important thing I can bring with me, and I'm reframing that in a positive way right fucking now.

This is why I love BM, because its that completely flat surface of the playa that serves as a mirror for my shit, and everyone else's.

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:03 pm
by Isotopia
I blew a wad on having toilet paper printed up with DVD Burner's face printed on each sheet.

My gift to the Port-o-toilets.

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:08 pm
by Kenny Z
Hey, if you are blowing cash out your ass, would you mind stopping by my house and farting in my garage?!?

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 3:38 pm
by BunnyBoobs
bwahahahha!

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 6:19 pm
by Absolut Jeenyus
hahaha Im sitting alone in my house and I actually just laughed out loud to that for a good 30 seconds... haha funny shit...

Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:50 pm
by regionalchaos
2 months before the burn I picked up an old Diesel rig with a 14 foot box on the back. I had some good plans for that! My buddy and I were gonna haul the dome and the carport and all the rest of the goodies. The rig ran me about 3 grand, but I was stoked. Then life's shit hit the fan. I already have my ticket, but now I'll head down around Tuesday with my car. No new gear purchased, gas and minimal food will be the only out of pocket expenses. So this will probably be the most expensive "on the cheap" trip I make :)

At least I'll be there though, last year I stayed home due to a new baby being born. A wonderful event, but I am ready to be back out on the playa now.. Guess I'll just have to save the infrastructure day dreams for next year... The wife should be able to make it then as well :wink:

Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:16 am
by DeepSpace
Seems one spends less each year as one accumulates the Burn-necessities..party favors and food, notwithstanding.

Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 9:27 am
by Aiee! It burns!
thirt33n wrote:i'm attempting to do this for under $1000.
attempting.
I actually think i can do it but i'm havin' a hard time fitting everything into my truck.

shoestring was the only way i could do it this year....

i'm leaving tomorrow.

see you there.
Did you think that it is the American Way to economize.

This, too, will burn.