Freelancing/working from home

So it occurs to me that I might actually be able to make this blog useful to someone out there. After all, there are probably quite a few women (or men) that would like to be able to stay home with their babies (at least MOST of the time) but still need to make some money. I can tell you that it is certainly possible to do, but that it is also most definitely not for everybody. Only you know how that statement applies to you--just go with your gut. Also, I have no idea how you would do it without any specialized skills to start with. So, if you're looking for someone to tell you how to make gobs of money mysteriously from the internetz or become an e-bay tycoon from scratch or something of that ilk, I am not your gal. I am a freelance editor and writer because I used to be a full-time employed technical editor and writer. Which is not to say that you have to be a writer/editor to work from home freelance-style (maybe you make a killer wedding cake, who knows?), but since that's what I know best I might talk a little about that.

Anyway . . .

Here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to interview myself as if I were myself a few years ago.

Is it worth it? Meaning: is it worth it to sometimes be stressed out staying up late at night working on some piddly project to get the so-called "privilege" to spend all day with a cromagnon being?

For me the answer is a "hell yes." For you? Who knows, we're all different. But here's the thing: three month post-partum me--had she the brain power to answer such a question with anything but "buhhh whaaaa?"--would likely offer an emphatic "hell no." It takes time to get used to such an arrangement. But now, today, I adore the fact that if Little A wants to spend an hour some morning just going through all the books on her shelf we have time to do that. And if one day it takes us two hours to walk to the grocery store and back, since there are so many wonderful things to stop and smell on the way, then why not?

Ok, so how did you get started freelancing?

Hooo boy. Well, firstly I had a master plan. And item number one was amass lots of diverse experience and keep relationships after each experience ends. Three years ago me should actually know this, but maybe she wants some reassurance? By the way, some of my experience was regular employment stuff and some of it was volunteering for non-profits. Also I was lucky enough to have a good chunk of savings due to several years working prior to having the baby and my pretty relentless frugality. This allowed me to be pretty lazy about the whole thing for a while, which was great because I know myself and sometimes I enjoy being lazy. So know yourself and try and get the savings to compensate.

Next, I started contacting all those people I had maintained relationships with. "Hey, I had a baby and am interested in some contract work" with some nice pleasantries in-between. And, I mentioned it to some friends, too. Not in a slimy "want to buy some knives?" sort of way, but just in a "hey, this is what I am trying to do with my life" sort of way.

And so then the work and dough started rolling in?

Sort of-kind of. I got lazy for a while and then got a reality wake-up call as we were looking at out budget and realized I needed to get more serious and more professional. So I created a business website. I took my time and sold myself pretty well on it, I think. Since I was selling my writing, the language had to be pretty much perfect and I needed to come up with a compelling hook. I also gathered all my portfolio materials together, did some more research on standard rates and came up with some, and registered my business. Then, I started contacting people again and directed them to my website.

So how much work do you get?

Not a ton, but that is not my point. And I could probably get more if I wanted to. I just need enough to meet our desired budget and it turns out I can get there in 10 hours a week, or even a little less. Right now I fluctuate (A LOT) but that is my average. And when you consider that I am paying almost nothing for child care (sometimes I drop her at the neighbor's home daycare for a couple hours), it's as if I were working at least twice that (with daycare). We are by no means "rolling in it" but we will be able to replace my car when it dies (with a nice used car) and save a little bit.

What about your relationship with the hubs?

Oh man I sure love him. But, yes, I have to make spending time with him a priority. I will occasionally have serious deadlines that require working late hours and handing off the baby when LCD gets home. That is lame-tastic, but it is rare, thankfully. If that were the general rule, I guarantee you I would get a part-time job so fast. But, most of the time I make nap-time plus his one late night at work my work-time. At some point when the babe starts to get more and more unreliable with nap-time I will have to schedule a more permanent part-time care situation. I am currently looking into swapping with another mom 1-2 X a week to ensure I have time to work and time to hang with my loves.

Well it sounds like everything is wrapped up into a neat little package then.

Sure, until the next dry spell. Or the next kid messes up my schedule. Or this one stops taking naps. But yeah, in general I think we will survive.