Charity Function

[eazy 0]

If you don't charge, then not only are you not earning money for your time, but its costing you money as you still have expenses to pay.

 

I'd personally have to charge at least £125 before they were getting me for free, below that I'd be donating my money as well as my time to help them out.

 

I'm guessing thats what Andy was getting at.

 

 

£125 expenses ??? just how far away is the gig ???

 

the only expense i can think of is petrol/diesel ??? as i already have the equipment and music !!!

[Dukesy 0]

125 expenses ??? just how far away is the gig ???

 

the only expense i can think of is petrol/diesel ??? as i already have the equipment and music !!!

 

It wouldn't matter if the gig was 25 miles, 5 miles or 5 mins away! Danno is running a business!

 

If he doesn't set aside money to cover say the D/D for the NATIONAL INSURANCE, or hide any money under the mattress for memberships, any subscriptions, equipment insurance, pro-dub licence, oh, and setting aside monies for the TAX thingy.....other than the other overheads his own business has and of course, what he needs in order to pay his own personal bills….I'll agree, money for fuel / mileage and perhaps the odd download or CD purchase MAY be a low expense, but it all mounts up! HE is not the charity.

 

Don't forget, Danno has stated on here that he provides work for other DJs. To keep them happy, he will likely source them jobs when he has none himself. That isn't just costing his time to arrange. He has expenses there to cover and likely subsidise from his own business.

 

Anything earned towards any recent investments he's made will of course help, even if he is only charging £125!

 

Read about this DJ.

[GREG'S MOBILE DISCO 0]

I really am shocked by this vote so far. I have never been in any job, as an employee or self-employed, where we haven't actively tried to support local charities and good causes. Giving up a few nights a year for free is nothing. Depending on your pricing structure we get comparatively decent/good/ridiculous money for our job. We can all give something back.

 

I'm with you on this one - I've done freebies for charity on many occasions and more than once when we really needed the money BUT there are always those that are worse off than ourselves and I will help out whenever I can and wouldn't dream of charging a fee.So what if the venue gets paid,the staff get paid etc etc? By not charging a fee you are helping to offset their payment and thus the charity in question receives more money - what's the problem?

 

Ok,you don't get paid but a good cause is benefiting from your generosity and you are getting free publicity & may get other paid gigs out of this exposure.

 

I'm sorry but I just don't understand those who refuse to do a few charity gigs a year for free - it all seems a bit selfish to me....you know,the 'Look after number one' mentality?

 

[supersound dj 0]

Don't Forget That Some Djs are full time and if they do a free gig on a prime night the bills don't get paid,I for 1 are one of these.

I am also v Philanthopic Because I have my own charity once a week(I am a member of the R.A.O.B Royal Antideluvan Order Of Buffaloes.

 

I Have done free gigs for LOCAL charities on WEEKDAY nights in the past and even donated and set up a disco for my lodge.

 

 

In this area of £120 max gigs you cant afford to give up a prime night.

 

Regards Paul

Edited September 25, 2008 by supersound dj

[Danno13 0]

Thanks Dan, the figure of £125 comes from my total expensese throughout the year divided by the amount of bookings I'm likely to take. Yes, things like deisel etc. will vary with location etc. but everything else is pretty much fixed no matter how far you're travelling, or even how many gigs you do!

 

To be honest that's a very low estimate as I'm just using my accounts data from Sage which doesn't take into account Tax and capital allowances, as I don't work that out until the end of the financial year. The figure is also dependant on me booking another 20 events between now and next March, in addition to the ones I already have booked in.

 

It's DJs failing to grasp these points that means there are so many people charging unrealistic and unsustainable fees for their services.. but I don't want to start up that argument again.

 

I'm not against charity work, I'm happy to give my time for free dependant on the time of year, prime nights are too precious to give up really when you depend on the income, but they'd still need to cover my costs.

 

In this area of £120 max gigs you cant afford to give up a prime night.

 

May I ask what area that is? You'll find people say this for pratically everywhere in the country, yet there are still people aiming at more lucratice markets and charging higher fees. The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

Edited September 25, 2008 by Danno13

[Norfolk DJ 0]

I'm with you on this one - I've done freebies for charity on many occasions and more than once when we really needed the money BUT there are always those that are worse off than ourselves and I will help out whenever I can and wouldn't dream of charging a fee.So what if the venue gets paid,the staff get paid etc etc? By not charging a fee you are helping to offset their payment and thus the charity in question receives more money - what's the problem?

 

Ok,you don't get paid but a good cause is benefiting from your generosity and you are getting free publicity & may get other paid gigs out of this exposure.

 

I'm sorry but I just don't understand those who refuse to do a few charity gigs a year for free - it all seems a bit selfish to me....you know,the 'Look after number one' mentality?

 

I understand your view, but whether you wish to give up an evenings pay for a 'good cause' is down to us on an individual basis. Plenty of good causes out there and plenty of people also trying to get something for nothing. You need to ask yourself some further questions. Would a plumber working for an old people's home work for nothing? Would the local fish and chip shop supply free food for the annual PTA dinner dance. Does the British Heart Foundation pay free rent on all of it's shops? Does the council charge them business rates? Will the brewery supply free drink for the school fete?

 

I suspect discounting is the fairest approach. I have never worked for nothing (in 25 years) and never will.

 

[NRG Roadshow 0]

Don't Forget That Some Djs are full time and if they do a free gig on a prime night the bills don't get paid,I for 1 are one of these.

I am also v Philanthopic Because I have my own charity once a week(I am a member of the R.A.O.B Royal Antideluvan Order Of Buffaloes.

 

I Have done free gigs for LOCAL charities on WEEKDAY nights in the past and even donated and set up a disco for my lodge.

 

I too have done free charity jobs on WEEKDAY nights in the past, recently I also spent all day helping a charity with a fun day, they used my P.A. Equipment and I was on site for 7 hours DJing and comentating/anouncing/comparing for the days events.

I did this for free to help them out because it was a weekday, and as a full time DJ I can give up a day to help them with their fundraising event.

 

If your talking about giving up a prime day (friday or Saturday) I will give a small discount to a charity, I certainly wont go out for free at this time, they are a charity, I'm a business and have bills to pay!

[flash911 0]

I did one last year for BREAST CANCER and another cancer charity, Having sufferd my self 2 yrs ago . thought it was the least I could do. we raised over 5.5k AWESOME night

[Ian Stewart 0]

I DJ at quite a lot of charity events, most of them also hire me to run the auction as well, and some people have hired me just as the auctioneer.

 

I always charge my full fee, although sometimes I will put additional sound systems or projectors in for free.

 

If I am to be the auctioneer, I will also charge a little extra, I do this because I am very good at auctions, many people tell me they can't believe the amount I get for some items, the most I ever raised in one auction was £75,000

 

I must say that all my charity work, is at ball's etc where they realise that they have to spend money to get money in