Business know-how and tax tips

Creating your schedule and managing your time

The issue of time management is a very big part of a cam girl's profession. Unless you're working for a studio, you won't have anyone telling you when and how many hours you should work. This means that you need to decide on your scheduling yourself. It's better if you have a relatively stable schedule so that your viewers know when to expect you online.

When thinking of your schedule, remember to include not only weekdays, but also weekends, holidays, etc. Your life, of course, not only revolves around camming, so it's important that your remember to include other things in your plan and specifying how much time you have for everything. Don't forget to make room for things like sleep, eating and preparing meals, doing house chores, showering and taking care of yourself, shopping, time to relax, time for friends and family, hobbies, errands, etc.

If you're someone who prefers to work in the evenings or later at night, then you probably need to decide the kind of schedule that you'd feel best with when it comes to sleeping and doing your daily routines at home. You might prefer to be up and going all day, and then to cam at night towards the end of the day. You may, on the other hand, decide to have a completely reversed schedule where you sleep in late and then start working in the evening, and leave the rest of the night and early morning for doing whatever else you need to. Many cam girls decide to have a schedule similar to a typical work set up you see in other jobs. This means that they will get up in the morning, eat and prepare, go online and work for a number of hours, have a break and eat, continue on their camming for another few hours, and then finish their day off like an average 9-5 business time frame. Other girls wake up early in the morning anyway, and have nearly the entire to do whatever needs to get done. What it really comes down to is how much sleep and time you and your body need. Make sure you don't think up some ridiculous hours for yourself-the key is being well-rested and ready to put on some fabulous shows.

Whether or not you even have a set, regular kind of schedule is also really up to you. Most models find this is simply easier and pits a bit more consistency in their work, which includes their fan base, who know when to expect them. Even if you decide that you do not or can not have a regular schedule, it's typically advised that you post your anticipated hours online on your profile or page at least during a given day. If your viewers don't know when you are going to come on, then they may not even show up and join your show!

Behind-the-scenes work

Doing your work on camera is only a fraction of your actual job as a cam girl. Before a great show or chat sessions can come into being, the right preparations need to be put into place. Getting your locations ready, as well as preparing yourself (i.e., getting dressed up, make-up, accessories, etc.) takes some time, and you will need to be sure to include this in your schedule when planning.

This time will include everything from setting up lighting and props, getting yourself ready, cleaning up before and after camming, and then doing the necessary work online-like checking and responding to e-mails, updating your social media, posting new material, etc.

Other off camera cam girl activities can include preparing material and posting it to be sold online. This process includes brainstorming and planning what you want to create, recording, editing the material, uploading it, and managing your clip site sales. Operating your own sites and social media accounts, deciding what to post and share with your fans also takes a good bit of planning and work.

Managing your budget

As a self-employed business person, a cam girl is ultimately responsible for all of her own budgeting. This includes:

• The initial investment that needs to be made into technical equipment, props, accessories, etc. Once again, you need to make sure that you have a sufficient PC or laptop, a good webcam to record and stream on, the right kind of lighting, and a good internet connection.
• You will also probably have a number of other expenses that you will need to keep in mind, which include costumes or clothing, toys and props, various accessories, and perhaps supplies for things like raffles or contests. Some cam girls also decide to spend a little on PR and/or advertising. Above all else, you need to make a solid investment into a high quality camera, computer, and lighting. These really form the basis for your work as a cam girl.

Sometimes girls decide to sell some of their props or material. This could include underwear, posters, or signed pictures. Selling things and sending them to your fans also needs some budgeting. You need to remember to include the price of packaging, shipping costs, travel to the post office, etc.

Health insurance

Having health insurance is quite often required of cam girls. You also need to take the costs of insurance into consideration when planning your budget.

Saving for retirement

It is very important that you remember to set aside some money for retirement during your work as a cam girl. Working as a model does not provide you with any kind of retirement or 401K benefits. This is why it is key that you do this yourself and remember to keep your future in mind. Camming won't necessarily allow you to work after a particular age, so it's common that models retire younger than most other jobs. Most cam girls decide to set aside around 10% of their pre-tax income towards the retirement fund each month. This is a great way to make sure that your future is looked after.

Getting help with your finances

In some situations, your financial matters may seem to completely overwhelm and confuse you. This is when a financial adviser or planner can come in handy. You can find many good advisers out there, preferably recommended ones by friends or family. Many financial advising firms offer good prices and some even have monthly pay plans that require a flat fee rather than portion of profits. They can also be very helpful when setting up your retirement savings.

Savings and financial goals

Smart budgeting can be a real asset to cam girls who plan to invest in some bigger expenditures in the future, like a house, car, vacation, wedding, pet, or family. This, of course, should also be taken into account when you're planning your overall savings. Camming is usually a very lucrative job, but, unfortunately, it isn't always consistent. There can be days when you have lots of clients, and days when you feel a little like you're just waiting around. This is why being prepared and having a savings plan from the get go is very important to maintaining financial security.

Managing your taxes

The most important thing to know about your taxes as a cam girl, is that they are your own responsibility, and are not taken directly from your paycheck. This often means that many cam girls are left owing some kind of money to the IRS.

Typically speaking, cam girls are expected to be liable for up to 30-35% of taxable income per year. You also need to remember to keep a detailed record of all of your expenses that you make for camming. This will allow you to get tax deductions from a CPA. Just make sure that you save all of your work-related receipts! The best way to stay on top of things when it comes to planning your taxes, is to set aside around 30% of your paycheck each month. Keep it in a savings account and just leave it there until it's tax time.