Controlling Cosplay Costs - Cosplay Budgeting

This casual cosplay reuses a wig, horns, and ears, uses a cheap modified bathing-suit, and includes inexpensive accessories.

 I'm going to detail most of the advice I give out at "Cosplay on a Budget" panels, which are almost a permanent fixture at cosplayer heavy conventions.

If you ever get a chance to check one out at your local convention, do it! They may have even more tips to give you, especially ones specific to your region. Some of my tips refer to  Canadians/Americans companies, but overall it is general advice for all.

More blogs in the 10 year Cosplay Retrospective Series:
Week 1 -Wigs | Week 2 - Make-up | Week 3 - Armour | Week 4 - Cosplay Closet Purge | Week 5 -Planning | Week 6 - Inventory | Week 7 - Controlling Cosplay Costs |

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Picking your Project

Dream costumes tend to be budget busters. Some more research is required as compared to simpler projects. Nami will likely surpass $300, which usually covers my more expensive costumes thanks to the expensive silicone.

Before you start crafting, do as much research as you can to figure out the rough cost of  the project. Once you have an estimate then you can decide whether to go ahead with it or not. You also have to keep in mind that little hidden costs can add  up (such as replacing an old tool or restocking supplies like gesso).

What are you looking for?

• Does the project require big ticket items such as new tools (leatherworking tools, embroidery machine) ?
  
• What are the price points for base materials (Satin is cheaper than silk -- Foam is cheaper than Worbla) Ex: A ball gown requires 5m of fabric. At $8/m satin will cost you $40 while silk can be $30/m costing you $150.

• Are you doing this for the 1st time and will you need extra materials to compensate for fixing mistakes?

• Can you justify the higher price point for certain items? Is it the best/only item to do the job?
  

• Even if you can justify the price, can you afford it?

If you are having trouble justifying or paying for the costs, then consider spreading out the expenses over a longer period of time or postponing to a later date. You don't want to drop $200 on fabric, only to discover you can't afford some trim and buttons. Ideally you want to know you can cover all the costs in the timeline you set for yourself.

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Big costume don't always mean big budget. This costume was about $140. The most expensive part was the make-up.

Dollar stores

Dollarstores are a great resource for frugal cosplayers. It takes a touch of ingenuity to make the best of it.

What to Buy:

• Acrylic paint - I have 12yr old Dollarama paint that's still good
  
• foam - yoga mats, camping mats, craft foam, foam balls etc
• toy weapons (bows, guns) to transform into props
• lights/leds - can be taken from toys 

What to Avoid:

• Thread - Usually is snaps easily
• Make-up - questionable quality control and ingredients
  
• Wigs - Very shiny and poor quality

This isn't an exhaustive list but some recommendations.

Thrift Stores

Also known as second-hand stores. They are a great resource for closet cosplays (costumes that are similar to plain clothes).

For cosplayers who like to make most everything from scratch, what you'll find useful is getting shoes and props. You can find things like a serving tray, a purse, or some vintage frames to fill up the background of a staged photoshoot.

For cosplayers who throw together costumes with found items, these stores are invaluable and will be cheaper than buying new items.

This may only be a Canadian thing but... Value Village, a thrift store in Canada, has a great selection of costume related items for Halloween. I have bought all my foam wig heads from them.
In the US, check out Savers.

Coupons

Links to site

Before almost every purchase I make, even non-cosplay related, I do a quick search for coupons or discount codes online. Retailmenot.com and Retailmenot.ca are a great source for coupons. Do a quick search before shopping and contribute coupon codes to help the community.

For CAN & US: Never step foot inside a Michael's without a coupon. They even accept digital versions on your smartphone, so can look one up while you wait in line. 90% of the time there is a 40% off one item coupon. Make the best of it.

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Cheaper Alternatives

This costume required 3 kimonos. I chose to make the long outer layer with charmeuse silk while the inner red layer is satin. It only peeks out at the sleeves and the neckline.

In a perfect world all my costumes would be made with different kinds of silk but since I don't have a bottomless pit of money, I have to compromise. Odds are there are cheaper alternatives for any expensive material you are considering. There are multiple ways to make one costume. Just remember to ask yourself, what are you compromising, if anything, by going the cheaper route?

I can swap out charmeuese silk for satin, however, does the satin have strong shine that will ruin the look of the costume? Does it have additional texture that you don't like? Or does it look exactly like silk and just costs less?

How do you sniff out cheaper alternatives? Do some research, ask around, talk to your peers, and ask staff for help while in the store. Simply ask an employee to help you find fabric or materials to match your budget.

Does the cheaper route compromise the durability of the costume? If yes, are you OK with having to do repairs or getting less "wears" out of the outfit?

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Buy in Bulk

Get your friends together to get bulk discounts on products and to save on shipping especially for thermoplastics, corsetry supplies, and wigs. You can also benefit as a individual by buying in bulk on sites like Aliexpress.com. Many vendors sell items by the lot and offer discounts the more you buy, as well as coupons for hitting certain dollar amounts.

Here are a few things I frequently buy in bulk: foam rolls instead of foam sheets (+ coupon at Michael's), a box of model Magic instead of an individual bag (+ a coupon at Michael's), beads, worbla xl sheets ( I never buy any of the smaller sizes), styrene, interfacing, feathers, paint mediums (ex: a big bottle of gesso) and trim.

Warning: If you are buying from an international seller keep in mind the total value of your order because you may get dinged with duty charges, cancelling out all the savings you accumulated. In Canada and the US when your package is valued at about $200 or more, customs is likely to inspect it and charge you duties.

For more on buying in bulk check out my blog on Online Resources for Cosplayers

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Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle

One wig can go a long way. So far I've used my Sakura wig for 2 costumes.

Give life to new projects with old materials. Before throwing out old costumes, collect as many reusable items before thrashing it (Buttons, boning, large fabric pieces etc). Some of the easiest items to reuse are wigs/wefts and shoes.

Using paints and dyes is an easy way to make old items work for a new project. Collect scraps for re-use, especially for thermoplastics like Worbla.

Consider incorporating found items into your costume such as water bottles, straws, food containers, and the like.

To read more on this check out my blog on Keep, Sell, or Trash your old costumes.

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Cost cutting at Conventions and Traveling

Surprise! New York is expensive.

The simplest advice I can give is to do all your bookings with groups.

• Get multiple people in your room to split hotel costs. 
• Split gas costs by arranging a carpool
  
• Opt for group badge registration if you can
  
• Book flights early and when it's on sale - check for additional rewards where available
• Use frequent flyer/hotel/rental programs
• Bring your own food or shop at a grocery store instead of eating out
  
• Focus your dealer's room shopping: Pick key items you want to buy or set a fixed spending budget
• Be mindful of the import limits set by your country's border service agency
  
• Travel to another country often? Stock up on foreign currency when it's in your favour
• Know the luggage polices for your airline before booking. Odds are, you will have to pay extra for checked or heavy luggage.
  

Ravenna's cape in Snow White and the Huntsman cost $32,000US to make

My budget version: the entire costume (Cape, dress, wig, and all) cost about $360CAD. Buying the feathers in bulk on Aliexpress saved me so much money.

General Tips

• Rewards Programs: If you frequent a store you will most certainly benefit from memberships and reward programs
  
• Seasonal Purchases: After holidays is the best time to stock up on thematic items. Wait till after Halloween to buy a skeletons or wait till after Christmas to buy tree bulbs
• Get free shipping whenever possible. Opt for cheaper shipping methods if you can afford a longer wait time.
• Wait for a sale. Keep track of pricing and purchase when the price drops. eBay and Aliexpress have notification when anything you watch goes on sale. Ex: Most of my fabric comes from a store called "Fabricland" who regularly has 50% off sales for members. I scout out materials when I visit to buy little things like thread, then stock up when the sale arrives.
  
• Shop Around. If you find the perfect item, in store or online, consider using that item's keywords to search for similar items elsewhere.
  

What are your tricks to keeping your costumes low budget?