Any Freelancers out there struggling?

[Alice6910]

Hi I'm a freelancer who works at different companies week to week and booked through agencies to work at companies throughout london. I was just wondering if there was anyone else out there in a similar situation as me that can give me some support and maybe some advice. My 15 month is registered at nursery, minimum one day a week, and i can add days as needed.
I get bookings that are confirmed then cancelled, then postponed then back on! Basically no consistency! Ive just lost a weeks booking because i said i would have to leave at 5pm to pick up little one from nursery.
My point is with a full time employer, they need to (legally i think) be lenient with childcare etc but when you're a freelancer you're just a "freelancer"!
Was wondering how other freelancers jugged work, bookings and childcare. We're hoping to move soon and know we will not find a nursery that is so "understanding" with booking of days and don't really want to pay for days when im not working.

Dear Alice

This does sound really tricky. When I was in a similar situation I didn't use to talk in terms of childcare, but about 'another appointment'. I suppose its tricky if they are paying you a daily rate, but sadly lots of places are more willing to understand you have other clients with calls on your time, than children.

I used to do lots of work with various small firms in geographical clusters. We'd arrange them all on one day, - and then someone would want to rearrange for the following week, when I'd be in quite a different area. In the end, because my childcare was a fixed cost, and I was paid by results, I couldn't make it pay, and had to cut this type of work from my portfolio. Not very helpful I'm afraid, but I found it was important to think of the stress on me, and whether in the end I was trying to square a circle, - at least at this time of my life, on this service.

Never, ever say you can't do something because of childcare - say you have another job on or another booking.

Jobs being cancelled/moved/postponed is just part of the game I'm afraid - the trick is to have a few clients on the go so you're not reliant on one or two falling into schedule.

Can I ask what line of work you're in? I took from your OP that you worked from clients' premises, is that something that can be changed? I work from home and often end up working at night or on the weekend because I've had to 'stop' jobs to do pick ups, but I don't present it like that to the client of course.

It depends on your market power. Plenty of freelancers have written contracts which say if you cancel a booking within a week of its taking place the full fee is paid - like the dentist will charge if you cancel only the day before etc

As said above never mention children. I would just say I have another meeting so need to leave by 5pm.

Why are you making it difficult to hire you? Your daughter may be absolutely adorable - but they don't give a shit about her or your childcare arrangements.

Take the job. Leave at 4:30. You're a freelancer being paid to get the job done, not punch the clock and you don't need to explain your time-keeping to anyone!

Thanks ladies so far. I'm a graphic designer hired by agencies to work at marketing companies (generally). I can't mention other clients as reason for leaving as they have booked me for day/week and I'm theirs for that time. I also can't just up and leave at 4.30 without warning as I work on alot of press ads and urgent stuff that goes to big clients/press etc.

I see. I think childcare then is the answer. We hired someone from 3 - 6 every night in the week as the only way to ensure we could both work full time. We also had someone who helped at weekends who could do that time too if the first was sick.

Ok, agency culture is long hours and I guess you are expected to be on the premises for graphics so that is going to be a problem for you. I'd think about three things: as Mary says, reviewing your childcare.

I'd also start to talk to your clients about the possibility of working from home - sell this as a benefit to them. For eg, I give one free meeting but then I charge travel times for meetings/being in someone else's office so it's more cost effective for me to work at home. This may of course take time for you to build up.

Third - it is OK to charge for cancelled days. I don't have to do it often, but if a firm booking is moved at the last minute I will charge. I also have a standby rate (half my day rate) for when I feel I don't want to charge a whole day but I want them to know they're monkeying me around. This is standard practice - I have normally turned down work (or that's what I tell my client!).

We started using nannies but had to use 3 different ones to cover the week because I didn't always work every day so they weren't always needed. They too need to earn a living but couldn't always guarantee them work. I had a Mon girl, Tues girl and a wed-Fri girl but this wasn't working so had to put her in advoc nursery which works better. (until we move). Cancellation wise, in all the agencies' contracts, clients are allowed to cancel upto 4 hrs before booking. There are too many freelancers out there unfortunately so if I start putting my foot down and being more demanding they will easily find someone else.
I have been very lucky and did one large job from home, working 2 hrs most evenings after a full days work and after daughter and dinner done! But that is finished now. Unfortunately again, the majority of jobs, clients need u in the office as jobs change every 5 mins and other members of staff (PMs, Account directors etc) will come and give their input. This can be done via email etc, but again they prefer someone to come in.

This week I'm working at London Bridge, one train in, so easy and they let me go at 5.30, so as long as train is on time I'm Ok for nursery. But have a feeling the booking will be cancelled from tomorrow onwards as they work from the client hasn't come in yet. That would mean cancelling nursery which we can do, luckily, but when we move I would stil have to pay for the days booked in!
No wonder there are so many men in my field of work!

Dentists, therapists, trainers and many others have large cancellation fees but clearly not in your area. It is difficult. Most of us share collection of children with a partner so it is not the women as much as man responsible and perhaps doing alternative days for rushing home depending on which has the most urgent meeting at that time. Another option some parents have who just need someone a few hours a day which days might vary is a live in au pair and put the baby to sleep in your room to free a room for the au pair perhaps?

Honestly? The only reliable solution is to pay for childcare even if you're not working then work like fury to fill those days. Or as Mary suggests, get an au pair. It's not easy I know...