Cost-saving measures

[ttd]

We touched on this in competition attendance thread, I think this merits its own thread.

With the economy being what it is, but competition attendance apparently not taking enormous hits (attendance was actually up at some comps), people are probably cutting back elsewhere.

So, if you cut back - where?

Mine are: finding a new source for dresses (and taking advantage of cheaper labor in eastern europe) and holding on to the ones I have, doing my own makeup (I started do do it, actually, well before the down-turn), using self-tanner instead of doing airbrush tan.

I have made bigger cutbacks in some other areas of my life - I don't buy personal training at the gym anymore, and I get fewer massages and facials, I tend to wait until I get a gift certificate for that sort of thing for a birthday or an anniversary.

[elisedance]

Hey, please post contact info for any really commercial people you find - thats one area where we can really help our members.  Perhaps we should have a board for this in the ad area.

[emeralddancer]

I had my dress made by Elena Semenova. She is located in Lancaster PA and she is very very reasonable. PM me for her info if you would like it. Also ask Dream .... she saw my finished dress on me in person when she was visiting. LOL

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I know a lady from Taiwan that sells second hand dresses and inexpensive dresses. If any of you want her contact information don’t hesitate to contact me.

DSV

[SwingWaltz]

I try sneak in my own alcohol because the prices at those places are 

[elisedance]

Here's a new one others must do but I have not read about.  I have two dresses, neither of which are fancy enough for the upcoming dance comps.  I can't afford another new dress and also have been unable to find a good used one - I am tall and have a large bone structure (I've talked on this before).

I went to my seamstress and what we decided to do was to re-stone dress A (the one in my avatar) and put large floats on) and then to do radical surgery on Dress B.  That one has a beutiful dark red with black lace overlay boddice but also has a skirt made of heavy black satin (which I never really liked and has lost its shine in any case).  So what we are going to do is to keep the bodice and replace the skirt with a brigher and lighter weight one.  New dresses from old   That should save a lot of money...

[Rugby]

It looks like I am going to do the same thing.  I am going to make my latin dress one that I can also use for standard.  If I can lose more weight I can use a latin outfit that I have not use for a few years.  I'm going to keep looking around for something used in the meanwhile.  If the latin dress can work as a standard and latin one it will give me the option of using it for both right now and possibly looking for a latin outfit first and a new standard later.

[elisedance]

as long as you do not have a lot of heats - nothing worse than an outfit that smells!!  I want a real alternative this time - its scary only having one dress....

[etp777]

I've noticed that rentals seem to be up a lot more this year.  Now, we have more dresses for rent, so part o f it is selection, but I've also noticed the booths selling dresses seem to be doing less sales business while we're doing more rental business.

[SwingWaltz]

What about finding a couple of close friends with whom you can swap dresses with. I know my DP and her sister swap dresses every few comps. But I can see the problem where sometimes judges associate dancer or particular couple with the dress lady is wearing. But that's an issue on itself where judges sometimes bases their judging on what they previously know the couple for instead of what is being performed on the day....only sometimes though.

[Rugby]

The problem for ee and I is that we are both tall.  Much taller and long legged than the majority of the ladies  She is also bigger boned and I am long in the body and bigger busted than many of the ladies.

Rentals, that would be great.  I don't think there are any around her though.

[elisedance]

biggest expense for me now is the dance lessons themselves - what with doing both pro/am and am.  I don't see a way of reducing that short of cutting back... and that I am not goingto do for a while longer

[phoenix13]

Rental gowns, refurbished gowns, trading gowns.

Any other thoughts on how to economize on the cost of comps?  How about stuff that relates to guys as well?  Has anybody cut back on the number of comps and/or number of entries?  Or maybe focused on local comps rather than those that require travel?