Comments on: Freelancing: The Basics of Survival

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:00:19 +0000

This is a great aticle.

I recently moved to freelance too and as such my income is lower for the moment. However, I love the fexibility. Sometimes you work more than the typical 9-5, but you have the freedom to move stuff around. It's also more rewarding. Having a 1 to 1 relationship with clients, seeing how much you helped them and how they love the work you've done. It's a great feeling.

By: Paul Kent

Paul Kent — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:41:15 +0000

…also another point to make is that freelance income is more often quite sporadic – probably 50% of my clients pay late so a few weeks can pass and nothing’s going into the bank account. A good fallback I found is short-term or temporary contract work in a company if things are quiet – which also has its advantages as you get to work/socialise again with a variety of people and projects with a guaranteed income at the end of it. Useful if you need extra money to pay for a holiday or even upgrading your equipment.

By: Paul Kent

Paul Kent — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:19:39 +0000

Excellent post :) I made the break about 3 years ago – having been salaried for many years. It takes time to adjust but the rewards are fantastic (and I don’t mean financial). You regain sanity once you spread your wings a little. Especially if you’ve been endlessly doing the same routine everyday…getting up…going to work…feeling chained to a desk…coming home etc.

As you adjust more to the lifestyle then other avenues can open up, you have more space to be creative and even quality time to think about how to expand your business or services. So far I’ve earned about the same income as when I was in a company but I have far more flexibility and freedom now which is a big bonus.

By: Evil buck

Evil buck — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:59:20 +0000

I recently started freelancing. I think it's about having priorities. Like being happier while accepting a smaller paycheck. Or playing multiple roles and making the sales calls so you work on your own time.

By: Tony Tao

Tony Tao — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:52:12 +0000

Great article, I just started my freelancing business, and found the information quite useful, thanks again:)

By: Anna Debenham

Anna Debenham — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:59:11 +0000

Hi Craig,

Great comment, and yeah, I have found this a big issue.

While it can be liberating doing all the different roles like sales, bookkeeping, project management, it can feel very constricting if you feel like you're doing more of this than actual billable work, or it ekes into your free time.

You've got to feel confident in the roles - I went on a few business link courses and did a Business Studies GCSE to prepare myself before I set up, and these really helped and I reckon have reduced the overall time I spend working all this stuff out for the first time.

I'd recommend outsourcing where you can (such as accounting) so you can spend more time doing what you enjoy. I really like knowing my accounts inside-out, but at the end of the day, if someone can do it better than me and give me relevant information at the end of it, I'd rather pay them to do it.

Constantly switching between tasks can be a headache too, so to manage tasks effectively, you can schedule time in your week to be these specific roles. Eg: Friday between 3pm and 5pm is for bookkeeping, Monday mornings are for writing proposals…

Also, there's generally more bureaucracy the bigger the clients you work for, so there's that to take into account if you want to move away from working on smaller projects.

By: Craig Rowe

Craig Rowe — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 22:00:23 +0000

I think the biggest thing that scares people away is the thought of having to do all the jobs.. sales.. management.. support.. plus the actual design or dev. Have you found that an issue? having to wear and successfully shuffle multiple hats? or is that something that draws you to it (more control of your own destiny etc).

By: Web design portfolio

Web design portfolio — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:06:20 +0000

an interesting read, only 13% of freelancers are content with their income yet 88% are happier! I can see why, less corporate stress, no commute...

By: Benjy

Benjy — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:31:57 +0000

I worked for a small company before going freelance, and although I remember those times fondly, I love working for myself. Thanks to social networks and having a pet, I rarely get lonely, although I do need to force myself outside to meet-ups a bit more often.
Its seems scary to commit to income insurance and a retirement plan, especially when monthly income never seems 100% stable, but I plan to look into these soon. Thanks for the post, its always nice to hear about people in similar positions.
PS. Go on then, give me a Dribbble invite. :)