The music we play isn't really our favorite songs, but it's what YOU want to hear, so we play it in an effort to earn our stipend.
Every member of the band owns $1000+ worth of gear that's pretty much not insured, so if/when we take it out of the house, it adds a risk that it will be broken/stolen or in need of a costly repair, but hey -- that's how you make the big stipends. And justify the investment...
We particularly like to drive 50+ miles to a gig. Fortunately, we all live in a van together, minimizing our creature-comforts and maximizing the stretch on our stipends.
If you want a volunteer -- post on Freecycle. There you will get exactly what you pay for.