Freelance work has become more and more of a norm for most Americans, with over 59 million citizens working as independent contractors across the country. There are many benefits to freelance work, but a number of challenges as well. 

You run your work as your own company and as such, you have to make all the big decisions. One of the most difficult things to determine when you’re first starting out? How much to charge for your freelance services. 

There’s no simple guide out there on how to price freelance work, which is why it can be so difficult for many who are new to this kind of workflow. What do you need to know about creating your own personal pricing structure? Read on.

Determining Hourly vs. Fixed Rate

Before you get into the business of deciding how much you should charge, you’ll need to decide how you want to be charged. Deciding between an hourly wage or a fixed cost will depend a lot on the kind of work you do and the flexibility you’ll have per project.

Generally speaking, fixed pricing can be easier for you and the client. You simply ask for the amount of cash you’ll want upfront, and it’s delivered upon the delivery of your services. 

When might hourly rates make more sense? In situations where it’s hard to determine how long it will take you to accomplish the work at hand. For example, if you’re providing a service that might get sent back to you with notes for adjustments.

It can be hard to determine how many rounds of notes you might receive and how big and time-consuming the changes might be. Charging by the hour could help you to match the amount of effort you put into how much you get paid. 

If you have more control over when, where, and how you’re doing a job, working with a fixed rate might make more sense. It will certainly be less to keep track of. 

Luckily, you can find an invoice template to match whichever payment format you go with. 

How to Price Services

The best way to land a price for your own services is to look at the competition. What do people who do the same work as you charge for their services? If you do a good amount of research, you should get a steady sense of how much to expect for a certain amount of work. 

If you’re just starting out, you may want to pull your asking price just a little lower to stay competitive. You’ll need to build up a client base, so offering a small discount as you get your footing can be smart.

You can always push your price up later on once you are more established.

Cashing Out on Freelance Services

If you’re providing freelance services to a number of clients, you’ll want to be sure you’re getting paid what you deserve. Landing on an exact number as you’re getting started, however, can be tricky. The above info can help you determine how to go about this difficult task. 

Have more questions about business and labor? Keep scrolling our blog for more.

You’re nearing retirement age, and it’s time to start thinking about your living arrangements. Do you want to stay in your current home, downsize to a smaller home, or move into a senior living community? Or when it’s time for your parents to move out of their house, you might wonder where they will go.

Many choose to go to senior apartment buildings but not all of those are suitable for your aging parent. It’s a tough decision to choose the best senior living community for them. Keep reading to learn how to find the best one near you.

Start with a Referral

A great way to start your search is to ask for referrals from family and friends, your doctor, or other professionals who work with seniors. Once you have a few referrals, schedule tours of the communities that interest you. Aging parents need assistance and you want just the best for them, so a little investigation is needed. 

Do Your Research

Begin your research by evaluating your own needs and preferences. Consider your budget, desired location, and what type of environment you are looking for aging adults to age in. You can start looking at different communities in your local area after researching.

Tour the Communities

When narrowing down your choices for a senior living center, take the time to tour each community. This will give you a first-hand look at the level of care and services each community offers. It will also give you a chance to meet the staff and get a feel for the day-to-day operations.  

Ask the Right Questions

During your tour, pay attention to your gut feelings. Does the community feels like home and does the staff seem caring and competent? Are the residents happy and engaged?

Ask lots of questions and trust your gut. With so many options available, you are sure to find a community that is the perfect fit for you or your loved one.

Consider Your Care Needs

It’s important to consider your care needs. Do you need assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, and eating, or the value of anti-aging foods? Do you require memory care or skilled nursing care?

Once you’ve determined your care needs, you can begin your search for a senior living community that can best meet those needs. 

Prepare for the Golden Years in a Senior Living Community

There are a number of ways to find the best senior living community in your local area. You can start by talking to your doctor or other health care provider, as they may be familiar with communities that would be a good fit for you. You can also ask family and friends for recommendations, or search online for senior living communities.

The move will be less stressful for you and your loved one if you go about it the right way. 

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Did you know that landscape irrigation constituted up to 30% of a water utility’s cost in 2017?

Water conservation is not a new thing, especially within the United States. Experts and regulators have been pushing people to have efficient irrigation.

But how can you have efficient irrigation without knowing the different sprinklers? Read on to learn about the four common types of lawn sprinklers.

1. Travel Sprinkler

As the name suggests, a traveling sprinkler is a lawn sprinkler on wheels that can be moved around the lawn as needed. It is an excellent option for watering large lawns or for those who have difficulty reaching all areas of their property with a standard hose.

There are many different travel sprinklers available, from basic models to more advanced models with features like timers and adjustable spray patterns. They are easy to set up and can cover a lot of ground. However, they can be expensive and may not provide an even distribution of water.

2. Impact Sprinkler: One of the Common Types of Lawn Sprinklers

Impact sprinklers are the most common and least expensive type. They use a spinning wheel to fling the water out in a pattern and can be adjusted to change the width and length of the coverage area. Gear-driven sprinklers are a step up in terms of quality and price.

Rotary sprinklers are the most expensive and highest quality type. They use a rotating nozzle to create a gentle, rain-like spray that is ideal for delicate lawns.

They are easy to use and can cover a large area. However, they can be noisy and may not evenly distribute water. They use a series of gears to create a rotating spray, which is more evenly distributed and can be set to specific patterns.

3. Stationary Sprinkler

Stationary sprinklers are usually attached to a garden hose and can be set to water your lawn on a schedule. Some models even have built-in timers to make lawn watering easy and convenient. These sprinklers are also ground-based, but they have a rotating head that helps to water your lawn evenly. 

Some of the homeowners are considering the condition of their lawn. Taking care of them and giving them the best lawn sprinkler is better. If you want to learn more about how to choose a lawn sprinkler, Lush Green Landscapes will help you.

4. Misting Sprinkler

If you have ever seen a fine mist coming from a lawn sprinkler, you have witnessed a misting sprinkler. Common in agricultural settings, these sprinklers use a small amount of water pressure to create a mist, distributed evenly over a field or lawn. Mister sprinklers can be used for equipment cooling, irrigation, dust suppression, and more.

Misting sprinklers are lawn sprinklers that use a fine mist to distribute water over your lawn evenly. Misting sprinklers are ideal for small yards or areas where you don’t want to oversaturate the ground. Misting sprinklers can be attached to your hose or standalone units that need to be filled with water.

Choose the Best for Your Needs

As you can see, many different types of lawn sprinklers are available on the market. Each type has its own unique set of features and benefits. By understanding the differences between classes, you can choose the best sprinkler for your individual needs.

If you want to learn more about home improvement, please browse other blog posts.

Is your family in the best health? Or do you feel like there’s room for improvement when it comes to your family’s health?

Making sure each family member gets adequate sleep, whole foods to eat, and exercise are important ways to produce healthy families. But are there other aspects of your lifestyle you could change?

If you’re looking for ways to create a healthy home, here are five tips you can start implementing today. 

1. Water Filtration System

A water filtration system filters out toxins in the water that could make you or your family members sick. Chemicals like lead and chlorine can do damage if your family doesn’t have a water filtration system. Investing in a whole-house filtration system ensures that all of your water filtrates for healthy drinking and usage. 

2. Family Health Insurance

28 million people do not have health insurance, and this likely includes children in families. Without health insurance, families pay out of pocket for doctor’s visits, medications, and more, and sometimes these costs are hundreds of dollars. To stay out of medical debt and keep your family healthy, consider looking into family health insurance. 

3. Reduce Your Schedule

When you’re a busy family with activities and commitments, it’s very easy to have a consistently packed schedule. Sometimes this leads to more stress for families and hinders their ability to connect with each other.

Consider reducing your family’s schedules so you can have more time at home. What areas or activities do you need to keep and which ones can you eliminate for now? You can always return to an activity at a later time when there’s more breathing room in your schedule. 

4. Have Dinner Together

Because of busy schedules, more and more families choose to eat out when they’re on the run. Not only does this lead to a more hurried lifestyle, but most fast food isn’t a healthy choice for children’s growing bodies. Having dinner around the table allows your children to eat nutritious food and gives you an opportunity to slow down and build relationships. 

Check out some healthy family dinner ideas to get everyone involved in dinner preparation each week. This will save you time when you need dinner on the table. 

5. Garden

Gardening may prolong your life and allows you to soak up vitamin D from the sun. Gardening with children may also help them appreciate hard work, and see where their food comes from.

If you live in an area where it’s hard to garden, or you have smaller children, inside gardens are a great introduction to gardening. Start with a small herb garden and go from there. 

Building Healthy Families

Healthy living at home isn’t impossible, but it doesn’t require commitment and planning. Healthy families thrive and don’t just survive together. What tips can you put in place today to be a healthier family? 

Don’t forget that having a healthy budget is also great for families! If you’re wondering how to stay thrifty but thrive in your family, visit our website today to learn more thrifty tricks and tips. 

A massive 40% of employees feel that having a flexible schedule is the greatest benefit of working remotely. However, this is not the only advantage, as you can also save cash you might have spent if you were still going into the office. 

But what are the unexpected ways that remote working can save you money? By making the most of every cost-saving opportunity, you could dramatically reduce your outgoings and leave yourself with more disposable income at the end of each month. 

You’ll be happy to hear that by the end of this short guide, you’ll know about 7 fantastic ways your remote job can help you boost your bank balance. 

Let’s jump straight in and learn more.

1. Cheaper Clothing 

When you are working from home, you won’t need to buy work clothes that you may have worn to look more professional in the office. This can cut down on your clothes shopping bill and reduce your dry cleaning costs.

2. More Affordable Food 

Rather than buying expensive snacks from stores and vending machines, you can stock your kitchen cupboards with cheaper and healthier foods. You can even use grocery store apps to source great deals to keep your costs as low as possible.

3. Gym Costs

Your remote work life may be more flexible than your old schedule, and you might not need to have a specific time for attending the gym before or after work. Instead, you could use weights that you have at home, go for a jog during your lunch break, or practice yoga in your living room during short breaks throughout the day.

You could also use fitness apps to save money as these can provide you with workout routines for free or at a small cost.

4. Cell Phone Charges

When commuting, you may have been bored and phoned friends and family for a chat, or played games that used up your mobile data allowance, resulting in increased costs. But, you’re more likely to be entertained at home and can use your Wi-Fi network to avoid running up a higher data bill on your cell phone. 

5. Fewer Haircuts

Another of the less obvious money-saving tips when remote working is to get fewer haircuts. While you’ll want to stay neat and tidy, you’ll be seeing colleagues less, so you can wait a bit longer between visits to your stylist. 

6. Fewer Takeaway Coffees

It can be nice to treat yourself to a takeaway coffee every now and then, but you might find you do this less often when you’re not walking past the coffee shop every day. Even if you invest in a quality coffee-making machine, this could save you a lot of money over an extended period. 

7. Child and Pet Care Costs

Rather than hiring childminders and dog walkers, you can look after the kids while you work, and walk your pets during your lunch hour. You may also find buying dog products from breedgenetics.com while on a coffee break is a cost-effective way to shop for your pet.

You Could Save a Small Fortune When Remote Working

Remote working is becoming a normal way of life for many employees, and it offers terrific opportunities to save significant amounts of money. There is less need to spend cash on office attire or frequent haircuts, and you can eat more healthily for less. It’s also possible to reduce your cell phone bills and find flexible exercise routines that you can fit in without going to the gym.

You may soon notice that remote working is increasing your spending power while also providing you with a better work/life balance.

For more money-saving tips, check out our Frugal Living category.