There is no question that tours cost a lot of money. Renting a bunch of production, hiring a crew to haul it around the country (or world), and set it up every day doesn't come cheap. Of course, there are things we can do as production and tour managers to avoid wasting money, but sometimes an avoidable expense is worth the spend. These are decisions we make on a daily basis while in charge of a tour.
One of the biggest budget decisions prior to a tour is van vs. bus. Well before I ever started touring I dreamed about what it would be like to travel in a tour bus, sleeping while someone else drives you around the country. But this luxury comes with a high price tag, and may not be worth the expense. Before writing it off though, it’s worth exploring your options. Consider the number of hotels you’ll end up paying for when you don’t have a place to sleep every night. How much fuel and maintenance expenses will you incur over the course of a tour when traveling in your own vehicle? It's tough to put a price on personal well being, but it’s important to consider the quality of life on tour. Perhaps the tour schedule is particularly tough, creating a heavy workload and not allowing many off days to rest. In this case, maybe the extra expense is justifiable, ensuring the band and crew arrive at the venue every day ready to do their respective jobs, rather than being overly tired and cranky.
When you need to get hotels you can always do two (or sometimes more) to a room, but here again, it's important to think about the well being of everyone on the tour. Consider your schedule, and how long you’re away from home. Even when everyone on the tour gets along great and enjoys each other’s company, some time to one's self is a must. So the added expense to give each person his or her own hotel room for a day might be worth it.
Another consideration is ground transportation. If everyone is flying in for rehearsals or perhaps a one-off, do you ask them to get a cab upon arrival, or do you hire a car service with a driver? It's worth considering their travel day when making this decision. Maybe they had to wake up way before the sun to get to the airport, make a connection or two over the course of many hours (or days) before arriving at their destination. Furthermore, perhaps they landed in a foreign country where grabbing a cab may take a bit of extra work. In this case, the extra expense of a car service is worth it. Even more so if its more than one person, with a bunch of luggage or gear.
What it really comes down to is the well being of everyone on the road. Of course, we have to pay attention to the bottom line, and I don’t like waste even when it’s not my own money being spent. But some times a little extra expense can go a long way to keep everyone happy and morale high. Take care of the people that take care of you!