Join in if you are self-employed and work from home

starxtrouble

*Hopes to spread my productiveness around everyone*

I have done my expenses spreadsheet, picked up my housemates parcel, registered as self employed and booked myself on a free course from HMRC about how to fill in my tax return

Hope everyone else is doing as well

Star

Horace

Purple - I am afraid to say that they aren't:rolleyes: I will ask my tutor friend what is expected, maybe I am going into too much detail I don't know because I don't think they same way as the average joe:rolleyes: (she is one of the tutors on the course but not my actual tutor).

Have been shopping today to buy much needed food so haven't done any work yet.:rolleyes:

Purpleroses

sounds like a nitemare H, do you have many more to do after these ones?

I'm done for the day. Shop is nice and fresh with a new window display so feel ready for the tourist season now.

Horace

I am pleased about your shop Purple.

The annoying thing is that these are my final two assignments - and they are ones from the earlier part of my course, I have done all the others including the setting up own business ones, finance and marketing. Maybe its because they are so easy that I am thinking more outside of the box. Guess I had better make a start other than to put the assignment number at the top of the page:rolleyes:

sashanut

Lois_and_CK wrote: »

I also have a major problem with getting paid on time. I have 30 day payment terms from date of invoice, and very rarely get paid on time. I posted this moan on another forum, and got told basically that I should put up with it, and that I should have a back-up fund (well yes, in an ideal world). I got given the following scenario on this forum: invoice lands on the desk of the person I work for, it sits in their in-tray for a bit, then they send it off to accounts dept, it sits in their in-tray for a bit, then they get to it and they've missed their monthly date for cheque or BACS runs... and so it goes on.

Well that's all well and good, and I knew that was probably what was happening anyway, but I'm with the person on here who said their bills have to be paid monthly! Waiting six to eight weeks after I've invoiced to get paid is a pain. I hate chasing up money - I agonise for ages over wording the email and always end up sounding really apologetic for daring to ask them to chase up my money. I also worry that they won't give me work again if I 'hassle' them.

I'd be interested to hear how other people word their chase-ups? Here's mine:

Dear cow who isn't paying me

I hope you’re well and not too busy!

Please could you check with your finance department when/if they have issued payment for blah blah project? A copy of the invoice is attached.

Many thanks and best wishes (creep creep, please give me some money)

Hi I'm the person whose bills come in monthly & totally agree with you when you say, well in an ideal world we should have money behind us in a back-up fund to take care of these problem late payers, but I'm afraid we don't. Eventually I hope to have paid off our debts & be in that happy position, but it will take a while....

Anyhow, the cheque finally arrived today :T :T :T - DH shot off to put it in the bank, but of course it will not be cleared till next week now. And before he went, he reminded me that this money is for work done in January.......:eek:

Our scenario is that the invoice should be raised for the previous month on the first of the next, so work in Jan would be invoiced on 1 Feb, in theory. They then have 6 weeks to pay us, making the payment date mid March if they pay on time. They actually paid us - well, it will be 6th April at a guess...

I agree totally that this is too long to wait, but yes, they are our only & biggest client. DH emails them to ask when the payment will be made, but they don't usually answer the first email, then claim they didn't get it ( he now uses email confirmation). This time the excuse was ' oh I was off sick' & just for good measure 'the cheque needs 2 directors to sign & I couldn't get hold of one'.:rotfl:


Thank goodness for my 'other' business - I have been productive today in that I have packed up all the parcels for dolls paid for, also eBay sales & sent them off. Should really do more but friend came round for a natter as usual on a Weds.

Hope you are all getting on with it, I *might* go out & take some photos whilst it is still light enough - set the timer & GO before I find something else to do.

Lois_and_CK

sashanut wrote: »

Hi I'm the person whose bills come in monthly & totally agree with you when you say, well in an ideal world we should have money behind us in a back-up fund to take care of these problem late payers, but I'm afraid we don't. Eventually I hope to have paid off our debts & be in that happy position, but it will take a while....

Anyhow, the cheque finally arrived today :T :T :T - DH shot off to put it in the bank, but of course it will not be cleared till next week now. And before he went, he reminded me that this money is for work done in January.......:eek:

Our scenario is that the invoice should be raised for the previous month on the first of the next, so work in Jan would be invoiced on 1 Feb, in theory. They then have 6 weeks to pay us, making the payment date mid March if they pay on time. They actually paid us - well, it will be 6th April at a guess...

I agree totally that this is too long to wait, but yes, they are our only & biggest client. DH emails them to ask when the payment will be made, but they don't usually answer the first email, then claim they didn't get it ( he now uses email confirmation). This time the excuse was ' oh I was off sick' & just for good measure 'the cheque needs 2 directors to sign & I couldn't get hold of one'.:rotfl:


Thank goodness for my 'other' business - I have been productive today in that I have packed up all the parcels for dolls paid for, also eBay sales & sent them off. Should really do more but friend came round for a natter as usual on a Weds.

Hope you are all getting on with it, I *might* go out & take some photos whilst it is still light enough - set the timer & GO before I find something else to do.

Well done on getting your cheque - I know that feeling when a cheque lands through the door :j Well this afternoon I got a cheque through the door from one of my customers - NINE DAYS EARLY . And from my most favourite customer too, so that made me less grumpy about people who don't pay on time. Anyway, I decided to stop being so mard and emailed someone who is two weeks late with their payment. Second time they've done this and I've only worked with them twice. Last time they were late paying me by 4 weeks :eek: I didn't enjoy working for them anyway and the money wasn't great (I tend to get told what I'm being paid rather than the other way round with my work), so I think if they offer me another job I might turn it down - it's just not worth all the hassle.

Enjoy the photo taking (that is, if you don't get distracted )

Horace

If you use an accounting system such as Sage, you should be able to print out a Statement showing whats owing, about 10 days after you send the invoice, send a statement, if no payment in 30 days get on the phone, if its goods that they have bought from you then you can always take them back as they still belong to you because they haven't been paid for.

Or you could use a service that your bank provides (my brain has gone dead and cannot think of the right word at the mo:rolleyes: ) where they will chase the debt and take a fee. I think that's how it works - but whatever you get your money up front from the bank.

Off to get some dinner because my brain has dried up.:rolleyes:

Lois_and_CK

Thank you, Horace. I must admit, it's good to hear of other people who have no qualms in chasing up late payments. I'm a bit like Monica in Friends - worry far too much about offending people.

The last time I phoned someone who was late paying, they refused to come to the phone when they heard it was me!! It put me off ringing and now I put it all in emails

Purpleroses

aye your accountant can also chase late payments and deal with invoicing etc but it comes at a cost. We used to have people who paid late but found that resending the invoice on pink paper worked well. I've heard some companies won't send payment until they get the pink invoice and it seems to be true!

Lois_and_CK

Purpleroses wrote: »

aye your accountant can also chase late payments and deal with invoicing etc but it comes at a cost. We used to have people who paid late but found that resending the invoice on pink paper worked well. I've heard some companies won't send payment until they get the pink invoice and it seems to be true!

Ohh I never thought of doing a pink invoice - thanks for the tip; something I didn't think of.

What a useful thread.