If only conference prices weren't so depressingly high. I discovered three interesting ones in a reasonable distance through Lanyrd---awesome site!---but don't want to pay 1000+.
The expense could easily pay for itself through networking, as you make new contacts and find new opportunities, but if you don't know the conference, that's pretty unsure.
Two solutions: 1) Be a speaker, and 2) Go to BarCamps and Unconferences instead. I've been to a number of free BarCamps which have competed extremely well with expensive events in terms of both networking and quality of talks.
The expense could easily pay for itself through networking, as you make new contacts and find new opportunities, but if you don't know the conference, that's pretty unsure.