How did you pay for drum corps?

[Jofus]

I was thinking about how much more expensive drum corps is getting these days and how some people have been able to pay for it. I know quite a few folks that used student loans to get by. Any horror stories of terrible jobs, or some random generous sponsor? I'll start with myself.

For 2006, my tour fees were 1800 bucks. My parents were kind enough to help with a lot of that. I have an extremely lucky uncle who always seems to make money when he gambles, and he won a ton at the Casinos in Missouri and donated a thousand dollars to me marching. Lucky break I say! Anyways, in order to save money on plane tickets, I would drive up to Nashville (bout 2 and a half hours) and take Southwest Airlines into Chicago Midway. Then I'd hop on the Van Gaulder bus up to Madison, dropping off a bunch of Phantom Regiment kids on the way since it goes through Rockford. I paid about 200 bucks in transporation for every camp. I'd say the whole thing cost me around 3000 buckaroos minus all the stuff I paid for during the tour.

Anyways, my parents weren't so generous afterwards once they knew how much marching REALLY costs, so I'm paying for everything now. I took the 2007 season off so I could get myself financially ready to age out this summer. I got myself a job at Cracker Barrel washing dishes. Not too glamorous but I get 8 bucks an hour (which is good in this area) and about 30 something hours a week during the summer. I tought at three different band camps as well. So after paying all my bills and getting moved into my new apartment, I saved up about 2000 dollars to go towards summer of 2008. I'm still washing dishes a couple days a week since school started, so that helps me pay my rent and put some money aside for plane tickets.

I have to say, I didn't expect it to take this much effort for a college student to pay for drum corps without help or going into debt. Hopefully it will be a very fullfilling age-out summer.

So, what did you have to go through in order to march?

Edited September 20, 2007 by Jofus

[DKracing]

I was able to march this year because we sold our house...

No, we didn't sell our house so that I could march :P

All the other years it mostly came from support from my parents, and working a crapload of hours at Wal-Mart in 2005, the Old Spaghetti Factory in 2006, and Old Chicago last year...

My first three years weren't nearly as expensive, so I mostly just worked a lot of bingo :)

Edited September 20, 2007 by DKracing

[Dominath]

I had to take a summer off so I could pay for my 2008 season.

I'm a college student as well, and I'll be using my financial aid excess, as well as money from working my job on campus to pay for the dues wherever I end up marching.

On top of that, I have no car and the corps I'm hoping to march is still about 5 hours away driving, (That being the closest corps.) and I expect to pay whoever I get to give me a ride up there money for gas.

Bah, this topic will be depressing, I'm sure.

[MalletMusic]

I've been marching for 6 summers and this season was the first time I've tried using a sponsor letter. I wrote one up explaining what the group I was in does and how much it all cost and then sent that to as many family members and family friends I knew. It ended up paying for a good portion of my $1700 tour fee.

[drumcat]

Personal check... financial aid.

By the way, the "how expensive it is these days" thing bugs me a bit. Back in the day... not that long ago, really... the prices were relatively about the same, accounting for inflation/gas prices.

But let's be honest... The corps themselves could be more frugal, too.

[84BDsop]

I didn't pay a dime.....my mother made my tour fee ($450 back in 1984) my birthday present.

Got off the plane in San Fran in January....Mike Moxley picks me up....I hand him the check....and the rookie's paid in full!

[fourouttheforty]

Saved a lot of checks in high school from relatives during Christmas/birthday and churches for gigs, that's how I paid for 2006.

2007 I think I would have been able to make it if I had saved, but that wasn't the reason I didn't march.

Now that I worked last summer instead of march, paying fees should be no problem. Travel expenses though....

[BigSnareline]

I paid mine from giving drum lessons to beginners at the local drum shop in Albuquerque. That was a long long time ago!

[BAC91]

Tour fee was $650 in '91. I put a letter in the church newsletter, telling of the connection Boston Crusaders had with the Church (early in corps history). The minister put in a plea after my letter, asking the church members to help with fees. A few days later, tour was paid.

So, to answer in one word, "God."

[crh5]

We just paid for our daughter's summer last year. Really, when you consider how much other summer activities and/or camps cost the cost of a summer of drum corps is really reasonable. Around here, four-five days for a day camp will cost you $300-400 so the $1800 for the entire summer was a bargain! What sort of caught us off gaurd was the cost of all the camps. We dont' live anywhere near a corps, so she had to fly to the camps. Six of those at anywhere from $250-350 a pop for the flights cost us just as much as the summer.