It can be nerve-wracking to bring up to your spouse or partner that you want to leave your desk job to freelance full-time. After all, being a freelancer can make your income much more variable.
If your full-time income is paying a decent amount of your bills, making the move to go freelance can have a significant impact on your household finances. This should be discussed with your other half. Here’s how to approach the topic:
Do the Math and Start Lining Up a Full-Time Workload
Before making the decision to take freelancing full-time, you need to make sure that the numbers work out. Are you making enough to sustain yourself when considering business expenses and taxes?
It’s easiest to transition from side hustling into full-time freelancing. With this approach, you already should have some clients and a network of people who you can reach out to for additional work. Start contacting folks to line up work that can seamlessly move you into full-time.
My favorite type of work is recurring assignments instead of one-off projects. Having these consistent assignments weekly makes income much less inconsistent. What recurring packages can you create? How can you sell these recurring packages to stabilize your income ahead of going full-time?
Come Up With a Real Plan
Telling your partner you’re quitting your job doesn’t work if you don’t have a plan. They may be a little concerned that you’re leaving your job without a strategy which is understandable. Come to the table with facts and figures to show your partner that you have a way to maintain your part of the financial responsibility in the relationship.
Show them the clients you have and what income you’re bringing in along with your expenses. Show them how you will be growing your business and how you’ll consistently keep a source of income flowing into the house. It’s worthwhile to also discuss household budgeting tactics now that you’ll have a variable income.
Talk About Health Care and Other Logistics
Are you and your partner currently under the health care of your employer? If so, insurance coverage is something you’ll need to discuss with your partner as well.
The Freelance Union has some information on health care, life insurance, and disability insurance that you could check out. Life insurance will likely be necessary if you have a family. Disability insurance is important because a self-employed worker can’t make money if they’re not working. Think about your contingency plan and insurance. Have this figured out before you bring the idea to freelance full-time to your partner so they see you’ve done your homework.
Discuss Retirement
Besides insurance, you’re going to want to think about your retirement. What will you do with your 401k money currently managed by your employer? What investment vehicles will you use to save money when you’re self-employed? You can learn more about self-employment retirement strategies here.
Final Word
Leaving your full-time job for self-employment is exciting. You should bring your partner into the decision-making if you have one. After all, how you’re bringing in money will be impacting them as much as you. Be honest when you’re working towards self-employment and keep track of the numbers so you can show how you’ll be pulling the weight in the relationship. It’ll be easier for a partner to support your decision when you’ve thought it through carefully.
