Kate Bohdanowicz

I’ve had a run of bad luck recently. Just the usual rubbish life throws at you sometimes. Some trouble and stress; a family friend’s illness; a quiet week or two of work. 

It culminated (I say culminated in the hope this is the end) yesterday at 5.45am with the downstairs neighbours banging on the door to say water was pouring through their bathroom ceiling. I called the plumber (who answered at 6am) and it turns out there was a broken pipe underneath the bath taps. The upshot is he’s going to have to drill a hole through my wall and I’m going to shell out £500 (the insurer’s sky-high excess) to pay for the neighbours’ repairs and mine.

It got me thinking about the vulnerability of the freelance life. When I had a regular job, with regular money, I knew my bank account would be topped up every month. It meant I could spend more and while I am debt averse, I didn’t worry about going overdrawn a little.

If I had to spend hours on the phone to insurers, I could do it on company time and chat to colleagues about it.

Now I work mainly from home. I have two jobs. As a part-time teacher with a contract I’m committed to specific hours and to complete my planning and marking in time. So despite the fact it’s not the lion’s share of my income, I work my freelance journalism round the teaching.

But when I have a dip in earnings, lose a couple of commissions or set my heart on a loft extension, I start thinking of applying for full-time jobs and opting for security over freedom.

Then yesterday I was chatting to a colleague about retirement. She is reaching that milestone this summer and told me she was ready for adventures. I told her I couldn’t see myself ever throwing in the towel. I don’t have a decent pension pot and I might not even make it to my retirement age (68 and counting). So it’s important to me that I have a few adventures as I go along.

I like the freedom freelancing gives me. There’s no limit to my earnings (equally, some days there can be no start to it either). I get to do things: go for daytime runs; meet friends for coffee; paint five coats (primer and satinwood) on my front door in a week; choose to take an afternoon off here and work Saturday nights when my other half watches Match of the Day.

I’m often being told freelancing is about holding your nerve and being able to go with the flow. No work? Relax and try and get some. Lots of work? Enjoy it while it lasts.

Easier said than done I know.

I’ve got to know myself much better since becoming freelance. I work best early in the morning and I benefit from a run in the day and occasionally a nap.

I couldn’t do that in the office and that’s what I love about freelancing.