TOUR TIPS 101: SAVE $ ON THE ROAD!

I wish there would have been someone giving us advice and guidance much more then we had when I was touring full time. We pretty much went for the DIY approach and that did alright...at times. Hotels were never a thing in our budgeting. Even when we had an official agent- the money still was not flowing in large sums by ANY means...With this we had to be creative while out there trying to survive day to day. Over the years traveling the USA/Canada performing, here are a few quick, easy and some funny tips for saving money on the road!!!

1. Plan meals in advance- The band together or each separate member should be able to eat semi healthy, be full and still feel some of that "comfort from home" with snacks on hand and NOT eating fast food 3+ times a day... That can literally kill you. It almost happened to me (later story...)

What we did was purchase our own plastic storage bins (grab from any local Wal- Mart or hardware store) These are durable which is a BIG THING being lugged around city to city. Each person can then fill these up before each venture, label them and have a very well established food supply for all of the tour (depending on length will depend on what to pack)

Keep an extra tote bin on hand and make that the "Universal" place. In here you can store so many simple but yet CRUCIAL things that each person will need on a daily basis. Compile things FOR FREE from each rest stop, gas station such as:

-Napkins, -Salt Packets, -Ketchup Packets,-Moist Wipes,-Saltine Crackers,-Straws,-Cups. Also smart to purchase a few things of Plastic Forks and Spoons from somewhere cheap locally and keep those in the bin.

2. Shop In Advance- Each member can purchase snacks from local stores that are cheap. Sometimes all pitching in and sharing items from places such as Sams Club is great! Utilize coupons, shop for the best pricing and don't be afraid to eat off brand. Granola Bars, Peanuts, Pretzels, Noodles, Pasta Sauce, Bread, Peanut Butter, Etc..all are not going to perish if you leave them in your trailer or tote bin and snack on them. Utilize gas station microwaves! Bring the Ramen Cups and you can heat them up on the go while filling up on gas.

-Don't forget to sign up for fuel perk cards. Save cents per gallon. Earn free food and drink items and rewards!

COOKING: Bring a small charcoal grill and or a camping stove. You can easily clean and add those to the trailer or storage bin. Purchase a few of the cooking propane small tanks and you are GOLDEN. Bring with you a few kitchen items again all should fit in a big tote. A Pot, A Pan, and some cooking items. You can then cook spaghetti, pasta, pancakes, bacon, tons of things and all share meals with easy cleanup. Pack it up and back on the road you go. We would cook breakfast daily: 1 bag of bread, 1 pack of Eggs, 1 pack of bacon. Total cost: Around $8.50 total. Split that between 4-6 members and WALA. An amazing, warm meal for CHEAP.

3. Seek Places To Stay In Advance- With the power of internet, the options are literally endless as to who, what, where, when you can crash out on the road. Between knowing a friend, aunt, cousin or someone down the line might work out... On top of that again being creative will go a LONG WAY. There are even certain websites that have hosts in locations all over the world!

4. Be Creative- Use your brains to be creative on how to work and achieve goals together as a team out there! Things like all pitching in and sharing a gym membership or two at a major franchise. They often are open 24/7, have free wifi AND have SHOWERS which are the golden ticket to being on the road. You can of course work out as well to stay in shape from all that pieces of pizza eaten. You can call local establishments and tell them you're in a touring band. They often will donate food, Chipolte often donates burritos to touring artists. I've even seen things like Movie Theaters offer free showings for bands on the road with days off.

The world out there is yours to achieve! Be creative, share, be passionate and remember to spread positive thanks to everyone that helps you out there.