Tip jars for musicians is extremely common in the USA. I already do the trick about seeding the tip jar (I learned that trick from this forum) and my tip jar is a big plastic jar that you can see through, so people can see what's inside. Some people recommend seeding the tip jar with ones and bigger bills, but similar to waht Joe Wrabek said, I often don't HAVE any larger bills.

I do have the concern about coming across as "Poor old little old me" if I put grocery money on the tip jar, but I like the idea of putting SOMETHING on it. I can't put "drug money" as funny as that is, because I work in public education. "Gas Money" is not a bad idea.

And I do need to get back into the mode of pushing my own CD's at gigs. I've gotten away from that but it's definitely another income source.

Richard MacLemale
Music = http://www.richardmac.com