It's not a bad idea to drive 60mph in the slow lane and look for addtional meager jobs in the same area, on the same day, to at least pay for gas.

I'm not too proud to play for $50 or so (at a facility which has no/little budget). And don't think this lowers the bar. I keep my job pricing private. The folks there deserve music as much as anyone

There are many facilities that allow me to play whenever I want at a reduced price when in the area - that's a good thing.

Look at it this way. I know some who work all day (GC, etc) for $8 hr - $64 a day? I count my blessings every time I turn on the keyboard folks. Life is short.