Terri Ramsey Beavers Working from home can be great. You can work your day around the school runs, and you don’t have to worry about childcare. There are some things that you should think about if this is going to be your new normal and you plan on working from home from now on.
Home security
If you are working from home, there is a good chance that you will have more equipment than you have ever before. This means a lot of money and a lot of technology is in your home. If you know that there is a lot of expensive equipment in your home, you need to consult to ensure that you have a proper security system in place to protect your equipment and your family from break-ins.
A home office
If you are going to work from home, you will need to have a home office. This office space is important for a number of reasons, but mainly it is to keep all of your work stuff in one area. The last thing you need is a quarterly spreadsheet getting mixed up with the kid’s homework because you have been working at the kitchen table with the kids. Having an office space is also great for your mental health as it puts a barrier between your home life and your work life. If you don’t have a spare room that you can use, you could invest in a garden pod as a way to get some distance between your home and your work.
Homemade lunches
What do you have for your lunch every day? Do you like to make your own? Or do you like to buy a sandwich from the local cafe? Whatever you do for your lunch, this is about to change. If you enjoy your own food, you will be happy to throw a fresh sandwich together in the privacy of your kitchen. However, if you enjoy a sandwich from a cafe, you will have to make a trip out to grab one. This might not be as bad as it seems as you will get the chance to get out of the house, even if you do it once a week. And don’t forget, you can still nip out for a coffee if you have a craving for a fancy latte.
Tax changes
You may not have realised but working from home means that you have to claim back certain expenses as part of your tax. Yes, that is right. Because you will be using electricity for your work, such as your laptop or your internet, this does not count as domestic use. You can claim part of the bill back as part of your tax assessment. The rules on how to do this and the other things that you can claim vary from place to place. If you are unsure about any possible tax breaks, you should speak to an accountant or the tax office about what is available.