Freelance Writing: Simple Tips on Complicated TopicsCan a Freelance Writer Afford a Normal Vacation? How?

Vacation for Freelance WritersAll these recent holidays have got me thinking: are there ways that a freelance writer can have a normal vacation?

As far as I could see, many people were online during the holiday break and completed a gratifying number of jobs.

I wondered, was this because people felt that they had no time to leave for a vacation and possible miss tempting job orders?

On the other hand, was it because those freelance writers had not saved enough money for a vacation? Let’s try to sort these questions out.

First of all, if you are a freelance writer who has problems scheduling a proper vacation, then this article might be helpful. It’s important to remember that having regular breaks and vacations is vital to continued productivity. It refreshes your body, your mind, and your creative drive. Thus, if you haven’t had a vacation, or equivalent, for a long time, and you are experiencing professional struggles, this might be the answer.

Budget: Sometimes freelance writers spend their earnings carelessly. This is especially true for our users who don’t get their paycheck in the whole amount for that period at the end of every month. You receive your payment in installments, and it is often perilously easy to spend a smaller amount thoughtlessly.

Here is a simple example: you have made 100 dollars. You may be tempted to buy something under that amount. However, if you had, let’s say, 200 dollars, you might wait a bit and consider a more substantial investment for your money – perhaps something that costs more, and is more useful in the long term, than what you might purchase for the 100 dollars mentioned earlier.

My suggestion is to start a separate account for your vacation budget. It is important to leave something aside for a vacation. If you are not very disciplined about savings, this could be a challenge. What can you do? Let me share some personal tips. When I was a kid, saving money was like eating vegetables; it could be done, but I had to try really hard and it was not pleasant.

I wanted to travel to Egypt a couple of years ago, so I posted some pictures of it on my fridge and added reminder notes about saving for the trip. I also posted similar messages and pictures next to my computer. And, perhaps not surprisingly, – I finally saved enough for the trip.

Knowing your own habits and tendencies is really important when you are trying to save. Do you find that cash burns a hole in your pocket and calls out, “spend me, please’? If that is the case, then try to keep your money in an account with a debit card. If you are like me, however, and spend more with plastic, your cash may be safer in your wallet. It is not super safe from theft or loss, but it worked for me several times when I had a savings goal in mind.

If you spend too much either way, try putting your money in a savings account with no checkbook and no card. This way, you have to go to a specific place to withdraw your savings. Getting there and waiting in line might give you the impetus to postpone a trivial purchase.

Here’s another important tip: plan your vacation so it will least interfere with your freelance writing work. If you work with RWC, you know that workload peaks come in November-December and April-May. Consider a summer vacation, when you won’t miss as many significant jobs that the ResearchWritingCenter.com might have available. An alternative is right after the winter holidays: from the end of January through the first couple of weeks of February.

Taking off at these times means you won’t lose out on much work, and you can earn more in the peak seasons.

Finally, consider ways of vacationing that don’t cost a fortune. Hostels are a great way to stay in an interesting place cheaply, and some offer kitchen facilities so you can save more by not dining out all the time. Some volunteer opportunities include housing, so, for example, if you are tagging and releasing shore birds, or marking turtle nests, you are concurrently seeing a fascinating new place at low cost.

Relatives are also a wonderful resource. These days, many private individuals advertise their own apartments, on the Internet, for short-term rental in places like Manhattan. Religious communities sometimes offer lodging for travelers. National parks in some areas offer camping and the chance to see something new and wonderful. A vacation can be renewing even if it is not costly.

I hope this article was helpful and you’ll be able save some money! Good luck with your writing – and have a blast during your vacation, whenever and wherever it will be! :)

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