I am writing this while I am in the middle of placing my book collection (which is several hundred books) for sale on Amazon. I am not doing this to have a Zen lifestyle (“less material goods means happier life”). I am not doing this to make it easier to clean my house, but that is a perk. I am doing it to fund my art.
At the same time, I’m dropping down to part time at my day job. Which means a lot more time to work on all the projects I have lined up, but it also means a lot less money coming in.
I realize I need to buckle down and come up with ways to fund my artistic lifestyle both for myself and to continue to keep my family happy and healthy.
Here are 5 Ways to Help Fund your Artist Lifestyle.
1. Sell your Belongings
Do what I’m doing with my books. Gather things that have sat on a shelf, in a cupboard, or closet for a year or more. Then sell it on Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, or whatever your market of choice.
It is a great way to simplify your life while making the extra cash to buy new art supplies, software or education you need to take your art to the next level.
2. Create a Budget
I hate creating a budget. It means looking over past expenses, listing all life necessities, planning for the unexpected, and having the self-control to update constantly. I really hate having a budget, but it is something I’m working on because it is so important.
Think of it this way, every dollar you save is like a dollar you earned. These feels like a philosophical puzzle, but it is true. If I decide to not buy a $5 coffee drink and instead put it towards food that I need, that is $5 less I need to earn to fund my survival. Meaning, I made $5 by just not giving into buy the coffee drink.
Here is a great article and excel spreadsheet to help with creating a budget.
3. Cut Entertainment
This goes hand-in-hand with “Creating a Budget”, but in a lot of ways it is more important. When you are spending money on things like cable or going to the bars every weekend, not only are you taking money away from your art you are also using up precious time to work on your projects.
This doesn’t mean you should never spend money or time on entertainment. It is just important to have priorities on what is essential in your life and find a balance. Taking in art and education is an important part of the creative process, but finding ways to cut costs and be selective on how you spend your time is important in order to be a successful artist.
4. Pick-up Freelance Work
The great thing about freelance work is you can usually get a large hourly rate. This is because the companies and/or individuals who hire you save time and money not bringing on a full time staff. If you can get one or two clients a month in whatever artistic field you are in, this can help a lot.
I am currently taking on a few freelance clients to supplement me dropping down to part time. I only need to put in a fraction of the hours with freelance work that I need with full time employment. This means more time for my own work and marketing me as an artist.
5. Get a Job
This is probably not what you want to hear, but is always a good idea. When you look for a job, however, make sure to look for one that fits your needs.
Look for one that:
- Allows you to get free time during the workday to work on personal projects.
- Gives you opportunities to network with people that can help your career.
- Has some flexibility in your work hours or gives you at least a few hours a day to work on personal projects.
- Doesn’t suck up all your creative energy
If you can find a job that has these criteria, it is great. Sometimes you just need to take a job to make money. If this is your situation, you will want to keep your ears and eyes open for jobs that open up which fulfill the criteria above.
We all need to eat, sleep, and be safe from bodily harm. This isn’t always easy but if you utilize at least some of the tactics above you will be better off.
