Look for "early bird registration", which tends to be cheaper in price. Some conferences offer low student registration rates or even for first-time attendees to the conference. Registering close to the conference dates is risky, as registration prices are higher at that time.

If the conference schedule is released early online, browse through it to scope out which talks and events you may want to go to. Check to see if events' timing overlap and where events are held on the conference's site. This will help you plan your route to get to events quickly and on time.

Conferences may have their own app that you can download on to your phone or tablet. These apps can help you create your own schedule from the offered events and give alerts about the conference's events. You may also find chat features to talk with other conference attendees. Sometimes, public transportation maps for the city in which the conference is held are included.

Contact your bank and let them know about your travel plans. This will prevent them from blocking your credit and debit cards due to what they think is suspicious activity; this is true even when you are attending a conference that is held locally. If you are flying to your destination, be sure to include any layover stops.