Estimated Total Cost(s)

aerodrown · Post by **aerodrown** » Mon May 03, 2004 7:04 am

Hiya. erm... anyone who's been... approximately how much money was required in preparing? ill be damned if i miss bm05 and i need to know how much to save up. k thanx.

Alpha · Post by **Alpha** » Mon May 03, 2004 7:25 am

It depends greatly on how much camping equipment you have, how far you're coming (price of gas, ya know!) and how far you plan to go on costumes, bike decoration, gifts, etc. Coming from Virgiinia I'd say you should plan on no less than $1000 in addition to your ticket costs.

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Mon May 03, 2004 8:36 am

No matter what I did... my trips to burning man cost around $1000 or more...

i always bought too much food to the desert, never under-estimate your water requirements and never over-estimate your alcohol requirements.

plan on a grand....

SilkenTofu · Post by **SilkenTofu** » Mon May 03, 2004 8:47 am

I have no idea on what basic supplies you have to get, tents, sleeping bag, shade structures or if you were just talking about gas, food, water, booze, ice money and basics like lotions, baby wipes, lights and all that jazz.

Basically my boyfriend and I already had tent, shade structures, rugs and turf. Coming out of Sacramento we ended up spending between $700 to $800 in 2003 for two of us on food, booze, water, gas, ice money, light sticks and plenty of batteries for flashlights, propane for cooking and basically all our day to day needs. We weren't eating lobster and steaks every night, but we ate very well out there, lots of burritos with chicken, chunky soups, pasta, dried fruits and nuts, peanut butter and bagels and don't for get the EZ cheese, it works on everything.

Granted we did come home with some food and booze after generously gifting the DPW, but better to come with more than to spend your time worring about running out.

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Mon May 03, 2004 8:53 am

That depends...

I saw a guy come once with nothing but a ticket (and I mean NOTHING - no clothes, water, tent, shows, NOTHING). He was doing a performance art project, and was gifted everything he needed to survive. Of course, I do not recommend this.

Some people bring 18-wheel trailers full of stuff, with 10,000 watt generators and many thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

Most people fall in between. I would guess you are looking at between $500-$1000 MINIMUM, depending on how much camping stuff you already have, etc. This would just cover the basics like your ticket, food, shelter, basic costumes, basic gifts, etc.

I recommend you start looking at people's checklists, read the survival guide, and start making your own list. Check off the stuff you already have, then estimate a cost for stuff you need. For the big ticket items, see if you can figure out a different way to meet that need (share a generator if you need power, share a stove, etc).

regards, hope to see you in '05! Jafe

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Mon May 03, 2004 10:22 am

Now that Xara Dulzura is out of the way and paid for, BM will be cheap.

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Mon May 03, 2004 12:04 pm

Hi, another greener here with a money question. I've read that nothing except coffee and ice is sold at BM. I've also read about bars- are there drinks for sale there or how does that work?

SilkenTofu · Post by **SilkenTofu** » Mon May 03, 2004 1:44 pm

No money for drinks but expect to give something...if it is a bar car or bar themed camp any donations to help their bar operate like more liquor, mixers, ice, helping bartend - or gifts - a joke - a headstand - a display of underclothes - something will be required. You will not be able to just sit there and drink for "free". You will be expected to participate in whatever happens to be going on at the moment. If you aren't interested in what goes on at a particular "night spot" move on there are plenty out there.

But some people just give away libations because you will be so damn cute. Guess that's why I was never drunk out there in 2003.

shitmouse · Post by **shitmouse** » Mon May 03, 2004 1:52 pm

i'm putting my vote in for the $1000. *minimum mark.
last year I spent around 2k. -(worth every cent so far. i got a lot out of it).
-b

Simply Joel · Post by **Simply Joel** » Mon May 03, 2004 2:10 pm

dragonfly Jafe wrote:I saw a guy come once with nothing but a ticket (and I mean NOTHING - no clothes, water, tent, shows, NOTHING). He was doing a performance art project, and was gifted everything he needed to survive.

See definition below:

Main Entry: par·a·site
Pronunciation: 'par-&-"sIt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, from Latin parasitus, from Greek parasitos, from para- + sitos grain, food
1 : a person who exploits the hospitality of the rich and earns welcome by flattery
2 : an organism living in, with, or on another organism in parasitism
3 : something that resembles a biological parasite in dependence on something else for existence or support without making a useful or adequate return

dragonfly Jafe · Post by **dragonfly Jafe** » Mon May 03, 2004 2:38 pm

Simply Joel wrote:
dragonfly Jafe wrote:I saw a guy come once with nothing but a ticket (and I mean NOTHING - no clothes, water, tent, shows, NOTHING). He was doing a performance art project, and was gifted everything he needed to survive.

See definition below:

Main Entry: par·a·site
Pronunciation: 'par-&-"sIt

Normally I would agree. This guy however had a crew of people following him and documenting it with video. He was never in any danger, would have been fine with his support crew if the citizens of BRC had not gifted him generously. He was definately an Artist, and not a parasite pretending to be an artist. The 2nd half of his project was to give everything away to a needy person by week's end so he left with nothing.

Kids - DO NOT try this at home!

regards, Jafe

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon May 03, 2004 2:44 pm

First of all, Aerodrown, that's the greatest avatar I've ever seen!
I am one of those people that brings a truck & trailer full of stuff. It's been costing around $4000 a year. However, a lot of that is equipment that I now own (trailers, generators, etc.). I'd say $1200 - $1500 of it is the trip itself, ticket, food, booze, supplies. This year if gas is $3/gallon, about $900 will be the gas from Seattle.
The rule seems to be the cleaner and more comfortable you want to be, the more it will cost, and vice versa.
Cute enough and frisky enough girls can get away with much less, just as in the regular world. Some things are universal.

DVD Burner · Post by **DVD Burner** » Mon May 03, 2004 2:54 pm

I cannot let this page pass by without at least complimenting aerodrown on that avatar. Very funny.

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Mon May 03, 2004 5:22 pm

Thanks, perfect. I'm cute, frisky, and sparkly. 'Course, I won't be riding that train 100%, I'm a contributor sort.
I'd love to bring some stuff from Canada for trading and giving, but alas, that darn border!

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Mon May 03, 2004 6:53 pm

Fuck what anyone else says. Total cost is gonna run you $647.37. A bit more if you elect to buy that bottle of Maker's Mark instead of the Jim Beam.

aerodrown · Post by **aerodrown** » Mon May 03, 2004 8:00 pm

HAHA i knew all would love the avatar. i thought it was supremely ironic that i found it mere hours before i found the BM website, LOL. But i was lik, "Shit, i gotsta put that as my avatar here!"

As for my BM trip: I have nothing. Erm, i had nothing about four hours ago, then i got paid. I went to wal mart. I'm going in 05, but i figure if i buy bits n pieces here n there i should be fine. my mom says she supports my dreams, so she's agreed that each time i get paid until BM05 she WILL take a hundred dollars of each paycheck and put it into untouchable savings. ah, the joy of being underage - exploiting the system. I got paid 220 this week- the most ever. so i have $80 bux in my back pocket burning. i'm thinking "tent. " but she got $110 of it. so the rest i make goes to spur-of-the-moment-but-still-stuff-for-the-trip stuff. And since she supports my dreams so much, maybe i can pay her a hundred bucks to lemme borrow the jeep for my trip....... :D so i bought this cool lil $10 fleece sleeping bag from walmart because it was cheap, and its huge and warm. not sleeping with it now is hard, i know i'll love it even more on the freezing bm desert nights. People were pissed @ me today for talking too much about BM. Probably b/c im psyched. I guess the tumblers all fell into place when i finally set the goal of saving money and stuff.

BTW: for costs, im looking at gas, two tents (both small; one sleeping one supply), a ton of nasty-ass can food (even though i think vienna sausages are tasty, im sure i'll hate them by the time the week's out), water, water transport, bike light, bike tubes, clothing, etc.

Also, what's the deal w/ the portable shower i hear about? i've never had to "rough it" before. lol, im not city by any means, but everywhere iv gone before has had water and showers.

It's REALLY REALLY long, i know. sorry.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon May 03, 2004 9:53 pm

Badger wrote:Fuck what anyone else says. Total cost is gonna run you $647.37. A bit more if you elect to buy that bottle of Maker's Mark instead of the Jim Beam.

The Captain does recommend good booze.

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:37 am

aerodrown wrote:Hiya. erm... anyone who's been... approximately how much money was required in preparing? ill be damned if i miss bm05 and i need to know how much to save up. k thanx.

Are you going to drive? fly? rent a car? hitch a ride with a friend? do you have a tent? do you need to buy one? or are you going to rent an rv? You will have to do your research. Read the checklists, think about your lifestyle. There is no "one-size-fits-all" answer. There are people who show up and crash in someone else's shade structure and there are people who show up in million dollar rvs. The cost is completely up to you. At the minimum, you will need ticket, water, and food. If you get free transportation that's $200 for your ticket, $100 for your food (maybe more, maybe less), and water will depend on if you buy it or just fill up jugs from your kitchen facet.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Tue May 04, 2004 10:49 am

want to keep warm at night? Go to ebay and look for old fur coats, fake and real. My wife just got a rabbit fur coat for $25.

Larissa · Post by **Larissa** » Tue May 04, 2004 7:04 pm

I've been buying tonnes of cheap cool stuff off ebay lately with burning man in mind. I also recently acquired a sewing machine from my sister, so here's hoping I can learn to sew some crazy costumes in time.

Now I have a question that's obviously going to vary for everyone, but..... about how much cash do you bring, strictly for on-the-playa? I know it depends on your individual needs, especially since it's a non-commercial event, but what do you usually bring?

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Tue May 04, 2004 8:21 pm

Larissa wrote:I've been buying tonnes of cheap cool stuff off ebay lately with burning man in mind. I also recently acquired a sewing machine from my sister, so here's hoping I can learn to sew some crazy costumes in time.

Now I have a question that's obviously going to vary for everyone, but..... about how much cash do you bring, strictly for on-the-playa? I know it depends on your individual needs, especially since it's a non-commercial event, but what do you usually bring?

Enough to buy ice and coffee. So your mileage will vary on that one. How much is ice? Was it $5 a bag? Or less? I can't remember. Coffee was somewhere in the $1-$3 range. So it depends on how much you want to purchase. Buy a coffee and a bag of ice every day and you could spend $5-$10/day. Buy coffee morning, noon, and in the middle of the night it will cost you more.

SilkenTofu · Post by **SilkenTofu** » Tue May 04, 2004 8:57 pm

Ice was $2 a bag for a 2lb. bag for either a giant cube or crushed ice. It may be more this year but who knows?? I camped and split ice costs with 3 people last year and bought 5 to 6 bags of ice a day, but we drank lots of iced cocktails. I had coffee at least once a day so I budgeted $10 a day and came back with money for the first fast food restaurant we saw in Reno.

I know it's evil but french fries and a real vanilla milkshake after a week in heaven was too divine. Sue me.

SilkenTofu · Post by **SilkenTofu** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:04 pm

oops, forgot to say that tipping is optional, but is greatly appreciated as ice vendors and barristas are all volunteers. But I have touched upon a previously discussed topic. Just tip if you feel your service was tip worthy, or better yet, a perfect opportunity to gift for service.

I can taste the dust in my mocha already. mmmmmm...gritty

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Tue May 04, 2004 9:25 pm

The last two years my ticket was on will-call; I made sure to bring enough cash to pay my way in just in case of a worst-case scenario of there being no record of my ticket.

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Wed May 05, 2004 6:34 am

SilkenTofu wrote:Ice was $2 a bag for a 2lb. bag for either a giant cube or crushed ice. It may be more this year but who knows?? I camped and split ice costs with 3 people last year and bought 5 to 6 bags of ice a day, but we drank lots of iced cocktails. I had coffee at least once a day so I budgeted $10 a day and came back with money for the first fast food restaurant we saw in Reno.

I know it's evil but french fries and a real vanilla milkshake after a week in heaven was too divine. Sue me.

Wendy's Frosty! And chicken nuggets. First stop after unloading the trash at the transfer station.

Dinner: something made of beef(steak, burger, prime rib) and a salad.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:19 am

I spend $0.0 on the playa. Once I turn onto the road and get out my ticket my wallet goes away for duration. I fucking love that.

Tiara · Post by **Tiara** » Wed May 05, 2004 10:34 am

cool lil $10 fleece sleeping bag from walmart

I am very prone to getting cold when I sleep at night. So I recommend a sleeping bag rated for 30 degrees or below. But that's not everyone's situation.

You should be prepared for overnight temperatures in the 40's. If you supplement that fleece sleeping bag with good insulating padding between you and the ground, and several heavy blankets to pull over it, you'll probably be just fine. Sleeping in a fuzzy hat also helps retain body warmth.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » Wed May 05, 2004 8:47 pm

If you're from the east coast, flying to Burning Man is usually cheaper than
driving. Stay out of Wal-Mart. Check the thrift stores for camping gear.
You can make it for less, but plan on one thousand dollars for the trip
from the east coast.

electrolux · Post by **electrolux** » Wed May 05, 2004 9:35 pm

I'd love to bring some stuff from Canada for trading and giving, but alas, that darn border!

Last I checked you could still bring gifts across the border. The only ting I wouldn't do is print up 1000 matching t-shirts because they will assume you are selling them and taking $ away from hard working 'merkins. But one year I brought 250 matching buttons, and got across fine. Most of the time they see all the crap you're bringing and can't be bothered looking through all of it.

Estimated Total Cost(s)

Estimated Total Cost(s)

money

cashola

I'm poor. I'm screwed, yet im sure it will all work out.

Re: Estimated Total Cost(s)

thread drift---food after the playa