Two years of a global pandemic, soaring energy bills, war raging in Ukraine: it’s fair to say that life at the moment has a few external stressors that can make balancing your mental health just that little bit trickier. And while we value the freedom, flexibility and independence of freelance life, the flip side of that can be uncertainty, financial …
Read moreIR35 soft-landing ending: should I be worried as a freelancer?
This week, it’s time for every freelancer’s favourite topic – tax news update! The beginning of the new tax year is almost upon us and apart from it being time to get your accounts in order once again, it also means the end of HMRC’s promised “soft-landing” period for IR35 rules. But what does this mean if you’re a freelancer? …
Read moreWhat insurances should a freelance sound engineer have?
Listen up, sound engineers! We know it can be confusing shopping around for sound engineer insurance. There are so many different types of business insurance, and many insurers seem geared around bigger businesses. But Dinghy is marching to a different beat – flexible, low-hassle business insurance orchestrated specifically to the needs of freelancers like you. We’ve put together this guide …
Read more7 tips to generate new leads as a freelancer
Email inbox empty? Phone not ringing? All freelancers go through periods where work seems slower and hard to come by. It can be a worrying and frustrating time, particularly if you’re all set up and raring to go. With everyone experiencing big hikes in the cost of living from rising fuel and energy bills and the price of food, it’s …
Read moreSpring statement 2022: the key highlights for freelancers
We know that our freelancers have been hit recently by the rising costs of living and many will have kept a close eye on Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spring statement “mini budget” to see if he was going to deliver any help and support. If you missed it, here are the headlines so you can see what key changes have been …
Read more6 tips from 6prog CEO Andy Barnes on starting your freelance consulting career
If, at your work, you’re the go-to whizz for problem-solving, strategising, and project management, then a career as a freelance consultant could be for you. But what’s the best way to break out on your own? How do you get set-up and started as a freelancer? What keeps the work coming in? We spoke to Andy Barnes, CEO at ethical …
Read moreFreelancer goals: how to work more flexible hours
Workin’ 9-5, what a way to make a livin’! We just love a blast of Dolly here at Dinghy HQ. Partly because, well, she’s awesome. And partly because it reminds us of one of the best things about freelancing – the freedom to break out of the rat race of “office hours” and to set your own schedule. Many people …
Read moreDo I need business insurance as a freelancer?
Freelance life – it’s all about setting your own priorities, choosing your own projects and the freedom to work when it suits you. You might not even think of yourself as a business, especially when you’re first starting out as a freelancer. We hear this a lot when we mention Dinghy business insurance to new freelancers. “I don’t think I …
Read moreHow to deal with work for free requests as a freelancer
One of the biggest shocks of becoming a freelancer is just how often people seem to think the “free” in your job description is a guide to your rates. No one would ever walk into a shop and say, “could I just take this without paying?”. Or have a haircut and tell the stylist they would get great “exposure”, but …
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