Card Show Prep Kit

The Card Show Prep Kit is a free, mobile-first planning tool for card show preparation. It includes five tabs: Budget Planner (set your total budget and allocate across categories like singles, sealed, and grading), Want List (add cards you are looking for with target and maximum prices), Trade Binder (list cards you are bringing to trade), Checklist (15 essential items to pack), and Post-Show (log purchases, calculate P&L, and share results).

A good rule of thumb is to allocate 60% for singles, 20% for sealed product, 10% for grading submissions, 5% for supplies (sleeves, top loaders), and 5% for food and parking. Always reserve 10% as a discovery fund for unexpected finds. Bring cash in small bills ($1s, $5s, $10s, $20s) because dealers typically offer better prices for cash transactions.

Essential supplies include: cash in small bills, penny sleeves and top loaders for protection, team bags for bulk purchases, a phone charger or power bank, your want list (printed or digital), a backpack or messenger bag, comfortable shoes, water, snacks, and optionally a loupe or magnifying glass for inspecting card condition. Our checklist tab covers all 15 essential items.

Each card on your want list gets a priority level: Must Have (red, your top targets), Nice to Have (yellow, grab if the price is right), or If Cheap (blue, only if significantly under market). Cards are sorted by priority, and you can check them off as you find them at the show. Set target prices (what you want to pay) and max prices (your absolute ceiling) to stay disciplined.

Yes, all your data (budget, want list, trade binder, checklist, and purchases) is saved locally in your browser using localStorage. Your data stays on your device and is never sent to any server. Bookmark this page and your prep kit will be ready whenever you return. Clear your browser data to start fresh.