Before my venture into tattooing, having cash on hand was rare. All purchases required my debit card and photo ID. Both of which were annoying to always locate (I scatter stuff everywhere) but became habit.
With no direct indicator of how much was being spent, I found myself either spending too much or spending little to avoid... the spending of too much. After getting married, I slowed changed my default tendency to spending less. Sure we spend, but nobody wants to be the one who messes up the books. It's was a solid compromise.
Then came cash. I don't make a ton, but I do make some. There's certainly a difference from nothing (an apprenticeship) to something (working the floor).
Sometimes it's filthy and ragged, boasting no glimpse of its former utilitarian glory. Other times it's so crisp and clean that it sticks to itself, making it difficult to sort through. Either way, having cash in my pocket feels great.
Oh, and I even developed favorites. The best is a 20 note, boasting that picture of Old Hickory with his long face and foamy hair staring off sternly to his left. I enjoy his company even though he doesn't really speak to me much anymore. I used to hear him trailing off about how he "shouldn't have taken land from all of those Indians". But he got sick me of telling him how the term "Indian" is not cool either.
Anyway.
It's so easy to spend when you've got a small wad in your pocket. The worry of pulling too much from the bank had gone! All concerns of messing up the register had vanished! I could stand in line anywhere and simply grab cash out of my pocket and buy anything I wanted. No questions asked, no photo ID, and no PIN number.
Then the new headache became obvious. Um, bills are pulled from the bank. In order for those bills to be paid, that bank has to have an ample supply of cash. If the cash is depleted before I even reach that bank... we're in trouble.
Oh yeah.
It took awhile, but now I'm much more frugal. If money continues to come in, and hopefully even picks up, I'll need to rely on that balance of less spending.
Also, a footnote to other tattooers:
As hard as it can be to not buy a DVD after every day of work, I've got to think about my future. In an industry with no direct health care, workers comp, or retirement plant, I'm quickly realizing that I have to somehow take the initiative by securing my finances.
I've seen many shop owners who have it figured out, but few guys actually working in those shops have taken the necessary steps: myself included.
The difficulty is the commitment required to figure it out. And I certainly know how much I shun extra commitment. Even seeking a financial adviser seems like too much work. But somehow I need to buckle down.
Yep, that's right, one whole year of tattooing is near. And it just so happened that today was a slow day in the shop. It seems the local Catholic church was having a carnival, so in honor of fried fish and beer gardens I decided to tattoo St. Theresa on my left thigh.
