Disc Dogging on a Small Budget

Hi I wanted to put some tips and things that have worked for us so we can still be able to disc dog and go to tournaments/competitions whenever possible. The current economy around us has hit so many of us so hard but we still want to do the things we used to do whenever we can so please feel free to share your thoughts and tips also and I can add to this.

*Please send me your own helpful tips so I can share them also*

Thanks send them to nd1muir@yahoo.com

1. First and Foremost make sure you are doing things for the right reason, not to collect championships or other things. Make sure having fun with your dog or dogs is still your number one priority. We all love to see happy disc dogs out there and not ones that seem to be only working and not playing.

2. You have to look at your calendar for the year and decide which tourneys you want to go to and what tourneys you have to possibly want to go to and try to qualify at also.

3. You have to look at what tourneys give you the most for the money you invest in them also.

4. Hotels for us we always try to stay at Laquinta because they are always dog friendly. I am career firefighter so I get a government discount and after so many nights you get a free night also and they always have some sort of breakfast at the hotel to save money.

5. You have to choose local tourneys also within a days drive to and back that way you might not be able to travel as much as you used to but you can still quench that competition desire.

6. People have asked me about how do I have all these nice embroidered shorts and shirts etc. Well I go to discount stores and buy my shirts and shorts for usually around 5 dollars and then I pay no more then 10 dollars to get them embroidered and there you go for 15 bucks they last for years.

7. How do I purchase so many discs? Well I just purchased 1000 for 2011 but how I afforded to pay for most of them was each year my wife and I put a change jar in our kitchen and we save our change all year long so we can purchase discs for the next year.

8. How do I have some sponsors? I have had a few people approach me and I have to see what they are offering but I am not too picky. Free is Free. But on most everything my wife work on getting some sort of percentage off price discount and then we tell them we will put them a good product out there on the field and we will promote their product and put their information on our website.

9. Many of you don’t realize but you can make your dogs and stuff into a business if you ever make any money doing shows or demos etc. I make a very minimal amount of money but it is good to use it for taxes and then if you have a good tax accountant you can use a lot of things for tax write offs. So save all your receipts on everything and log your mileage down on everything.

10. My enclosed trailer and Honda generator how did I get them. Out of the kindness of my Father in Laws heart he had got a enclosed trailer for heating and air stuff and he gave it to me and he also helped me out on getting a generator.

11. Eating at tourneys. My wife usually packs a cooler and fills them with sandwiches she makes to help us save money.

12. Seminars-Some have said wow you must make a lot of money doing seminars. Nope. I just ask for my travel expenses be covered. Like Flights and if they want a dog or two cover their expenses. If I have to miss work help cover for me to pay someone to work for me. I let the host determine the fees and then usually I just tell people whatever money is left over after everything is paid for lets split it. And you can take your money and invest back into your club or donate it to a organization. Also you can take your own discs and sell them.

13. People have asked me why I don’t judge at more tourneys. Well basically it comes down to cost. I just cannot go on a far trip and judge and not have my expenses covered. I don’t have that extra income in my daily budget.

14. Custom Logo Discs. It is usually just a one time fee and you will have that logo forever. Same with our embroidered stuff. We get the logo digitized for a small fee and then we can get that put on all of our clothes.

15. My website. Something I just decided I wanted to do years ago to give back to the sport that has given me so much. It is not much, I just use the basic website yahoo site builder thing. Very easy and cheap.

16. Staying at fellow competitors houses also. Like for example if you are on your way to a tourney our house has a open door you just have to give us a big notice to make sure we are going to be here. The Barn allows people a easy place to stay also. HVAC and Bathroom and couchs etc. Just make sure when you stay at someones house you respect it and for example if they are clean people dont let your dirty dogs run thru their house for example. Or please clean up after yourself and dogs during and right before you leave.

17. When you do some shows and you wonder how much too charge but it is a good group like a school etc. Dont feel shy asking them how much they would like to pay you. The economy might be tight but many of them have budgets allready set to pay people to do things like a show by you. Or Barter with them.

18. At the end of shows sell your used discs. Just tell the crowd the dogs have allready autographed them with their jaws if anyone is interested in purchasing some then you will have some for them.

19. If someone asks you to come do a seminar/clinic dont be shy about getting your funds covered and also remember to figure in your time off from work costs.

20. See if your local pet store will help you with food costs and see if your local vet will help you out and see if they have sample products you can use.