01
Cut the step before you seat the work
Hours and a minimum rate are the depth and width of the rabbet. Guess them and the week sits proud.
Read article →Side work as a step, not a pile
Cut a step in the week. Do not stack work on the face
A rabbet is an L-shaped groove along the edge of a board so another piece can sit flush. Rabbet Pad treats side income the same way: cut a clear step — hours, rate, tax set-aside — then seat the work there instead of piling it on top of rest.
Depth: hours
How far the step goes into the week. A maximum you can keep when the day job spikes.
Width: rate
The real hourly figure after fees and unpaid admin. Below your minimum, skip the job.
Shoulder: records
One sheet that holds the joint: payments, costs and tax set-aside.
Articles
02
Price the shoulder, not the face
The quoted amount is the face of the board. Fees, admin and tax sit on the shoulder — count them.
Read article →03
Keep a square record of the joint
One weekly sheet — date, client, payment, costs, set-aside — keeps the rabbet visible at tax time.
Read article →04
Offers that skip the rabbet
Kits, paid training and sign-up fees ask you to pay first. There is no step — only a sale aimed at you.
Read article →Signs to stop and check
- They ask you to pay to startA real job does not charge for a starter kit, mandatory training or sign-up.
- Fixed earnings promisedNo one can tell you exactly what you will earn. Exact figures without context are a warning.
- Rush and pressure“Today only”, “last spots”: urgency is there so you do not compare or ask questions.
- No identifiable companyWith no legal name, address or contract, there is no one to hold accountable.
Educational content only. Not financial, tax or legal advice; talk to a qualified professional about your situation.