MURRAY WOOD ( LEFT ) & SCENIC ROUTE TO ALASKA
Food OR Per Diems : If you ’ re in a band with no hired members , purchase all the food on a band card or with merch money and keep the receipts . This is better than paying out per diems , as per diems will be spent less efficiently . Note per diems can be useful for grants . If you ’ re claiming per diems , you don ’ t have to return individual food receipts . It saves hassle .
Whether you ’ re paying per diems or not , count on $ 35 / day per member of the band . Sometimes it will be less , sometimes it will be more ; it will depend on the day . Get specific and figure out how many of the venues you ’ re playing are providing meals . This will allow you to calculate a pretty specific idea of how much money you ’ ll be spending every day . Food is usually one of the top spending categories .
Artist / Crew Fees : Bringing a side musician , tech , or tour manager with you will cost money . Enter that cost here .
Accommodations : Figure out where you ’ ll need hotels . This is the perfect time to start looking for deals , or preferably , finding a place to crash . Hosts prefer to have a heads up . If you know you ’ re going to need a room , ask in advance . You ’ ll have more luck this way . I usually include a few little ‘ Thank You ’ gifts for hosts in this budget . They are always less than a hotel and people appreciate them .
Airfare : Book your flights six weeks out to get the best deal . Use Hopper or a similar app to keep your eye on flights and get the best deal .
Ferries / Tolls : When you are figuring out how far you ’ re going , take note of ferries and toll roads . Figure out how much they cost and budget for them .
Tour Promotion : We ’ re talking posters , Facebook ads , etc .
Misc . Travel : This is for taxis , parking , etc .
Equipment / Instrument Rental ; Agent & Management Fees ; Room Fees : Many independent bands won ’ t have these last few , but if you do , they can take a significant toll on your revenue .
This seems like a lot , but it really doesn ’ t take very long . Once you ’ ve done it a few times , you ’ ll realize that you can often calculate a few things at once .
While you ’ re figuring out how much you ’ re getting paid for a show , you can also figure out where you ’ ll be staying , if you ’ re getting fed , and how far it is from the last show . Doing this will keep you organized and keep your budget afloat .
WHERE CAN YOU SAVE MONEY ?
In that list of expenses , you can find ways to cut costs . Let ’ s dig into a few of the biggest expense categories and give you some ideas on cost-saving measures .
Accommodations : Nothing digs into a budget faster than spending big money on a hotel room every night . Hotel rooms are not cheap . Even using Hotwire or Priceline , you ’ ll still end up paying $ 90 + for a room each night .
I generally budget for $ 110 per night if I ’ m buying hotels , because it ’ s possible to end up in a city without many hotels or with high prices .
Always ask the venue to put you up . They ’ ll usually say no , but you never know . Sometimes they have a “ band house ” or a friend who likes to host bands . Failing that , ask your friends , family , and distant relations . If you do this in advance , you ’ ll have an easy time finding someone . Typically , if they say yes it ’ s because they actually want to . You can make some great friends this way .
Motels are also significantly cheaper than hotels . They are usually found on the edge of cities , and are often under $ 100 , taxes included . Many of the rooms are just as nice as hotels ! Read the reviews though – you don ’ t want to end up with bedbugs .
AirBnB and similar sites are also options . There are usually a few in every city that will cost $ 50 , sleep you on couches and air mattresses , and be quite safe .
44 • CANADIAN MUSICIAN