Contractor Insurance Advice from Kingsbridge

How to save money over Christmas as a contractor

Christmas is an expensive time of the year, we’re all aware of that fact. But does it really have to be? Working for yourself brings with it many positives, but sadly, it also comes with its pitfalls. And two of the biggest pitfalls are irregular sums of money and a degree of uncertainty when it comes to what the future months will bring you.

That’s why this year, we’re offering you some food for thought when it comes to saving some serious money over the Christmas period as a freelancer or a contractor. Read our five tips below and see how much money you can save this year.

7 must-have gifts for the freelancer in your life

What do you get someone who works for themselves? If you’re looking for a gift that offers productivity or practicality and slots into their freelancing lifestyle perfectly, we might have some inspiration for you!

Check out these seven gifts, perfect for the freelancer in your life!

Making the Transition – Moving from Permanent to Contracting

Making the switch from a secure, permanent position to the world of contracting is a big step, and one that shouldn’t be made lightly. We know it can be a stressful time if you’re considering making the move, and that’s where we come in. After all, it’s not only about securing new client contracts. It’s about maintaining a sustainable business.

Enhance your profitability as a freelancer with these 4 tips

We’ve put together these four tips to help you increase your profitability as a freelancer. Read on!

Build a digital portfolio

Being able to showcase your past work through a high-quality online portfolio will help you secure new business. Being able to show potential clients that you’re able to deliver something that gets results is essential for any freelancer.

The time spent building and perfecting a portfolio is worth it. How many times have you been persuaded into a purchase after reading a whole host of great reviews? The concept is similar when it comes to case studies and portfolios.

It might seem difficult to sing your own praises to start with – but if you don’t, who will? It’s the best way to secure a new client.

5 must-have apps for freelancers

As a freelancer, apps can become an integral part of your working day. They can help you become more organised and more productive. And without a manager looking over your shoulder or a team around to support you and help deliver tasks it can be tough to stay motivated.

Here are five of our favourite apps that you might find useful:

Hidden costs you’ll need to consider as a freelancer

If you’re considering becoming a freelancer, regardless of the industry, there’s likely to be some hidden costs you might not have counted on when you first started out.

As a freelancer your overheads will be low. With no business premises and no employees, all you seem to have to pay out for initially are the fees that come with putting together a website (alongside some small marketing costs).

But what about the other potentially financially perilous situations you may not have considered?

Cyber Liability Claims

When you think about cyber attacks, you probably think about the big data breaches. Snapchat. Equifax. The NHS. They might make the headlines, but in reality cyber criminals are targeting small and medium-sized businesses at a rapid clip.

Why? Smaller businesses are seen as easier targets, but they’re also often used as stepping stones to the larger organisations they invariably work with.

Increase in Cyber Attacks Continues

We’ve spoken about the prevalence of cyber attacks on these pages before. As we become ever more reliant on digital platforms, we leave ourselves more and more susceptible to the possibility of having our data breached.

Whether it’s a hallowed institution like the NHS or a corporate monolith like Snapchat seems to make little difference. The only prerequisite for becoming a target is inadequate protection and preparation.

We build our houses on firm foundations and plan our skyscrapers down to the final millimetre, but there are always flaws. The digital world, a superstructure of infinite proportions, is no different. As hard as we try there will always be a backdoor or an exploit somewhere waiting to be found.

4 must-know tips from seasoned freelancers

If you’re new to freelancing or contracting and you’re after some advice from seasoned professionals then today’s your lucky day!

We recently took some time to gather a few of the best tips a new freelancer or contractor could possibly wish for.

We spoke to a number of contractors and freelancers who have all been there and done it. Read on for their advice.

4 things no one tells you about becoming a freelancer

Thinking of taking your career into your own hands? If you’re toying with the idea of becoming a contractor or freelancer, there are a few things that are useful to know before you start. Read on below and see if it’s still the career for you!

You actually don’t need much money to start

To start freelancing you don’t need a whole load of money, but you do need bags of passion and enough time to invest in your new business. Time has to be spent on building yourself a presence and being driven enough to submit proposal after proposal, even when you get knocked back time and time again. Passion certainly conquers all in this game and if you’re doing what you love, it’ll keep you interested and motivated to always do better.