bumo27 Posted December 4, 2007 Author Share Posted December 4, 2007 Well Josh, besides the fact that it's something a lot of us think about doing and never follow through with, I think it would be nice to know just how much money we ARE putting into our "hobby". Besides, if we all stick together, we can use this information next April 15th. But seriously - it's a good way for us also to see what each other is spending money on and to see if we can help one another on spending LESS. Like if a guy is buying Wright's Silver Polish 3 times a year at 15.00 a bottle, and some other guy is buying MAAS silver polish for 12.00 a bottle and it does a better job and lasts longer, then we can help each other out with spending ideas...saving money ideas...things of that nature. It WILL help in the long run. Anyone else have a good idea for this project? What say you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairbear Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I've always wanted to do an experiment like the one I'm about to explain to all of you. If some of you would take me up on this idea, it would be really interesting to see the results, come Labor Day weekend. I want to know how much a season of DCA drum corps costs. For REAL. Now, the people that I'd like to participate are corps members that travel no more than an hour to an hour and a half (each way) to their respective corps halls/practice facilities for regular winter and spring rehearsals. What I want you to do is this: Make a running tally of EVERYTHING that you spend for drum corps purposes. Get yourself a marble notebook and keep it dry. Some of the normal drum corps items that we all use are, but are not limited to is as follows: Gas on the way to practice, sneakers for marching, hotel rooms, beer, food, water, ice, clothes for marching, silver polish, rags, cymbal polish, coolers, galoshes/raincoats/scuba gear and flippers for wet rehearsals, uniform parts, bus fees, mouthpieces, dot books, CORPS SOUVIES, sticks, sabers, rifles, jazz shoes, DCT, white electrical tape, extra money that the corps asks you to help out with (whatever that may be), DCA weekend costs...ALL OF IT. And I know that we've already lost one weekend, so we'll start in Week 2. I'd like different section members to participate in this also. Horns, percussion, pit, guard, staff, DM's, whatever... Please PM me if you'd like to participate in this research. Thanks! OKAY....................HOWS THIS SOUND?................7 corps,3 mini vans,15 passengers (one Freeloader),350,000 miles driven,1 championship season(96 Westshore),50 gallons of hairspray,33 years(so far),thousands of dollars........................................a life time of memories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(see drum corp world, for the "recap"of my involvement in DCA) good luck on your project! It sounds interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 I can tell you Drum Corps cost me over $6500 last year. I know that in 2006 I spent at least $8,000. Maybe even as much as $12,000. I had originally Budgeted $6,000 for the endeavor. Since the COL and remote living was gonna run about that much no matter how I configured it. But unfortunately when away from home and hanging with good friends, you tend to eat out a lot. And do other activities. Is it any wonder that I'm just a little peaved that what should have been the best recording of the best performance of the year, turned out worse than most of the home videos of the show throughout the entire season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s.montoya Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 This is a pretty neat idea. I think I might faint at the end of the season though when I see how much I actually spent. LOL Totally going to do this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKatzmellophone Posted December 4, 2007 Share Posted December 4, 2007 (edited) Well Josh, besides the fact that it's something a lot of us think about doing and never follow through with, I think it would be nice to know just how much money we ARE putting into our "hobby".Besides, if we all stick together, we can use this information next April 15th. But seriously - it's a good way for us also to see what each other is spending money on and to see if we can help one another on spending LESS. Like if a guy is buying Wright's Silver Polish 3 times a year at 15.00 a bottle, and some other guy is buying MAAS silver polish for 12.00 a bottle and it does a better job and lasts longer, then we can help each other out with spending ideas...saving money ideas...things of that nature. It WILL help in the long run. Anyone else have a good idea for this project? What say you? I never really think about it. I just know that the expense will be there. It really doesn't matter the activity. I think what your doing is interesting. No question. I'm sure the numbers will be staggering. I just don't believe beyond shock value it will help anything. But I'm interested in seeing the results. Edited December 5, 2007 by JKatzmellophone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVQuesty Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I've always wanted to do an experiment like the one I'm about to explain to all of you. If some of you would take me up on this idea, it would be really interesting to see the results, come Labor Day weekend. I want to know how much a season of DCA drum corps costs. For REAL. Now, the people that I'd like to participate are corps members that travel no more than an hour to an hour and a half (each way) to their respective corps halls/practice facilities for regular winter and spring rehearsals. What I want you to do is this: Make a running tally of EVERYTHING that you spend for drum corps purposes. Get yourself a marble notebook and keep it dry. Some of the normal drum corps items that we all use are, but are not limited to is as follows: Gas on the way to practice, sneakers for marching, hotel rooms, beer, food, water, ice, clothes for marching, silver polish, rags, cymbal polish, coolers, galoshes/raincoats/scuba gear and flippers for wet rehearsals, uniform parts, bus fees, mouthpieces, dot books, CORPS SOUVIES, sticks, sabers, rifles, jazz shoes, DCT, white electrical tape, extra money that the corps asks you to help out with (whatever that may be), DCA weekend costs...ALL OF IT. And I know that we've already lost one weekend, so we'll start in Week 2. I'd like different section members to participate in this also. Horns, percussion, pit, guard, staff, DM's, whatever... Please PM me if you'd like to participate in this research. Thanks! I think you're limiting yourself... But ANYhow, I've done exactly this since I started marching. The year's amounts are as follows: 2003: 6,216.44 (I travelled 8 hours one way for camps) 2004: 4,662.13 I moved to Atlanta, but flew to a lot of shows in the NE 2005: 3216.99 I worked off most of my dues. The rest was hotels, meals, etc. 2006: 3744.18 My son joined the corps, I got a discount, but now I was paying two of everything 2007: 4442.88 Last year I flew a bit, rented a car, hotel rooms, etc. Like I said, my first year included a CRAP-ton of gas. The lower amounts below as described. I've long since tossed the receipts, etc., but that is my totals for each year that I've kept track of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumo27 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 Awesome Jerald! I knew I wasn't the only one with this idea! So, how am I limiting myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumo27 Posted December 5, 2007 Author Share Posted December 5, 2007 I never really think about it. I just know that the expense will be there. It really doesn't matter the activity. I think what your doing is interesting. No question. I'm sure the numbers will be staggering. I just don't believe beyond shock value it will help anything. But I'm interested in seeing the results. Well, now that I have a chance to really think about it...while doing this experiment, maybe we CAN post here week to week on what we spend money on for drum corps. Like, say I'm marching this year. (I'm not) On a normal summer rehearsal weekend, I'm going to buy certain things that I buy every weekend, like a case of water, coldcuts, etc... It could branch into a thread into talking about those things...what we buy every weekend...and then other people can put their 2 cents in and say "Hey, if you just buy 10 cases in bulk at Costco, you'd save a dollar per case" or something like that. Let's help each other. If anything else, I want this thread to help us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Argul Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 An interesting idea. I only hope that people don't really record all this data all summer. By the Monday after the 2008 DCA weekend more people will have quit drum corps than any other year! ........or........realize that the money never really mattered? Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle B Posted December 5, 2007 Share Posted December 5, 2007 I'd be interested in the findings. BTW, where as everything can be seen as a necessary that you listed Chris, I think the beer however should be a separate line item, because that's not really a corps necessity (although many would probably disagree.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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