Michelle Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 2005: This is a bit of a long story. I was going to be to be going to Europe with the International Exchange Youth Orchestra I made at BLFAC (http://www.bluelake.org) in 2004 until I decided that I'd rather march drum corps. My grandparents had been the main proponents of me going to Europe, so they said they'd pay all my tour fees for drum corps instead. It was the best gift they could have ever given me. I don't regret going not to Europe at all. 2006: There was no way I could ask for my grandparents to pay all my tour fees again. I wanted to march an out-of-state corps, meaning I'd have to raise money for plane tickets, tour fees, and spending money on my own since my parents said I couldn't march otherwise. I set out on making sponsorships, working 25+ hours a week with a busy high school schedule, and generally making money any way I could find. I ended up being able to cover everything after over $750 in sponsorships for my tour fees and paying for all the plane tickets and getting spending money myself. It was quite an accomplishment, and I took that to heart when I was out on the field. I had earned my place there with hard work. The cost of working that much took away from a lot of the "fun" of my high school senior year, but I don't regret it one bit. 2007: College got in the way. I had no idea how I was going to pay without my parents helping me out since I had literally no time to work a job during the school year with marching band six days a week in the fall and pledging for a music fraternity during the spring. During winter break I went back to my old job I had my senior year of high school. In two weeks they hired me back at $9 an hour. I worked over 8 hours a day for those two weeks straight. On New Years Day, I worked for time and a half. I walked away with a small fortune of $700 something after taxes. I was able to get around $700 in sponsorships again. Transportation costs were not as big of an issue because I carpooled to camps with friends. My parents helped me out with paying for gas money and my tour spending money. I think they also covered the last $200 or so of my tour fees. Essentially I drastically reduced what they would of had to pay otherwise if I hadn't worked during winter break. 2008: I'm working a job this fall since I'm not a member of the college marching band. I am teaching at a high school band, but I'm doing it for teaching experience, so no pay is in the horizon (didn't ask for it, either). I'm hoping to work during winter break again. My schedule is more crazy than my senior year. Oh, the joys of being a music ed. major! I'm trying to be even more proactive with sponsorships. [shameless plug] And if you'd like to help me out... feel free to PM me [/plug] Three more years to pay for, and I will probably be saying that I earned five of six years of marching on my own plus sponsorships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex VK DM Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Tour was only $550 when I march so working at Mickey D's pretty much covered that. Drove to camps. Being in a local corps has all the advantages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 2001 - payed with my part-time pay checks up until tour started, then payed what I owed then with a credit card and payed off the card when I got home. 2002 - same part time job. My dad payed for whatever I owed when tour started (because I had quit my part-time job prior to tour starting). To make a long story short, during a conversation with the corps director, I had said that all the cash from my paychecks were going towards tour, and have been since April. He looked at me and said, "please don't tell me that." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supersonic Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Er, I'm embarassed to admit that my parents paid for me entirely as long as I worked a job during the previous summer and school year... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old School Contra Guy Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 Way back in '77, it was much cheaper to tour. I lived less than 40 miles from practice. I worked for my parents in the resturant/dairy we owned. On the way to DCI/AL in Denver, I had purchased a case of Coke at cost and sold cans at a premium on the bus. Can you say entrepreneur ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ouooga Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 04 and 05, I just worked full time between classes and camps. And I was very sure to tell all the family that I didn't want anything except money for the Holidays and my birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friceox Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I just convinced my parents that for 5 years, sending me away with a drum corps would cost the same as it probably would to keep me home for the summer (yeah, i'm kinda an expensive dude), Plus, I always had tons of extra scholarship money left each summer (thanks State of Florida for paying for my on tour incidentals) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecoats88 Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 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. Yeah my folks saw the cost as being cheaper than me eating at home all summer and driving the car all over the place so they covered my marching costs. Also one year I got 1/2 of my fees paid because I won a contest during a fund raiser the corps did. The person who brought in the most got free dues. Me and another guy were neck and neck at our lunch break and since we were so far ahead of everyone else they gave us the option of seeing who would come out ahead or just splitting the prize and each getting 1/2 off our dues. we went for the split. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kansasDC Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 I've mentioned this on here before. Drum Corps is cheap!! Last summer, my daughter spent 6 days at Engineering Camp at KU ($350) and five days at Space Camp in FL ($1500). Total: Eleven days for $1850. Or $168.18 per day. My son spent (99) days with his corps last year at camps, spring training, and on tour. Total: 99 days for $1875. Or $18.69 per day. (And they fed him!!! He can eat $20-$25/day at home easy!!) Drum Corps: A Dad's economic plan :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWonka Posted September 20, 2007 Share Posted September 20, 2007 My mom paid my dues which were only like $500 back then. Funny thing is she had no clue what drum corps was but knew I wanted it real bad. My daughters dues were paid by check. She had an advantage though having a dad who is a drum corps nut. There was never any question. I told her she would have to pay part of her dues but when she gave me the money I told her to take it on tour for spending money. I just made her earn it for the lesson. The dues are the cheap part. Travelling all over the country to shows, finals, pick up your wife when she comes off tour, buying a load of groceries at Sams for the corps, etc. etc. is what #### near breaks you. It's only money. You can't take it with you. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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