If you’re feeling the pinch and would welcome a little extra money, then you’ll know that working out the best way to boost your income can be tricky. If you’re already working full time then the thought of taking on an evening job as well might feel like too much. However, there could be another option: freelancing from home.
In today’s employment market there is a demand for all sorts of skills on a casual basis. It’s not just website whizz-kids that are in demand; telephone sales people, copy writers, accountants, translators, product photographers and more are required by businesses large and small, both at home and abroad.
The rise in freelance working has been facilitated by online freelance job markets. These have emerged and developed alongside the transfer of traditional recruitment to online job boards – the only difference being that the jobs are generally offered on a project basis. A project might take anything from less than an hour to several weeks – or longer – to complete.
If the idea appeals but you don’t feel you have the right skills, don’t be too quick to reject freelancing out of hand. Check out sites such as Upwork and Freelancer and see what people are looking for; you might be pleasantly surprised to find out that your skills are in demand.
Don’t forget that if you start earning money as a freelancer, you need to tell HMRC about it. You’ll have to register as self-employed and file tax returns at the required intervals. You may also need to pay additional tax or National Insurance contributions, depending upon your current circumstances and how much you earn.
And if your freelancing career takes off, you might find yourself leaving the day job – and the daily commute – behind and changing your lifestyle altogether!
Author: Steven Miscandlon
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