Leaving employment means taking on some serious responsibilities. You have to keep up with taxes…marketing…growing as a professional.
But the one that people always bring up to me? The benefits.
Benefits can be really intimidating — especially if you’ve spent a few years with employers covering your insurance and retirement.
But honestly, they’re just a number.
If you don’t have major health issues (and depending on the quality of your jobs’ plans, sometimes if you do), all you’re trying to do is pay for a bill that your employer used to cover for you.
How big is that bill?
Most estimations hover around 50% more than your salary. That’s why most people say freelancers should charge twice per hour for comparable employed work…and that no freelancer should charge
(or make) less than $75 per hour for their work.
That number might sound high, but it’s very common, especially once you get off the job boards and start building your own roster of freelance clients.
Want to know how to get to $75/hr? Start with this post. Worried about keeping enough work flowing in so you can afford your benefits? That’s just a marketing challenge, and you should start here.
Megan