View Full Version : Dancing during a recession
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misslizzy
06-24-2008, 12:03 PM
Denver has always been ultra ticky about who they hire. You never see any older dancers or thicker ones there. That is why many seasoned dancers have long been gone. Even the owners of one of the costume stores there told me that the club owners are obsessed with young skinny girls there, and focus more of their attention on their out of state store where they get a variety, body size wise, of customers. Some girls who live in Colorado work in the Wyoming clubs where size and age isn't a big deal, and say the money is about the same or even better.
I just know that I had no problem last year, at within an inch of the same size and tone. I'm willing to believe the policies were there, but perhaps not as strictly enforced. I have a friend who was a manager in the PT's chain around here for a while, and he's also told me that corporate has been cracking down hard. Apparently, the company policy is now "size 6, no exceptions." (For reference, I'm a size 9 right now, and look downright emaciated at a size 7; I guess Penthouse is permanently out for me.)
I'm really surprised to hear this. The Penthouse I once worked at (Vegas) didn't have a weight limit at all. They had most of the heavy girls on days and morning shifts and it didn't seem to matter if you were local or out of state as far as what shift girls were hired for.
Like Tina says, there's always been a tough standard around Denver. It's just recently gotten tougher.
morgantx
06-24-2008, 03:50 PM
there was certainly an implication that 'oil guys' and 'alternative energy guys' were spending tons of money and that therefore things were a-ok for tx dancers.
i'd love to be wrong. i'd love it if there was tons of money floating around for the girls due to such customers coming in all the time. as many tx and non-tx girls mentioning decreasing earnings, it would be nice to point them somewhere that money was relatively easy to come by. i am sad i can't point anyone towards nude clubs in houston right now since they passed a regulation banning nude clubs in houston, limiting those dancers to latex/bikini bottoms for the time being.
i just think things are getting more complicated than travel-dancing to specific states to maintain earnings levels.
As with any club/industry, some of the oil & alternative energy guys spend, and some don't. But I will say this: In the past 9 months, I've had customers come in because they were in town working on a new dairy (a very large commercial operation), several new wind farms, and several oil rigs. The refinery that's an hour from Amarillo has been operating at maximum capacity and word is they're going to expand sometime in the next few years. So the clubs have been seeing lots more business from these guys (as they're in town and lonely), but that doesn't necessarily translate to increased $$$ for the dancers.
The ladies I've spoken with at ALL of the employment agencies here tell me that unemployment is at a record LOW. The fast-food places here are offering $8-$9 an hour to START (and minimum wage here is $6.25) because they're so under-manned. The bankers all report that it was universal policy in Amarillo to NOT make interest-only or adjustable-rate mortgages, and even the realtors report that non-traditional mortgages were not allowed by Amarillo lendors. All of that has served to insulate us from the recession.
However, gas prices are determined by nationwide averages, and the cost of EVERYTHING (fuel, goods, groceries, etc.) has increased. Additionally, all the talking heads are speaking of a great Depression that is about to strike our nation, which has negatively impacted consumer confidence, even here. So while we're doing better than a lot of places, we're still feeling the pinch even here.
miabella
06-24-2008, 04:17 PM
where i live, stripping income is also crappy, and the wages are 9/hr for entry level fast food (if not 10-12/hr starting). plus our unemployment is quite low (though it had a recent month-spike). so i wouldn't rely on 'high' fast food wages as a measure of how a stripper can do in a given town. i did really well in houston (i was able to sneer at 200 after a couple months of dancing), where entry-level wages never got that high. in fact, most of the houston girls still dancing that post here do quite well and the wages for entry-level jobs there are still as craptastic as ever. same for the dallas girls, as well, and similar situation there, too.
frankly, if other straight jobs are paying all right, you might as well get 12-14/hr (about what you make now with your clothes off) and save the money you get from the extra day you'd be working (5 instead of 4). that would be several hundred more per month and you would get ahead.
alternatively, as i already posted in one of your other threads, work long weekends in another, larger town until you see fit to move there. that would also provide more money. staying there to make pennies just doesn't seem fiscally viable.
britneyireland
06-26-2008, 03:41 AM
I'm upping my game. I took a weekend-long "What Color is your Personality" seminar and have using those strategies to determine what trigger will make a particular customer buy. I'm spending more time before I close, and have been averaging about the same. Keep in mind...I'm working A LOT harder to make the same dollar amount.
I have noticed a lot of girls quitting. They are just replaced with all the newbies who got laid off from Ruby Tuesdays/TGI Fridays who just think it's awesome that they don't have to fill ketchup bottles after the club closes.
Elusive21
06-26-2008, 11:43 AM
I've also been averaging the same and working a bit harder - sometimes.
Been noticing many girls quitting and many girls bitching about having to go home with less than $100.
These are the times when you are not going to make a lot of money in this industry unless you have been dancing for a while and therefore either have regulars or have really good selling skills. You are not going to waltz in and expect to go home with $500 or more with no effort on your part. It is no longer easy but I'm not going to complain - I'm still doing just fine.
I do feel bad for all the newer dancers.
Bella_xo_xo
06-28-2008, 08:57 AM
OK I'll admit I didn't go to dollar den (I have trouble reading it... it's too smart for me) but my DJ at the club says for a technical recession the economy has to show negative profit margins in two consecutive quarters. This hasn't happened yet, although I'm sure we've had non-consecutive quarters where companies lost a shit ton of money.
This is true. The economy is still technically growing although it is almost slowing to a stop. So...a recession can't even be called such until it is well under way however it hasn't started yet. The good news is, based on past recessions they tend to last ten months. Thats less than a year, but who effing knows, the world is so f-ed up these days!!! lol
miabella
06-28-2008, 01:21 PM
the statistics used to measure economic activity are heavily manipulated. much of the country's economic activity isn't even counted, so that negative GDP is not going to show up. we're heading into a depression, not a recession, and that is far, far worse. unlike during the Great Depression, though, we have cool spreadsheets that can be manipulated to show that the country is doing ok even when food and energy prices are skyrocketing and companies are laying people off and bond insurers (the people who guarantee bonds) are insolvent. oh, and our entire banking system is pretty much insolvent. our dollar is being propped up by canada (thanks canada!).
america was pretty arrogant and assumed/assumes it deserves to always be 'rich'. and now that's coming home in a big way. i suspect the ramifications for stripping and other sexwork will be along similar lines.
demonsteve
07-10-2008, 06:38 PM
I've been told I can't post in this forum anymore because I'm male. So this will be my last post here. Feel free to PM me.
I am an attorney practicing mostly in the areas of debtor and creditor bankruptcy. My business has quadrupled in the past year. Ladies, the guys who were your patrons are having as much or more difficulty earning their daily bread as you are. They would KILL to make $500 per day. We are seeing home builders, building suppliers, logging companies, trucking companies, Mom & Pop businesses of every kind and description.
My advice to anyone reading: pay down any debt on anything you want to keep: first your house. Avoid secured debt at all costs. Be cash rich.
Demon Steve.
head turner
07-10-2008, 06:44 PM
fuck the recession.
Im traveling and working all over. I make better money now than i did before the recession.
miabella
07-10-2008, 08:37 PM
eh, some individuals made millions in the Great Depression. doesn't mean there wasn't one just because a few individuals bucked the overall trend.
ViolaStrings
07-16-2008, 10:44 PM
I've been stepping up my game, because I HAVE to. Whereas I recently (past year or so) started being more laid back about my appearance, the past few weeks I've been portraying the stereotypical high maintenance stripper image - dark fake tanner all the time, long french acrylics with a matching pedicure, porn star make up, etc. It's REALLY working for me. I'm also mentally forcing myself to not drink, close faster, not take no for an answer, be vigilant. It's exhausting. I used to be able to just show up and bank.
MysteriousMisty
07-17-2008, 06:20 AM
I've been feeling very frustrated the last two nights I worked. Usually my club is pretty reliable but with this so called recession (I'm convinced its a depression), there haven't been as many customers coming in and worse, customers with money to spend. A bad night is supposed to be $200 not less!>:( And the last thing I want to be bothered by are losers who are dumb enough to try getting my phone number after a $20-$40 dance!>:(
Usually I can deal with unlucky nights better than this. But right now, I'm under a lot of stress like everyone else. Having bills to pay doesn't make it any easier. Plus I'm freaking out big time now because I'm hoping and praying to make enough like I did 2 years ago to give my DD the birthday celebration she wants.
Nuclear Martini
07-19-2008, 08:35 AM
There are always going to be people with money to spend, so there will be money there for the taking. But when Joe Cumstomer* has a really tight budget for clubs, goes less frequently or not at all, there is less money to go around and I would think many girls do feel a difference.
* a typo, but it cracked me up so I left it, but I don't mean guys looking for extras.
HAHAHAHA, how clever :D
ViolaStrings
07-19-2008, 10:17 AM
Seriously people, don't get discouraged. I just had the best week in my 7 year dancing career! That was a pleasant surprise. It's still out there.
holiday
07-19-2008, 10:27 AM
That's great! I'm having my best year ever, and my best month ever too! My club does seem to maybe have less customers come through the door (just a guess- I can't really remember) and I think it was probably easier to get dances a few years ago, but I'm definitely finding those big spenders now, and they don't seem hit by the "recession" at all. Although, it's probably just that I'm getting more experienced, since this is my 4th year now.
Nuclear Martini
07-20-2008, 12:47 PM
I live in one of the worst hit areas (Florida). I think Florida has the 2nd highest number of foreclosures in the country.
I try to stay positive though, I hope one day I'll be able to make it out of this place.
princessparis
07-21-2008, 02:45 AM
I was looking over some real old threads from like 05 and most girls were talking about earnings in the thousands per night!
It's quite a shock after reading the "good money" thread to see that girls had once been so prosperous.
miabella
07-22-2008, 01:53 PM
no, that wasn't true then. there were just more nyc girls posting back then, which skews numbers...
holiday
07-22-2008, 02:46 PM
Ya, I was dancing then and I don't think it was that incredibly different than now. I do hear girls talking about making bank back in the day, but I think they mean in the 90s.
I had a quick talk with my club owner the other night, he was super pessimistic, I guess bar sales are down remarkably over last year.
kitana
07-23-2008, 04:11 AM
Sorry, no offense to ANYONE; but can we chill the fuck out with the depression talk?!
I don't care if it's coming; its not here yet, and the more the term gets thrown around, the more people start to buy into it, and the more people get freaked out and start to act upon their fears. Not only that, but it stresses everyone out and puts them into a depressive state, and then they automatically make less money, which makes them feel like the depression has already hit; vicious circle actually.
We all know it will more than likely happen, but who really wants to spend every waking min stressing about it?!
Zinaida
07-23-2008, 05:59 AM
Denial never works too well for me.
TigersMilk
07-23-2008, 07:23 PM
Sorry, no offense to ANYONE; but can we chill the fuck out with the depression talk?!
We all know it will more than likely happen, but who really wants to spend every waking min stressing about it?!
Damnit someone had to say it! Damn right.
Elusive21
07-23-2008, 10:50 PM
^^ I agree. Although I'm not in denial about the economic status of this country, you have to agree that it's only detrimental to focus on how bad the ecoomy is and how there's nothing we can do about it. Gloom and doom has never helped anyone.
Let's stay positive girls and ride this out! It'll get better!
nicole84
07-24-2008, 09:51 AM
I've seen a decline in my money, but not enough for me to really bitch beyond saying "yeah, it's slowed down". I just up my hustle and am more tired at the end of the night, but that's life. I've found money comes and goes in this industry and if you ride the waves out, it balances out.
I've seen way more girls working every shift, but that hasnt affected me much other than when there are more girls than guys. When that is the case, i stay with a guy who is getting dances longer, and get more territorial. I am never a bitch, but i dont give other girls room to move in.
I think getting too bogged down in how bad the economy is right now can sap peoples drive.
kitana
07-24-2008, 05:02 PM
^^ I agree. Although I'm not in denial about the economic status of this country, you have to agree that it's only detrimental to focus on how bad the economy is and how there's nothing we can do about it. Gloom and doom has never helped anyone.
Let's stay positive girls and ride this out! It'll get better!
Exactly what I meant, only I said it bitchier, lol!
Tact was never my strong point anyway.
czarina800
07-26-2008, 09:59 AM
How about trying out private parties? The dancers that work for me make a lot of money on the hourly rate, and of course, there are HUGE tips -- we all know that's where all the money is.
pogocat
07-26-2008, 10:22 AM
In SC were seeing alot of new girls too. Although the girls they keep hiring dont look like strippers (I don't think any of them have ever even heard of a tanning bed) so that means that our clientelle is getting worse too (less english speakers than ever before). I wish there were someways the girls could come together and say this is enough, we work here and we want to at least be shown some gratitude for making you guys tons of money for years. I was selling bottles like mad until about a month and a half ago and now between a looming recession, at least 30 new girls a night and an explosion in women thinking its cool to come with a man and then get pissed because (surprise) there are naked women there (read my other post), I am baffled. I've done this for 10 years (I'm 27) and am left wondering what the F*** just happened some nights.
virgoamm
07-26-2008, 10:28 AM
Although the girls they keep hiring dont look like strippers (I don't think any of them have ever even heard of a tanning bed)
Hey now, some of us rock the porcelain look! Prematurely aging and skin cancer are not so cool either. ;)
keela
07-31-2008, 10:23 AM
I've definately noticed it hasn't been great. I haven't worked for 3 wks, since my man went to work out of town and I need to stay home with our little boy. It hasn't bothered me though, bec/ it slowed down enough to where I wonder if I shouldn't just get a regular job. I'm not in a big city and our club isn't for high rollers. It's like a bar with dancers and a vip. I think clubs should waive house fees til it gets better again. We might as well work at restaraunts and bars for this crap, unless you have hella regulars who are still spending. This bitch at my club told my best regular I'm married, so needless to say he hasn't been back cuz he's all butthurt I lied to him. He was full of it himself though. Oh blah blah, I'll take you shopping and on vacation blah blah....never happens (shopping at least, I wouldn't go out of town with him). But really, why should we be paying stage fees for this amount of money? I know waitresses make $300/nt at Outback and Chevy's etc. wtf? This is when the girls need to stand up to the assholes running the industry and say, "look, you can't be taking advantage of us right now or we'll quit, bec/ it simply isn't worth it at this point"
V4Victorious
07-31-2008, 02:57 PM
I agree with Crys. The top earners at my club are struggling, and dancing dirtier than ever. Even the high rollers we cater too are starting to pinch pennies and cut out the "frivolous" spending. I'm concerned.
Venus Doom
08-01-2008, 12:16 AM
This bitch at my club told my best regular I'm married, so needless to say he hasn't been back cuz he's all butthurt I lied to him. He was full of it himself though. Oh blah blah, I'll take you shopping and on vacation blah blah....never happens (shopping at least, I wouldn't go out of town with him).
Lol, keep a catalogue in ur locker.
Justine76
08-01-2008, 01:38 AM
The recent record at my club was 12 girls working and only 7 guys through the door. I am one of the top earners at the club and I did not do a single dance that evening. I only got tipped on stage by one customer, and he was a regular of mine. Granted, he tipped me about $200, and thank the gods! I was the only one who made any money that night. Aaarrghhh!
cinammonkisses
08-11-2008, 09:02 AM
^In dire times like this..Regulars are effing awesome!
NicoleR
08-13-2008, 02:13 PM
Hey now, some of us rock the porcelain look! Prematurely aging and skin cancer are not so cool either. ;)
right on virgo, LOL. when i danced F/T, i never had a tan and guys liked it. as long as your body's not doughy and white, it's fine.
it's like the firecrotch, when you're different or the minority, guys like it. it never hurt my money and i hustled :). 10 years from now, you'll look younger than the girls who tanned.
Sveta
08-19-2008, 09:38 AM
I'm thinking of getting a day job (posted about it in the lounge) and taking a month off to re-group and get my sanity back...then going back to dancing along with the day job.
But I don't think that actually has anything to do with a recession...I think it's just that I don't do well when dancing is my only source of income. I make loads when I have another part-time "side job"...but I can't dance under pressure. Like if I NEED dancing to pay the bills or get out of debt, then I can't make money to save my life. Recession or not, that's just how I am.
Ava Jadore
08-19-2008, 01:21 PM
^ I totally understand what you are saying. I am exactly the same way. The one and only time I tried dancing full-time I lasted about a month before I went right back to getting myself a day job and dancing part-time.
Do what you need to do to make yourself happy :).
XAnastasiaX
08-19-2008, 04:43 PM
I would suggest staying positive and confident no matter what. Like always attracts like. Also try working longer shift and make sure to set up your regulars, they have helped me survive in otherwise slow times. Always make appointment never miss one and if you do make sure you tell your regular ( I recommend a separate phone line aside from your personal or an e-mail address for dancing only). Also if you grease the right palms it will help in the end. Good luck ladies I know times are tough right now.
Sierra30
08-20-2008, 07:50 PM
i live in rhode island and its BAD here. Just last week, companies here laid off 1700 workers from REGULAR jobs...now, i stopped dancing a year ago (to persue beauty school cause i just couldnt do it anymore due to alot of pain in my hips and ankles) but i know that prostitution IN DOORS is legal here. So, the clubs that allow that, are probably bringing in a decent chunk of change....but i feel sorry for other clubs that are floundering due to the horrible condition our country is in....
chanzep
08-21-2008, 11:31 AM
I live in London Uk , it is really bad here, alot of girls do other jobs here, But its true what girls have been sayin gotta upyour game, which is harder when u have have uptight English guys to deal with!, Anyway off t Hustle hut xx
pinkpvc
08-23-2008, 02:05 PM
I remember a post not to long ago calling out girl who pounce on custies the second they are in that door. Well I am that girl now, missed out on too many opportunites where a custie was "claimed" seconds after sitting down.
Got a custie into the CR in 2 minutes after he sat down at the start of the night on a wednesday.
Hey now, some of us rock the porcelain look! Prematurely aging and skin cancer are not so cool either. ;)
Agreed. ;)
StrawberrySwitchblade
09-02-2008, 02:24 PM
I've thrilled if I break $200 on a night shift. :( I'm feeling very fortunate right now as my boyfriend is well off and is helping me out (I used to be opposed to it, but I am grateful for it now), though he may not be here past September because of his contract running out, so I'm only hoping I can stay afloat should he leave.
myscza
09-03-2008, 05:13 PM
I know here in Charlotte, NC we are having a ton of girls showing up in our club. The last Wednesday night I worked, we had almost 30 girls and might've had 20 guys ALL NIGHT. The last Saturday night I worked, I left with $7 because the house refused to lower my house fee despite how often I was there. I haven't been back and was looking for another club, but from what I am hearing, it is bad EVERYWHERE. So I think I'll just have to be on webcam more often than normal./:O
jccbin
09-06-2008, 09:16 PM
I have been to clubs in Panama City Fla, Alabama, Las Vegas, all within the last 10-15 days. What I hear from girls is "Oh, this awful economy, yadda yadda." What I see is the girls who work at it still make money, maybe a little less, but still good money. The easy money is not easy any more, and that's a good thing, really. It means people are paying attention to their finances, which we all should do.
The economy grew 3.3 percent last quarter, overall. Yes, banking and real estate were hit hard. Apparently, the adult industry is being hit hard too. But, please, please, please don't bad mouth the economy. 80 percent of the way people react to the economy is psychological, based on how they think OTHER people are doing. It sounds absurd, but you can hurt your money by talking down the economy. No one likes to hear bad news when they are out for fun. I'm not trying to insult anyone, but please don't depress yourselves on top of not making as much money as you ought to.
The U.S. economy produces about $20 TRILLION every year. A 3 percent growth rate means that more than $667 BILLION in new business was created. That money is going somewhere. Just got to find it.
Best of luck and Keep Kicking Butt!
Otoki
09-08-2008, 07:53 AM
I have been to clubs in Panama City Fla, Alabama, Las Vegas, all within the last 10-15 days. What I hear from girls is "Oh, this awful economy, yadda yadda." What I see is the girls who work at it still make money, maybe a little less, but still good money. The easy money is not easy any more, and that's a good thing, really. It means people are paying attention to their finances, which we all should do.
The economy grew 3.3 percent last quarter, overall. Yes, banking and real estate were hit hard. Apparently, the adult industry is being hit hard too. But, please, please, please don't bad mouth the economy. 80 percent of the way people react to the economy is psychological, based on how they think OTHER people are doing. It sounds absurd, but you can hurt your money by talking down the economy. No one likes to hear bad news when they are out for fun. I'm not trying to insult anyone, but please don't depress yourselves on top of not making as much money as you ought to.
The U.S. economy produces about $20 TRILLION every year. A 3 percent growth rate means that more than $667 BILLION in new business was created. That money is going somewhere. Just got to find it.
Best of luck and Keep Kicking Butt!
I agree with some of your post (talking about how bad it is can make it worse for us) but the economy "growing" is not what it seems.
If the economy is doing so well, why can so few high school and college students find entry-level jobs? They're taken up by college grads and others who need money while they look for a job to replace the one they just lost.
Gas prices are higher than last year. But are the oil companies suffering? Far from it. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1841989
The thing is, while CERTAIN industries are doing well, others are doing poorly. Many companies are making cuts, moving overseas (which can increase their profit, but NOT the jobs available here), or going bankrupt. At the moment, there aren't enough new jobs being created to deal with the people who have gotten laid off.
I agree that this isn't a full-blown recession, but the economy (as a whole, for the middle class/working class work force) is not doing "well". Remember, a majority of the wealth in this country goes to the top 1% of the population. There's not enough billionaires to go around, so it makes sense that many ladies are feeling a crunch. :sad:
I definitely think it's good that the money isn't easy. Some girls are actually caring about their finances now, when they didn't think about it before. I've written out so many girls' monthly budgets that I can recite their monthly spending from memory.:D
luckyluxie
09-14-2008, 07:50 PM
I'm in London and I think it's partly me being rubbish at selling, but we've had a terrible slow down. This has been enhanced by the club allowing as many girls as want to work to work resulting in far more dancers than required on the night. The club is earning less so has upped the percent taken from us on credit card transactions (only 20% now though so it's still in line with other clubs). I'm trying not to worry about it, but with 4000 jobs to be cut in our finance sector now its a bit 'ohhhhhh dear' And I'm really happy making 200 in a night now, which I haven't done for awhile. Customers have been spending less and there are fewer of them presently. It has truly been the worst month of earnings in my dancing career, and I do it just part time as I'm a full time student so...
There IS still money, and I'll make more as I up my hustle and get my game on.
I think my money has been less also simply because I managed to have a miscarriage, separate from my partner, have fights with both my parents and have one of my best friends leave the country within about a month needless to say my attitude simply has NOT been right for working...So I don't think I can use my own experiences as a show of impartiality, but from observation hope is not lost! :-*
Good luck to you all!!
oh** And some dancers were discussing working in New York over Christmas..Anyone have thoughts on that? x Hugs
ahmeerah
09-14-2008, 07:59 PM
^^^ NYC? While Wall St is dying? Good luck!
luckyluxie
09-14-2008, 08:04 PM
^^^ Just what I thought too. Apparently one dancer claims to have earned 30,000$ at scores in august and is saying it's infinitely better than London. I think she's talking trash, and with fuel prices and everything...Boo to that
cinammonkisses
09-14-2008, 08:04 PM
My money seems to be increasing as odd as that sounds. I think that stepping up my game (ie. hustling and not giving up as easily) and closing sales faster is putting me ahead of the game.
I will admit that I've noticed alot more contact than normal at my club, and an increase of girls calling customers for OTC. It's hard to compete w/ that..but I push along!
Otoki
09-14-2008, 11:49 PM
My money seems to be increasing as odd as that sounds. I think that stepping up my game (ie. hustling and not giving up as easily) and closing sales faster is putting me ahead of the game.
I will admit that I've noticed alot more contact than normal at my club, and an increase of girls calling customers for OTC. It's hard to compete w/ that..but I push along!
I think my money is getting better. Definitely an improvement over the beginning of the summer. I think my attitude is far improved since I have started working 4 days/wk instead of "when I feel like it". It's motivated me more for each shift.
I did well yesterday, but unfortunately my foot was too swollen to go in tonight (I pulled something).