Concerns about the future and being self employed.

They say working for yourself and being your own boss is honourable and accrues direct benefit to you the hard worker. Look at Bill gates, he started off in his garage, now the man rule the world and he is much richer thn many nations-the way see it, being self employed is the way to go in this modern time!

I am working in a government entity. Like anyone else we need to prepare for the future, for whatever eventualities we will go. Although receiving not much I can manage to enjoy a happy life. I dont have much but I see to it that I have my insurance, my optional insurance, accident insurance my house insurance and my health insurance. Some are salary deductions but some are paid directly to insurance companies. It is not big but at least I can depend on it in time. I might not have much money now but I am see to it that when I retire I will be receiving my pension and other benefits.

i used to be an employer but now im self-employed and it's nice..your time, you're your own boss...and yes, sometimes it worries me too...there are too many what-ifs in life..you cant really be too sure of the future..all you can do is be optimistic in everything..and i mean everything..and prayer is always an option..thinking of my future can be frightening too..so all i have to do right now is to be the best in everything i do...and be optimistic..

Being self-employed is a very tricky situation. First it requires a lot of discipline... because there is no one there to force you to go to work. It is very tempting to take the easy way out... and only work enough to cover your needs and expenses. This will not give you a future. In order to have a future and build a nest egg... a self employed person needs to work a minimum of 50 hours a week. Being self employed is not the dream people think it is. And in many cases... you can earn more working for a boss than working for yourself. Being self employed means freedom. But if you have to work 50 hours a week to get ahead... you won't find much freedom in there. Governments don't like self employed people... because they cannot control them... and cannot be sure of what they do. So to discourage them... they have all sorts of regulations to penalise them. Which is why they need to work 50 hours a week to cover their costs.

I was self employed this past year, and I still am, but I also now have a job on the books as well. My husband passed away 6 years ago, and I didn't re-marry. So I think I'm still entittled to his SSI. I have no health insurance. Wish I did. I guess I will have to wait till I'm old to get medicare. I have not really planned for the future, but then again I guess I thought I'd live forever. I really think about it more these days because I work in one. Everyday I think more about my future, and wonder if I still have time to do something about it. I had security before my husband passed away... and I guess I just haven't looked out that much for myself since.

Great questions! Great feedback too! Yes, I am among the self-employed also. In regard to Health Insurance, with 43 million Americans being uninsured or under-insured, including those working for employers, and with Health Insurance being a huge topic in the upcoming election, I am optomistic that more affordable health insurance will become available for all, self employed and traditionally employed alike. In regard to Retirement, personally, my mentor is 77 years old and still going strong, which I will likely also do at 77 if I still have full capacities. I doubt I will ever really retire because I love my work. In regard to being financially prepared for the present as well as the future, I truly believe that only the self employed have the most control over their financial present & future. I believe this because self employed folks are more motivated toward a businesses successful outcome, and there is no "earnings cap" on their income level, as there usually is in Corporate America. The self employed do not need to worry about being outsourced or downsized or benefits arbitrarily being taken away. They don't have to worry about being replaced by cheaper labor and they don't have to worry about companies that put their retirment funds into company stock where the retirement disappears when or if the company goes bankrupt. I believe that employed people's worries exceed self employed peoples worries, in that they don't have as much control over their situations or security. It sounds like you have taken good steps to help secure your future both in business and finances. Meeting with a Financial Planner or Advisor may give you even more options to consider or financial goals to work toward to help alleviate concerns even more. Faith teaches us not to worry and that we are to be an encouragment to others. Self development gurus teach the same. According to the Bible, it is good for us to use discernment in our choices, but as Christians, we relinquish overall control to God according to His will. The gurus recommend that we should focus on positives to breed more positives. Hope my perspective helps, that it was indeed encouraging for you. I wish you continued success, prosperity, and that these will follow you and allow you to be contented in all that you do.

I do want to be self-employed but don't want to worry about too much things.You know, if you are employed,what you need to do is only to do your own jod well, but self-employed, you have to haddle everything.I mean not everyone can do this.So just enjoy the life I have now.After all not everyone can be a BILL GATES.Maybe the way you live is the only way you relly need to live.Don't worry about future too much!:)good luck!