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Hello, my dears!!
Well it seems like at least once a month I get a reminder of why my readership is one of the best a girl could ask for. And this month, it was no different! You lot really came through with what I asked you to help me with, and your input is bound to be massively helpful. So thank you and well done, everyone.
For those who don't know what I'm on about, last week I called out to my readership to help me help my nephew, Stevie. He's a self-employed courier and has recently started helping people who also want to go into that line of business. He asked me if I could write a blog post talking about some of the things people going into this profession should know, even before they start actually promoting themselves and accepting jobs. I had the idea to turn this into a reader interaction and, well, my darlings came through!
So without further ado, reproduced below are some of the best pieces of advice sent in by my readers on this subject. I think there are some great tips in there, and Stevie's asked me to pass on his thanks to you all – even the ones that didn't get in print will be put to good use.
'The first thing someone wanting to be a self-employed courier should be aware of is that business will not be steady or even predictable. You'll have some great periods, as well as a few very spotty ones, and you need to be ready to tough those out. It takes a lot of mental strength and determination to succeed in this job.' - John, Cumbria.
'Be thrifty. You're not always going to have money, it's not a steady income, so save up when you can and try not to spend unless you have to. Otherwise, you may run into trouble down the line, and you don't want that. Also, be polite to everyone you meet – you just never know where your next job is coming from or going to!' – Joan, Shropshire.
'An important thing for anyone who wants to be a self-employed courier to know is that taxes are different when you're self-employed. There are no P45s, your tax code is different and so are the amounts you'll have to pay. So make sure you keep up to date with all this, to avoid unpleasant surprises!' - Matthew, Merseyside
There you have it, then, Stevie – hope it helps. And that goes for everyone else reading this, as well. To the rest of you, see you next month!
Until then, ta-ra!
- Gertie
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