METM17 presentation
Operating with other currencies without losing your hard-earned money
Timothy Barton, Oranjemund, Namibia
Many translators and editors have been caught out by extortionate bank charges when working for clients in other countries, especially clients based in countries that use a different currency. Many turn to online payment systems like Paypal and Skrill, only to find that they too take a big share of the cake, especially if they force you to have a merchant account.
Freelance translators and editors can work with clients in any country, and exchange-rate fluctuations often make foreign clients more lucrative. For instance, the slump in pound sterling after the Brexit vote was an opportunity for UK-based translators to earn more money by exporting their services. But translators are often reluctant to work with foreign clients because they believe it will be complicated to get paid, or that they’ll lose most of their money on bank fees.
In this presentation, Timothy will compare the different methods for converting client payments into the currencies of Europe, those of other currencies in the Mediterranean region (Morocco, Turkey and Israel), and major international currencies. He will also discuss outsourcing to colleagues who use other currencies. Finally, he will suggest one method that makes currency transfers entirely free!
Timothy Barton (www.anglopremier.com) is a freelance translator and editor based in Oranjemund, Namibia. He specializes in macroeconomics and has translated economic reports for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development since 2007. He has also translated documents for the International Development Bank Group, and translated the book The Great Recession: A Subversive View by Carles Manera. Timothy also specializes in sport and has translated media communications for the French sailing team Spindrift racing. He is a member of MET, APTIC (Associació Professional de Traductors i Intèrprets de Catalunya) and the SFT (Société Française des Traducteurs).
