Comments on: Monthly Assessment: December 2011

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:15:42 +0000

Paula, keep after them!

Cathy, hope those checks arrived! Doesn't matter when as long as they show up, right?

Victoria, try doing the same thing, either here or somewhere else. Just keep checking back over your own progress. It's a great motivator.

Linda, thanks for the inside info! I'd often wondered why those checks hang in suspension for what seems like eternity in December.

By: linda

linda — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:48:08 +0000

Hi,
One of the reasons some companies don't pay too much in the way of invoices at year end is so their cash position is good at 12/31, especially if they use a calendar year end. This gives them better ratios, since increasing your accounts payables (which we all are) looks good on the financial statements, along with cash in the bank. Nothing personal, just more fun with numbers!

Signed: An accountant who is working on becoming a writer...

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:16:22 +0000

Okay, the mailman delivered 2 of the 4 invoices. The other 2 won't make it into this year's income. Bummer, because I was hoping December would be the best income month yet - it comes in as 2nd best so I'm not complaining. The last quarter was my highest quarter for income.

I'm waiting on the vacations to be over to map out new business with two existing clients. Both were waiting on budget approvals to discuss their needs and both are hoping for significant expansion of my services, which I think I could manage. :-)

So, all in all, a great year and looking forward to 2012-Happy New Year, everyone!!

By: Victoria @ My Daily Cuppa

Victoria @ My Daily Cuppa — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:23:09 +0000

Hi Lori,
I just love the way that you record and reflect on yuor monthly activity.

With the new year approaching, I hope to adopt a much more streamlined approach to my own online activities.

I look forward to what 2012 will bring and I wish you all the best too.

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:06:45 +0000

Cathy - at least we're in the same boat with some of those vacationers who forgot to pay invoices before leaving for the rest of the year.

I'm lucky that enough came in to cover January bills. Now I kind of hope the rest doesn't arrive until the new tax year.

Happy 2012.

By: Cathy Miller

Cathy Miller — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:43:42 +0000

I'm impressed, Lori, that you posted this even with your vacation!

I am literally waiting for the mailman. I have the equivalent of a whole month's worth of income pending. All those accounting people took off for the holidays and I am not feeling very Ho-Ho-Ho about them being past due on the invoices.

Hope springs eternal and I'll circle back here after the 31st.

Happy New Year to all!

By: Paula

Paula — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:58:15 +0000

December is always slow, since a couple places I work for shut down the the last 2-3 weeks of the year. Only problem? Two of them closed before approving my invoices. (Apparently editors who get several weeks of paid vacation per year can forget that freelancers still have bills to pay.) Luckily the EIC of one the the publications worked until Dec 22, so he was able to submit my invoice and my check arrived Tuesday.(More on that, below.)

On to my December:

Sent two queries to inflights. No LOIs. No job postings.

Existing clients: Wrote one column. Still working on a piece for an old client that sought me out. The holidays have interfered with getting interviews done. Turned down assignment from the Late Payer (who finally payed for the September sidebar, plus a small late fee). In the third week of December they tried to assign me a 1600-word article for which they wanted a minimum of 10 sources. And when was it due? January 10. I knew that was impossible, and I wasn't going to let them ruin my holidays for something I wouldn't be paid for until spring.

New clients: Wrapped my first piece for a new client. The editor seemed easy to work with, so I hope this leads to new assignments. After the first of the year I'll ask what kinds of things she's looking for with the next issue.

Earnings: I have quite a bit invoiced out, and the check the EIC pushed through will keep me afloat through January, and also allowed me to splurge on a new Mac Mini as a year-end tax write-off. It was on sale at a big box store (we don't have any Apple stores near here, and the sale price was more than $30 less than at the online Apple store). Naturally, they were sold out, but spent 20 minutes hunting the store since their computer said they had one in stock. Never found it, so they back ordered it. Should arrive Saturday - once I get it I won't have a clue how to "migrate" things from this one to the new one, and I don't even know what things need to be moved. When people smirk at my technological ineptitude, I say, "It's the same as if I handed you a ball of yarn and some knitting needles and said, "This is all you need to knit. You can figure it out."

Once I get the new computer up and running and figure out how modern technology works, I hope to get a website and blog going, and I'll finally be able to Tweet normally again.