The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back

So when you're preparing to sit your significant other or spouse down to have a "come to Jesus" conversation, do you tell them you have a Plan B and what it is? I'm thinking not.

So very angry and upset.

So you want to freelance...

It is not for the faint of heart or the poor. Last year I made just under $10,000 freelancing, mostly for a small press I have a contract with--so not an employee--but a few outside clients, too.

It's May 17th, and so far this year I've made $1500-. Uh, yeah.

Part of the reason that I freelance, is because my health is not that good, and I often feel unwell, more than I feel well, and I don't feel capable of holding down a full-time job. Also? The last few corporate jobs I had made me cry. A lot. So I don't care if I have to live in my car, I'll never have one of those jobs again.

I can do this because my husband works. Although not for the last 11 months after being laid off, although he does receive unemployment, our primary income at the moment. Our rent takes 50% of his unemployment check. If we could afford it, we'd move somewhere cheaper.

He's currently interviewing, nearly one interview a week or more. This after months of no calls to interview. *pleaselordlethimgetajob* He's also helping a friend start a business, so while he only gets reimbursed for gas right now, he is building a lot of sweat equity, learning a new business, meeting people in the business, and may be headed for a totally different career path. I hope so, too for his well-being and for our bank accounts. Being unemployed is hard on a man. So much of their self-esteem is built into their work, and they are raised, or were in my hubs generation, to "take care of their families." So there is a lot of guilt and confidence-loss when he can't do that.

So the money I'm going to make now is not a lot. Not in the scheme of things. But it is a lot of money at one time. We're talking about just under $3K. Part of which I have to pay back to my briend for the loan last week. So I have an opportunity to put some in savings, pay some bills, get some things done like computer repairs, renew my Carbonite subscription (which just expired this week), and other things. We're making a list, and those important things are going to be handled first. This is the reality of a freelancer. My truth is that I'm grateful to get what little I do get. I am seriously not that well, physically. What little I do work at home, which fluctuates from *HURRY*NOW* to nothing, is about all I can handle, physically.

So if you want to freelance, you need to consider your reasons for doing so. What will you benefit from it? Working at home? Being your own boss? Taking as little or as much work as you like? Do you want to supplement an income or have it as your primary income? Do you have an alternate income source or savings that can help you survive until you build your client base? These are all things you need to think about.

I do it because...

1. I enjoy it;
2. I can work at home;
3. On my own schedule--if I don't feel well, I can stay in bed longer or all day if I want;
4. The extra income on top of my husband's is very nice;
5. Did I mention it's fun?

These are all things you need to think about, maybe write down and come back to them later. Most importantly, you have to be honest about why you want to freelance.

Good luck.

I Gotta Laugh

I haven't posted here much lately because I've been busy working. I'm actually doing some writing...yeah, who knew? Turns out? I can actually write. :-P I'm writing articles and getting paid by the article. So far, I'm liking it.

I'm also trying to finish up this major, major project that I've been working on since the first week of March. I received an advance for it and about 2 1/2 weeks ago, my briend said she thought it was time to bill. Enough time and work had passed and been done that she thought it was time--when I'm finished, we'll bill for the rest. "Please send me an invoice" she asked. Within ten minutes I had an invoice created from the Excel spreadsheet I use to keep track of hours worked and some notes for myself, and I emailed it over.

Two weeks passed. I know this client is not broke and also likes to pay his bills on time, so I was a little concerned when I heard nothing and no check came in the mail. I'm trying *trying* so hard to be less money-focused or materialistic, but hey, bills still gotta be paid, knowhatImsayin'? And also we needed money for my husband to go on an important trip. So I sent over an email last Thursday.

"Hey, uh, has John (not his name) paid his invoice, yet?

The response:

"Oh, I was just going to nudge you about that. I still need an invoice from you."

_crickets_

WTF? Right?

So instead of blowing my top or losing it, I just wrote back, "I emailed it to you two weeks ago; did you not get it?"

Response:

"Oh Crap!! I am so sorry!!!"

And then this:

"You can borrow my credit card if you need to!"

This time? I said yes. So I got some money PayPal'd over to me via her credit card and it will be deducted from my billed invoice when the client pays.

And we had a good talk after and she genuinely felt bad. Which is what I've been saying all along--not a bad person, just a bad businesswoman.

So I resent my invoice, added the additional hours I've worked on the project, and sent it over last Thursday. Hopefully the client was billed before my briend went out of town for the week. Even though they have a bookkeeper, my briend signs all the checks, so she won't be able to sign anything made out to me until next week. So more waiting. This time, the check is in four figures. I've done a lot of work. I've stretched, I've stepped over the edge and not fallen, I've grown, I've learned. Those are powerful things. And I get paid for it. Life is good.