02/11/2022
So true!
SELF EMPLOYED WINTER BLUE'S
"Surely it can’t be that much? it’s only flour, eggs, butter and sugar, after all!”
Please remember that I make bespoke cakes which are made to individual specifications unlike the mass produced supermarket cakes which are understandably a-lot cheaper!
It that time of year when I and maybe many self employed people, start to have a little panic!! As with the beginning of the year, the latter few months they can be unpredictable. Now throw in a cost of living crisis and I'm "arrgghhhhh!"
Being self-employed isn't like being employed. You don't have a guaranteed income; if customers don't order, you don't earn! You consistently fielding calls, emails, messages and send out quotes. And you aren't being paid for it. So if those calls, emails, message don't turn into orders, then you'll earn nothing. I am lucky, that a good proportion of the time that they do turn into orders. I also have alot of repeat, loyal customers, which I am truly thankful for.
But that being said, I still have alot of non-replies or occasionally "thats to much" ,so there is a lot of uncertainty as to where the income is going to come from.
On top of that, your generally working longer hours, as some people think you on call 24/7. When your not working on a cake, you working ...unpaid...doing everything else.
Add in no holiday pay, no sick pay and no pension.
I think I work incredibly hard and try to create amazing and beautiful cakes for my customers. But also alot of the time I'm probably working for less than minimum wage, is that right?? Hell no! I am not practically cheap, but I am definitely not charging my worth.
I recently read an article which said that as a self employed person you should be charging a minimum, a minimum of £30 per hour!! £30 an hour, I wish that was even possible.
Why £30 ph, because out of that you have to pay for everything, engery, tools, profit, etc,etc,etc. So in reality £30 isn't alot, but impossible for a cake maker.
So please, please support myself and the little independent business like me.
