View Full Version : Charlie's Guide to Stripping Through College
Kylea2
12-06-2010, 08:52 PM
As has been pointed out many, many times in this thread, the "career strippers" on this forum tend to be very, very different from the majority of career strippers IRL. EVERY "career stripper" I know personally is a wreck. These are girls who have no other ambition in life but dancing, but they aren't smart about it. The career strippers I know do not save or invest their money. They don't file taxes. They haven't bought a house. They live in a shitty apartment with a shitty boyfriend and blow all their cash on whatever. Drugs, booze, shopping sprees at Wal-Mart. They buy more stripper clothes than they could ever use, and they never wear 95% of them. They don't travel. They aren't in school. They are wasting every cent they make, and when they get too old to do this, they're going to discover that they threw away soooo many opportunities.
A degree, while not a guarantee at a job that pays the same as dancing, is at least a safety net. And if you go to grad school, then you absolutely have a shot at making the same kind of money, if not more. Even teaching can get you great money. There's a public high school in my area that pays $89,000 a year for teachers. And most colleges offer more than $100k.
Seriously, it's not so terribly expensive to go to college. Even if you go just for the fuck of it, it's something that you will have till the day you die. No, it doesn't guarantee you a job right off the bat, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
Kylea--By poor quality of life, I'm of course not referring to the material things surrounding career strippers. And I'm not talking about career strippers who enjoy their jobs.
I'm talking about people who make the decision to be career strippers, find out that they don't enjoy it, and yet continue doing it because they make such great money. For these people, working in a dark club 4-5 nights a week, talking to annoying guys, fending off hands, being assaulted, etc, is not enjoyable. 10-20 years of doing this, with the end goal of retiring early or whatever, doesn't really seem worth it. Monetarily, yes. Quality of life-wise, no.
And it is easier to get a higher paying job if you have a college degree of some kind. Many job-specific skills have to be taught to people regardless of whether or not they have an ideal degree, so this is not a major deterring factor. People with college degrees, in general, are more likely to make more money and are more likely to be hired. I don't see that there is any way of contesting this. Obviously if you have an English major and are trying to be hired as a marine biologist, your degree is not very useful--but I wasn't trying to make this claim.
Agreed, completely. This is true to my experience.
Again, I'm not sure what type of career strippers you are meeting - but apparently they aren't the same type that I know. Most of my "career stripper" friends aren't on SW or any other stripper related websites. They have normal lives outside of dancing.
As for the college thing, again I don't agree - think what you want though. Most people don't stay in whatever career they went to college for, & the average adult has 5 careers within their lifetime. When you minus out the expense for college from what the person made off their time in that career, for many it's not worth it particularly if they went to school early on & had to take out high interest loans.
This is not to say, of course, that joyfully happy career strippers who have 100% of their lives in order don't exist. They do. But they are VERY VERY VERY rare and I don't think that any girls currently stripping should make any crazy decisions (such as blowing off an education until they're 40) until they know for a fact that they are one of these people.
No one said to wait until you are 40 to go to school. Go back & read the previous posts. I said wait until you can claim independent status on FAFSA, which for most people is at age 24. The reason for that is because it will significantly lessen the amount that you will pay for your college education. Part of being smart is knowing how to make the most of your time & money.
Kylea2
12-06-2010, 09:04 PM
Kylea, I love what you say, but you have two college degrees. So your thoughtful and articulate arguments are from someone who HAS graduated from college.
Exactly, but what makes me mad is that I got caught up with "keeping up with the Joneses" rather than saving money, & I got raked over the coals for it! My student loans (mind you I had perfect credit at almost an 800) was 13% interest! I would have paid a lot less if I'd waited until I was 24 to go to college, because by being independent the government would have GIVEN me money to go to school, & any loans I would have taken out would have been at a significantly lower interest rate. I could have saved THOUSANDS of dollars!
On top of that I don't really use either degrees. If I had waited I would have realized that I didn't really want to go to college for either of those things. I probably would have saved enough money to have surgery & have my medical problems resolved, & possibly been able to perform other types of professional dancing (my first love) - rather than opting for the "plan b" of going to college. Or I could have invested & figured out something more reasonable to major in.
I'm just saying think about what YOU WANT. Not everyone is meant to be a career stripper, but going to college right after high school is also not the best option for a lot of people. If you slow down & even take a regular job you can get a lot of real life & real work experience that will be more efficient for you, & then go to college once you can obtain independent status.
Now, if you have someone paying for 100% of your college then by all means - go right away! Even if you finish it & don't use it then at least your basic credits will transfer to another degree, & it will still save you money. Most people don't have the luxury though of having their college paid for.
charlie61
12-06-2010, 10:07 PM
Different strokes for different folks...
ETA: It's like trying to argue about whether or not a breast augmentation will make a stripper more money.
My OP was only intended to guide people who have already made the decision to strip through college, not to prescribe a one-size-fits all solution.
MissEgo
12-07-2010, 12:04 AM
This post came at the perfect time! I've been camming for about a month and made so much more than I have working a "regular" job, and I absolutely *love* it, and have been considering dropping school. I'm in my fourth year (Canada education seems to be very different from US) and my student loans are piling up. I was debating putting school on hold for a bit and saving up some money to come back to it. I'm one of those university-right-after-high-school kids... Thanks for reminding me why I'm in school, and that I need to think long-term job-wise!
firemaiden04
12-07-2010, 10:56 AM
Also, if you aren't paying 100% of your taxes, never make large purchases with money (even if it's cash). Car dealerships and whatnot report cash purchases over something like $5,000 to the IRS. So you can't get away with buying anything just because you buy it in cash. You might not get caught, but this is a risky game.
It's ten thousand, to the penny. If you come in and make a purchase anywhere and pay $10,000 or more in cash, they HAVE to report it. "Cash" is considered anything other than plastic or financing, really.
Odette
12-07-2010, 12:26 PM
How the hell did you manage to INVEST money while stripping through college? I'm seriously impressed because I'm having a hella hard time even just making ends meet dancing in uni...its a constant battle of schoolwork vs work work and never having enough time to sleep let alone work extra hours so I can save...I hope it will be different next year because I only started dancing halfway though this summer and couldn't go that often because of another job.
My original goal was to dance so I could graduate uni debt-free and with savings to start a business...Now I'm thinking I'll be lucky if I can even graduate debt-free, or graduate at all :(
Kylea2
12-07-2010, 01:55 PM
How the hell did you manage to INVEST money while stripping through college?
I think the big answer to this is it depends on how much you are investing & considering if investing is a better idea than just putting the money towards your education/bills. A lot of it has to do with interest rates & the stock market. If you can get a loan with a really low interest rate, but find ways to invest where you will earn a significant amount more that the loan interest, then you are actually making yourself money to put towards the loan.
Back when I was in college I started doing day trading with penny stocks & worked my way up. Its not something I would recommend for a lot of people, but it did help me!
charlie61
12-07-2010, 04:32 PM
It's ten thousand, to the penny. If you come in and make a purchase anywhere and pay $10,000 or more in cash, they HAVE to report it. "Cash" is considered anything other than plastic or financing, really.
Are you sure this doesn't depend on your location? My stepfather is really knowledgeable about both cars and money (he's an ex-accountant), and he said it's around $5,000.
firemaiden04
12-07-2010, 05:17 PM
Are you sure this doesn't depend on your location? My stepfather is really knowledgeable about both cars and money (he's an ex-accountant), and he said it's around $5,000.
I was a salesman at a car dealership, and we all had to go through training for this stuff. It was most definitely $10,000, to the dot. If the total purchase comes to $9,995.95, they don't have to notify the IRS.
charlie61
12-07-2010, 05:19 PM
^Not trying to be anal, but was that dealership-specific? I just want to make sure, I'm not trying to nit-pick.
firemaiden04
12-07-2010, 06:18 PM
No, that was the law. Individual dealerships cannot decide independently what they will notify the IRS about and what they won't. I don't really think it's just a NY thing, either.
charlie61
01-11-2011, 09:30 PM
Update...
My current plan:
1) Get a job to pay the bills (i.e. a somewhat silly hourly position) so I can stop stressing about finding 'the perfect job' while chipping away at my stripping money. Income makes Charlie happy...
2) Throw all of the money I make here into the bank while living off of the money I saved up stripping. (By the end of the year I should have about $20,000+ of taxed money saved up even in a low-paying position).
3) Use my free time to network and find an unadvertised (70-80% of jobs are never advertised, so you have to network in order to find the jobs) position that fits my actual skillset.
3.5) Continue volunteering so I have something interesting and more legitimate to keep on the ol' resume for reference / experience purposes.
4) Move to Chicago to pursue my MSW in a couple of years, possibly...
I have an interview for an hourly position tomorrow...and I'm super nervous. I haven't had a real interview in like 5 years! And it would fit into my plan perfectly. Low stress environment, flexible hours, on the busline...ah!!
4everresolutions
01-11-2011, 09:41 PM
Oh! Good luck Charlie! I wish you all the best. I'm sure you'll impress them!
I just read through your guide, and I'll be sure to refer to it again when I go back to school (most likely next fall).
MissEgo
01-11-2011, 09:47 PM
Has the thought ever crossed your mind of doing this as a career? I'm in my fourth year of school, still have about three years left, and I recently started camming... it's amazing, I love it, and in one day I can make more than my highest paycheque before I started camming (does that make sense? It did in my head.). I don't know if I should keep plowing away at school if my heart isn't in it any more. Have you (or other ladies on here) gone through this? What was the thought process you went through to reach your decision?
I figured this was relevant here because I'm sure everyone gets a little tired of school at times, I know I have, but I didn't have anything "better" to do. Now I do, and I'm not sure what the best thing to do is.
charlie61
01-11-2011, 09:48 PM
Oh! Good luck Charlie! I wish you all the best. I'm sure you'll impress them!
I just read through your guide, and I'll be sure to refer to it again when I go back to school (most likely next fall).
Thank you!! It's amazing how nervous I am. There's no hiding under black lights in the professional world and no way I can woo the CEO with flirty conversation. Scary!! Ironic that an effing stripper would be nervous about a li'l interview...
MissEgo
01-11-2011, 09:50 PM
Oh I missed the part about the interview.
Good luck!!
charlie61
01-11-2011, 09:52 PM
Has the thought ever crossed your mind of doing this as a career? I'm in my fourth year of school, still have about three years left, and I recently started camming... it's amazing, I love it, and in one day I can make more than my highest paycheque before I started camming (does that make sense? It did in my head.). I don't know if I should keep plowing away at school if my heart isn't in it any more. Have you (or other ladies on here) gone through this? What was the thought process you went through to reach your decision?
I burned out after my fourth year....so I am SO glad I continued pursuing my degree, got an internship, etc. When I started I thought I could do the job forever, but clearly that didn't work out.
If you read through the thread, I went through what you're going through now. I sincerely believe that stripping instilled in me a certain amount of apathy for school simply because it was an easy way out. It seemed very feasible that I could strip forever and pursue my degree later....and I really, really wanted to drop out of college for awhile. But that was in the first couple of years of stripping--when it still felt 'easy'.
It's amazing how apathetic stripping made me. It also made me lazy! I used to work 2-3 nights a week, and I would literally get nothing done for a day or so after working...
MissEgo
01-11-2011, 09:58 PM
Oh, duh, forgot there were two pages before this one. Sorry.
That's what I'm thinking I might be going through, some newbie exhilaration and beginner's luck, and that it might fizzle out one day and I'll wish I had finished my degree. It's just incredible to me that I can make enough in one month to pay for a semester. I don't even have a plan for after I graduate, so it seems like my money could be put to much better use *now*, you know? I'm definitely burned out. But you think I should keep on keepin on, and it gets better? Promise?? :P
Off topic - haha, you have 666 posts. :P
charlie61
01-11-2011, 10:00 PM
With the footnote, of course, that a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY few strippers actually do enjoy stripping as a career and manage to get through it with their sanity intact.
I don't talk about this much, but I believe that stripping both gives and takes. You won't know until you know what the job has taken from you.
So IMO, for the vast majority of us who have relatively short stripping careers, it's best to get through stripping while solidifying a back-up plan. Take advantage of what stripping offers (fast cash, flexible scheduling, etc.) to stay ahead of the game so that you can leave the job (while staying ahead $$-wise) when you need to.
A few ladies on this board (and remember, this board generally represents a rare subset of dancers anyway) express enjoyment for the job, don't have problems with burnout, etc. Kylea, Athena, and Melonie are a few I can think of off the top of my head. But unless you're at least 4-5 years into the job, I wouldn't 'bank' on the fact that you'll be able to do it for as long as you think you will. It's a very individual thing.
charlie61
01-11-2011, 10:03 PM
Oh, duh, forgot there were two pages before this one. Sorry.
That's what I'm thinking I might be going through, some newbie exhilaration and beginner's luck, and that it might fizzle out one day and I'll wish I had finished my degree. It's just incredible to me that I can make enough in one month to pay for a semester. I don't even have a plan for after I graduate, so it seems like my money could be put to much better use *now*, you know? I'm definitely burned out. But you think I should keep on keepin on, and it gets better? Promise?? :P
Off topic - haha, you have 666 posts. :P
More like 4,000 posts. But thanked in 666, yes!
Yeah, if you're already burned out, then I'd focus on working as little as possible, making as much as possible, and saving as much of that money as you can. I would never say that it gets better!!! But it is a great job to be in while you're in school. Flexible hours and whatnot.
MissEgo
01-11-2011, 10:10 PM
Oh haha. Wow, I need to pay more attention when I read. :S
I meant I'm having school burnout, not work burnout. I'm saving everything I make though... my logic behind that was if the parents find out I can say "but look at how much I've made!" lol Plus, if I suddenly decide I want out, I don't leave with nothing.
Lklucky
01-11-2011, 10:45 PM
I'm so tired but I feel like I should comment on this anyway; regarding apathy for school..
Please please stay in school..Dancing really changes when you get to your late twenties early thirties. I danced for over 7 years (took a year off for a boyfriend etc) I danced in Vegas at a topless club, started dancing after I graduated from college to pay off my student loans (didn't happen) I cursed school to anyone who would listen saying "I wish I never went" blah blah blah. Well after all the easy money 1500+ nights stopped coming I was seriously a sad sight to see, walked out more nights than I could count negative! I totally became one of those "older" girls who had been there forever (throw up) Thing is I wasn't an alcoholic or druggie but I somehow gave off that"worn" feeling because I had simply done it for too long--I wasn't "fresh" anymore. Side note: I, like Charlie was also a virgen when I started...so there you go; went from virginal to worn (lol) I have moved from Vegas (now LA) and am using my degree and license and it's like I have started a second life; I do miss stripping and even posted on here about possible places to dance in LA but I could never go back to it being my main stream of income; I out grew it and you may too/:O
Kylea2
01-11-2011, 11:18 PM
A few ladies on this board (and remember, this board generally represents a rare subset of dancers anyway) express enjoyment for the job, don't have problems with burnout, etc. Kylea, Athena, and Melonie are a few I can think of off the top of my head. But unless you're at least 4-5 years into the job, I wouldn't 'bank' on the fact that you'll be able to do it for as long as you think you will. It's a very individual thing.
1.) I totally wish that many of the people who do this job & hate it would find other work, because their depressive attitudes & giving into bs that they shouldn't causes problems for those of us who do love this work.
2.) My love for dance is about quadrupled by my loathing of typical jobs... & I've had a pretty large variety so I really can say I pretty much hate them all. There's only one I really liked enough that I'd volunteer to do it but it was very emotionally draining so even at that I'd only do it once per week.
charlie61
01-12-2011, 08:30 AM
1.) I totally wish that many of the people who do this job & hate it would find other work, because their depressive attitudes & giving into bs that they shouldn't causes problems for those of us who do love this work.
2.) My love for dance is about quadrupled by my loathing of typical jobs... & I've had a pretty large variety so I really can say I pretty much hate them all. There's only one I really liked enough that I'd volunteer to do it but it was very emotionally draining so even at that I'd only do it once per week.
I understand your sentiment, but I don't see anything wrong with approaching stripping for what it is: a job. Just as with any other job, it has its upsides and downsides. I was able to leave stripping once I burned out, but not everyone can do this. And I don't see anything wrong with that.
I'm not saying that it's okay to be the haggard, hateful stripper who terrorizes customers. But sometimes people do it just to get through it. And I wouldn't judge that. In the same way that I don't judge accountants who just do their jobs for the money.
charlie61
01-12-2011, 05:37 PM
Yaaaay I got the job!!!! Partaaaay!!!!
MissEgo
01-12-2011, 07:43 PM
Yay!! :)
Charlie--Congratulations on landing the job!
And thank you very much for starting this interesting and informative thread. Everyone has replied with intelligent contributions, opinions, and questions.
I noticed that Teaze asked a question on page 2 about the definition of a Roth IRA and a SEP IRA.
I'm no financial expert, by any means, but I did find this Web site that will give a start of an explanation:
http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/IRA_Basics.moneymag/index.htm
Also, if anyone will google, "What is an IRA?" there are loads of links that will provide explanations.
(I'm an old lady who has been a lurker on this site for a few weeks. I was a professional dancer many, many years ago. I had one [count 'em, one!] paying job as a tap dancer; I never stripped. [I loved dancing, but I never had the talent to dance as a career; I went to college and I've done very well in the corporate world.] I have great admiration for you young ladies who are using your talents to make your way in the world. As everybody's grandmother probably taught us, life is what you make it!)
charlie61
01-12-2011, 11:27 PM
It's amazing how strong the pull is to return to dancing now that I've gotten a job. I'm like, so if I make ____ at my job PLUS ____ stripping, then I'd really be ahead of the game. Which is crazy, because I got this job to allow me to stay away from stripping!!
I'm having these thoughts like, Well, if I just work once a month, then that covers my IRA...extra few thousand dollars a year to play with....Hmmm...
But I don't need the money, and I definitely don't need to return to all of the club BS that I absolutely hated while I was immersed in it. Stripping is truly addicting!!
Kylea2
01-12-2011, 11:33 PM
^^^ That's exactly what happens. Stripping morphs your sense of hourly worth in wages badly too.
Congrats on the job though!
4everresolutions
01-13-2011, 02:44 AM
Congrats Charlie! I'm glad you got the job and you'll be doing something that you find fulfilling (or if not, at least something that jives well with your major).
You sound like a busy little bee, a job and a lot of volunteering. Does that equate to more than 40hours/week working?
Good luck in your new position!
livingdeadgirl
01-14-2011, 07:07 AM
congrats charlie!!! :)
Zofia
01-14-2011, 11:39 AM
Congrats Charlie!!!!!!!!
I want to say that I did what Charlie did, only a few years ago. It definitely works. Stripping was for me a great way to earn money to pay for college, something my parents were not going to do. I started out just to make enough to pay for school. But, by applying myself to both my studies and to dancing, I made enough to more than pay for school. If you are not a career stripper, Charlie is offering some really good advice. All I would add is put your money in the bank every night. Make your money work for you, just as hard as you worked for your money.
HTH
Z
firemaiden04
01-14-2011, 05:28 PM
Congrats, Charlie!!!
Although I genuinely do really enjoy stripping 95% of the time, I am definitely looking forward to getting my BA and MA and entering the work force as a teacher or professor. The idea of having a career where I really have to use my head is extremely appealing.
anouk.oui
01-14-2011, 05:52 PM
It's amazing how strong the pull is to return to dancing now that I've gotten a job. I'm like, so if I make ____ at my job PLUS ____ stripping, then I'd really be ahead of the game. Which is crazy, because I got this job to allow me to stay away from stripping!!
I'm having these thoughts like, Well, if I just work once a month, then that covers my IRA...extra few thousand dollars a year to play with....Hmmm...
But I don't need the money, and I definitely don't need to return to all of the club BS that I absolutely hated while I was immersed in it. Stripping is truly addicting!!
im already scared about how will i be able to quit for good.... when i talk about getting started to my bf with a proper fashion job prob making $500 a week min im like imagine if i worked one night of the week dancing and made another $500 then i can double my income in a day!!
and hes like isnt the point of getting a proper job is that you can quit dancing?
so yeah arguements on that. i only been dancing a year and have 3 more ahead of me and i can tell you right now if anything, im gonna miss the fast cash
congrats on the job though =]]
charlie61
11-18-2011, 08:00 AM
Thought I'd update this thread...
After working a mindless but 'legitimate' job for a month or two, I was recruited (off of Monster.com) by a large, innovative company that hires people with all sorts of majors. And I landed this incredible job (casual dress code, insane benefits, stunningly beautiful working environment, my own office, etc.)!
I'm making great money, am using my brain, and am building my resume so that once I tire of this job, I'll be able to pursue new dreams.
Just wanted to include my happy 'ending' to give hope to some people on this board who are struggling with school. It's funny, I'm still considering returning to stripping. I think it'd be more fun to strip for supplemental income instead of stripping to save up for future needs / current bills.
Did I mention...my current job has a rule against hiring people without degrees and high GPAs? They don't mind what degree you have, as long as you have one. It proves to employers that you're willing to learn, you can dedicate yourself to working hard, and you value an education. Sure, some solid employers will take a chance on you if you don't have a degree, but this doesn't happen often these days...especially for applicants who have very little experience in their fields of interest. This is a hiring manager's market...they can afford to turn down people who don't have degrees since so many people are desperate for jobs!
On the flip side, my SO is currently looking for a more challenging job than the one he currently has, and he does NOT have a college education. He has 15 years of experience as a software developer (15 YEARS!), and yet is STILL getting turned down by prospective employers because he lacks a degree. Thank goodness he found a position through personal connections...otherwise there's no way he'd have a job making $80k.
22lligm
01-23-2012, 02:53 PM
This thread is exactly what I need to read right now! The semester just started and I'm about to go to school full time plus working at a restaurant and stripping when I have time. I'm lucky enough to have parents that care a lot about my education and insist that I go to a four year university so I have a degree. I think when you decide to go to college is up to you but personally I'm glad I went right after high school because going by how much my motivation has dropped,if I waited a year or two to go I never would have done it. I had a lot of help in high school with my college applications and everything so going right after high school was perfect for me.
Anyway I'm not sure who else is going to school full time plus working but I'm determined to get good grades this semester and save my money!! That one will be a huge accomplishment for me.