c/freelance-survival

TIL to add twenty percent to my quotes after a library chat

At the library, a guy saw me struggling with a price and said he always adds twenty percent.

I finally got hit with a big fee for not recycling tech gear

Honestly, I did not know my city fines you for throwing away old laptops. Tbh, it took a chunk from my project budget last month. Check your local rules before you upgrade gear.

Handshake deals built my freelance career, not stacks of paper

I see all this talk about needing solid contracts for every single job. It drives me nuts because my best work comes from simple trust. Like last year, a local cafe owner asked me to design their menu over coffee. We shook on it, and I got paid upfront with no fuss. Contracts just make everything feel stiff and businessy from the start. I've lost count of how many quick, fun projects I've landed because I skip the legal stuff. Maybe I'm lucky, but this way keeps my work light and my clients happy.

Am I crazy for thinking contracts kill small freelance deals?

I've done a bunch of small projects without any written agreement. Clients seem to trust me more when we just shake hands on the deal. Why do folks always push for contracts on tiny jobs?

When a pal asked for a 'favor' that was really a full project

Honestly, a close friend hit me up to 'pick my brain' about their new business. Tbh, I was happy to help at first, thinking it was just advice. Ngl, things shifted when they sent me a list of tasks like designing a logo and writing copy. I spent three days working on ideas before realizing they expected it for free. When I mentioned my usual fee, they acted surprised and said friends help each other out. Now I'm out of time and energy, and our friendship is strained. This is why setting boundaries early is key in freelancing.

Debate in my coworking space: are freelance platforms a step up or a step down?

Some freelancers find platforms easy for client hunting, but others think they lower the value of our work, so where do you stand?

Why I stopped bragging about my all nighter hustle

I thought pulling all nighters made me a dedicated freelancer. Burnout and shaky hands showed me it's just stupid. Now I set hard stop times and my work is better.

TIL instant quote requests are killing my workflow

Lately, clients text me for price estimates before I can even check the job site. It's tough to give a fair quote without seeing the work. How do you handle this rush for quick answers?

My method for dealing with clients who want more than they paid for

I kept having clients ask for extra bits of work after we agreed on a price. It was eating up my time and I wasn't getting any more money for it. After one job where I did three rounds of free tweaks, I knew I had to fix this. Now, I write a very clear list of what my price covers before I start anything. I email this list to the client and make sure they say okay. When they later ask for something not on the list, I just refer back to our agreement. I tell them politely that it will need a new quote. This keeps things fair and has really cut down on those annoying requests.

Update: My pottery class is saving my freelance sanity

I signed up for a local pottery workshop to get away from my computer screen. Working with clay forces me to focus on my hands, not my inbox, and it really helps me relax. Coming back to client projects after a session, I feel more patient and creative. Do other freelancers use hobbies to handle work stress?

My cat walked on the keyboard and somehow landed me a new project

I was typing a pitch when my cat stepped on the keys and sent a messy note. The client found it funny and offered me the gig on the spot.

Why I stopped focusing on just one type of freelance job

A lot of folks in this community say you should pick a single skill and stick to it, but I don't agree. Last week, I had only been booking logo design gigs, and then my pipeline dried up completely. So I started saying yes to other stuff, like helping with email newsletters and even basic SEO fixes. That move saved me when two design clients backed out at the same time. I ended up with more steady income by not putting all my eggs in one basket. Now I tell people starting out to keep their skills broad. It might not be the popular choice, but it's what got me through a rough patch. Trusting my ability to pivot has made freelance life less stressful for me.

Redecorating my corner nook clicked for me about setting up freelance work zones at home!

PSA: After a client delayed feedback for ages, I now set hard deadlines for reviews.

Hard deadlines for client feedback keep projects moving and save my schedule, lmao.

Can we talk about family thinking you're always free because you freelance?

Hey folks, I gotta warn you about a big problem I faced. My family keeps interrupting my work because I freelance from home. For example, my mom drops by without asking, thinking I can just stop working. This messed up a deadline recently when I had to entertain visitors instead of finishing a project. You need to set clear boundaries with your relatives right away. Explain your work hours and stick to them. It saved my sanity and my income!