Q. I am desperately poor since settling my tax bill
on 31 January. I work a fourday week and have agreed a rate of £20 per hour to edit a friend’s book on two of my free days. I have subsequently been offered a lot of tutoring work which pays £35 per hour. As I only have limited time to take on this work outside my job, I can’t do both the book and the tutoring. I do not want to let my writer friend down but I stand to lose £1,680 over the next two months by sticking to my promise. What should I do, Mary?
M.B., London W11 A. Ask your friend if it is possible for you to suspend editing work until school exams are over, circa June. If she says no, then take the financial loss in good grace. It is always best to stick to what you have agreed to do. Most people in ultra-top jobs have got there through their reputations for not being flakey.
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