Question for Hobbyists!

[LydiaNiz]

IAt forty I'd really like to pay voluntary national insurance contributions as I won't get a pension, which is a worry. .

This (exactly same!). I fancy clay sculpture. There's a lady in the studios I'm in who has offered me some clay-play time, I must take her up on it.

[EmmaC]

It's really interesting reading this. I'm in the same boat - I'd love to start selling bits at least to cover the cost of making the things I do for friends and family. I'm also getting lots of friends asking for repairs on jewellery. I've done a few repairs, but I'm not overly confident with it. It would be lovely to be able to make a few pound doing something I can fit in around my young children too, but I'm under no illusion. It just seems so hard setting up.

Sally

I think there's a big difference in mentality between selling what you make, because you love it, and having to make for sale. I notice the "you can make loads of money doing this..." is very often used to sell craft materials these days, which is where a lot of people come unstuck, because you don't make loads of money. It's a lot of effort for little reward

The one thing I would say is beware online selling platforms if you're a hobbyist and you want to sell what you make, because you can get sucked into the whole thing of needing to update your shop all the time, you're also pressured to be online 24/7 sharing pictures of people's felt teapot covers and do facebook/twitter/pinterest/craftjuice. I did it for two months and it became exactly what I'd been trying to get away from as I started jewellery as a creative hobby while I took a break from illustration!

[Patstone]

I make jewellery just as a hobby, but do a craft fair once a month locally and love meeting the people there so its a social event for me - note to me: should get out more!!!! What EmmaC said about her need to pay Voluntary Pension, please dont leave it too late, because I wanted to make up my pension at 50 plus, I was told I couldnt. I now receive my state old age pension and its a lot less than other peoples. I also wanted to pay more into a private pension and my partner at the time said we didnt have enough money, and just put the money into his, and guess what, after 11 years, he left me and took his pension with him !!!!!! Fortunately for me we had bought a big house and when we came to sell it and split the money, my share was enough to pay half towards a small end terrace. After 12 years of being on my own, and vowing never to go down that route again, I met a lovely man and have been happily married for nearly nine years. I know its hard, but look after number one as well, you never know whats around the corner.

[Lucie]

I think I've almost forgotten what it's like to leave the house lol. I'm even worse now we can get online grocery deliveries in the village.

Just in case anyone's interested; I pay something like £2.75 per week in optional NI contributions via direct debit to make sure I get a pension. I've always done this even when I haven't earned enough to "have to". It also ensures you get Statutory sick pay / maternity pay if or when needed. x

[EmmaC]

Good points Patstone, I don't want to leave it too late. It's been preying on my mind a lot lately with dwindling income that I need to start now. I think basically I'm having some kind of mid life crisis with the realisation I'm becoming a kind of creative dinosaur. One day you'll see me in a case in a museum with a little card saying: "An era before artists had to worry about being good with social media and business stuff"
I am intending to do the same as you Lucie, just pay in regardless now.