💸 Money Stories Musicians Need to Unlearn

Let’s talk about money.

I know, I know—but stay with me. It’s #financialliteracymonth after all.

A lot of musicians carry money beliefs that quietly shape everything they do. Things like:

• Caring about money means you’ve sold out
• Real artists struggle
• Wanting financial stability means you don’t love music enough

These aren’t truths. They’re inherited stories. And they’re worth questioning.

One of my favorite voices on this is Jen Sincero (You Are a Badass at Making Money). Her core idea is simple:

Your relationship with money reflects your relationship with yourself.

If deep down you believe you don’t deserve to be paid well, you’ll undercharge, over-deliver, and burn out.

If you believe financial success is “for other people,” you’ll unconsciously avoid it—even when opportunities are right in front of you.

First: uncover your money story

Before anything practical, try this. Write whatever comes up—no editing:

• Money is…
• People who have a lot of money are…
• In my family, money was…
• I feel like I deserve to earn…
• The reason I don’t have more money is…

Don’t rush this. You can’t change a story you haven’t seen clearly yet.

Now the practical part

You don’t need to be “a finance person.” You just need clarity.

1. Know your monthly income

List everything:

• Teaching
• Orchestra / school work
• Gigs / recordings
• Online income
• Anything else

Use your lowest realistic month, not your best.

2. Know your expenses

Split them:

Fixed

• Rent
• Utilities
• Subscriptions
• Loans

Variable

• Food
• Transport
• Supplies (reeds, maintenance, etc.)
• Travel
• Professional development

3. Find your margin

Income minus expenses = your margin.

If it’s tight, that’s not failure—it’s information. If there’s space, that’s where growth starts.

4. Open a separate savings account

Even if it’s just $25 a month.

The amount matters less than the signal: your future matters.

5. Choose one financial action this month

Just one:

• Track spending for 30 days
• Send an overdue invoice
• Raise your rate slightly
• Start savings automatically

Small action > perfect plan.

Most financial stress isn’t about the numbers—it’s about avoiding them.

And once you look, you usually realize you have more control than you thought.

If you want to build a music career that is financially sustainable without sacrificing artistry, that’s what we work on inside Thrive.

You can learn more and join us [here].

Rooting for you,
Ixi

P.S.

I’d be happy to share authors, templates, and methods I’ve used over the years. Feel free to reach out if you want recommendations—or if you have your own.

The Practice with Purpose framework is $99 for 2 six-month planners. It includes:

• The complete framework ($37 system)
• Your 2 physical planners included (an $80 value, shipped to your door)
• Training modules and ongoing resources
• A system built on alignment, connection, and flow