Stand Up While Skint

Right now I am totally, totally skint.

There are many reasons for this, and I hope sometime next year this will not be the case, which I know makes me far luckier than many.

However, in the meantime I barely have enough for food and utilities so it has rather put the breaks on my stand up comedy. I live on the outskirts of London but don't have enough cash to travel into town for free open mic nights.

The only one that is cycling distance from where I work also expects (quite rightly) that you support the night by either buying a drink or putting money in a bucket.

Right now I am writing material for a new set but I have no idea when I'll be able to perform it, and I'm getting a little stir crazy.

I know the hard-but-true response to this is likely 'if you want something bad you have to MAKE it happen' so I guess why I am posting here is if anyone has had (or is having) a similar experience and if you have any tips/stories about how to continue to practice comedy while not being able to get that all important stage time (or how to get it regardless!)

Thanks in advance!

1. Wait until you're sixty then you can apply for a free Oyster card. Not much use if you're 24 but a reasonable suggestion to 59 year old.

2. You could ask for a £1 to buy a beer (you don't need to tell them you're really going to put it towards your comedy act..)

3. Wait until your house is burgled and then go down and see if they can help you find anything.

There, that's 3 sure fire ideas to get you started!

Have you thought about trying to get a job or offering to work for free ish in a comedy club

Try comedy writing instead of performing? For places to send stuff, check out the Writing Opportunities forum here.

No travel fares required!

Many thanks for the responses so far!

Freelancing on Upwork?

I agree, get a job collecting glasses or volunteer at the venue you mention in return for stage time.

Good Luck

Or jus grov on go fund me

Personally about to 'grov on go fund me' with a business idea.

Suggest if anyone is looking at crowdfunding they should look at Indiegogo not kickstarter. Indiegogo looks a lot easier to work with.

Is this going into the Dangerous Fake Email scams thread?