Moments ago I posted detailed information about Pocket Your Dollars Live including keynote speaker information and descriptions about the first 11 breakout sessions you’ll get to choose from.
Can I ask you some questions, though? Are you planning to come? If not, I’m curious to hear why not – whether it be a financial hardship, a conflict with the date, or a lack of interest in spending a Friday night and Saturday learning the kinds of things we’ll be talking about.
You can feel free to answer in the comment section below, but given the level of candor I am requesting, I have also created a quick, 4-question survey that you can complete to provide me some insight as well.
Are you wondering why I ask? Good question. Given the tremendous response we had last year for the Meet & Greet we held and the volume of requests I get to come and teach (over 60 last year), I expected tremendous excitement around this Pocket Your Dollars Live event. That hasn’t been the case, especially if I judge by the number of people that have committed to come.
More than anything, I want to see 500+ people there. Sure, I’m an extravert so I love the idea of a crowd, but I can imagine the energy and buzz of so many Pocketeers (aka Pocket Your Dollars’ readers) in one place. I can imagine us learning new things from great teachers that are experts in their fields. I can imagine the long-term impact of this event as we each do better managing our personal finances and living within our means.
Please, take a minute and provide me candid feedback using this form or by leaving a comment. I sincerely appreciate it.
About Carrie Rocha
Personally, I think it’s kind of a weird location-not central. From where I live, it’s way too far to travel, especially Friday night for only a few hours and with the horrendous traffic I’d have to go through to get there!
I’m really not interested in driving two days in a row to that part of the cities. I would be driving 40+ miles to get there so one time is all I would want to commit to. Also, I work during the week and giving up an entire Saturday can be tough with 3 kids.
Would love to go, but very hard to find a sitter for the kids for both a Friday night and the entire following Saturday. Also, from my experience I know that if I sit that long, I would gradually lose interest.
But you don’t have to go both Friday night and Saturday if you don’t want to! You can register for just Friday evening only. And if you register for the whole thing, you don’t have to go Friday night is you would prefer to go just on Saturday!
The location is fine for me I live in the southern metro. The problem might be that it is still a ways away, and people might not know their entire schedule (like me), and not want to commit that far in advance.
You will probably have a good size crowd. You will see as the event draws closer.
Keep doing what you are doing, you are helping a lot of people with this website.
I haven’t decided if I will attend. As others have said, “giving up” an entire Saturday is an issue, even though I’m certain it would be a fabulous day with all of the Pocketeers. And the cost is a factor as well.
In our small business, we hold training events and we have come to expect people to wait until the last minute possible to register. That makes planning a real challenge, for sure!
What is the final date to get the early bird rate?
Thanks for asking and for once again listening to your Pocketeers!
AJM – The early bird cut off is this Saturday.
Yes, I am planning to attend. I agree somewhat about the location…seems an odd place. I will be driving over 45 miles one way to attend. Not thrilled about that, but it was also my choice to live outside of the metro area and considering I work in DT Mpls I’m used to a commute. I haven’t registered yet because of timing. The registration came out too close to Christmas time and I had my money budgeted very tight. I still do through the month of January. I’m not even sure I’ll make the early bird rate cut-off considering it is this weekend. It’s all about timing and budgeting for me.
I am coming but perhaps you could be more specific in your little ‘advertisements’ for the event. Instead of just saying late March, specifically say “The 1-2 Day Event, Friday/Saturday March 25 and/or 26.” That way people could know better what you’re talking about instead of digging in and reading a full article.
Don’t worry, though, I’m sure people will come.
I’m coming!! Can’t wait!!
I seem to notice you have more follwers in the west metro based on where you always seem to hold past events. At least that is the impression I get. I live in the east metro and quite frankly you are right in my back yard. I didn’t go to the last one for the reason most people are saying now, too far to travel. Personally I don’t think your last location was central.
I also agree that info has been difficult to find regarding the event. I actually did a search because I have yet to sign up and was looking for the info.
Also, I know another blogger who gives classes for free. I have never been to a class of yours but I have been to hers.
I’m not coming primarily because I think it is too expensive. I’ve been following PYD since August 2009 and know the basics and even though there are some topics that interest me, I’m not going to spend $80 to learn a few tidbits that I can probably find out online if I really needed to. I think 10 p.m. is a little late to have a seminar go, even if it is a Friday night. And because I know PYD is legit, this didn’t come up when I saw that it costs money…but usually when I see someone saying “I’ll teach you how to save money” and then charge you for it, I don’t even look twice. Especially $80. I read about the event and break out sessions before I looked at the price and thought $50 would be high, then I saw $80 and said no way.
Some topics that interested me are: How to can, Traveling on a budget, make cash from home, budget wardrobe.
I would consider the Roseville area for your next event.
What you do for the citizens of the Twin Cities, and really around the country, is spectacular Carrie. Your seminars will become more established as you do more of them and you will always be learning how to make the next one better. It will probably take a handful of these to “get it right” but you will do it. Look at how far you have come. Look at how far you have brought the Pocketeers!
I personally have a hard time paying money to learn how to save money. It doesn’t seem to fit. It’s too expensive and too far for me to go. I don’t think I’ll learn enough ways to save money to offset the cost of the event. There are enough blogs out there for free that will teach me the same things. And I don’t really want to spend that much time from my daughter on my days off.
Sorry, but it’s way too expensive for me. Especially since I think I know most of the topics already. I’m sure I could learn a few more tips, but it doesn’t seem worth it to me. Also, I have 8 children…try finding a sitter that you can afford for that!
Too expensive and too far to drive.
I’m bringing my husband with me so we can split up on the Saturday sessions. This was a Christmas present for me and my husband.
I think a good selling point would be the list of speakers/topics (that you released the other day)
I’ve coordinated MANY meetings for the company I work for, and the one thing i’ve learned is that people tend to wait until the last moment to register for an event…even if they could save money by registering early. I don’t know if it’s a Minnesota thing…but I’ve observed this trend the last few years.
I think it is too expensive and can’t see spending a weeks worth of groceries for the seminar. I am very thrifty already and would love to come learn a few new tips if it were free or near free but I think it is too much to make it worth my money and time.
For myself, it is too hard to get away from home to go. Three children at home under the age of 10! If I was able to get hubby to stay home with the kids all day, I would rather spend my few “off” hours shopping and saving big money, without having to lug the kids around with me like usual! I like the concept and I agree with a few other comments – I have also planned events for companies before and seems like a large majority of people wait until the last minute to sign up. Good luck! And thanks for all the hard work you do!
It would be a nice thing if we could come and pay just for the classes we want rather than a whole seminar. Some may want the whole thing, while others just want a couple things.
The location is too far away from my home to be appealing. (I live in the west metro)
The date is too far out to know the kids schedules.
I think the cost is in line – but I would hold off on registering until closer to the date for the reasons above.
I agree with some of the other folks. I’m too thrifty to spend $80 to save money; especially since I feel that I’ve got “above average” knowledge on how to save money in everything that I do! I also work full time, as does my husband, and so weekends are our family time which is very precious to me. I’d be more interested in attending a monthly luncheon that’s maybe an hour and a half in length that focuses on one specific topic.
For me, I think the cost is too expensive. Sorry. In my mind, I compare it to the Women of Faith conference that has several high profile speakers, includes lunch, is at Excel (more centrally located) and is less money. I’ve learned a TON from you and would be willing to pay something to go to the event, but $99 just seems a bit too high. Also, I’d like to invite some friends, but asking them to spend $100 when they’re trying to save money just doesn’t make sense to me.
Thanks all for your comments. I do appreciate your candor and the time you take to share your thoughts. Keep them coming! :)
Like many comments have already been made:
1. too far – I prefer somewhere in the west metro area or somewhere more centrally located.
2. too long – A two-day conference, especially on a Friday night and all-day Saturday, is a lot of weekend to give up for those who work.
3. too expensive – While I don’t mind spending money on a conference, it’s hard to ask someone else to spend the same amount of money to attend with me. Plus on information that I can generally find for free is difficult to justify the cost.
4. timing – I had thought about going, but the date doesn’t work out. It’s the beginning of my kids’ spring break, and we normally travel out of town during that time.
Most conferences/seminars I go to are through work which makes $80 seem like a bargain- if only work would send me to this one. The other bonus of ‘work’ seminars are that they are during work hours. I have a hard time deciding whether or not I should spend the $$ and cut into the family time for this. I would love to meet and learn and wish it could magically work for all of us to do this during the workday!
It’s my kids spring break so we will be out of town. While I would love to come to an event like this, I don’t think I would spend $80. I would rather spend that much on a scrap booking weekend : )
Will there be freebies? We love our free stuff, that could tip people who are on the fence into coming!
1 – Cost. I am pinching my pennies and find a good deal of info online. While I would love to hang out with a bunch of women on the same mission, I’m not interested in paying that kind off money for info I can most likely find online or figure out on my own. Also, while I am fine with the location and have no problem going alone, it would be fun to invite someone to go with me and there is no one I know who can swing that kind of expense right now
2- Length – Too much weekend time to give up. I only see my significant other on weekends and, while we both also do our own thing on the weekends, that is a large amount of time to have to give up.
3 – Along with length of time, it’s prime time.
Re getting more people registered, has the othe keynote speaker been mentioning this on tv? Second thought- the value of learning something sometimes is so intangible. I bet if you could get a mix of 80 $1off coupons to give everyone, which would then turn into $160 off dbled, suddenly people would have a clear value to go off of as they make their decisions. Companies/brands would get publicity, people would try their products and I’d bet more people would be willing to commit the $80 if there was a crystal clear immediate financial benefit to doing so. Or $80 as a mix of coupons and extra care bucks/extra fuel perks/groupon dollars or something
Carrie, I truly appreciate all of your hard work. And you have helped us save a ton of money to say the least. You rock!!! I would love to attend your conference, but I won’t because it’s too far away, too expensive (I’m pinching pennies) and I don’t want to give up a Friday night and Saturday.