How much cash for change do you take to a festival?

Hi All!

I have my first big festival coming up (Saturday full day and Sunday half day). My prices will be $8 and $10. So my questions is - how much change do you bring with you? Do you think $100 (divided in $10 and $1 bills) will be fine or should I bring more?

So excited!!!! Thanks, Celine

I usually bring $35 slush, even on gigs where I expect to make $1000+ in a day. I rarely need that much change. The first people of the day give me twenties, and then most people have broken down their big bills later in the day. I think the most I've ever brought was $50 when I started. I also take credit cards via Square.

Great... Thanks. That helps a lot   I also use the Square - just in case... Happy Monday, Celine

I do PayPal for CC, and bring $20 in 1s and another $20-$30 in 5s and 10s. Keep everything organized in my 4-pocket apron so no having to watch a cash box and manage the booth and paint at the same time

Thanks Tanya... what a great idea with the apron. I am so not a fan of a "funny bag"    C.

FacepaintingByTanya wrote:I do PayPal for CC, and bring $20 in 1s and another $20-$30 in 5s and 10s. Keep everything organized in my 4-pocket apron so no having to watch a cash box and manage the booth and paint at the same time

Yes, as Tanya said; those aprons are awesome! We found a couple of black aprons at a local uniform supply store. Worth their weight in gold. And we generally don't take much more than $40 - $50 in start up money, as well.

I could only find 3-pocket aprons at stores, so I ended up making mine (gotta have three pockets for moolah, and one for the iPhone/PP swiper ) ... I made a bunch, so I'd have fun ones for different holidays and several interesting everyday ones... think my fav so far is the koi fish and water contrast one.

I generally take $30 with me.
$10 in 5's
$10 in 2's
$10 in 1's

(if you are wondering about the 2's it's because i'm a Canuck :p)

Only once did it happen that the first guy wanted me to break a $50 for him... so he ended up leaving a big tip lol

FacepaintingByTanya wrote:I could only find 3-pocket aprons at stores, so I ended up making mine (gotta have three pockets for moolah, and one for the iPhone/PP swiper ) ... I made a bunch, so I'd have fun ones for different holidays and several interesting everyday ones... think my fav so far is the koi fish and water contrast one.

You should sell those aprons to the shop, it would be a great addition for all of us! Laters, Celine

I'm the nutty one. I always take $100-200 in change. And I almost always end up using it all.
By the end of the day, I usually only have 20s and a few fives and ones.
Of course, this started when my hubby bumblingly broke someone's 100. I vowed to never again have to run around a festival asking for change.
But now that I take cards, I think I may stop bringing so much.

I take credit cards too now.

I do the same as Diane. I always go home with more 20s then anything else. And have to go break them for normal change again.

And I'm debating which cc thing to get. Square or PayPal

Krissie, get both. There's no charge to set them up, no charge for the first readers. I have all three (Square, PayPal, Intuit). If one happened to stop working or the system went down, I'd have backup.

Krissiemarie wrote:I do the same as Diane.  I always go home with more 20s then anything else.  And have to go break them for normal change again.  

And I'm debating which cc thing to get.  Square or PayPal

We've had a very good experience with Square thus far; seems to work well all of the time, and the money goes straight into your bank account.

I have square. I don't have to use it every often but it's great to have the option, and the reader itself is free.

Every so often someone asks me if I take credit cards. I don't. What they usually do is go to an ATM and then return. This is at festivals where the line is non-stop. I don't perceive that I am losing any customers by not taking credit cards. I do take a LOT of cash for change (maybe even more than rthling, just to be safe). I run through it by day's end. This is probably because my pricing is not in round numbers. I have some designs that are seven dollars, etc.

I bring around $50. (10-1’s, 4-5’s, 2-10’s). The last festival I did EVERYONE was giving me $20. bills and I had to send my husband twice to get change. I also use 'the square' and have a sign that says “Yes, we take credit cards!”. I also wear an apron with front pockets to avoid needing a fanny pack or cash box if I’m working alone. If my husband is working with me the whole time, he handles all payments and uses a small cash box. I will defintely bring more than $50. next gig - just in case.

BTW - bought my apron on Ebay.

I brought $100 change recently for a 2-day Irish Fest: $10's, $5's & $1's.
 My Square was never used my 1st year until I started getting large corporations & city events that could only pay me by credit card. Boy, was I glad I had it then! Guess I could offer it at large fairs, but it's never been an issue. With long lines, time & speed are the issues.

Affordable Face Magic wrote:Guess I could offer it at large fairs, but it's never been an issue. With long lines, time & speed are the issues.

totally, square slows you down a bit for sure, it's good to have a line manager for those times who knows how to use it. That's what i'm doing this year - well that's the plan anyway. :p

I only take cards when I have a line manager handling money, so it doesn't slow me down.