Car and Hotel Savings

Keep your car in top running condition. Repairs along the highway can be quite expensive.

Keep your car in great shape because out of town repairs are very costly. An unfamiliar mechanic can do harm to your vehicle and cost you even more money. While on the road, it is often hard to find a quality repair shop, especially if you have a premium automobile or custom van. And if you do need repairs stay by your vehicle at all times.

Check your oil (it is the cheapest form of car maintenance) Check other fluid levels too. Replenish windshield wiper water. Use Rain X brand window treatment. Put it on and polish it off with a soft rag. Be careful, and keep your eyes on the road when it start to rain...there is a great fascination watching the rain drops roll off the glass. Using RainX windshield treatment keeps your vision clear and often you don't even have to use the windshield wipers...the rain just rolls off the window. This product is good for the winter too. Snow and ice scrape off easily. Don't forget to pack your sun glasses.

Accumulate $1,000 and place in a CD, Money Market, Stock or Mutual Fund. Then reduce your car insurance by increasing the deductible to $1,000. Often this reduces your premium payment by almost half. Keep adding to the fund, as the deductible is for each occurrence. You are a good driver, then don't waste your money on excessive insurance.

Cell phones can add huge expenses to your show costs. Shop around for the best buy. Own a phone for security and tell your family to only call for extreme emergences. Secure phone cards that offer 15 cents or less, for calls. Use these to call home from your room, a rest stop, etc. Make a 'date' to call your family. Compile a list of questions or thoughts, and have them do the same. You'll eliminate 'chit-chat' that is not important but is costly. Watch phone charges from your room. Check the hotel bill. Reduce them by walking own the hall to a pay phone. A small amount saved adds up to bigger profits. Remember to pack the cell phone charger.

Joining the others for dinner prior to a show can be a lot of fun. Major hotels have good food and usually moderate to expensive menus. You can still have fun, eat good food, enjoy all the camaraderie by ordering soup and salad, or use an appetizer as your meal.

Share a room with another artist when possible. But remember you both need your beauty rest...so early to bed, turn off the light, and turn off the 'pajama party' talk.

I suggest buying a sound machine. Find one that is light weight. The background noise covers up loud hall noises and any snoring from your room mate. The hotel will divide the bill so each of you can have a tax receipt.

Make new friends and stay with them while traveling. Extend the invitation to other artists to stay in your home.

Don't depend on the hotel to wake you up. Learn to set the hotel clocks or better yet carry a light weight, battery powered, alarm clock. Place a sticker with the date on the back as a reminder to check the batteries. Replace them often. Use you're built in alarm clock -- your brain. Set it to wake you up at six. Count the hours you will be sleeping, and tell yourself to wake up at six. Keep trying, it really works.

Hotels often reduce the cost of a sleeping room when you pre-pay, use your AAA or vacation club cards. Ask for weekend rates, if there isn't a block of rooms set aside by the show promoter. Book early to secure the best rates. Blocks of rooms are released for general sales about 3 to 4 weeks prior to the event.