Going freelance can be very exciting, especially if you have skills that are in demand from various organisations. Being one of the best gives you the flexibility to work for a number of brands, and gives you the opportunity to get a vast amount of experience without having to formally swap jobs all of the time. Not only that but you can also charge what you like without having to stick to one pay structure – the choice is all yours.
One profession that is in demand at the current time is a freelance designer who can work in many formats both online and offline. Designers can work for images, photos, web design, embroidery designs and vector art. Advertising is big business at the present, and there are more media than ever before to work across. There are websites, billboards, social media graphics, magazine ads… the list continues. So if you are thinking about taking a slice of the freelance pie in this area, what should you take the time to consider?
Income
The first thing to think about is your potential income, as well as what you will realistically achieve. There may be times when you are really busy, and others where you don’t have much on. In the down periods, will you have enough cash to cover your bills and living expenses? This is especially important if you have a mortgage to pay each month. Make sure you are financially secure before becoming a freelancer.
Taxes
Will you be doing a self-assessment for taxation purposes, or will you opt in to an umbrella company in Liverpool to do it for you? This is something worth looking into before you start freelancing as you don’t want to miss important dates that could result in you getting fined. If you are doing it by yourself, you might want to employ an accountant to help you to keep the books organised, such as looking after expenses and the like.
Working hours
There is a lot of flexibility that comes with being a freelancer, but you must be strict with yourself when necessary. This means turning your attention away from addictive daytime TV and focusing on the projects at hand. Of course you could always choose to work late nights if you want, but just keep your health and happiness at the forefront of everything you do; you don’t want to dig yourself an early grave.
Expenses
Finally, think about the things that you might need to pay for up front before you get any expenses returned. This could be petrol or train fares to see your clients, or even for devices such as a new laptop that will help you to do your work better. Some aspects of freelancing can be quite expensive, so it really is worth keeping all of these components in mind before you start doing it full time. Could you cope with using your existing laptop until you can afford a more expensive model? Could clients come and see you instead, even if it’s in your local coffee shop?
Author : The content outreached by Megri Outreach a Blogger and Influencer Outreach