Diminishing Hats? Diminishing Attention Spans?

[Irina]

It's an interesting question. I am a face-painter, so I'm not exactly a "busker" - I only work for tips when I am paid some sort of base salary, otherwise I charge or work on "suggested donation basis" as I provide personal service. I do mostly festival vending, and before recession I did a lot of state fairs and did really well there, but I do not do it anymore, as attendance took a nose-dive since 2008 and the fairs are not dropping admission fees and vending fees, actually some of them are raising booth fees every year! And less and less people spend money on anything other then rides and food, all vendors are complaining! If a state/county fair wants me nowadays - they have to pay me to be there, not the other way around! As to free city festivals - I do not see much difference in attendance or how much folks are willing to pay for face-painting...

[circusboy90210]

false recession

the recession only hit certain industry's people are actually spending more now than ever.

[gav]

I think this thread has been going a while, and perhaps i already replied.
Still, in 2012 i started my season 2 months earlier than usual due to exceptional weather and despite the fact that Croatia is probably going through it's toughest finacial times of the last 10 years, I made average to above average hats (based on last 8 years). That is good, but considering general expences are higher, it could be better.
I'm certainly not complaining though !

[Zoey Gould]

I feel like everyone's afraid to admit the truth!! Damn you optimists and sugar-coaters!!

Observation 1:
I am definitely getting better at street performing (living statue), since I seem to be collecting a much higher ratio of large bills to coins.

Observation 2:
Although the quality of my hats is better, I'm only earning about 60% of what I have been earning over the past 3 years in Ontario. Fewer people are giving me money (but more people are taking photos and watching my performance).


So the quality of my hats is improving, but the overall amount I'm earning and the number of people giving me money has really diminished. I've spoken with several other buskers in my area that have noticed the same thing. Wages are going down for middle and lower class and what buskers earn reflects that.

[circusboy90210]

I feel like everyone's afraid to admit the truth!! Damn you optimists and sugar-coaters!!

Observation 1:
I am definitely getting better at street performing (living statue), since I seem to be collecting a much higher ratio of large bills to coins.

Observation 2:
Although the quality of my hats is better, I'm only earning about 60% of what I have been earning over the past 3 years in Ontario. Fewer people are giving me money (but more people are taking photos and watching my performance).


So the quality of my hats is improving, but the overall amount I'm earning and the number of people giving me money has really diminished. I've spoken with several other buskers in my area that have noticed the same thing. Wages are going down for middle and lower class and what buskers earn reflects that.

it's impossible for wages to go down for the middle class, if your wages go down you leave the middle class and enter the lower class. however this has not been the case were I live most of the time. here hat's have been 50% more by volume so far this season.

[RiffRaff]

it's impossible for wages to go down for the middle class, if your wages go down you leave the middle class and enter the lower class.

That's preposterous. Of course you can make less money and remain in the same class. A family that goes from $55,000 to $50,000 is making less money, yet remains in the same class.

[circusboy90210]

that's true ..

That's preposterous. Of course you can make less money and remain in the same class. A family that goes from $55,000 to $50,000 is making less money, yet remains in the same class.

however not many people have really lost that much income to notice it. my brother got a raise recently from $14- 18 hour. the media is really twisting this situation and only telling the horror storys.

[RiffRaff]

Your brother is just one example. You can't make general statements from anecdotal evidence. Most peoples' incomes have not increased at the same rate as inflation, so real incomes are lower.

[circusboy90210]

would say that is only true for certain industry's as far as keeping pace with inflation, most good jobs however have annual cost of living allowances. don't know wher you get this most people statement from because my city usually brings the same people to me every day from day to day. the tips have gotten better. of course florida was one of the hardes hit by obamas staments that really rocked whole economy's all over the nation by telling banks and auto company's not to woo clients or advertise.

[RiffRaff]

I'm glad your city is thriving, and that as a consequence you are doing well. However, the majority are not as fortunate:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/10/us/declining-household-income.html