<HTML>In a message dated 3/11/03 9:53:56 PM Central Standard= Time, nicho@zianet.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">This thread really should move = over to ptg-l</BLOCKQUOTE> Actually, this should not be on ptg-l. We are not talking politics here. We = are talking about the economic well being of piano tuners. We've talked abou= t the best vehicle, advertising, setting rates, and other business related s= ubjects. Attending the convention is just another business type subject. <BR= > Some suggested ways to save money. The 3rd through 6th convention I attended= were vacations for my family, and we spent the nights in campgrounds. Some = were pretty far out of town, and I had to get up very early every morning to= make it to class. I know others have done the same thing. There are Youth H= ostels, YMCA hotels, and as Clyde pointed out, church related friends. The bottom line is that if you want to go bad enough, you'll figure out a wa= y. It's a mind set. Wim </HTML>