[MR] Lowering event fees

[Charlotte Johnson]

> If you look at the event listings for the past two months you see a huge
> range in day trip fees going anywhere from $5.00 to $12.00 per person for
> off-board day trip fees.? If I'm bringing all the equipment, setting it up
> then why are we paying more than $10.00?? I understand movies are $11.00 but
> most of my friends don't go to those three times a month either.?
>
>
> I'm single with minimal expenses. I can afford
> it.? For most of my friends that guarantees only one event/month if that
> much.
>


Who has time to go to three events a month on a regular basis?
Certainly not anybody with kids.

I don't think that our groups are under an obligation to make events
so affordable that people, no matter what their means or situation,
are able to spend all of their time eventing and no time doing
anything else.

If you are of a limited income, and you still want to spend every
single weekend going to events, there are other options. You could
find a friendly merchant who needs some help. You could even come up
with a business plan of your own. You could also find some parents who
might be willing to subsidize your trip if you watch their kids for a
bit. Or hire yourself out as a camp set up person.

A couple of years back I put out a want ad looking for a responsible
person willing to help with kids for a couple of hours at events, once
a month, in exchange for site fee, food, transportation, and one set
of clothes (for a year's service). Nobody took me up on it.

I think that others have already covered anything else that I would
want to say (money spent getting there, cost of other stuff,
availability of sites, etc.).

-Mathilde