How do you spend money on press and pr? You have the money I promise you. It might not seem like you have the ability to pay for these things, but you probably do and need to reallocate your life. If you are an independent artist, you might be spending your money on the wrong things and the time to roll out your $$$$ project is now.
Here is a quick check sheet on how much money you can save by cutting down on certain things that may propel your music to the next career with more off a professional reputation and roll out. smart speaker, Google, music, musicians, musician, music business, music industry, music tech, Spotifybe part of a minimalist lifestyle you use to help yourself save money and invest in things you want versus things of comfort. I recently relocated to Jaffa, a small port city connected to Tel Aviv in Israel. Not until I got here did I realize how much I was spending on things that didn’t matter. This goes from my car to my rent to my food and coffee.
Mind you this doesn’t apply to all people, but it certainly can be part of a minimalist lifestyle you use to help yourself save money and invest in things you want versus things of comfort. I recently relocated to Jaffa, a small port city connected to Tel Aviv in Israel. Not until I got here did I realize how much I was spending on things that didn’t matter. This goes from my car to my rent to my food and coffee.
But enough bulls#it for now. Let us see the numbers.
1. Quit smoking
If you happen to smoke cigarettes and even smoke 10 a day or 5 a day…those are 7.50 packs at least. Let's say in one month that is $100. There is $100 for you. Anything extracurricular is costly in this manner and can easily be saved. Time to grow up and chew bit of gum. Electronic cigars are even more expensive. I quit over a girl that I never talked to again. You should quit to get PR.
2. Coffee is so fun. Making it is too.
I realized I might spend 10 to 20 shekels on coffee a day minimum. If I saved that up for a month that’d be 300-600 extra which is $75-$150 a month. Starbucks can wait and will do just fine without you!
3. Make your own drinks before you pay for them.
You think buying a drink is gonna help you out when meeting with people? Maybe think again. Try to hold off on the booze. Those $30-50 you may spend on casual drinks is leading to $ 120- 200 a month. Try to natural things on dates versus meeting at a bar. It will help you be more original and also a real date or meeting won’t care.
4. Eat in and not eat out.
If you decide to go in the house one more time a week you literally save $15-$20 every time. This time makes it per month $60-80.. This can help you. Sandwich? Imagine making your own sandwich. Picnic? Make your own. Go out to eat? Do it at a friend's house and make it. You will find value in every time you eat out now. Don’t eat on the phone while working. Separating these activities makes you more conscious of it all and will probably help you transition.
5. Roommate. OH NO!
I haven’t had a roommate for a long time. Sounded horrifying. But I am actually out so much when I come back no one is up and life hacked a way to have a place to live and pay a third of my price. I was paying close to $1500 in rent in Los Angeles and now pay a little bit more than a 3rd of that with roommates. By next month's time I will have saved closes to $6000 in this department. I can get the best of the best with that. I can make 3-6 music videos
Extra Credit: Brush your teeth!
So you don’t wanna get a root canal? Don’t wanna spend endless money on cavities? Take care of yourself. This has been a costly decision for me. I have spent a lot of cash on fixing my teeth. It is never to late to floss and help yourself. I spent thousands of dollars on my teeth because I was lazy. Isn't that a shame?
Let us look at the savings and add it all up via our daily consumption. I won't even add the extra stuff.
1. $500- $750 a month on rent.
2. $60 to $80 on meals.
3. Booze is $120-200 (in some areas this could be 10 drinks.
4. Coffee is $75. - $150. I have spent as much as $240 a month.
5. Smoking is $100
Total: 100 + (2 coffees a day $150 min.) + $120 + 80 + 500 = $940
Minimum without changing your rent situation can be a few hundred bucks which is $1000-$2000, in a few months, and if you can utilize all of this....over $10,000!
So this adds up to a nice amount of money. Sure smoking and rent might not apply, but there is always an extra you are doing. The trick is not to save this for yourself but to put to the side for Publicity for all the music you are recording for yourself. Good PR is $1500 a month but can be as cheap as $500 a month from a newbie and as expensive as $5000 a month. Whatever way it is happening, you need to cut down on the extra fat to give you and your team the extra push, whether it is direct ads on Facebook and Instagram to create more cool content.
Kosha Dillz is a rapper from New Jersey that moved to Los Angeles and now to theJaffa area of Tel Aviv. He Curates the OY VEY SXSW showcase, had a Super Bowl commercial in 2012 and also played Vans Warped Tour. His can be reached at rapperfriends at gmail.com if you wanna be on his podcast or offer him large sums of cash for shows. You can listen to his new podcast called Hustle Beach w/ Fat Tony here, and tweet him here. He has a patreon and a merch store.