WORK

Seeing as my daughter has gone AWOL down to Southampton with her Granny, leaving me to slave over a hot computer, I thought I would write a bit about how thats going.

So, its coming up to 18 months since I went self employed. I hadn't realised that until I just worked it out, it still feels all new. There are lots of things I love about it:

• I love that it can fit in with HE - for example I get loads of bits and pieces done in the car waiting for A to have her guitar lesson, just scribbling away in a notebook.


• I love the flexibility it affords - working til 2 in the morning if I choose, then having a lie in and spending the day with A.


• Being an unsociable git, I love that I can work away all alone, and when I do need to interact with people its mainly done by email.


• I love having control over what I do.


• I love that I don't have to answer to a manager

The one thing I don't love is the lack of money coming in at the moment!!

I have a website now, although it still needs some work, and I need to put all my energies into promoting my services.

All the stuff in the news about 'Universal Credit' and how it will affect the self employed has scared me a bit (they seem to be saying self employed people should be making at least the equivalent of minimum wage for the hours they are doing - not sure over what period this would be assessed, but I'm certainly not there yet!!). I rely very much on my Working Tax Credits, and also on some Housing Benefit for my rent, so if I cant make this work and build up a bigger client base I will have to rethink the whole thing.

There's a big supermarket due to open in my town later this year, I'm already thinking about trying to get some hours there...so that will be back to working with loads of people, for a manager, within a huge corporation - hmmmm. It would also probably mean leaving A on her own a lot more, which I'm not too happy about. She's at an age now where she's a bit too old for childminders/babysitters (even if I could find one for during school hours!), but I still don't feel comfortable about leaving her alone for too long.

I think for now I will just focus on making the self employment work, and try not to think too much about having to go back to the hell of a job I hate! And despite all the stress of money worries, I am acutely aware of the fact that compared to the vast majority of people on this planet I am very, very wealthy. Need to keep reminding myself of that.

I really do need to get hold of a new camera - this blog is looking very boring without any pics!