What exactly is a "Recessionista Carnivalista"? Well, it is someone who LOVES Carnival and going all out but due to current economic times cannot afford to spend big bucks every single year on Carnival. After spending money on a costume, plus ticket and hotel for some, it is such a huge bite out of your budget that you do not have the money to spend on the "extras" that have also become part of the Carnival experience.
My friend asked me to do a budget on how much money in addition to my costume that I spend on things like makeup, boots, tights, Monday Wear, hair etc and to tell you the truth the last count was $2000.00TT; it adds up!So this year the challenge to myself is to spend as LITTLE money as possible on all the things that I think I need, I am not going to compromise on professional makeup however but really, do I need another pair of boots?
My current Carnival Boot Collection:
1.You do not need new boots or sneakers every year - I am guilty of this one, as it is much easier for me to buy a new pair of boots than to redecorate an old pair, not to mention I get caught up in buying boots and sometimes end up with three pairs to wear at one Carnival. Consequently I now have six pair of boots, one never even used! Afro Chic has great tips on her blog on how to use sand paper to get rid of dried spray paint off your footwear so that you can reuse an old pair . It is amazing what she can do with just a can of spray paint as well. Get familiar with her "Do it your self" section and save money on buying more footwear this year.
2. Decorate your boots yourself - Some of you may not have a clue on where to start but it can be as simple as just adding the leg pieces that come with your costume on to your boots or doing like my friend and covering your entire pair of boots in sequin trim! Patience and lots of magnatac (glue) is key:
Do it yourself boots
3. Do not order extra boy shorts with your costume - This goes for those of us that do not get anything "extra" for Monday wear. Go through your Carnival drawer, box or bag and see how many pairs of boy shorts you have accumulated over the years and recycle one of those. There is no rule that your Monday wear HAS to match your section so you can wear a red pair of shorts on Monday even though your section is green.This goes for the guys too, I know for sure you all have a lovely collection of board shorts with the band's logo on it, who cares if it is even from another band?
4. Skip the professional makeup artist - You CAN do your own makeup with practice; find a a YOUTUBE makeup channel showing you how to apply makeup if you are a novice or get together with friends and experiment with different looks. Seriously you do not have to get professional makeup to have a great Carnival experience. Also you can reuse makeup that you already have or buy makeup together with friends in the same section and save on cost.
5. Strip lashes work as well as eye lash extensions and they are cheaper too! With lash extensions costing upwards of $100.00US for the individual lashes I say that you can get the same effect with the strip lashes that costs a fraction of that price. If you cannot apply them yourself, get a friend to do so.
6. Recyle, recycle, recyle - there are some things you just don't need brand new for Carnival and/or you already have in your possession. You can recycle insoles, tights (once they have no runs just wash and reuse), pouches and accessories.
7. Do not buy "footless" tights for the extra $10.00, just snip off the toes from regular (cheaper) tights.
8. You do not need a brand new "fete" wardrobe every year, if you have worn an outfit before and it is blasted all over facebook, guess what? Delete the picture! Add some new accessories and shoes and you are good to go. Stock up on sandals , swim wear and shorts at the end of summer sales.
9. Cut costs where you can even though it may mean sacrificing some comforts. For example look for a guest house over a hotel and split the cost with friends, use your Local ID (if you have one) to negotiate a local rate. If you are out of a hotel budget stay with family or friends the bright side is that family will drive you around and feed you for free!
10.Know that you do not NEED to go to every single fete for Carnival to have a great time, as many have said before once you go to one fete during Carnival week you see the same acts that will be performing at every other fete from then on!
And one last tip, if you cannot afford a costume in a particular band there is always cheaper to fit your budget, do not get caught up in the hype and feel you NEED to play in any ONE band to have a great time. This year affords masqueraders choice... please use it!
13 comments:
I am an avid believer of point no. 10. I don't really see the point of fetes, since all you see is the same people you're going to see on the road and hear the same music. When I didn't play mas, I used to fete. Now that I do play mas, I don't bother. I went to Lara this year, and was very glad that I didn't have to pay for it. I don't think it would have been worth the money, because you can't really eat or drink your money back.
However, for those of us overseas, particularly on this side of the Pond, Carnival is fast becoming a dispensable luxury. Flights are going in only one direction, price-wise and the pound isn't going as far as it used to. For the price of my costume alone this year, we could have had 10 days in an all-inclusive resort on the continent. For the cost of our entire Carnival, we could have had a luxury villa in the Maldives for two weeks.
Ah well...
I do have friends who have done that makeup idea- getting together and practising with face-gem patterns and eye shadow looks and they looked better than a lot of people I saw on the road. And I can't believe them lashes cost so much!
I still believe though, the best way to save money for Carnival is to cut back on fetes. And with alcohol going up again, prices are bound to go up once more.
But just a question- is there a point when anyone says "That's it. I can't fathom spending this much on a costume." ?
Great post saucy.
mjsbunny: Yes people do come to that point. I have come to that point. Lots of my friends have as well. When, as you did, we think of all the other varied experiences we could have for the same money. When we start to feel that our "ultimate" carnival experience is diminishing, while the band leaders profits are increasing exponentially....yeah, the point starts coming at you hard and fast.
i especially LOVEEEEE your last point !!!
I agree with the cutting back on fetes. One year we saw the same performers back to back at the same venue and they did the exact same performances.
I have been able to sell two of my headpieces belt and bras to burlesque performers via craigslist. That helps me recoup some money for new mas.
Another tip is make sure the get your tickets before hand. Paying scalper prices is not worth it.
I wholeheartedly agree with that last point. Apart from playing mas', the main purpose of my trip is to see my friends and family, and I would much rather chill out in de gallery with a plate of curry-duck, a glass of rum and coke and my endlessly entertaining buddies than 'pay $1000 to stand around in a f***ing parking lot' (as my boyfriend so succinctly put it)
I'm totally with squeezle on limin in de gallery!! The best!! But I am someone who enjoys going to fetes & there are many that don't entail standing around in a parking lot. There are day fetes that are at beautiful venues with gorgeous views & places to sit. I seek those out. I do however agree that if you attend lots of fetes, the performances will start to look the same. (And it can become expensive.) So I choose 1 or 2 and call it a day.
LOL @ "pay $1000 to stand around in a f***ing parking lot' (as my boyfriend so succinctly put it)."
Love love this post!
In Saucy's order of points, I say
1) Six pairs of boots and you don't even live in a cold country. Um, yeah time to recycle.
2)Decorate your boots yourself by sticking on the leg pieces of the costume. Throw on glitter. End story.
3)No Monday wear? Wear your own clothes. Yuh have plenty ting tuh wear.
4)I AM QUEEN OF DIY MAKEUP. I just never had the discipline to wake up 3am for a makeup appointment. Plus I'm thrifty. Youtube is my friend. I watch folks like IslandBeauty, Petrilude, Queen of Blending, Krawls, MissChievous.
5)Covergirl Lashblast Mascara: it adds serious length to lashes.
6)Ditto, Saucy.
7)Brilliant. I never thought of that one.
8)I could give a shit about my fb pics. I repeating some clothes yes. Different pant/skirt/shoes/accessories combo and blend in some a couple new pieces and you're good to go.
9)Ditto.
10) Feteing every night is a thing of the past. Sigh. It was no harm when fetes used to cost $80TT. But now two good fetes, and some limes by Smokies, Next Door, "d gallery" etc will do me just fine.
Hi Saucy...definitely referenced this post when I compiled all the results of my digging around for the past several months to plan Trinidad Carnival into one blog post! Check it out and let me know if I missed anything (from the viewpoint of foreigners who had no clue how tings guh but decided they want to go!). I had to sit out 2010 cause I really had no clue about the timelines!
Here's the article, if you don't want it referenced on your page I can remove it: http://eloquence-inc.blogspot.com/2011/01/trinidad-carnival-bible.html
A lot of people been asking me about all the details of planning out a trip so it also allows me to just email them the link and not keep saying the same thing over and over (and possibly forgetting something important!)
I had specificially avoided any Google image search results that said your site name when I hovered over them, and all the tribe pics in that post are from tribe's site, tribe's fb, and one from islandmix...
But let me know which 2 are yours please!
Okay fixed -- sorry about that!
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