I didn't realise this Freelancing page even existed- fantastic! Will be visiting regularly, I'm sure.
Sorry if this has already come up. I have a couple of queries, really.
I'm self-employed and do a few different types of work under this, all in the same field. My main work (i.e. the work I make the most money from) is project-based and happens at specific times of the year, mainly from around May- October. The rest of the year I supplement this with other smaller bits of work.
My baby is due in March 2012, and my current big project will be done & dusted in about mid-late October this year. Realistically although I'll get a few bits of work over autumn/ winter, it will be p/t and sporadic.
I won't be able to do the big, better-paid stuff next year, because I'll be on MA.
MA is great, but won't even cover my share of the mortgage! So I need to work as hard as I can, and earn as much as I can before the baby comes and MA starts.
Realistically, I think I should take up a temporary p/t job, because my freelance work simply won't earn me enough to save anything up. But if I took a temporary retail job etc, say a couple of days a week- would this mean I would no longer qualify for MA, as I'd be on a proper salary?
The other option is I could spend autumn/ winter making up a lot of stock (I sell some things through shops/ galleries etc.) But this would mean I'd have money trickling into my account all through my maternity leave, even though I wouldn't technically be 'working' during that period. Does anyone have any experience of this, and if it's 'allowed'- i.e. if delivery notes etc clearly show that work was sent to stockists before the MA time began?
Sorry this has ended up being a long one! X