Part time Djs - What do you do for a living

[paul1404]

All you part time DJs when your not working in some dodgy council estate
community centre playing grease megamix on a sat for night for £6 per hour because all the full time Djs have got the nice hotel gigs for
£750 + expenses + room
lol .. what do you do for a living ?
Im a network engineer for a major comms company

[Corabar Entertainment]

Lol or no lol... was there any reason to post that question with a sideways (and extremely inaccurate) swipe at your fellow DJs who just happen to try and make a living in this industry? :( :mad: :(

[paul1404]

Steve I was totally joking mate - The full ttme boys tend to be far more experienced and equip to do more pricey / bigger jobs I find - No harm intended

[Corabar Entertainment]

Yeah.. and I'm ANGELA :Censored:

[paul1404]

I feel Im digging a deeper hole - Angela the gorgeaus Angela,
Will you forgive my moment of madness - no bad feelings was intent

[surround sounds]

All you part time DJs when your not working in some dodgy council estate
community centre playing grease megamix on a sat for night for £6 per hour because all the full time Djs have got the nice hotel gigs for
£750 + expenses + room
lol .. what do you do for a living ?
Im a network engineer for a major comms company

This is going to wind a lot of people up.
I am a part time Dj but do not work for £6 a hour and i have nice gear.

[Corabar Entertainment]

I feel Im digging a deeper hole - Angela the gorgeaus Angela,
Will you forgive my moment of madness - no bad feelings was intentI'll let you off.... just this once, mind you :p

Sorry - you just touched a nerve (on both counts) because I've seen far too much of DJs sniping at each other recently, and far too many people on here have called me Steve! :eek:

Anyway... as you were. :D

[paul1404]

Right Ok I was joking everyone come on were all Djs we must have a sense of humour

[Cowlinn]

Question to part time DJ's, I'm in danger of asking a really stupid question here :o

- How do you factor your salary into your tax return? As obviously you pay tax on your total income, so assuming your salary is £2,000 a month and you earn £700 a month working as a Part Time DJ how does that work? Or do you have accountants that sorts it all out?

[Corabar Entertainment]

Question to part time DJ's, I'm in danger of asking a really stupid question here :o

- How do you factor your salary into your tax return? As obviously you pay tax on your total income, so assuming your salary is £2,000 a month and you earn £700 a month working as a Part Time DJ how does that work? Or do you have accountants that sorts it all out?May be the subject for a new thread, Matty.

[surround sounds]

Question to part time DJ's, I'm in danger of asking a really stupid question here :o

- How do you factor your salary into your tax return? As obviously you pay tax on your total income, so assuming your salary is £2,000 a month and you earn £700 a month working as a Part Time DJ how does that work? Or do you have accountants that sorts it all out?

i get my accountant to sort it out with my dj work

[Cowlinn]

May be the subject for a new thread, Matty.

Ahh, yes. :sorry:

[NKR]

Steve I was totally joking mate - The full ttme boys tend to be far more experienced and equip to do more pricey / bigger jobs I find - No harm intended

I spend nearly all of my part time DJ time doing nice hotels and corporate work. We are even retained by nice corporate clients like Burnley FC. You can be just as good part time if you put the hours in on an evening. Day job I am a Chartered Surveyor specialising in commerical development projects and portfolio asset management.


Question to part time DJ's, I'm in danger of asking a really stupid question here :o

- How do you factor your salary into your tax return? As obviously you pay tax on your total income, so assuming your salary is £2,000 a month and you earn £700 a month working as a Part Time DJ how does that work? Or do you have accountants that sorts it all out?

Its not that difficult to complete an HMRC tax return form. Even if you are working in multiple employments is very straight forward. You pay tax on your total earnings. Day job does PAYE anyway so thats done and the SA800 is completed for the partnership (DJ Business) and the profit number for that is put against the second income. Then apply tax relief against pension contributions.

Tax to pay generated.

[DJDC]

I work full time, me in the day job - http://birminghamcoventrymidlands.newsprints.co.uk/view/19167380/et081111sand_14_jpg.

I take the hobby seriously although I do still DJ (after 27+ years) primarliy as a hobby that pays for itself, yes I do do Council estate community centres, as well as weddings in grade 1 listed venues. I will do work that I think is sufficently interesting enough to do. I have an accountant, PLI, PAT, Produb, RA's, MS's, uplighters, martin efx lighting, 1.8kw sound system Cd and Digitals playout

[discomobiledj]

I currently work on the Olympic Park.

[SC Events]

My main Job is being a DJ, however I also have a part-time job, which I started 5 years ago when I was 16. - It's 8 hours per week (2 x 4 hour shifts) in a retail store.

As most people on here already know, i'm currently training to be a Commercial Pilot.

[DazzyD]

All you part time DJs when your not working in some dodgy council estate
community centre playing grease megamix on a sat for night for £6 per hour because all the full time Djs have got the nice hotel gigs for
£750 + expenses + room
lol .. what do you do for a living ?
Im a network engineer for a major comms company


Steve I was totally joking mate - The full ttme boys tend to be far more experienced and equip to do more pricey / bigger jobs I find - No harm intended

Yeah, cos all full timers have 20+ years DJing experience gained both in this country and on the continent. They also all run their businesses with planning, precision and passion and all have the highest level of valuable people skills whereby all part timers just work for beer money wearing jeans and T-shirt and, generally, having a laugh. What a load of :Censored: .

Before my children came along (both my oldest son and daughter were born prematurely) I was a working DJ, full time, and at the peak was working 6 nights a week (I always insisted on a day off!). I started DJing in 1992 working with vinyl and have progressed through CD and now digital. When my kids were born, my financial priorities changed somewhat and I needed extra income so I took a part-time job. I now work full-time within Benefits for the Local Authority. It's allowed me to be more flexible with the DJing bookings I take on so I can now take on shows that suit me more and not just because I need the money. I get to work at prestigious local venues including Beamish Hall Hotel and Durham Castle. I'm the preferred supplier for several local companies, for whom I get several bookings a year, including the local area office of a major utilities company. I've also gotten to work at events hosted by a leading car manufacturer (and, no, it's not Nissan!!). So, all in all, I think I've achieved quite a bit, even though I'm only a part-timer (but, by no stretch of the imagination, a hobbyist).


This is going to wind a lot of people up.
I am a part time Dj but do not work for £6 a hour and i have nice gear.

And it goes no way to closing the divide between full and part time DJs. Some full-timers have always looked down on part-timers, or even seen them as a threat, and this mentality has even been evident on this very forum in the past. However, I know a local full-time DJ, as I've mentioned before on here, who hasn't got a clue about running a business and seems to spend a lot of his time letting people down. Not that I mind as I tend to get last minute calls from desperate clients looking to book a replacement DJ. And some of them don't mind paying my prices as they are reassured that I'm actually going to turn up!! But, I digress. My point is that I'm sure we all know DJs like this. Being a good or bad DJ service provider has nothing to do with whether you're full or part time - a fact that is often overlooked.

<rant over> ;)

[marting]

"Being a good or bad DJ service provider has nothing to do with whether you're full or part time - a fact that is often overlooked."

Enough said end of.. and im not dodgy and i definatly dont go out for £6 an hour and i have only been djing for a year.
Im sorry going to offend some on here but some so called proffesional full time djs are stuck up there own asses, i can do everything you can do i offer the same service as you do my music knowledge is as great i charge the same rates you do i pay the tax man. no disrespect meant to the majority this thread has got me wound up.

[Excalibur]

All you part time DJs when your not working in some dodgy council estate
community centre playing grease megamix on a sat for night for £6 per hour

£6 per hour? :confused: £6 per hour :eek: You'll never get that round here.

[Corabar Steve]

Do you think maybe just once we could have at least a page of on topic posts before the thread decends in to it's usual chaos?

BACK ON TOPIC PLEASE

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Before I was paid of I was a Road Safety officer within the local authority.

I know Steve said keep it on topic (Sorry Steve). When I was running the DJing as a part time business venture, I was running it as professionally...in the eyes of the client...BUT...I wasnt charging was I do now because, quite frankly, I didnt need the money and it was almost pocket money.

Once I went full time, I sat down and worked what I needed to do to survive as a full time venture. Obviously money was a big factor, and I adjusted my prices. Now along with that, I found that I had weekdays to secure work and hold meetings....something I hadnt been able to do previously. I honestly believe that this alone has went along way in increasing my workload.

Its been said before that that this market is undervalued by the people working in it. I completely agree. If your a £60 sid and your gear/knowledge/work ethics/whatever represent that, then great...theres a market for you.

But if your playing with the big boys (and I make no reference to full vs part time here...it doesnt matter), and have the kit/ethos/knowledge/etc etc but are charging a fraction of what they do, then...A. yes, they will see you as a threat...and B. Your only doing your own wallet harm ;)

[Excalibur]

Well since Steve has reminded us to try to stay on topic, I'll give an on topic reply.

Tree surgery, Hedge cutting, Groundwork, decking, minor building works, patios, decking, house clearance, landscape gardening, agricultural engineering, welding, and a spot of vehicle maintenance.

If I remember anything else, I'll add it later. ;)

[musicologydisco]

I'm a delivery driver which pays the bills so I have good gear because I can afford it!

[marting]

Indeed im a railway guard working between Weymouth And London good side of the job no two days are the same bad side of the job 4am starts 3am finishes shift work only get 1 weekend of a month which severely limits the gigs i can do.

[SC Events]

Well since Steve has reminded us to try to stay on topic, I'll give an on topic reply.

Tree surgery, Hedge cutting, Groundwork, decking, minor building works, patios, decking, house clearance, landscape gardening, agricultural engineering, welding, and a spot of vehicle maintenance.

If I remember anything else, I'll add it later. ;)

Do you do a lot of decking then Peter? :D

[Javlingames]

I am a sales manager for Dings Entertainment. I still DJ because i like the extra money. I am however quite picky about the gigs that i do, certainly no weddings. I stick to corporate type work mostly.

[Excalibur]

I am a sales manager for Dings Entertainment. I still DJ because i like the extra money. I am however quite picky about the gigs that i do, certainly no weddings. I stick to corporate type work mostly.

Why no weddings? :confused: Many folk on here prefer them to other types of gigs.

[Javlingames]

Why no weddings? :confused: Many folk on here prefer them to other types of gigs.

Just not my cup of tea. I did weddings, approx 2 a week for near on 8 years and i just stopped enjoying them. I dont like the extensive playlists, early set ups, If not an early set up, its often a mad rush to get set up due to over running etc.

If it was my living i would probably grit my teeth and get on with it but i am fortunate enough to be a bit picky about what i do. I enjoy my corporate work, similar to max really except i dont do video. I also love my Butlins Weekenders that I DJ at.

[hammy]

I work for Sita driving a front end loader, For those that dont know what an FEL is, Have you seen the lorries that have the big forks on the front, Thats an FEL.

And as A Part timer I work in some top class hotels and use a DSB with Martin lighting and also provide uplighting I have also been doing this for 20 yrs with lots of classy jobs and lots of experience.

Did you hit a nerve much,, :Censored: :Censored: :Censored:

[NKR]

But if your playing with the big boys (and I make no reference to full vs part time here...it doesnt matter), and have the kit/ethos/knowledge/etc etc but are charging a fraction of what they do, then...A. yes, they will see you as a threat...and B. Your only doing your own wallet harm ;)

A - Yes they do see us as a threat as we are a bit cheaper.
B - Not at all - I am adding to it.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

A - Yes they do see us as a threat as we are a bit cheaper.
B - Not at all - I am adding to it.

A "bit" cheaper isnt bad...theres one guy local to me who walks the walk etc etc and goes out for £100. He is proper and by the book and has decent kit, is a decent DJ, has contract PLI, etc etc etc... How can I justify what I charge to the client, when he is offering the same level of service at a fraction of the price... He doesnt rely on the money, its pocket money to him. At least with the mickey mouse outfits charging £100, the difference can be justified.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I'm a delivery driver which pays the bills so I have good gear because I can afford it!

Is that just saying that your day job finances the discos?

[NKR]

A "bit" cheaper isnt bad...theres one guy local to me who walks the walk etc etc and goes out for £100. He is proper and by the book and has decent kit, is a decent DJ, has contract PLI, etc etc etc... How can I justify what I charge to the client, when he is offering the same level of service at a fraction of the price... He doesnt rely on the money, its pocket money to him. At least with the mickey mouse outfits charging £100, the difference can be justified.

Oddly all I personally gross is £125 from a disco job as we average around £250 these days. There are two of us so we share it, hence I don't make much more than your man.

[paul1404]

Can i apologise again if I have offended anyone - I was joking when I said I play for £6 per hour - and I totally respect all the Djs on here - I have asked you all many questions etc and have met a few of you on my travels , I think everyone on this site has a passion for Dj'ing otherwise we wouldnt have joined up - I respect all the Full time Djs and wish I had the balls to go it alone myself - I also think in no way do any of the part time Djs have shoddy equipment ( i.e the crab laser which our freind maplins sells for £39.99 - yeah we all bought one 10 years ago !!!!!!) - If you did buy one and are currently still using it then I apologise again - I also apologise if you invented the crab laser :)

[funkymook]

I also think in no way do any of the part time Djs have shoddy equipment ( i.e the crab laser which our freind maplins sells for £39.99 - yeah we all bought one 10 years ago !!!!!!) - If you did buy one and are currently still using it then I apologise again - I also apologise if you invented the crab laser :)

13771

[Daryll]

I am painter and decorator for a local housing association , my DJing is totally self funding , with a hint of profit now and again , I fill in a SE assessment form entering the details from my P60 in the relevant boxes , and also complete the, additional income part....sorted...:D

Daryll

[hammy]

Can i apologise again if I have offended anyone - I was joking when I said I play for £6 per hour - and I totally respect all the Djs on here - I have asked you all many questions etc and have met a few of you on my travels , I think everyone on this site has a passion for Dj'ing otherwise we wouldnt have joined up - I respect all the Full time Djs and wish I had the balls to go it alone myself - I also think in no way do any of the part time Djs have shoddy equipment ( i.e the crab laser which our freind maplins sells for £39.99 - yeah we all bought one 10 years ago !!!!!!) - If you did buy one and are currently still using it then I apologise again - I also apologise if you invented the crab laser :)

Accepted :beer1: :beer1:

[NKR]

13771

That crab looks seriously unhappy.

[djrobentertainment]

I'm a structural steel erector who works all over the country.I fly twice a week to work and ,I am currently working at Heathrow. This does make things hard trying to fit discos I'm just trying to build up loads of cash so I can retire into the business.

[digga]

I'm a self-employed computer technician (http://www.lewescomputerguy.co.uk) and simple web designer for most of the week.

[Craig - Dragon Discos]

I work for the family business during the week.
Boreflex Ltd. wupplying all sorts of industrial supplies (hoses, gaskets, rubber sheeting, machine guards) plus all assosciated workwear etc. (plus embroidery / heatseal badges) and we also do signs / vinyl :)

[pagan_flame]

I don't do anything full time... I DJ at weekends, and during (some of) the weekdays I am a Driving Instructor.

By combining the two businesses, I get myself a decent fulltime wage while working part time hours.

[surround sounds]

I drive a van in the day.. Start at 5 in the morning and finish for 1ish in the afternoon.Been there 10 years.Before at i was a carpenter.

[mattydinx]

another IT techie here, mainly working in the SME sector (companies with 0-100 staff)

Shameless plug: www.tskits.co.uk ;-)

[simonp]

Indeed im a railway guard working between Weymouth And London good side of the job no two days are the same bad side of the job 4am starts 3am finishes shift work only get 1 weekend of a month which severely limits the gigs i can do.

Then how on earth can you gain the relevent experience that full time DJs can? You've been going a year you say, so say for arguments sake you got two full bookings on your once a weekend a month off, you've done 24 gigs, hardly a wealth of experience to offer a client as opposed to a full time professional DJ ;)

[NKR]

Then how on earth can you gain the relevent experience that full time DJs can? You've been going a year you say, so say for arguments sake you got two full bookings on your once a weekend a month off, you've done 24 gigs, hardly a wealth of experience to offer a client as opposed to a full time professional DJ ;)

I have to agree with that as you have only been going a year and admit you only have 1 weekend a month, so you do need to wind your neck in a little and not have a crack at the full time boys.

I am part time, but have been for 15 years and have done everything from dance night club residencies to top end corporate work. We are retained by big clients and can definitely compete with the big boys. We fear no-one.

Its hard for anyone to argue with my form. When you are 12 months in and doing 1 weekend a month you are opening yourself up when you say some of the full time operators are up their own bottoms.

[musicologydisco]

Is that just saying that your day job finances the discos?

It means the disco is a great extra because my full time job pays the household bills obviously.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

We are retained by big clients and can definitely compete with the big boys. We fear no-one.



Sorry Neil, but that statement makes you sound so pretentious.

You fear no-one????? :lol:

[DJ Jules]

I'm a an IT person working in a small team on a mixture of development, Business Analysis and Project management related tasks.

The DJ business is self financing and I do turn a reasonable profit from it year on year (even after maintaining/upgrading equipment), which is unfortunately declining due to reduced bookings because of my personal circumstances.

At the moment all of the work is coming in through referral or regular gigs (quite a few of which are walk up) so I'm only having to invest a minimal amount of time in chasing bookings, preparing and developing myself and the business.

Julian

[NKR]

Sorry Neil, but that statement makes you sound so pretentious.

You fear no-one????? :lol:

Not in business terms no. I would happily put our service head to head with any full time operator doing what we do. We fear no-one in that respect.

Nothing pretentious about it at all. You either feel I am pretending this is how we feel, or you feel I am making claims that I can't back up.

Not sure which one it is!

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Not in business terms no. I would happily put our service head to head with any full time operator doing what we do. We fear no-one in that respect.

Nothing pretentious about it at all. You either feel I am pretending this is how we feel, or you feel I am making claims that I can't back up.

Not sure which one it is!

It's the way you put it. You're a mobile DJ not some kind of superhero...

It's all this "we fear no-one and can compete with the big boys" nonsense that make me laugh. There's no need for it IMO. ;)

[NKR]

It's the way you put it. You're a mobile DJ not some kind of superhero...

It's all this "we fear no-one and can compete with the big boys" nonsense that make me laugh. There's no need for it IMO. ;)

I am a superhero. :mad:

[Mark Wild]

I am a superhero. :mad:

No, you're a chartered surveyor wearing your underpants over your trousers :)

[NKR]

No, you're a chartered surveyor wearing your underpants over your trousers :)

:Censored: thats rather embarassing. Sorry about that. Yeah they're clean!

[Corabar Steve]

I think part time DJs obviously aren't doing the right job if they have to rely on doing discos to get the extra money.

:run:

[ppentertainments]

I think part time DJs obviously aren't doing the right job if they have to rely on doing discos to get the extra money.

:run:

Surely it depends on income requirements and quality of life expectations ??

[Corabar Steve]

Oh FFS!

:bang:

[Excalibur]

I think part time DJs obviously aren't doing the right job if they have to rely on doing discos to get the extra money.

:run:

Sir, I feel bound to disavow you of the veracity of your impish and mischievous assertion about us part timers.

I for one am definitely doing the right job.


Sadly, I'm just not earning enough money from it. :( :( :(

[Corabar Entertainment]

As it appears that people aren't awake yet this morning, I feel duty bound to point out that STEVE WAS JOKING!

:lol:

[NKR]

As it appears that people aren't awake yet this morning, I feel duty bound to point out that STEVE WAS JOKING!

:lol:

I got that.

In case anyone had not noticed I do not believe I am a superhero.

However, I do sometimes wear my pants on the outside of my trousers. :D

[Excalibur]

As it appears that people aren't awake yet this morning, I feel duty bound to point out that STEVE WAS JOKING!

:lol:

And I feel bound to point out that my use of the words "impish" and "mischievous". in my post were indicators that I was too. ;)

[Corabar Steve]

I feel duty bound to point out that I wasn't. :sj:

Get a job that pays you enough & stop trying to do mine http://planetsmilies.net/vicious-smiley-1763.gif (http://planetsmilies.net)

[NKR]

I feel duty bound to point out that I wasn't. :sj:

Get a job that pays you enough & stop trying to do mine http://planetsmilies.net/vicious-smiley-1763.gif (http://planetsmilies.net)

How much is enough?

[Excalibur]

How much is enough?

Mr Micawber has the answer.

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

[Mark Wild]

Mr Micawber has the answer.

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

:like:

[Corabar Steve]

I feel duty bound to point out that my previous post was an epic fail at humour of Charlie Brown proportions. :sj:

[atlanticdisco]

Now thats been a good read lol

[flatliners]

Well i work in a care home looking after older people with dementia altzimers ect its a hard job but i love it. how many forum members could do it.

[Excalibur]

Well i work in a care home looking after older people with dementia altzimers ect its a hard job but i love it. how many forum members could do it.

Do it? Not this one, and I take my hat off to Sean.



I might soon be an inmate though. :D :D

[flatliners]

Do it? Not this one, and I take my hat off to Sean.



I might soon be an inmate though. :D :D

Bet you could do it if you really needed the money

[Daryll]

Well i work in a care home looking after older people with dementia altzimers ect its a hard job but i love it. how many forum members could do it.

So does my wife , utter respect :bowdown: , I admit , I could not do that job.

Daryll

[Shaun]

I might soon be an inmate though. :D :D

Soon? Having met you I think you may be an escapee! :D

[hammy]

Do it? Not this one, and I take my hat off to Sean.

Do you mean Shaun :D :D :D

[Excalibur]

Do it? Not this one, and I take my hat off to Sean.


Do you mean Shaun :D :D :D
Hammy, Sean (Flatliners ) is a splendid young chap from the North East of England. Shaun (Elite DJ ) is Scottish. I thought he too was a splendid young chap, until:



I might soon be an inmate though. :D :D

Soon? Having met you I think you may be an escapee! :D

:p

[Corabar Steve]

Hammy, Sean is a splendid young chap from the North East of England.
He may well be, but Shaun Atkinson is Flatliners :P

[hammy]

He may well be, but Shaun Atkinson is Flatliners :P

Smarter than the average bear:p :p

[Excalibur]

He may well be, but Shaun Atkinson is Flatliners :P

Oh crap. :( Banged to rights. Sorry both Shauns. :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

[NKR]

Well now its clear that nobody has any clue who anyone else is.