Full time or part time???
I am in need of some advice. I am returning to dancing after a 1 year break (finace w/ major health problems).
I am an performaning artist, and am working to establish myself in my chosen field, so flexability and independence (as well as income) is an big factor. I am also planning to move to a larger city soon to persue my career, so saving money is a big plus.
My dilema is this - right now I am working full time at my "day job", performimg with a local group, and working 1-2 nights a week at the club dancing. The money very is good at my day job, but the hours and the management are TERRIBLE! In fact, I hate my day-job so much I have had to go into therapy! The only other plus is that, for the first time after graduating from college, I have health insurance again.
My question is, do you think it is wise to quit my day job and dance full time untill next fall when I move? I would like to have more free time to study before i move, and my current day job does not allow me to do this. I also prefer the independance of club dancing. The only thing that worrys me about dancing full time again is the lack of financial security - never knowing how much you will pull in in a week. I am trying to weigh both the psychological (time, stress, etc.) and financial pros and cons.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Much luck, amd keep on dancin'!
Portia
Re: Full time or part time???
You have two different prob's here, sis. First, you hate your day job. Second, dancing is where you make the money but it doesn't have the benies (mainly medical ins, right?). Here are two suggestions. First, there are lots of people who sell individual medical insurance plans. Sure, the policies suck (they are mainly major medical and don't cover all the nice little stuff like doctor visits like a group plan does). BUT, from the money you make dancing you can more than make up the difference out of your pocket. If you like the club where you're working and think you can make a go of it full-time (which is VERY different from part time), then go for it.
The OTHER choice is to find another FULL TIME job (day job) with benefits. What do you do? Do you have clerical skills? A LOT of the temp agencies have medical insurance, etc. I've temp'd occasionally, and really enjoyed it.
Re: Full time or part time???
If you hate your day job that much, quit it! I think that if you dance 4 nights a week you are bound to make more money than working at a day job. Plus you will be more flexible with scheduling your time. I work with a girl who is an actress and dancer (dancer-dancer, as well as stripper-dancer) and she will work a lot when time perrmits, then be able to take time off when she has a show running.
As far as health insurance, you can work something out - there is another thread on the site regarding this.
Re: Full time or part time???
continuing an activity that is negatively affecting you to the point of needing therapy is not worth ANY amount of money - let alone less money than you could probably earn dancing instead!
Re: Full time or part time???
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continuing an activity that is negatively affecting you to the point of needing therapy is not worth ANY amount of money - let alone less money than you could probably earn dancing instead!
Mel is SO right. I used to get anxiety/panic attacks at work and would even sometimes wind up vomiting in the bathroom, i'd be so stressed (and I have a phobia of getting sick!). I was there for 3 years, started dancing and could only keep up the dual job thing for a month before quitting the day job and dancing full time. Susan is right about the benefits though, so if you do decide to quit, then load up on your prescriptions (if applicable), medical, eye, and dental exams - and also get a cobra plan - I think Cobra lasts 3-6months (depending on the state) so you might be able to eek out your benefits for the year until you move.
Also - susan made another good point. Temp agencies - (I used to work at a temp agency as a placement supervisor) and most offer benefits as long as you work 90hrs/month. That way you can have a flexible schedule, benefits, and the ability to change assignments if it's too stressful!
good luck :)
Re: Full time or part time???
I agree with all the ladies who wrote on your behalf. If you do not like a job, any job, QUIT!!! You will end up getting sick. Then you will not be able to do what you love hun! A job you hate is not worth anything. There are so many different type of jobs you can do during the day, and do your passion at night....dance. If you end up very sick you have just defeated your purpose. Folow your heart...it will not let you down!
Pamela ;)
Re: Full time or part time???
>>"continuing an activity that is negatively affecting you to the point of needing therapy is not worth ANY amount of money - let alone less money than you could probably earn dancing instead!"
amen and amen! boy, did i ever learn that one the hard way.
>>"I used to get anxiety/panic attacks at work and would even sometimes wind up vomiting in the bathroom, i'd be so stressed (and I have a phobia of getting sick!)."
ugh, i had a job that did that same thing to me, too... it is sooooo not worth it! i would have walked out the door the same week if i wasn't such a zombie since i got the job only a few weeks after my dad died. once the worst of the grief from that started wearing off, i suddenly realized how much i couldn't stand that place.
wow... you have a phobia about getting sick, too? and here i thought i must be the only one! next time i'm stressed about feeling like i might barf, i'll just imagine my kindred spirit there with me holding my hand... and holding my hair out of the way. ;D
Re: Full time or part time???
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wow... you have a phobia about getting sick, too? and here i thought i must be the only one! next time i'm stressed about feeling like i might barf, i'll just imagine my kindred spirit there with me holding my hand... and holding my hair out of the way. ;D
I have a friend who is utterly phobic about vomiting to the point where she knows everything about it. She taught me this word: emetophobia (fear of vomiting) - here's a link: http://www.emetophobia.org/index2.htm
Re: Full time or part time???
Thanks for all the advice, now I just have to get up the courage to quit....
:D Portia
Re: Full time or part time???
You can answer your own question rationally if you assess your situation as a business assesses it's options.
First you must look at what you NET a week working full time.
Next, do you keep NET figures of club earnings and do you have figures for every night of the week in order to compile a 5 day a week NET earnings estimate?
In other words, if you bring home $525 a week at your job working 5 days, and in 5 night s at the club you have been working at you make $900 on average, dancing seems to be the better choice , but you must do a survey of self employed health insurance costs.
If your insurance costs let's say are $250 per month and you can dance and $300+ per week more than your day job, then you have answered your question.
The only otherting to honestly face is your level of discipline. You must treat dancing as seriously as your full tim job and make sure you put in 5 nights perweek EVERY week, even 6 if needed. The potential for earnings is greater dancing than at a traditional job, but if you get lax and don't treat it as a career, and don't hustle while at work and work less than 5 days a week you will find yourself in the hole.
Unless you're an upper income employee taking home over $700-$800 per week, dancing income should be sufficient to meet your needs dependent of course on the earnings potential available at the clubs in your area.
I have had a few 5-6 day weeks of $500-600 before an that is the worst I have ever done dancing. If that is the absolute worst you can make and your average payceck nets you that amount dancing isthe better deal.
Re: Full time or part time???
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Alanna - yes, i do! It's the reason why I never drink too much and hardly take prescription drugs if the sideffects say "nausea/vomiting", for fear of me getting sick. I only know one other person with this phobia and I've had it since childhood.
colette - emetophobia - I'll have to remember that one - at least I can call it something!
(okay, now i have to stop talking about this or I'll wind up feeling ill! :-/)
Portia- when you do it, you'll feel much better. If you set your ducks up all in a row before hand (medical visits, getting prescriptions in advance, researching Cobra health plans, etc.), you'll feel even more at ease about it.
Good luck to you :)
Re: Full time or part time???
>>"Alanna - yes, i do! It's the reason why I never drink too much and hardly take prescription drugs if the sideffects say "nausea/vomiting", for fear of me getting sick."
oooo, been there, do that... i even bought a PDR (Physician's Desk Reference) several years ago to look up the side effects of medications for that very reason.
>>"I only know one other person with this phobia and I've had it since childhood."
i've never known anyone else that had it, and i've had it from childhood also (although i can't pinpoint a time period or a particular incident of when it really started... i think it kind of creeped up).
>>"colette - emetophobia - I'll have to remember that one - at least I can call it something!"
i checked out the site and it was very helpful (thanks much, colette!). although i couldn't read all that much without starting to feel queasy (you know how that goes ::) ), i feel a lot better about it now especially after reading some of the entries of the things other people do to avoid getting sick, etc. i had no idea it was such a widespread phobia, and that in itself makes me feel much better about it. check it out in small doses when you're feeling really good - i think it would help a lot (i'll hold your hand ;D ).
>>"(okay, now i have to stop talking about this or I'll wind up feeling ill!)."
i soooo hear that! so, nuff said.
Re: Full time or part time???