Wage watchers: how much does a translator earn?

Self-employed translator Els Peleman, 34, from Herenthals talks about what she earns and how she spends it

What do you do for a living?

I’ve been a translator since 2001, and in 2005 I became a self-employed translator as a secondary occupation. I translate mostly from French and German into Dutch. The nature of the texts is varied: technical, legal, press articles… I also proofread and edit other translators’ work. In late 2012 I decided to become a full-time translator, totally self-employed. Before that I had a steady job in a translation agency, but after a while I realised I didn’t have a spare moment to myself. That’s when I decided to start working for myself. As a self-employed translator I have more freedom, I can decide what type of texts I want to focus on, I can decide how I divide my working day and I’m fully responsible for the overall quality of the finished product.

What do you think of your salary?

I earn approximately €4,000 before tax, €2,500 after tax. I am pretty pleased, yes. At first I was slightly wary: the question was whether I could afford to live as a self-employed translator. Of course, your income fluctuates from one week to the next. But in the end I was pleasantly surprised.

As a self-employed person, you don’t have any extra-legal perks, do you?

No that’s true, but I have the time to organise my day how I want to, and that is much more important.

Would you go back to a full-time contract job if the money was better?

No, in hindsight I should have set up my own business much earlier. But is it a big step to take.

Do you save?

I try to put some money aside. One part of that money is for my taxes which, being self-employed, I have to pay retroactively. On top of that I try to save a little towards renovating the house, going on short breaks and eating out.

What does the biggest part of your salary go towards?

At the moment, social contributions – again due to my self-employed status – and taxes. I also have expenses such as the admin of my business or purchasing software.

What do you resent paying for?

Pointless things or high-tech gadgets. For me a smartphone and a laptop are more than enough.

What do you gladly pay for?

Shopping and eating out.

(ml)