Update: The Evite has been sent to ticket winners. If you did not receive an Evite (insert sad face here), then you will have to wait until the next event.
Wow! I am amazed at the interest in our first ever Meet & Greet. With a limit of two tickets per person we had almost 1,400 ticket requests, 1,377 to be exact. We can accommodate 250 people, which is up from the 100 we had originally planned for. Ticket winners have been drawn and will be emailed an Evite from meetandgreet@pocketyourdollars.com later today.
Attendees
If you get an Evite please do the following:
— RSVP for 1 or 2 guests by 8 pm Monday, March 15. This gives us an opportunity to back fill openings with others interested in coming. If you need to cancel or a friend backs out before the event, please update the Evite to make room for someone else.
— Plan to bring non-perishable items for a food drive. You will get one ticket for the door prize drawing for each food item you bring, up to 15 tickets. Take the term “food drive” to mean non-perishable food and personal hygiene products. Items will be donated to Community Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP) in Brooklyn Park. This is part of their Minnesota FoodShare month.
— Arrive a few minutes early (by 6:45) so everyone can be registered and checked in by 7:00 pm. We have lots of fun things to do and don’t want you to miss out on any of them!
— Direct questions to meetandgreet@pocketyoudollars.com
— Use the event’s official Twitter hashtag of #pydm&g and Pocket Your Dollars’ Twitter ID of @carrierocha as you tweet about this.
Event Agenda
Let me tell you about some of what’s in store.
— Dessert bar. Living Word Christian Center has graciously opened their facility to us and they have an amazing team that caters events like weddings. They are putting together an assortment of bars and desserts served with coffee and punch. Trust me, you’ll love them!
— Photo opportunities. Shannon Steffens of My Candid Moments, my family’s personal photographer and an incredibly talented artist, has volunteered to be the official event photographer. We’ll put official event photos on Pocket Your Dollars, Facebook and Flickr after the fact, but welcome you to bring a camera and snap away yourself. It’ll be awesome to capture the fun!
— Swag bags. A ton of sponsors have stepped up to offer really cool things to each and every attendee. I am working with some of them to extend their offers and freebies to the general Pocket Your Dollars’ community after the event happens. Stay tuned for details on that.
— Door prizes. How would you like to win $60 worth of groceries? Tickets to Water Park of America? A compost bin? A car wash kit? A $50 Fantastic Sam’s gift card? Our sponsors have stepped up to provide us with all sorts of fun door prizes. The more non-perishable items you bring, the better your chances to win!
— Inspiration. Pocket Your Dollars has become more than a website, but a community of people committed to helping each other make their money go further. Making friends, laughing, and hearing an inspiring tale of a dream seed that sprouted will energize you.
Event Sponsors
I cannot say thank you enough to our event sponsors including:
Living Word Christian Center – Angel Food Ministries
Pam Iverson Independent Norwex Consultant
Recycling Association of Minnesota
Whitney Souza Independent Mary Kay Consultant
We will accept additional event sponsors, at our sole discretion, through Friday, March 19. Businesses interested in providing goodies, high-value coupons and/or door prizes can email meetandgreet@pocketyourdollars.com.
What’s Next?
I know that so many more wanted to come than what we can accommodate. That’s great motivation for us to hold another similar event in a larger venue down the road. Thanks for being gracious and understanding through this process as it’s the first time we have coordinated something like this.
this sounds like it is turning out to be quite the shin dig, i hope i make the cut!! What an amazing event carrie
Doesn’t look like I made the cut. :(
Evites were just sent moments ago so everyone should check their email now. Be sure to check your spam too, in case your computer thinks an evite is spam.
Holy cow, Carrie!!! 1400 ticket requests for something you originally planned for 100? That’s absolutely amazing!! Bet a year ago you had no idea this was going to turn into such a full-time job!
Laura – Truth be told my very first conversation about this ended with a statement, “I bet we’ll have 30-40 people” so I felt big time talking about 100 :) Little did I know…
This sounds amazing Carrie! Thank you for all you do. You and your team are a fantastic group of people!
Yep, I lied, I got an invite. I don’t plan to take photos, but I may shoot video…not that you need additional publicity for your world famous website.
Let’s make some You Tube videos that go viral – maybe I can dance down the aisle and then we all end up on Good Morning America :)
I’ll bring the tunes and the sunglasses. We could always do the “Thriller” dance, too. :)
oh you all crack me up!
Carrie, you are awesome for all you do!!! Looking forward to meeting you on Tuesday! :-)
Dive Time– email me if you didn’t make the cut– you might be able to take my 2nd ticket. emlafave at msn dot com
Oops I meant DiMe Time
thank you for the offer. as you probably noticed, i did make the cut after all. but thanks again for thinking of me.
Oops again, Dime Time made it. Anyone else who didn’t, try me? My friend is on the fence.
Emily–i would love to come–i just sent you an email! (:))
don’t know if I made the cut yet (sometimes my email is slow)
I’d love for you guys to put videos on YouTube…for those of us who aren’t able to attend….this way we can pretend that we were there!!!
I didnt make it…bummer! It sounds like it is going to be extra FUN!
how are people picked for the waiting list….did that go by lottery as well?
Therese – Yes, we will fill open spots using a lottery. We haven’t yet created a waiting list, but will next week. We will do it by lottery again.
Will everyone who didn’t get an evite be entered into the lottery or will we need to sign up for it?
Everyone who didn’t win tickets in the first round will be automatically entered into any subsequently rounds
Just checking to see if the waiting list has been determined and when the next “lottery” will be held?
if anyone has an extra ticket….I really would like to attend!!!
Anyone with an extra ticket, I would love to attend! Please let me know
I would love to go also if anyone has an extra ticket! Email me at dreeps2@yahoo.com!
Anyone with an extra ticket, I would love to go!
I would also love to go if someone has an extra ticket out there :)
Oops, forgot to put an e-mail to contact me. babyandkidstuff@hotmail.com. Thanks!
I wanted to go so bad and didn’t get an email.
:( I’d love to go too…if anyone wants to share a ticket.
Didn’t make it. :(
I didn’t make it either. :(
SO sad I didn’t make the cut!
I did not make the cut either :(
I am so sad! Anyone have an extra ticket I would be happy to use it!!
Carrie I have been following your sight since last summer. I love it, I must admit what a difference it has made in my family’s life!! Thanks for all that you do!!
Tracee ~ my guest has a conflict ~ still looking for a ticket for next Tuesday? My email is janejensen2@hotmail.com
Carrie, you already know how much I LOVE your site! Been “addicted” since July 09. Thanks for offering this event to your fans/followers. HUGE response – that is super exciting. I am heartbroken that the lottery did not pick me but hope the next event is soon and BIG! (also, my email provider does not allow me to look in the “SPAM” folder so if the evite went there then I am out of luck – doh!) Hope to meet you (and my other “comment friends”) at another event! . . . oh, and my fingers are still crossed for the waiting list – if there will even be one at this rate!!!
~~are you still looking for a ticket to next Tuesday? My guest has a conflict ~ my email is janejensen2@hotmail.com
[...] I am getting excited for a local event: The PYD meet and Greet! Carrie’s site and her approach to saving money has had an amazing impact on my life. Her [...]
bummer…it would’ve worked out perfect as that is our spring break (teachers) and we live in Brooklyn Park! so, so sad. Have fun everyone!
i love to attend if you have anymore tickets. If i can only get 1 ticket i will take it, if you have 2 that would be even better.
Email me at nonotravel@embarqmail.com
Also bummed not to get picked. Hoping for another chance another day. Sounds like it will be a fun event.
This thrifty Grandma really wants to go!! Hope you do it again!!
I just got invited to this event! Does this mean that I am an alternate or for sure invited?
Samantha – it means you’re for sure invited. Congratulations! Please be sure to RSVP.
Is that just the window where you select how many guests you would like to bring! Just making sure.
I am so excited!!!
Yup, that’s it. :)
how come it only showed on facebook that you were on your second round? My junk mail gets deleted automatically so now I am not sure if I was one of them or not because nothing that I saw was posted on the website? When I saw the comment on facebook from Carrie it was 3 days later…
Just curious how long it is expected to go until! Just want to make sure! Thanks!
:) SO EXCITED!