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Regular readers of “Oh So Steffany” will know that I decided to take the plunge into the freelance world a while back. Lots of people are doing the same thing in 2018 because it’s a pretty simple switch. With the right equipment and a handful of strategic contacts, you can follow in my footsteps!

Although freelancing isn’t a walk in the park, one thing I didn’t expect was the high costs. Being the boss means splashing quite a lot of cash. As a woman of the people, I know that this is unacceptable to the average freelancer, my readers and I included. So, here’s a post that focuses on slashing costs to the bone. Enjoy.

Overheads

And by “overheads” I’m mainly talking about energy bills. British Gas thinks it can increase costs year in, year out and get away with murder. The worrying thing is that it seems to be true. Because freelancers work from home, we need to burn through gas and electric to be productive so it’s a catch-22 situation. Thankfully, switching providers with uSwitch or Money Supermarket is a cool exit strategy. Also, I never forget to claim for home office expenses on my tax return. Plenty of freelancers don’t know about this little hack so keep it in mind.

Travelling

On an easy day, freelancing consists of sitting at the laptop churning out content. There’s nothing more straightforward. On a difficult day, there’s plenty of travelling to meet clients and conduct meetings. God, it’s a long and sometimes boring experience. Even worse, it’s expensive because we have to travel moderate distances. Reducing travelling expenses altogether isn’t possible unless we are happy to walk, but sometimes the gaps are too far. In that case, I’d recommend driving or public transport, whichever you can claim for on a tax return. Usually, buses and trains are eligible for tax deductions.

Tax

There have already been a couple of references to tax so let’s confront the elephant in the room. Paying the taxman is probably the biggest expense on the list, and it’s the one we hate paying the most. Corrupt politicians are just trying to milk us for every penny! Usually, most of us delegate the task to a pro because the consequences can be expensive. However, an Avado bookkeeping course can teach freelancers everything they need to know. Then, there’s no reason to fork out a monthly sum to an accountant. Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say you should apply for every deduction possible.

Communicating

Speaking on the phone or via text message isn’t cheap depending on the contract. And, there is the cost of wifi to factor in too. Start by searching for the cheapest possible internet deal by throwing in a landline for good measure. To keep additional expenses down, freelancers can download Skype and telecommute. Not only does this hack reduce office costs, but it limits travelling expenses as well. There’s no need to meet when both parties can speak via a video calling app.

Are you finding freelancing costly? How do you plan on cutting back?