In these difficult times...

WE DON'T YET know how the "credit crunch" is affecting freelances. On past form, the Freelance expects managements to make dire pronouncements about cutting freelance budgets, or even, like the Express papers, eliminating shifts entirely. Then the editors remember they have to produce a paper. Staff vacancies likely haven't been filled. The amount of work for freelances may even go up.

One thing you don't have to worry about is keeping up your NUJ subscription. If your gross taxable income - after deducting business expenses - is less than £10,000 a year, you need pay only £4.17 a month for NUJ membership. Only when your taxable income reaches £18,900 a year do you need to pay the full freelance rate of £15.75 a month. In between, it's on a sliding scale.

See www.nujsubs.notlong.com for details. Contact the NUJ's membership department to apply for reduced subs.