How much money should i have

That's akin to asking, "I'm going to the mall -- how much money should I bring?"

It all depends on what you are looking for, what quality you desire, and who you buy from. A pair of hand-paw gloves might go for anywhere from $20 to $200. Artwork in the dealer room can range from $1 to $1000. Artwork in the art show is sold at auction, and can range from $1 to infinity.

Comics are generally reasonable and go for cover price if they are new, or for more if they are collectible. Look to spend from $3 to $10 for new comics, and more for collectible back issues.

Some artists will do sketches for you if you provide a sketchbook. These also can be anywhere from $1 to $50, and sometimes more. Usually they're in the $10 to $30 range.

Since this is your first year, don't go TOO crazy with spending. And don't spend your money right away. The Art Show, the Artists' Alley and the Dealer's Room are enormous, and you will want to make the rounds before you decide what to buy.

I'd recommend 2.5 to 3 million dollars. Expect to give at least 3/4 of that to me because, hell, I want it. Half of the remainder will go towards food (as I've already informed everyone at the con that you will be feeding us) and what's left you donate to the person with the most relationship problems to whine about.

That's how a con is DONE.

For safety, I would recommend bringing a small amount of cash, for food and possibly taxi fare. (Maybe $100-200)

Some banks will offer Visa or MasterCard gift cards, which function exactly like a credit card, that you can load a specific amount on. This is especially useful if one decides to bring a thousand dollars or more, as it is extremely dangerous to bring such amounts of money to as populated of a city that Pittsburgh is. If the Visa/MasterCard gift card is lost or stolen, you can call in and report it and have another card mailed to you.

Traveler's Cheques can also be useful for that same reason.

Above all else, make sure that you have enough money so you can feed yourself! Nothing makes me more sad that seeing hungry furs.

If you are looking for specific items, then all the advice offered above is good...except for the Greedy Collie's. Kage has given a good price range, and the Visa or MasterCard Gift Card is good advice - as far as it goes. It will cover you for purchase of meals and services, certainly, but many of the artists and dealers are not equipped for electronic transactions at their tables. Cash is somewhat problematic; carrying a large sum on your person is risky, and planning on going to an ATM whenever you need a sufficient amount for a specific purpose is unreliable - Furry Conventions tend to empty ATMs fairly quickly.

IF going the cash route, and you are bringing a sum over $100, make a point to leave the bulk of it in the hotel's safe. Every hotel has a safe for safeguarding the valuables of the guests, indeed the hotel isn't responsible for valuables left in your room, if you decide NOT to use their safe. You can ask on the Hotel Questions forum on this website for specific details.

Personal Cheques allow you the freedom of not having to carry a large sum of cash, and your spending is only limited by the amount in your checking account, and your own self-discipline. Now, I've been told that Furry Fandom has a bad reputation for bad cheques, but I have never had one refused when I've provided appropriate identification. I rather doubt that I am well-known in the fandom, so I presume that the courtesy of allowing payment by cheque is granted to most people, again with the right ID's.

I am going to voice a radical idea here, and it is that the quantity of fun had is NOT proportionate to the amount of money spent, nor the amount of "stuff" acquired. You need a certain level of finances to assure a degree of comfort and stressless ease, but beyond that - well, just enough to buy the things that you actually, truly want, plus a reserve held over to assure reliable and comfortable living all the way to your return home. Some of the most fun aspects of a Furry Con don't require any spending at all, like attending the night-time entertainment (Uncle Kage's Story Hour (UKSH), or the masquerade, the talent/variety show, the (sometimes) live Pawpet production, attending any of the Panels or Special Interest Groups, or demonstrations by fursuit builders or "meet the Guests of Honor". I don't recall if AnthroCon has a video room, but if they do, count on being able to see favorite furry cartoons or anime, or stuff that you've heard of but never seen before.

The Art Show is open to everyone, though to bid on art you need to register as a bidder, and registration is open to anyone, as well. The Art Show can be fun to look at, even if you do not plan to bid on anything, and part of the fun is seeing the value that other people place on their favorite drawings or paintings. Just be sure to stay clear of the place at Atshow Closing, unless you are bidding, or protecting a bid! Then go to the Voice Auction, later in the day on Sunday - it can be dramatic, and if Kage or Glen Wooten are acting as Auctioneers, it can be a fun exercise.

Most of all, is the opportunity to meet new peole and make new friends. THAT costs you nothing! Oh, ther might be a group or two, going out for a meal - but make sure you understand where your new friends are going, and how you are all paying - and beware, for it isn't unknown for 10 folks to go to a restaurant, order lots of food - and then 3 or 4 not paying their share. I hate to say it, but it happens, and you don't want to be in such a group; it will sour you on furry fans pretty quick. So accept meal invitations with caution, unless separate checks is understood. The waitress needs to be advised of this before she starts taking orders, by the way!

To tie it all up - take enough money, in whatever form, that you can meet your lodging, dining and travel needs comfortably, plus enough for "special purchases" - but expect the FUN to come, NOT from your spending, but your participation in the convention proper.

As a general rule, about $500-$600 should be a lovely number (But that includes things like hotel --if you're splitting it with people, gas prices, con registration, and food...plus spending money)

Out of that amount, roughly $150-$200 is spending money.

Bringing more is always an option, but like it's been said before-be safe and reasonable about how much you personally carry as well as taking a stroll around the dealer's room, and artist's alley before going crazy.

But most importantly, bring money enough to feed yourself. Hungry fur == unhappy experience.

“O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!”
....Shakespeare really knew what he was talking about sometimes....

Also, just to note about all this: You will need to pay to get into Anthrocon, itself. If you have not preregistered (Please, please, please preregister!), you will need to pay $50 for an attending membership, $90 for a sponsorship, or $175 for a super-sponsorship.

Thank you so much (;

I'm going to take 200$. I went to megaplex and I brought 85$. Which is a very small con, and proportionately I'm gonna up my budget because A. More stuff I'm sure I'll want and B. I can afford it. If I could afford more I would bring it. There is a lot of unique art that I wanted at MegaPlex and I couldn't even afford all I wanted from THERE! And AC is around 15 TIMES bigger. I'm sure there will be even more kinds of art and much, much more of it. I'm bringing 200$ because that's as much as I can afford. I would bring more if I could but that's just me. Be forewarned though, if you're like most of the 'art whores' I talked to at MegaPlex, you'll probably spend nearly every penny you have on art and food if you're not careful.

As a rule, if you buy paws before the con, they are generally cheaper than paws AT the con, because there's usually only one dealer at the convention for fursuit parts :3 Also it gives you an opportunity to shop around. A nice, elbow length pair of forepaws with claws and pads will generally run you 50-65 dollars, plus shipping. A few places to shop are:
www.dragonsteel.org
www.mixedcandy.com
www.artslave.biz (*Whistles innocently* also www.furaffinity.net/user/ArtSlave )
www.furaffinity.net/user/midori8

I am going to bring 700 dollars+whatever is in my bank account to the convention.
Hotel: 150(splitting w/ 3 other people)
Registration: 50
Gas+Tolls/Transportation: 50
Food(Several nice meals included): Ranges from 75-250, depending on what you're eating.

Generally you can get by with roughly 250 bucks, but its much easier if you bring 400, which will go very quickly. Anything past that is all spending cash. Of course thats a general estimate, if you aren't paying for your room or some nonsense obviously this number will go down quite a bit.

budget yourself.

I'm looking at $500-600 ish.

$150 for room, (I'm roomin with someone)
$150 for gas (I'm driving)
$100 for food (not eating IN the hotel resturants)
$50 for con fee
$30 for toll roads,
an 100 for spending money..

forgot, $100 for parking :>

now granted. I've over budgeted.. so I will have more than 100 avail for spending money. but have to wait an see

I would caution against the use of the safe in the hotel room. These usually only have one or two keys, and there IS a master key, usually accessible to most staff members. This means, any of the hotel staff can access the safe in your hotel room.

Artists Alley!

*Drools*

The Dealers room!!!

*Foams*

SO MUCH STUFF TO BUY!!!!

-insert manical laughter along with rabid foaming here-