In my view - strippers make good money - but they seem to spend more than good money.
A simple understanding of financial planning would allow many strippers to do quite well. However, that isn’t something most folks find desirable. Even folks working in office jobs don’t want to hear about saving for the lean times.
For strippers - it’s probably very important to live below their means. First off - strippers must purchase insurance privately. Strip clubs also don’t have retirement plans. And - the working life of strippers is shorter - so they have less time to maximize their savings (meaning they should save a lot).
Some strippers will become reliant on men to give them money. But, as they age, the men willing to front them cash will decline. The lifestyle can be addicting - and yet it’s a short span - and the dependency on others can be dangerous.
So, the result is that an investment in a house, that requires monthly mortgage payments, to build equity that may benefit a dancer in 20-30 years, isn’t attractive.
Cars and car payments are probably another undesirable commitment. Obviously cars depreciate each year, so they aren’t an investment. But they are probably more desirable than a house (for a dancer).
I would say that it's a definite living for now mentality. Never met a stripper that like to wait for later. It's like it's now or never with them. Which is why I never hesitate when OTC opportunity is apparent.
A lot of strippers have bad money management, spend too frivolously (which is easy to do when your making hundreds if not more per shift), have a lot of expenses (be it kids, college, drugs, whatever).
Not having a 1099 or something is NOT a reason not to have a place to live or a car. If you have no reliable proof of income and don't want people to know you're a stripper, get a cheap car that requires a payment plan and try to find a place that will accept you if you come with cold hard cash. A better option would be to get a cosigner, if you have one.
I swore off roommates by the time I started stripping and was able to get my own place within weeks. This was in Detroit though, and I had the money, so they didn't even run a credit check or anything.
About a year and a half later, I upgraded out of Detroit (living there is terrible; living there by yourself as a small woman is straight hell, 'til this day I'm thankful I didn't get raped or murdered). I moved to an affluent, safe suburb where I lived by myself for 5+ years. The agent who represented my club made me pay stubs saying I worked for them in customer relations and made x amount of money. My credit was so-so back then, but within 15 mins of applying (once they got the pay stubs and verification of employment faxed), they called and said I was approved.
I like to pay cash for cars when I can. But last time I was at a lot, it was fairly easy to get approved but that is when I still had my agent connect. I also had decent credit. And car salesman really want to make sales.
According to my mom and her man, there are lots in Detroit that will finance a car without pay stubs OR a credit check. Sounds sketchy, but my point is, where there is a will, there is a way.
I’m a Finance guy and I’ve offered to help a few favorites set up a budget and plan for the future. None were interested and I wasn’t even asking for anything in return. I’m sure that’s not the case with all dancers but certainly seems to be a trend.
My ATF made well over $100K a year in tax-free cash, but she never had any money. Then I learned she was spending $1700 a week on heroin. That's why she didn't have enough money to buy food for her kid.
Once spent a few hundred on a dancer that was so appreciative because rent was overdue. Went back a week later and her sob story was they were evicting her because she could not pay the rent. She also showed off her new ring and bragged it cost her $2500. Just SMH during BBBJ.
I have a car. As for a home, I am pretty minimalist and don't feel like making the effort to get my own space. I am not on a lease, but I have a bedroom and I pay cash to my room mate every month. And I'm pretty generous with my grocery shopping.
I have had fantasies of moving into a minivan and traveling the country. Ten years ago, a dancer did that and wrote about it on her blog. http://www.hobostripper.com/
I used to bounce in a club years ago and the number of strippers that have thier shit together and are able to capitalize on thier ability to make insane amounts of money is definitely smaller than those that just piss it away. I can’t tell you how many times I talked to girl that was worried about making rent, would come in and make a killing and leave broke that night. She would either call the looser boyfriend to come by and pick up money, cause he needed a fix, or give it to the dancer she owed money to for getting her drugs last week, or my personal favorite... spend it all on the traveling vendor that would show up and sell shit to the girls. Stripper outfits, acrylic heels, and those stupid little money boxes that they would bedazzle and sell way over priced. The old lady that ran that racket would come in with a rolling clothes rack that had a bunch of outfits and Knick knacks that probably cost her $100 total and would walk out with $1000 easy.
That being said I notice a lot of strippers don't have their living/transportation situation figured out. Hell I meet girls who have been in the industry like 10 years and still don't have a car. Never understood it! But yeah, many of them do piss it all away for sure. I think sometimes it has to do with a man in their life if it isn't drugs/partying. Either he is a parasite that eats into her money and is basically a pimp, or the girl quits dancing to have him then relationship falls thru and back to dancing.
@mike yeah I'm guilty of blowing too much money on stupid stripper outfits-not all the time but sometimes. The outfits/shoes are actually one of the things I like about the job though.
Yeah I kinda wanna be a hobo stripper myself haha. It doesn't cost that much to buy a used truck and then a trailer to tow around. I wouldn't get a van- I'm not sure you can tow a boat or other toys with it etc.
I think in the long run- it would be a stupid decision to travel *that much* while stripping, but it does seem fun.
Also some places are retarded expensive to travel to which keeps me from trying them because I worry about slow shifts- which can happen in just about anywhere. If I was paying only lot rent it would open more doors for travel stripping w/ lower risk lol. Plus it would just be fun to have a trailer just to vacation more cheaply/more middle of nowhere. At least that is how I am. I can't stand cities- they give me anxiety. It just sucks that generally dancing is better in the cities than little places and less drama in the cities w/ more hot girls who can hustle.
Hobostripper’s expenses were even lower because she had tinted windows and was stealthy about where she would park the car and sleep. But a truck+trailer would probably be nicer because of water and electricity hookups.
The advantage to traveling is that you can pay attention to events going on in certain parts of the country and follow the money. So you could just deal with the city just long enough to make bank and then leave.
Plus it just seems fun to constantly be in a different environment figuring out what the best behavior is for money-making. Keeps the job interesting.
Dang it why am I going to school again, it seems so fun
More than anything, I think it's because many strippers work only as much as they need to in order to cover basic essentials and no more. Others work pretty steadily and even put themselves on the hook for more down the road, figuring that they can always earn it back tomorrow. The problem with both of these types is that they don't plan for dry spells and other issues.
Of course there are those girls who are disciplined, well equipped to handle the emotional rigors of the job and who are strong enough to avoid the various temptations (drugs, overspending fast money, etc.), but those girls are in the definite minority.
the majority of strippers make you think they are broke. the ones that are broke tend to have alcohol/drug abuse proplems. i go for girls that smell like cigaret smoke, but also have kids. heavy smoking helps them stay away from alcohol, drugs and dealing with stress of stripping. i prefer them under 27 with kids, smoker, that doesnt drink in the club (my OTC targets). this screens out the alcohol and drug abusers that cant afford to pay rent.
37 comments
A simple understanding of financial planning would allow many strippers to do quite well. However, that isn’t something most folks find desirable. Even folks working in office jobs don’t want to hear about saving for the lean times.
For strippers - it’s probably very important to live below their means. First off - strippers must purchase insurance privately. Strip clubs also don’t have retirement plans. And - the working life of strippers is shorter - so they have less time to maximize their savings (meaning they should save a lot).
Some strippers will become reliant on men to give them money. But, as they age, the men willing to front them cash will decline. The lifestyle can be addicting - and yet it’s a short span - and the dependency on others can be dangerous.
Cars and car payments are probably another undesirable commitment. Obviously cars depreciate each year, so they aren’t an investment. But they are probably more desirable than a house (for a dancer).
Not having a 1099 or something is NOT a reason not to have a place to live or a car. If you have no reliable proof of income and don't want people to know you're a stripper, get a cheap car that requires a payment plan and try to find a place that will accept you if you come with cold hard cash. A better option would be to get a cosigner, if you have one.
I swore off roommates by the time I started stripping and was able to get my own place within weeks. This was in Detroit though, and I had the money, so they didn't even run a credit check or anything.
About a year and a half later, I upgraded out of Detroit (living there is terrible; living there by yourself as a small woman is straight hell, 'til this day I'm thankful I didn't get raped or murdered). I moved to an affluent, safe suburb where I lived by myself for 5+ years. The agent who represented my club made me pay stubs saying I worked for them in customer relations and made x amount of money. My credit was so-so back then, but within 15 mins of applying (once they got the pay stubs and verification of employment faxed), they called and said I was approved.
I like to pay cash for cars when I can. But last time I was at a lot, it was fairly easy to get approved but that is when I still had my agent connect. I also had decent credit. And car salesman really want to make sales.
According to my mom and her man, there are lots in Detroit that will finance a car without pay stubs OR a credit check. Sounds sketchy, but my point is, where there is a will, there is a way.
You're*
Get a cheap car that DOES NOT require a payment plan*
I have had fantasies of moving into a minivan and traveling the country. Ten years ago, a dancer did that and wrote about it on her blog. http://www.hobostripper.com/
And NiceSpice, great link!
http://www.hobostripper.com/
SJG
That being said I notice a lot of strippers don't have their living/transportation situation figured out. Hell I meet girls who have been in the industry like 10 years and still don't have a car. Never understood it! But yeah, many of them do piss it all away for sure. I think sometimes it has to do with a man in their life if it isn't drugs/partying. Either he is a parasite that eats into her money and is basically a pimp, or the girl quits dancing to have him then relationship falls thru and back to dancing.
@mike yeah I'm guilty of blowing too much money on stupid stripper outfits-not all the time but sometimes. The outfits/shoes are actually one of the things I like about the job though.
http://marriedmansfucktoy.blogspot.com/
SJG
Most of the time
I think in the long run- it would be a stupid decision to travel *that much* while stripping, but it does seem fun.
The advantage to traveling is that you can pay attention to events going on in certain parts of the country and follow the money. So you could just deal with the city just long enough to make bank and then leave.
Plus it just seems fun to constantly be in a different environment figuring out what the best behavior is for money-making. Keeps the job interesting.
Dang it why am I going to school again, it seems so fun
Hehe I hope so
Brilliant philosophical question: is she really homeless given that she has a big cardboard box to sleep in. Isn't that a home?
By the way juicebox69, it is low class that you store your jizz rag and Vaseline right next to the mattress in her cardboard box.
Of course there are those girls who are disciplined, well equipped to handle the emotional rigors of the job and who are strong enough to avoid the various temptations (drugs, overspending fast money, etc.), but those girls are in the definite minority.