Member-only story
I’ve been wanting to write this article for some time because I think it’s important that I say what I want to say but I’ve also felt some conflict over potentially crossing a line. I’ve written a lot on business and craft but this may be perhaps a little invasive as I’m about to talk about how we financially manage our lives as artists who are trying to breakout of the corporate world and into the creative arts. I’m going to roll the dice, try and sell you the concept of lean living, and see if I get lynched.
First a little backstory, at the age of twenty-two I’d had a well paid job since leaving school. Money was coming in easy and it was going out easy too. In a new world of easy credit, I’d somehow secretly managed to accumulate around £20K ($25K USD) of personal debt. I was then made redundant and decided to go freelance, despite having monthly loan and credit card payments equivalent to a large mortgage and no actual clients. The following few years were incredibly tough and pretty scary but I eventually managed to swallow my pride, just about scrape by, and pay it all off in full.
I tell you this because I’m one of the lucky ones. Growing up in a middle-class lifestyle can really insulate you from the realities of making ends meet. Combine that with modern neoliberal culture and you have a recipe for materialism, conspicuous…
