[[rock]] [[ewt]] [[hard place]]

[ewt]

I need to borrow your brains, people.

My parents want me to visit Canada in the summer. Specifically, there is a Pippin family reunion thing that I should go to, so postponing until sometime in autumn isn't going to be an effective solution.

Mostly, this is okay - I haven't seen my dad in ages, I haven't seen my brother in even longer. I do want to go. And, well, most of my piano students stop for the summer, so I won't be losing much income there. They want shevek to come as well, at this point I think that's going to be unlikely as he isn't just now able to make a commitment to something six months in advance, I'd love him to come of course but that is another matter. Anyway my dad in particular really wants me to come, and has offered to pay for my ticket with air miles - but I need to be able to set up dates Very Soon for this to happen.

But, the busking thing. Last summer I did nine or ten pitches a week, sometimes more, and earned myself a pretty penny due to it being peak tourist season. I'm doing a full-time degree which involves a lot of practical work that is difficult to slide around (ie if I have a rehearsal I have a rehearsal, and I have to practice every day, I can't just do eight hours of studying on one day and then none for a few days), and this means I don't busk a lot during term-time - two or three pitches a week, really, and not always during times that are the best times to play, and term time and peak tourist season don't collide. So, summer is my main money-making opportunity of the year and I really REALLY can't afford to take a few weeks off to visit Canada. I'll still have to pay rent while I'm away, and I'll lose in the neighbourhood of £200 in income for every week that I'm gone (rent for a single room in a shared house in Greenwich is likely to be around £100/week, to give you some idea of how expensive London is). I want to go to Canada, but taking ANY time off completely screws my "busk lots all summer and save up for the rest of the year" plan. It also means I'll need to have the money for rent (and anything else I have to pay while I'm gone, like utilities) in advance of travelling, which could be a pretty tight squeeze considering I'll have to move at either the beginning or the end of summer (more likely the beginning at this rate) and pay a deposit on wherever I move to.

Going to either of my parents (some in Ontario, some in Saskatchewan) for less than a week or two is going to be pointless for reasons of jetlag. I'll also have to contend with jetlag on the way back - I find it takes me at least three or four days to recover after travelling east (going west isn't so bad). So I'm looking at three weeks MINIMUM that I won't be busking, possibly more like four or five. And, well, if I'm going all that way it might be nice to visit some of the other people I know in Canada and that travel will cost money, and it might be nice to go out for a cup of tea or a meal with friends now and then, and while I don't currently have any huge things I wish to buy from Canada I can't really leave spending money out of the calculation.

Doing some work in Canada might be one option. The exchange rate doesn't work in my favour, though, and even after exchange all things (including labour) are cheaper there. I'd probably have to work about 100 hours a week to earn what I'd earn by busking in London, and this isn't sensible by any stretch of the imagination.

So, any ideas on how to get an extra £600 to £1000 would be greatly appreciated. Then I could go, and not have to worry so much.

EDIT: Basically if I started saving this week I would be looking at needing to earn an extra £25 to £42 every week in order to save enough to make up the lost income by the time I go. I'm struggling to make ends meet as it is.

FURTHER UPDATE: I'm definitely going, and have been assured that what costs I can't cover because of the loss of income will be taken care of. I need to choose me some dates, and leave enough time either side for househunting/moving/et cetera. Of course if any of you still have ideas for earning the extra cash I would be delighted to have them!

Comments

[spiralflames.livejournal.com]

tell it to your dad exactly like you told it to us- that you'd love to come, but summer is when you make most of your income- which translates into, 'this is what i made last summer, and if you want me to be there, you'll have to front me the money i would lose by not working.' either he'll write you a check, or he'll understand why you can't be there.

parents in the world? the idea of your kids supporting themselves and Being independent works both ways-- you don't have to pay for them for most things, but that also means they still have to pay for themselves when YOU want them to come home for sentimental reasons.