Collectors Fair and Convention Visit Planner

Who this is for

Go in with a list and a limit. Write the event, your spending limit and what you are hunting for with the most you will pay, pack from the checklist, then record prices asked and paid on the day and see what is left.

Collectors heading to a fair, convention, swap meet or auction preview who want to buy what they came for without overspending.

What this helps you track

• The event, venue, travel and entry costs
• What you want and the most you will pay for each
• What to pack before you leave
• Prices asked, what you bought and what you paid
• Total spent, what is left of your limit and the full cost of the day

How to use it

1. Fill in the event, date, venue, your own spending limit and your travel and entry costs.
2. List the items you want with the maximum price you are prepared to pay for each.
3. Tick off the packing list the night before.
4. On the day, note the stall or seller and the price asked, and tick and record the price paid when you buy.
5. Total spent, remaining limit and day cost are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, add the price paid column.
6. Carry anything you did not find onto your wishlist for next time.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How do I set the spending limit?

It is entirely yours: the cash you are taking, a monthly hobby budget or a figure for this event. The planner does not suggest one; it just shows how much of it is left as you buy.

Where do maximum prices come from?

From your own research: recent sales you have seen, price guides you trust or what the item is worth to you. Writing it down beforehand makes it easier to walk away on the day.

Can I add things I did not plan to buy?

Yes. Add them to the table as you go, with the price paid. They count towards the total spent, which is often where a fair budget goes.

Why include travel and entry?

So the day cost shows the whole outing, not just the purchases. It helps when deciding whether a distant event was worth the trip compared with buying online.