Decisions, decisions…
A few weeks ago I lost a client. It wasn’t necessarily anything I did or didn’t do. They’re a not-for-profit and when new board members come in at not-for-profits, there’s always a chance a new board member will say they can take care of the web site for free or they know someone can do it for free or at substantially less than I charge. (My rates, BTW are about one-third of the going rate.)
Losing this particular client was not a catastrophe. Between my part-time gig at the library, the web hosting part of my business and other web design clients, I still come out with extra money at the end of a month or quarter.
But that was the money I’d earmarked for a new bike. Drat.
Anyway, it’s been almost two months and there have been exactly zero changes to their web site, at a time of year when for the past three years I’ve done updates a couple of times a week. I’ll call them this week to see what’s up. Maybe I’ll get some of the work back.
Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking about whether or not so sign a new lease next month. I like my apartment. But noisy neighbors have been getting to me lately, and I’m also marking up the kitchen walls carrying the bike in and out, not to mention marking up the bike. Something quieter and slightly larger might be nice.
Yesterday my boss at the library asked if I’d be interested in additional hours at another branch. The nearby Sully Branch needs a clerk for four hours a week. Their current staff are at their maximum allowed hours and it makes little sense to hire someone for only four hours a week.
I called the Sully branch manager and I start next week.
Interestingly, over the course of a year, the extra hours work out to about twice my annual billing for the client I lost in November.
Which brought me back to thinking about building a bike again. And pre-season sales are just starting. A wheelset I think I’d be happy with is $200 off. A carbon fork I like is $100 off. Saddle $15 off. Carbon “wing” handlebar $50 off. And so on. (I’m betting the frame I want will be $200 to $250 off soon too.)
Of course the problem is that when I billed that client, the money came in all at once. Working for it at the library, it comes in a little bit every-other week. That makes it harder to use for big purchases.
Then, surfing the web this morning I came across my landlord’s web site. They have two lofts available in the next block that are in my price range. Heat and internet are included, and they have A/C and a dishwasher. I’m going to look at them next week.
Finally, I could just stay here, put up with the noise, just ride the bike I already own, and build up some savings.
What to do, what to do…
