Four Reasons Why I Don’t Want to Be a Freelancer Any More

I feel your pain. I have a 9-5, and freelance on the side. I took the 9-5 (doing tech support) so that I would have an in with an awesome company that I can move up in, doing design work in the Marketing Dept, or that may pay for me to go back to school to finish my degree in programming.

I am NOT a freelancer anymore too!

… but I am courageous.

I have set up a business after few years of freelancing, (I know freelancing is a business, but the only difference is it’s a one-man show) Right now, I am enjoying the regular office hours. I like the way I direct a team and I don’t need to be in the office most of the time or stay in a long day period. Everyone loves freedom. A business for me is a long-term investment for a long-term success. I don’t think I can stand being a freelancer for the rest of my life without something (tangible asset) that I can pass along to my children or grandchildren. My dream is to leave something – a mark, an evidence that I have stepped on this world and did something good. A business (even a small local one) that will be remembered and continue its operation even I’m gone.

I am not saying that I am against with freelancing now. I still have a mentality of a freelancer and I could say that it helps my business a lot. I also like the fact that I am helping people find a decent job. The reason why freelanceswitch is my browser’s homepage.

How about you, freelance forever?

Thank you for writing this. Indeed, this is often the unglamorous side of freelancing that many do not see looking from the outside. You DO work longer hours. You DO have more responsibility. You DO have more weight on your shoulders to try to make your clients happy. You are a simply a business owner. And any business owner I know who owns a coffee shop or small store–they work overtime. I think it’s just the same with freelancing.

All to say that you had better love the trade to work all those extra hours.

Personally, freelancing is a means to an end. Part time its a great way to make good cash in short periods of time–its good for accompanying income. I suppose I’m saying I just don’t love it enough to become a business owner. Especially when I will have to soon worry about health insurance and steady income.

I’m not sure I agree with. It sounds like you need some larger clients who provide recurring work. I have a 3 week old and a 4 year old. I spend most of day with my family, and still manage to squeeze in 8 hours a day for work. Maybe I’m just lucky, but I manage to make more than my bills, even if it’s not terribly consistent. If I were able to get a steady paycheck it would be less than I make now, and it would also be doing boring work for a single client.

If a freelancer is working 100 hours a week, they aren’t charging enough. I am a web developer and technology consultant and I charge between 65-80/hr based on the number of hours allocated (I have a client that allocates 1200/hours a year so they get a nice discount). At 100 hours that would be 8000/week. Thats a whole lot more than you would make with a day job.

Give me half of that and still let me spend most of the day with my family and I’m happy.

This article is a downer. I thought this place was about inspiring people?

I agree, This article makes me scared to settle down and have kids and no money or time for family. It was a real downer.

Logan:

Thank you for having the courage to write this. Freelancing isn’t for everybody and part of making it work for you is realizing what works for YOUR life.

Don’t feel bad about not wanting to forge your own path; about what many of us long-time freelancers term a “cubicle dweller.” However, as long as you’re “stuck” freelancing, do try to make it work for you. Set more limits on the number of hours you work. That means giving clients realistic deadlines, charging more so you have to work less and paying attention to your body clock (this took me years to learn).

Although I occasionally get up at 7am and do marketing, I just don’t think before 10am. My brain literally won’t function. So, I get up at a later hour and work later in the evenings, which works better for not only my body clock, but my lifestyle.

I believe the travails of life teach us powerful lessons to help us carve out the life that was meant for us — not what society deems acceptable.

Good luck in your freelancing — and landing that well-paying job with benefits if that’s what you so desire.

Yuwanda

Yes, it was a downer, but it was a pretty realistic downer. The key to freelancing is to learn how to freelance, not just how to perform the task you’re selling, whether it’s writing, coding, designing, etc. It seems that many people who have authority problems decide that freelancing is the way out. Unfortunately, to be a successful freelancer, you’ll need to obey the authority of more than just a sucky boss at a regular job: you need to obey the requirement to get organized, pay taxes, sell yourself, spend a certain amount of time every day or week building your network and looking for new gigs, and last but not least, dealing with often unreasonable clients while keeping a smile on your face. If you can’t do that, then look for a regular job. It’s a fact that many people overestimate their own abilities (something like 75% of recent college graduates actually believe they will become multi-millionaires). If you’re unhappy in your regular 9 to 5 job, spend some time figuring out how to get another 9 to 5 job that’ll make you happy, or figure out how to be happy in general, before you decide to become a freelancer. And don’t think you’ll make a living in the US by competing with Asian sweatshops on eLance. You’ll never make it that way.

Wow. Reading this, I knew it had to be written by an actual new, struggling freelancer–just rings of too much truth! Furthermore, I’m almost in the exact same situation: A new freelancer, twice laid off in recent years, and struggling to become better at this “freelancing thing” before my savings runs out and I have to go crawling back to the “rat race.” Surely only to find that there are no more jobs for me anyhow!

Which is just as well, because there’s absolutely NO security in a job these days. (My last employer was owned by a retail “conglomerate” who ‘relocated’ the company’s headquarters, effectively laying off 80% of that workforce.)

So Logan, I know it’s tough–I’m right out here with ya. But I hope you’re able to keep at it for a little while longer, because I do believe it will pay off. (For both you AND me!)

I think what Logan wrote and expresses was a normal behavior.
I believe after writing such article he felt so much better and determined and focus on his goal. There’s nothing bad about that, besides I salute you Logan for being courageous and responsible father.

It’s good to see an article like this. It’s healthy for us – an ice breaker indeed.
At least everybody will realize the blessings we have.

Have a nice day to all.

By the way, Logan. Have you exercised lately?

I switch out from doing freelance to doing both. Both?! Ya I work part-time/full-time on the job depending on the company I am with at the time (still going strong with the newspaper company I am with now), and then I do some freelancing work whenever I am going thought that boring period (usually winter and fall season) to bring in some extra cash. I can understand that only so many people can do freelancing, and those are the people that love what they do where they don’t mind working 100+ weeks. The same thing goes for people I know that work in the Trade. I personally believe it depends on when you start as well. A younger person can take on freelancing easier than an older person that has kids and mortgages to pay for. Personally I take on freelancing projects and projects of my own in my free time because it is still something I enjoy doing in my free time besides playing video games (still a total gamer!).

The hardest thing is really trying to find that full-time job where you can enjoy the people you work with, the work you do, as well as getting the basics essentials from it to create a good sustainability of life. That is what I am having a problem with right now.

I think this article was great and I don’t think it was a downer at all. I think it was realistic. Freelancing is not always going to go well and it depends on your point in life. When you are responsible for the well-being of other people (Wife and children), a 9-5 is a great thing in my opinion.

But you need to work with good people and the company culture needs to be inline with your own. I have a 5 minute drive to work for 9am, I come home from 12-1pm to spend time with my wife (Who is a stay-at-home mom) as well as my 16 month old. I’m home every night by 5:15 and can go for a walk through the park and down the street. When I go to work, I can spend my time accomplishing things in a different environment. It’s a second life and one that does not need to interfere with your home life.

Freelancing is tricky. It’s a challenge but the rewards can be very good, both financially and spiritually.

A 9-5 can be equally and better financially rewarding, you have access to a team of professionals and can rely on them. But you gotta work when everyone else is working and working in your PJ’s is not likely acceptable. It’s part of being a team. Sort of like sports… You can’t all show up whenever you want to… that’s not what being a team is about.

Oh yes, and as for the time spending? My 9-5 allows me the luxury of not only spending time, but spending QUALITY time with my wife and little girl. I don’t think about work once I leave the office… not often anyways

@ mayhemstudios & Nick: 95% of the time this site is inspiring, but it also strives to represent all kinds of freelancers.

The alternative to publishing accounts like this is ignoring those people who are finding it tough, and instead talking about some imagined ‘perfect’ freelancing world where we’re all earning good money and hanging out with our families. Which would only make those people who aren’t living that dream yet feel more marginalized than they already do.

If this site were only meant to cater to freelancers earning four figures a week with a happy family balance, it would be boring, and it wouldn’t be doing much of anything important either.

I think this article is a fantastic reality check for the whole freelancing community. It highlights the fact that we have huge (I mean *huge*) pay disparities within identical industries, where one freelancer can charge $80 for the work another freelancer feels they deserve to be paid $9 an hour for, and where a freelancer who is (obviously) a talented writer can be working 100 hours a week and still isn’t paid enough to insure their family. That’s just crazy.

Sorry if this is a ‘downer’, but so is the news sometimes, and the stories your friends tell you when things aren’t going well. If we just ’switch off’ whenever the rosy colored glasses are set aside, I don’t think that’s helping anyone.

Thanks for the comments all.

To allow me to clarify, I certainly don’t want my bitching and moaning to deter anyone from pursuing freelancing full time. I know that I got into this situation due to a lack of education. I didn’t know what going rates were and I didn’t have any rudimentary knowledge on business management. And in my desperation for cash I turned into a freelancing slut: I never said no. Every project from referral I got, no matter how low paying, I agreed to, without negotiation. If you are reading this blog you will probably never get into this situation because you will know how to avoid these very simple mistakes.

I’m not quite sure to to react to having my life described as a “downer.” I’m doing better than some people I knew from high school, and even if I have no life, not having to deal with a boss is nice. And honestly, things are getting better. Yesterday I even got to take half the day off, and the fact that I can steal enough time to type this out certainly means things are changing for me.

@Rongen
Every evening when it’s bed time, I like to do the 50 meter “I don’t want to go to bed” kid chase, if that counts.

@Skellie
“(obviously) a talented writer”

Aw shucks, you’re making me blush.

This a note to those who feel that Logan’s post is a downer. I agree, it doesn’t paint a picture of freelancing as the greatest of occupations to aspire to. But I think that, mixed in with all the great advice, inspiring stories, and practical information this site serves up everyday, there’s nothing wrong with an occasional dose of reality.

Because as essential as it is to stay inspired and motivated, it’s also important to stay aware of the positive AND negative effects that freelancing has on us and our families. Although somewhat sobering, this post points out very relevant issues for freelancers—especially those of us who are not yet well-established—and I appreciate both Logan and FreelanceSwitch for posting it…

Anyone who works 100 hours a week is an idiot. That’s 14 hours a day for seven days. Ridiculous. If you’re working that much, plain and simple, you’re doing everything wrong. So I wouldn’t be looking to those people as a yardstick. Or, rather, I’d be looking at them and thinking how well I’m doing, working as little, in comparison, as I do.

I’ll admit that when I was younger I felt there were a certain amount of bragging rights to working that hard. But now I see how perverse a way that is to look at things.

I wonder what your hourly rate is, and if you feel you need to work long hours to make the money you need. I wonder if you are grossly underestimating the time it takes to complete projects, and therefore constantly going over on time, and effectively reducing your hourly rate. I wonder how much you’re procrastinating. I’m wondering about the false economies that may be locking you down. Those were the mistakes I made and still sometimes do.

I’m lucky in that my business went into overdrive just about the time my daughter arrived. But I also remember being really scared by her arrival and basically deciding that, going forward, I needed to make a LOT more money than I had been. Previously myself and my wife could be said to have led a student-like existence: making okay money without working too hard, enough for rent and restaurants, a little entertainment, health insurance, but not enough for savings and, in fact, creeping consumer debt. Having a nipper changed all that. I made a set of decisions over the course of a year that kicked my business up to the next level: specializing, time tracking and analysis, significant rate increases. I didn’t lose one client, and gained a bunch of new ones.

Money is still a concern. We’re just about to buy a house. We still have some consumer debt. We just bought a second car. Etc. But money will always be a concern. Money is a concern for billionaires. If you can find a way to cut off from work for a chunk of the day—i.e. have a life beyond work—you’ll feel much better, even if your situation doesn’t change. (And then, of course, it will change.) If you think daycare is expensive, how expensive is it for you not to be earning? Should a guy who makes $60 or $80 or $100 an hour be doing childcare (if he doesn’t want to)?

We can’t deny the fact that this would happen on some freelancer like Logan. This is the reality.

Success only happens to those who are lucky… just ask any failure.

If you are really working that much, you need to phase in higher rates and commit to stopping work at 7pm (or earlier preferably). As a followup to this article, I want to see some goal setting, priority adjustments and a plan to end this madness. Are you doing this for minimum wage or do you need to earn a fortune in order to pay for high rent, car, college loan? If it is the latter, you need to move or cut back. Are you spending a lot of time unproductively? Get focused and set some parameters. For example: 9am – 10am = email, phone and news surf, 10am – noon = write with phone off the hook and no email, noon – 1am = lunch, 1pm – 5pm = more writing with no email, 5pm – 5.30pm = email, phone. Then quit for the day. I know that it sounds easier than it is and it will take some time but surely it is worth it.

But you know all of this, don’t you? Don’t miss these years of your daughter’s (or your own) life. I really feel for you, I have been locked into that sort of mess from time to time as well. I also struggle with organization and too often rely on hard work and talent to succeed. You gotta get a system. It sounds anti-creative but really the system takes care of the business and leaves room for you to be creative. I can tell you that your current schedule will not last. If you don’t do something to change it, something else will change it for you… sickness, burnout, family problems, etc. Better to do it now than be forced to under more unpleasant circumstances. A better life is not waiting around the corner unless you make it happen. (or win the lottery, which I actually recommend as the first option. all this other stuff is backup)

I truly wish you the best of luck.

hey your daughter is getting more time with you than most other kids with dads who work full time!
that said, i can imagine how you must feel. what’s your plan, btw, that will seemingly solve your problems? good luck!

I’m always curious about people who don’t have insurance because “they don’t have a FT job with benefits” or something like that. i’ve had my own insurance for years, i’ve even turned down insurance offered by companies b/c i would still have to chip in more than i pay now, for less coverage. I know that some people have medical histories that make insurance hard to get, but what about everyone else? Logan, shouldn’t you at least be able to get yourself insurance, at the very least?

Bravo for a courageous piece! Downer? Maybe, but it’s good to hear your kind of honesty, especially in such a solitary profession as freelancing. Freelancing is HARD and I’m glad to hear that I’m not the only one that feels negative about my career choices from time to time. I’m sticking with it no matter what. This is my 21st year of being self employed and I know it’s right for me. That said, it’s not for everyone and I applaud your decision to find a path that better suits you and your family. There’s no shame in deciding and doing what’s right for you. I wish you well in your career.

I know exactly how you feel,
I have been feeling this way this week, after several 3am nights. As much as I don’t follow my own advice, sleep makes you work far more productively, and make better decisions.
Hope it all comes good for you. I’m sure it will. Good luck

My freelance job sounds complete different to yours. I have a lazy day, maybe put in four or five hours paid client work, go to a cafe for lunch and the gym every afternoon at 5pm and still manage to save money, pay the rent, health insurance etc. Admittedly I don’t have a child to support and my wife’s company pays for her health insurance. But I also put extra savings away for software and business related equipment, plus saving up for elective dental work which is going to set me back about 15k.

If you get a full time job, it doesn’t necessarily give you more security. It makes you dependent on a single company. At least with Freelancing, if you loose one client, you’ve still got others to fall back on.

Also I don’t understand this concept of not knowing when you’re going to get paid. I’ve banged on about it numerous times in the comments, no one seems to listen. But I always know when I’m going to get paid and keep tight control on that.

Great article. It speaks from the other side of the coin, a perspective we all need sometimes.

I wish you the best of luck bud! I’m confident that you will be able to do great and you will have many clients to support you and your family!

Contact me. I can always use another writer. It’s freelance, but a chance to make more money (I pay well).

I have been working freelance for some years, both alone and with employees. These days I’m selling the company without nothing else than debts.

It have sometimes been hard, but it have always been fun! I love the feeling of being my own boss, I love the feeling of doing it my own way! I have learned a lot the last years, and will never do the same mistakes again.

Now I have a well paid day-time-job, and work with exciting tasks, but I still miss the feeling of “doing it my self”. Besides my day-time-job I work with a new company in my spare time (with approval from my employer). I build a new company slow and secure. I use what I have learned to build a solid company that will be my future. Before the company is solid enough, I earn money at day-time, and dream of the future as my own boss (again)!

Never give up your dream, but realize the fact if it’s not reasonable to continue. You risk some, but also can win a lot, if you do it the right way, and dare to try.

Hi Gezprila, do you think is time to write your experience in freelanceswitch so we can learn from your mistakes? I would be a great thing for the community.

Thanks

In Canada, regardless of how much money you have or how much private insurance you have, everyone is treated the same. This might sound like a dream until you spend 5 hours at the walk-in clinic to have your son’s broken arm treated. There are almost no family doctors here. Our doctors are paid by the government and don’t make enough money for the work that the government wants them to do so they move to the States. This is also true for nurses who aren’t paid nearly enough. Hospitals hire nurses part-time so they won’t have to pay them benefits then ask them to work HOURS of overtime.

Thank you for your bravery in posting this! I know exactly where you are. Been there, done that. At the end of last year I was mentally, emotionally, and physically worn out after slogging through ungodly hours and intensive writing sessions. I found myself at a point where I didn’t even enjoy writing anymore. It became rote mundane habit, instead of a joy. I finally made the decision to take a month-long break. That break was extended, and then I decided I needed to get my priorities back in order. Now I’m back in school working at getting my degree so I can become an Elementary teacher.

Hi rogers

Nice to hear you want to learn from my experience.

Yes I have considered it for some time, and use some time guiding both starters and seniors who work freelance, and the feedback of mine advices/experience is good.

I will check if it is possible, and if possible how i do it.

I think that freelancing is not for everyone, but I am agree that you aren’t charging enough, i guess that if you charge more, you can work less hours a week, spend more time with your family and throw away those clients that don’t valorate your work. And John Ek is right, you need some larger clients who provide recurring work, so you will know more or less how much you will earn at the end of the month.
I’m a part time freelancer, and in a couple of month i will be a full-time (i hope so).
I hope you can resolve your situation.
Good luck

Shame on you for not portraying this side of freelancing sooner!

I read many of your articles and was tempted to consider freelancing as a career. Not anymore. If you’re going to give advice to the public in general about something as important as their careers, give balanced advice that informs of the good and the bad. I sympathize with your current situation, and hope that nobody else followed your freelance switch into a similar one of their own.

I only have one question. Does Logan have a website where he profiles his services?

What you need is to grow from your current situation. I being as young as 21 realised that I would be in your exact situation one day. What if I get no calls for work despite being good at it? How do I continously re-invent my self?

I came to a solution that I’m trying to do PR, Marketing, Designing, business Development all alone. Its not conducive in the long run. Right now being young and in college I can do it. But in the future when i more mouths to feed I need to grow. Thats when my father suggested I start a freelance agency. Where in I’ll have one business development executive, one account executive, many designers who do labour jobs. I basically get new assignments which my Business development exec. gets me, I do the visualization, concept, storyboarding etc. And leave the petty execution to designers. In that way I can simultaneously concentrate on a large number of assignments, which means more money!

I know there are more overheads here, but then i make a lot more money where I can afford them. I dont necessarily need a office. They can function from home as most of it is internet based. And once you device a streamlined reporting system it works pretty smooth. Maybe you hire a manger for this as well. All in all you are the creative head. Rest of the guys are puppets to ease you of burden.

I’ll b happy to manage your time and a manger for your business free of cost!

There comes a point in a freelancer’s life when he/she has to make a decision: do I scale back and keep going at this alone, or is it time to grow and bring in some help?

That could actually help, believe it or not. If you hired a high school or college student to do some work for you, that would free up some time so you could work “on” the business, rather than spend so much time working “in” the business.

@Logon and anyone else who’s struggling the same way…

My first reaction while reading this was to offer suggestions (what few I can) to help address some of your valid issues with freelancing. But somehow, I feel that such suggestions would be too condecending.

So instead, I’m going to offer a different kind of suggestion. *If* you indeed decide to hang up freelancing and find a stable job with good benefits and don’t care that much about pay, I would suggest looking for a govenment job. Here in the US, and in most likely every other country in the industrialized world, government work is the most reliable paycheck you can ask for and the benefits are quite good. In all the work I’ve done contracted to various government agencies, I’ve only ever seen one government employee get fired – and he really, really had to screw up to have this happen, even after numerous “second chances.” And the only layoff I’ve ever seen was over a legislative budget impasse, which only lasted a few days and for which everyone got paid anyway. So in my experience, government work is “work for life.”

By the way, my job as a contractor during the layouff (since I was under a separate budget and still able to work) was to show up everyday, be available to help deal with any problems, and “not break anything.” In other words, I sat on my thumbs all day. :-S

You are not said to be a freelancer. Good luck in the future!

Hi Gezprila you can go here http://freelanceswitch.com/contribute/ and write a nice article about it

Regards

Freelancing is a scary job…you don’t know where your next check is coming from sometimes. i’ve been doing it for 10 years, full time, and almost every year i contemplate going to work at a ‘real job’ just for the security of it.

it takes a while to get that good base of clients that you need to keep you on your feet and to build up a safety buffer so you don’t freak out during a slow spell. keep the faith. it takes a while to build up the clientel.

my biggest fear/problem is insurance. it keeps going up and up and up. and it’s just me. i can’t imagine having to be responsible for 2 other people too.

keep your chin up, persevere…. things have a way of working out and trust me, you’d rather be working 70 hour weeks for yourself instead of for ‘the man’.

Although I use the term ‘management consultant’ to describe what I do (helps with billing rates , I am still a freelancer with three small kids.

I found it helps tremendously to have a moral and occasional business partner. I have my own LLC, and my partner has his own, but we ‘do business as’ the same company.

This helps with a few key things: 1. we look bigger and more professional (helps to justify higher rates), 2. we share some costs, like website design, 3. we share best practices, and, most importantly, 4. we each have a person to call to when we are in those ’self-employed’ blues.

The chances that both of us having a crappy period at the same time are not as often, so it helps to pull you along.

Oh yeah, and as and Rongen notes above, “Exercise!!” It flips me from a ’self employment life is crap’ mood, to a ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way’ atitude in 30 minutes.

Hope this helps some folks!

Personally, I think this was a great, honest article. Honesty beats false cheeriness in my book any day. I don’t expect a blog writer to inspire me as much as I expect truth.

Sometimes, I think having a job gets a bad rap. I have a job. It’s 9-5. It’s not my life. It supports my life. I’m the sort of person who does well with structure. Worrying about next month’s income and not knowing my schedule for next Tuesday would drive me nuts. It would distract me from the things I want to be thinking about, like my family and friend, the projects in my knitting basket and the books on my nightstand.

I may not fit the American ideal of entrepreneurship and self-reliance, but I’m *happy*. Here’s self-reliance for you: Frack anyone who tells me what I *should* do or be.

PS. If working for the government doesn’t appeal, I work for a research center at a university and am very happy with the benefits and environment. I’ve made more in corporate jobs, but been there, done that, prefer it here.

Skellie: I just have signed my resignation yesterday, and at the same time the scare took a bit of my soul. I went this morning to see if we have a Inspired article today, so I put the fear aside, but insted this was that came up. What become clear in my mind was: I will fail if I do not make it a serious business. The night time part-time its over, the play its over. Its just took the serious path. But this is the path I want to follow. I am pretty sure I can make it happen. This was not a downer but an eye opener.

Thanks for publishing it.

What the?!

You’re working 100 hours and making less than a normal job! What’s your rate? Do you even track your time?

If you are working those hours constantly and not making adequate money doesn’t that make you think that maybe you are doing something wrong. Are you under estimating the time involved? Are you not understanding the clients requirements? Are you choosing troublesome clients?

It doesn’t sound like it’s freelancing that is getting you down. It is a lack of discipline and proper procedures.

Logan, stop feeling sorry for yourself! I was a mirror image of you less than six months ago with the addition of pneumonia. I am the primary financial support for my family of four and my creditors were calling continually. I quickly realized I had one of two choices: 1) Start running my company like a business “not freelancing” or 2) find a job somewhere. Well, option 2 doesn’t really work for me because of my experience and local market. So, once I focused on marketing and managing myself as a BUSINESS the money is finally starting to flow on a regular basis. Set a target: do you need to meet a certain financial target each month? Break it down… how much per week? Make the calls, send the emails, attend networking events, job boards. Try to balance every day with marketing, billable hours and accounting/finance. Remember knowledge is power. As for healthcare coverage, after being without it for several years; my husband/partner took a position driving a school bus. Minimal hours to qualify for benefits and he gets the summer off to pursue is real passion: photographing vintage & classic car shows. Good luck… to all.

I used to joke that there often wasn’t much difference between being self-employed and being unemployed.

The people who are really good at freelancing run their business like a business owner, charge what the work is really worth to the client (instead of some deflated view of what the work feels like it’s worth to the person creating it), and have the desire to keep pushing to grow the business and continually land new clients.

Some people have it, some people do not. Just because you’re unemployed doesn’t mean you’re self-employed, no matter whether you get little jobs on the side to tide you over.

The quicker you learn which type of person you are, the faster you can find the best way to earn a decent living.

A great article, reality at its best. For people who brag about how much money they make, think of it when you just started, yes we all experience the same uncertainty and panic but that is normal.
I know of designers who have hired employees and have major office overhead and they panic and have diarrhea when money does not come in, so we all have the same stress, rich or poor.

Running your own business is not easy at all, I hope people who are thinking they will have a walk in a park with this get a heads up and read the article.

Preach it.
I got laid-off from my “seasonal” position with the National Park Service in winter 2001 (was only supposed to be for the summer 2000, but kept getting extended). Decided to try my hand at freelance design (degree in Landscape Horticulture and Design has surprisingly wide-ranging applications). I worked a part-time job while doing this to make ends meet, and had not yet had a job that provided insurance. I was living with some other friends in a cheap rental house, and was well-supported socially, but I just didn’t have the confidence to go out and market myself — nor did I have a great frame of reference for what my work was worth. Lasted for about a year before I finally caved and found an office job I could walk to from home. That job sent me into certified depression, going from total freedom to being an office assistant (but my commute was unprecedented).
Just at the time I was starting to fill out grad school apps, I was offered a job that would fill all kinds of my great-job criteria. I take public transportation, but I could ride my bike (for 45 minutes and then change into professional garb). I work a 35-hour week. I get full, great benefits and, strangely, a fairly competetive salary for my field. It’s not blow-your-mind creative work, and I still sit in a daggone office for 7-8 hours a day, but for more than 4 years, it’s paid my bills and helped me feel like an actual adult that I could respect.
I have always been drawn to the freelance life — I’m a night-owl, and I have a serious problem with authority (my bosses usually aren’t too keen on having to explain why I should be in the office at the same time as everyone else, time after time), and I have great disdain for dressing professionally and dealing with office life (being nice to people who really annoy me, etc.).
However, a successful freelancer not only possesses the skill they are selling, but s/he must also be adept in business sense. This, I do not have. At all. Maybe I don’t have a great sense of survival, but I tend to turn down payment for my creative work. Maybe I haven’t been in the business long enough, or maybe I have always worked with the wrong clients, but I would prefer to avoid the whole awkard conversation about payment for creative services.
Now that I’m writing this, I’m wondering why it’s easier to negotiate a salary in a company than to charge for a job, project by project? It’s not like the quality of my work is any different — in fact, truth be told, it’s probably worse in working for a company. But the experience of asking for payment is quite a bit different.

Much of this writer’s reluctance to continue freelancing has to do with the availability of affordable health insurance for his family. Which points out yet another problem with the lack of universal healthcare in the United States.

Would any non-American readers care to comment on how the availability of universal healthcare affected their decision to become — or to remain — a freelancer? I suspect that having this backstop would make it more likely for one to make the freelancing decision and stick with it.

So, Australia, New Zealand, UK, etc., this American is interested in hearing about your experience.

I don’t see this as a downer… I see it as a eye-opener

The problem about the “usual experience sites” is that usually the stories tend to be only positive ones.
It’s like those “I stoped Smoking sites”… If you are shy and think you have failed to do what the site “sells” you are never going to have the guts to tell your story…

Kudos for Logan’s Courage on coming forward, kudos on this site for not beeing a rosing playground like those I mentioned.

Now… where did I put my courage to tell my experience…

My first reaction is to say this article is a total downer. But then I realized after 24 hours of having this article in the back of my mind (haunting me), that this article is probably one of the first that really made me rethink my own situation. All the others have been a little too encouraging. I took a step back to evaluate myself and my business. My conclusion is that I really do want to continue my own business, however, not as a single freelancer struggling to make time for family, friends and fun.

It’s important to develop income from different sources, from regular clients, to monthly/yearly recurring services. Business to me is about creating systems that can be reproduced, and potentially sold. My business is an asset, and not just a means to escape full-time employment. Therefore, if I were to consider going back to work, I’d first like to sell my business. I’ve done this successfully before.

I think many of us start freelancing enthusiastically, thinking we are getting rid of the boss. “Take this job and shove it!” Unfortunately, we find that we’re our own worst bosses. We make ourselves work long hours, and rarely give ourselves time off.

Instead of just doing the same work as we were doing full-time, we become “The Manager,” who must maintain grounding (financial & organization). We continue to be “The Technician” (tactical work), and then we’re also “The Entrepreneur,” who must consider the future (sales, marketing & advertising). Instead of having one job, we end up with a bunch more. Not to mention, “stay-at-home Dad.”

My freelance business is not just a job. Its a means to build systems that can be followed, repeated, and reproduced to make more money for myself and others. It became less of a job to me with this potential in mind, and more like an adventure. Possibly unaware of it, what kind of systems have you developed in your own business? Write about it, sell it, or crank it up to use it!

There is a saying, “A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client.” Sometimes being your own boss can feel this way, too. You don’t sound like a fool, though, Logan, just someone who has been pushing against or struggling with the process for some time. Maybe you are fighting the wrong battle. Sounds to me like some Inner Work (you choose the path) would help you feel less burdened. Many new karate students try too hard to learn techniques by blasting at a drill with muscle power only. Eventually they learn a relaxed muscle is faster, thus able to generate more force. They learn “try softer, not harder,” and break through many self-limiting barriers. Best wishes to you!

I think that this is stupid. this guy obviously does not love what he does. you have to work hard if you want to do freelancing. You also have to have many plan B’s, as well as honeypot clients that you know that you can always get a few hundred or so out of. the practice takes time as well as patience. have a goal make a schedule this will ensure that you ahve time for your family even if it is scheduled, they will love you because you buy out the time with them. from experience I do both work and freelance, i freelance because i love the “art of the deal” and i truly have a passion and a talent for that. take my advice do it cause you love it. I love freelancing, i also love working for someone else and getting paid too,i also get to play in a bigger sandbox with their money. LOL

Thanks for the comments all.

I would like to be clear that I got into this position by (I know now) undervaluing my work and never turning down a project. As I was gaining clients, I never read anything about the right way to freelance (again, because I never thought it would be my full time job) and that was my biggest error.

Also, things are slowly getting better for me. I actually got half the day off on Monday and I apparently have enough time to type this out, so I can’t be doing too bad.

@ Design ICU
“Anyone who works 100 hours a week is an idiot.”

No arguments here.

@ David Downing
“Logan, shouldn’t you at least be able to get yourself insurance, at the very least?”

Well, I think it goes without saying that if a single person were to receive insurance in my family, it would be my daughter. That’s actually happening soon, hopefully. I would appreciate it if you could email me the name of your provider. They sound great.

@James Chartrand
“Does Logan have a website where he profiles his services?”

No, I don’t. I know, it’s dumb. “Like winking at a girl in the dark” and all that. That’s another thing I’m slowly working on rectifying.

I know the insecurity of freelancing can be scary, especially the health insurance part. I have some suggestions for you:

1. Try to teach a course at a university. Sometimes adjuncts can opt in to health care options. You have to put a fair amount in, but if you just take the whole course salary and put it toward that, you might be golden. It also is a good way to force yourself to do a 401K.

2. Join the freelancers union. They have healthcare options.
http://www.freelancersunion.org/

3. Join mediabistro’s avant guild. They also have healthcare options.
http://www.mediabistro.com/avantguild/

Hope this helps!

Kerstin

You should develop a business based on a business plan rather than go through life as a “freelance” – see freelancing to me is just someone who is basically treading water…making money here and there, when it comes around. Why not get some serious clients and build up a base of clients? Putting in all of the up front work in a business pays off years down the road, so you may be working alot in the beginning, but that will ease as you build you BUSINESS, not you ‘Freelance’ tread of water.

When you get to the point where you have good income from the business, then you can step back a bit, maybe hire out some people.

I would say start a Public Relations or Copywriting business, not be a freelancer (I do see that the site is called Freelance Switch).

I am a freelance writer based in Berlin, Germany. While health care costs are a serious issue for German freelancers, too, we have a thing called “Künstlersozialkasse” (social insurance for artists) that allows professionals in the arts and in publication (including translators, journalists, etc.) to get comparatively inexpensive insurance. Also, we do have a better daycare system. Though most other European states provide more daycare opportunities for toddlers and pre-school kids, it’s still much easier to find affordable, good daycare here than in the United States. This is especially true for Berlin, where an extensive net of daycare centers is one good part of the GDR legacy.
There are a lot of factors that make it harder to be self-employed in Germany than in the U.S. Mentality is one of them – most Germans prefer “real” employment, and state institutions reflect this attitude. Still, our comparatively comfortable social safety net makes things easier for freelancers, too. It’s good to be reminded of that sometimes.

And one more thing: Sure, Freelance Switch is about the glory of freelancing and the brave women and men who make the switch. But that doesn’t mean that freelancers are per se more courageous, creative, imaginative, and all-out cool than members of the employed workforce. Besides the obvious (though in my mind often deceptive) safety advantage, being employed (e.g. in a large agency) can have other benefits. Some jobs you will just not get as a freelancer, even if you can provide a large network. Many clients are looking for a large, bona fide agency to handle their complex and interesting projects. It’s not impossible that such an agency will then hire freelancers for these projects (it’s in fact what’s happened to me recently), but very often they will put their own people on it.

Good luck, Logan!

Julia

Has the author ever heard of Timothy Ferriss’ book Four Hour Work Week or Robert Kiyosaki’s book Rich Dad, Poor Dad or Michael E. Gerber’s book The E-Myth Revisited?

All three of these touch on your exact issue.
If you have not read them, please do so IMMEDIATELY
before you give up on Freelancing.

Ferriss, Kiyosaki and Gerber will all tell you that a regular
job has absolutely no more security than your freelancing work.
You mentioned yourself how many times you’ve been laid off.

Now, would you rather go back to one of those prisons
with another great opportunity to be let go, or would you
rather build alternate sources of income, gain your time
back, get insurance, and play with your child?

I think the choice is obvious.
All three of those books have gotten me on my
way from being a freelance web-designer
to truly starting my own business and getting
free of any W2 with my name on it.

I’ve not got insurance.
I’ve now got more time.
I’m not FAR happier with my life.

Please read the books.
You might have to lose an extra hour of sleep
per night (which you already cannot afford to lose)
but after those exhausting evenings,
I GUARANTEE
these will change your life.

Start with Ferriss’ book.

Very insightful and honest read. Kudos to Logan …

I said it before on this website and I will say it again. Most freelancers and creative types are pretty bad business people. They are great at their craft, but sometimes bad at negotiating deals and making sure to get paid what they are worth.

It is also very difficult to concentrate on making the next deal, and how to make it, as you also have to worry about your current assignment/s.

The main thing is to set realistic financial goals. Weekly, monthly, yearly … that you can strive towards. “I HAVE to make $ X every month to be able to live comfortably” … you might not get to that point in the first few months, but you will strive towards that and make better deals because of it.

Also try to work with a project manager if possible. You might have to cut him/her in on deals, but the low % involved will save you endless headaches and also allow you to fully concentrate on what you love … creating!

Hi there,

Well, first of all, I do not understand why you would have no insurance at all? There are insurances for emergency situations. Shitty stuff, but at least if you are admitted to the ER and need to stay for couple days, it’ll take care of you! It’s insane to not pay ~$80 a month for that. Of course it won’t be the nice policy that a regular would get you for $400, but it’ll save you plenty of guilt in case something happens…
I read most of the comments and readers should not get scared by your article. I thought it was a nice perspective that you brought. But it’s only your story. It should not make people not jump into the freelance world.
I quit my job to finish my Master’s Degree Project. It was the kind of job where you feel like staying until midnight everyday will make your clients happier… so I quit. I did try the part-time solution, but who was I kidding, I never ended up working part-time…
I am working as a freelancer now (I don’t like the term “freelancer” by the way, I think it implies poor quality work, underpay, etc.) and I am not scared of what will happen tomorrow. No I do not work everyday. Yes, I ask for a big hour rate, but it’s still below what clients would pay for the company that I worked for before. So it is allowed to ask for that much!
I only have one client right now, but I am not really worried finding more. I already have plenty of ideas on different ways to achieve that. In fact, I spend a lot of time pushing away from my head all these ideas that I get to expend my business, get new clients, starting new businesses. I never had time to do that before with a regular job.
Anyway, I do not want to spend too much time on my story. I am not trying to tell you Logan that you’re wrong.
But I think that freelancers usually ask for too little money. I’m not sure about the other fields, but in the IT consulting field, you can go ahead and ask for the three digit hourly rate. Do your research and figure out what the consulting firms asks their clients for… Just an indication, a small consulting firm will be in the $100-$200 range, a medium firm in the $200-$300 range and a big firm in the $300-$400 range. The consulting rate is around $50. So from the ranges above, remove $50 and the amount left is called insurance. It is pretty much the insurance that clients pay the consulting firm to guarantee that their project will be completed. A small firm can only guarantee for $100 because they have less resources than the big firm that can guarantee the completion of the project for $300…
So when you establish your hourly rate, you should determine what your consulting price will be (and that can be the same as any consulting firm) and also determine your insurance (less than the consulting firms). But you also have to add a certain margin to reach your freelance goals. Clients know who they have to deal with. There are advantages for clients to contract with freelancers (no hierarchy crap, no politics crap, easily reached, etc.) and you should charge them for it! Don’t lower your rate because you think that if you were your own client you would blah blah blah… then that’s the wrong client and move on to the next one that will be ready to pay for your services. Let me tell you, if you get paid well, you’ll work better!
BTW Logan, I’m not an American but I am definitely not un-American…:)

Emmi

Regardless of whether you see the article from a positive/negative angle, it’s cool that it sparked so much debate. As much as I prefer inspirational articles, I too realised that unless I buckle down and make the most of my freelancing, I too cud be writing this article. So from that point I spose it’s pretty motivating.

Peace!

Gee,
I think to get those of worker payment, insurance and such you need to be smart. I don’t really know the situation on your country, but i knew it for sure that it will be the same all over the world that you should keep your money and start your own campaign for steady monthly income. As for me, i invest them to a non techno business that exists in our part of life. You could mention a lot of them. Although i’m just starting out but if the plan works well it could surpass your amount of earning in a month by doing freelance works. So i think make this freelance works as your hobby and soon you will be surprised that you can have more time to spend to do anything you liked. Just a small note, i’m working for online and offline clients and planning to have a research type office work for monthly income (“you can getinsurance freely doing this”) and guess what, i still have more time to spend and enjoy. If i feel i don’t like working then i just stop and enjoy the whole day doing funny thing.

Excellent article, and hopefully it will lead to more work for you! Freelancing isn’t for the faint of heart, and it takes a lot of guts, drive and insanity to keep at it and build a steady client base. Even then it’s never going to be truly stable. There will always be times when you’ll be panicked with gaps in work available or else too much on your plate. I can imagine it would be doubly scary if you have a family to support. The key – especially when starting out – is to charge what you’re worth and manage your money carefully. It also helps to have a bit of a savings tucked away for emergencies, but that’s hard to do in the beginning.

Kudos on an honest, well written and (yes) inspiring piece.

This article reminds me why the worst freelancers become so hardened and it explains how others go on to get their “recurring” paydays. Getting recurring gigs is not that difficult, if you do the job right the first time and deliver on-time, chances are that client will come back. Doing a gig right requires you know best practices for your craft and are focused enough to deliver as expected. However, if you moan and complain about your personal problems while doing the job, the client will most likely perceive you as a basket-case, not that the writer of this article is one, but clients are odd like that. Some clients would love to talk about my personal life all day — not gonna happen. Enough of the rant, as this article is meant for us and not for our clients. Regardless, within that framework of keeping “your life” to yourself, try not to have the personality of a cardboard box either. The key gem to take from this article is the “Acres of Diamonds” concept that Russell Herman Conwell (founder of Temple University) learned from an Arab guide,”…about a man who wanted to find diamonds so badly that he sold his property and went off in futile search for them; the new owner of his home discovered that a rich diamond mine was located right there on the property.” So as the wiki on him goes onto say “dig in your own back-yard!” and I’ll add, “with your daughter beside you helping you dig.”

kudos for writing such an honest and courageous article! These fears are normal and I’m glad somebody finally wrote something that expressed real fear about them. But the longer you stay a freelancer the easier it becomes! Solving problems around budgeting, getting health insurance and networking will take creativity on your part. It’ll be fun tho and you should work on them over time.

Stay strong man, it gets easier and it’s totally worth it. But if freelancing isn’t for you right now, don’t be ashamed to go back to the cubicle for a while. Your kids needs health insurance, and companies are giving more telecommuting opportunities to people that have families and, you know, a life. You could always come back to this crazy lifestyle when you’re ready… the job of freelancer is always open and ready to hire. I’m taking a second crack at this myself and learning from mistakes I made the first time around. Good luck!

The key gem to take from this article is the “Acres of Diamonds” concept that Russell Herman Conwell (founder of Temple University) learned from an Arab guide,”…about a man who wanted to find diamonds so badly that he sold his property and went off in futile search for them; the new owner of his home discovered that a rich diamond mine was located right there on the property.” So as the wiki on him goes onto say “dig in your own back-yard!” and I’ll add, “with your daughter beside you helping you dig.”

I got a journalism job (reporter) on http://www.realmatch.com – might help you, might not

Life is too short to do something that makes you this miserable! Freelancing isn’t for everyone, and you have nothing to prove. Save your sanity and get a job, agree with the above poster that a government job is a great option especially if you are concerned about health care for your family and generous time off to be with your daughter.

I just resigned from a government job. Today.

But that’s not to say they can’t be great jobs. I loved my old position. Hated my current one. So it made the leap to freelance a lot easier.

Am I scared? Hell yeah. But I also have been working on setting up several different streams of income and built up my savings. And bottom line – desperation can be a great motivator.

My advice, for what it’s worth…give yourself goals and a timeline. If you don’t make either, then start looking for a job. And yeah, govt jobs kick ass. Good hours, good benefits, the list goes on and on. And you can always build your writing biz on the side. Good luck!

I’d say I was 75% through the article and was sure this was a downer, and was sure it was a depressing article, when suddenly it was resurrected by your last paragraph or so. I ended up feeling a breath of fresh air as it really provided a realistic – which mean sometimes harsh – view of life as a freelancer. It definitely didn’t end like it started and provided much in terms of onward looking and future goals.

Best of luck with your freelance career. Great post.

At first when I read this post, I was like “I thought this site was suppose to inspire!” But after reading it, I can see why this is a good article. Freelancing is definitely not for everyone. Not everyone is able to get up, self-motivated.

I don’t know what to suggest other than keep your head up, your mind open and your eyes peeled. Somehow, you’ll make it.

A few people I know in your position that are working a “9to5″ don’t pay for their insurance. They just set money aside and put it into an interest yeilding investment. I don’t do this personally because I have three kids and it seems to much of a gamble for me. But they only have one kid and all of them are healthy. If you get a “9to5″ you still have to pay monthly (around $400) even if nobody is sick. And if one of you do get sick then you have to pay your deductible. That’s a minimum of $400 that you can put back into your pocket, where us 9to5ers can’t get that money back. I don’t know your circumstances, but if you don’t have a history of illness in your family and don’t see any future complications insurance may be a lame excuse not to do what you love. As far as your energy and your daughter come, you to get your priorities straight.

1. Yourself – Mind, Body, Spirit (Your energy problems have to do with your exercise and sleep.)
2. Your family – Sounds as though you do need to mange your time better. And no, you don’t know.
3. Your work – You’re doing well

In that exact order. Sometimes you’ll be required to sacrifice for your family, but you can only give until nothing is left. And if you are reduced to nothing, you’re actually hurting your family in the long run, it’s a balancing act. If you’re bad at managing time, then you need to raise your rates… your time will manage itself.

I love, love, love this article and did not think that it was a downer. It was a fantastic way to see the realities of this job that we’ve picked. I am fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom with a “work-a-day” world dad in the house who pays the bills and keeps our insurance up. That being said, I still do feel some of these worries such as how much time should I really let my two and a half year old daughter spend in front of that electronic babysitter. How much is harmful to her development and how much is ‘ok’ for her because mommy is ‘working’? It is reality and it is okay to talk about. I think the end of the article showed that it was a little bit tongue in cheek, but also a little bit real. Thanks for the dose of reality and the humor.

I don’t really get it. I chose to freelance instead of getting a 9-5, straight out of University, so that I could make my own schedule and live the lifestyle I wanted. If you’re not comfortable with the time you spend with your family when you’re working for yourself, do you think it will get better if you start working for someone else who will be dictating your schedule?

I work LESS than I would at a 9-5, and I probably make just as much. But, I have time for exercise, and family, and relaxing, and vacations. Most of which I’d have much less of if I wasn’t freelance. Plus, I feel more stable. If I lose a client it’s not the end of the world. I have 5 others. But if I had a 9-5 and got fired, that straight down to nothing in an instant.

I think this all comes down to organization skills. Freelance is great if you can organize your own time, your own clients, and your own finances. But if you’re the type of person who works better when you have someone else telling you what to do, then freelancing probably isn’t the best path for you.

Thank you for writing this article. I’ve recently decided (and fortunately am able to) only accept projects that interest me. For me a lot of what got me down about freelancing was not only everything you’re talking about, but also the quality of work I was putting out. I found myself getting so much work (for so little pay) that I was barely making anything and the work I was putting out started to really go down hill. I lost the love of designing and I really want to get it back. I figured scaling back my work and focusing on only things I’m interested in doing will do that. It’s a different situation, but I couldn’t help but think of it after reading this.

It’s really none of my business but, how does your wife contribute to the family? Does she provide any income? If she’s not working, can’t she help to look after the child? Can she defer her studies until the child is old enough to attend school, or until you have sufficient funds to afford full-time study?

I tend to wonder what the spouse of the OP is contributing to the houshold- if there is one? I feel the household responsibilities should be well divided. Less childcare on this man’s part means more money in the long run. If he is doing more childcare, than the other part of the household should be contributing via $$$.

Of course, if there is not a spouse within the house, then I have no experience with that way, and no advice

Good look into this side of the equation.

I do know and admit that I could not make this ago without a household partnership. Did I not have my husbands insurance, I would need to up my hours significantly to purchase insurance- OR get a 9-5 job.

Look, there are tradeoff to NOT freelancing. I refuse to leave my children on their own devices after school hours. I refuse to not be available to them. I refuse to not be inside my own household, my haven. I refust to give my time and effort to someone elses greed. My work is carefully chosen.

Now, you give me a writing job, that ends at 3pm when my children end school, that pays as well as my freelancing, and with a mission that I can get behind- well then, ok.

Otherwise, I won’t compromise unless our livelihood depends on it.

JINX riki….!!!

I think the spouse in in school? Sorry, but University classes tend to meet at the same time that children’s school meets. Therefore, she should perhaps put off her goal of education UNTIL the kids are in school, and until then, take the responsibility of raising the chilren while her husband takes the responsibility of working the hours and supporting the household. OR VICE VERSA! I don’t care who does what, but I also wonder about this balance.

haha hi Allena

Yes I agree, it should be an equal partnership, regardless of how the duties are carved up. I’m just wondering if some Universities have child care facilities.

I had to work a part-time job, to put myself though University. Plus my previous partner, spent eleven years at Uni doing her doctorate, and she had to work nights and weekends just to get by.

Well then: go out, get a job, and for chrissake, don’t write a post whining about it in a FREELANCING blog. Geez.

Your rewards will not only be as good as your hard work, skills and experience. BUT your guts too. Success is fair don’t you think?

@ Riki
“It’s really none of my business but, how does your wife contribute to the family?”

Well, it would be awfully contradictory of me to submit an article to heavily trafficked website detailing my personal situation and then get offended when someone butts into my “business.”

To answer Allena and Riki’s question, yes, I am a member of that most endangered of species in the U.S. : the single income household.

My wife currently takes the maximum allowed number of units to try and power through her degree and eventually her teaching credential. Her quitting school to stay at home is bad for two main reasons.

One – If she drops out now, it will just take her longer to get her degree and increase the amount of time that we will probably struggle financially.

Two – Our apartment is reserved for students, and is generally a little cheaper than apartments in the surrounding area. If she drops out or her grades slip, we get the boot.

Next quarter, however, she’s taking part in a work study program that will bring a little more cash into the home.

I really want to emphasize that I truly believe that my situation is temporary. I have only been freelancing full time for a couple months and I’m sure the beginning is always the hardest. The more I read about freelancing, the more my situation improves.

I didn’t quite expect to receive such a flood of sympathy, advice, and judgment, but I’ll happily take it all.

@ Logan

Perhaps what’s needed is a bit of perspective…it’s annoying, I know because everyones problems are unique….but going back to basics, at least you have food and shelter….and in this crazy world alot of people have neither…

Basically….count your blessings…daily….even if they’re small ones….and watch your mindset change.

Peace!

As I get ready to start my own freelance business, this article scared the living bejeesus out of me.

This is a great post and perfectly suitable for this site. Thanks for telling your story. Freelance definitely is not all fun all the time. I think it’s good for others to know about this (especially people who are thinking of doing it). I wish I’d known more when I started.

The comments to this post have been very helpful to me as I go about writing my business plan for my freelance copy writing business. I’m currently in a corporate job, which I plan to leave by March 2009. The challenge (and a common one) is health insurance. I’ve found so many great freelance resources online — FreelanceSwitch included — to plan my transition, but I’ve found little in the way of guidance for finding affordable family health care in the U.S. (I have two young children and my husband — his employer doesn’t offer insurance.) In doing research, it looks like a High Deductible Health Plan with a Health Savings Account may be the way to go. Does any one have experience with one of these? Are you happy with it? And how come I can’t find any straightforward advice other than join a writer’s association (which don’t all offer health insurance in every state — I’m in Washington)?

You’re a bad parent because your 3-year old daughter stays home with her daddy? I hope you’re half-kidding. You want to earn enough money to send her away? To daycare? To a bunch of strangers who could give a rat’s ass about your precious daughter because, well, they are paid hourly employees who are just there to keep a low-paying job for a steady paycheck. They lack the very thing necessary to raise a child properly: motivation and love.

And yet, you worry about stimulation of your daughter. Dude, be totally thankful she isn’t getting over-stimulated with juicy juice, television, and the ridiculous myriad dumb things that pre-school teachers do to waste away those precious years.

You are already “rich” in many ways, and any big money you start making should not be used to send your daughter away. Please don’t think they have any secrets to development that you and your wife don’t. You and her are doing exactly the thing necessary for a stable child and proper development. A bunch of exercises and drills aren’t going to do a thing for her; but the loss of relationship as the “system” starts pulling your child away from you before you’ve even formed that precious relationship can never be replaced.

I hear you loud and clear about the financial concerns, but hang in there, pal. Be the man on those negotiations. Value your time and your work. Learn to say “no” occasionally (at least 10 percent). Trust that God will provide. Keep fighting the fight of life.

Money without family is, well, pretty much useless.

And to all the folks who think your wife should be “contributing”, screw them. Your wife is helping you raise a child. That is enough. Don’t send her to work on account of them. Plus, she’s going to school. Although, just raising a child is more than enough. Plus, being a home maker and a good wife to you.

Sickening how many people think (still! in 2008!) that a dual-income is some kind of answer. Retarded. As has been said a million times on the net (just search around), it’s senseless to consider additional income without thinking about the expenses: transportation to/from (esp. with gas near $4/gal) incl. insurance/title/taxes, additional out-of-home eating/coffee, additional work wardrobe for wife, childcare (a-ha! there we go with that again)… by the time you add all that up, your wife’s salary will be reduced significantly. Depending on her skillset, she may end up “making” lower than minimum wage. I knew one couple who, when I added it all up for them (and I mean ALL up), they realized her take-home was $1/hour. Nice. Is that the way to “value your spouse”? Would YOU want to work for that? Even if you could use the extra $160/month, it takes a special kind of prick to send his wife to work for 160 hours a month to get it.

And that’s just the financial costs: There’s the lack of a home. No woman about the house for 50 hours a week (40 hours plus time there and back). No mother to the children. Dinner becomes a rushed torrid affair. Breakfast hardly exists. Lunch (for you if you’re working at home) is lonely.

Her interest in keeping (and improving!) your home lifestyle may still be high, but her energy won’t be there. Plus, you subject her to the same kind of jerks in the corporate world which made you (and many of us) consider starting your own business in the first place.

Some might argue that I’m being sexist. So be it. Switch places if you want to, but then don’t work at home – be a father and a home maker for your wife. I personally think it goes against the natural grain of things and is just dumb striving to prove a point to society (which never cares – you get no brownie points for proving points to society, but have at it, if you like).

We all feel the strain and stresses of what you’re referring to here – some more than others, some times worse than other times, but don’t let that be a weak excuse for smashing your family into some neo-90’s iconic family. Don’t EVER let money be a reason.

Else you’ll blink and your daughter will be 14 and you’ll be trying to reach out to her – and she, like so many other teens, won’t respect you, won’t know who you are, and will be influenced more by her dumb MySpace friends, school teachers, and movies than she will be by you (or mom).

Hey, but don’t listen to me… what do I know, eh? I’m just a homeschooling right-wing lunatic who’s wife also stays home. We have six children so believe me I understand the financial pressures, dude.

Feel free to call/email me if you like, but I don’t want to start a debate on F/S blog here and get everyone all in a frenzy. My final point is to encourage you to do what you feel/know is right, society and money be damned.

Thanks for the article. I was a freelancer last month when I finally quit my job of three years and embarked on a journey to freelancing. I was one of those that spent 80+ hours a week juggling between production/design work, admin work, and gathering clients. I had no idea that freelancing can be quite taxing on time! Although I did enjoy the freedom of setting my own schedule, I missed seeing my home as simply a sanctuary of rest – a place where I can lay my head down.

Luckily, a month after I left my full time job, I accepted a full time position in a mid-sized marketing firm and am VERY HAPPY after almost three weeks in it. The hours are long, but I find so much fulfillment in my work. The work environment is very entrepreneurial (which I am), and I am VALUABLE to the company. I realized that last month’s reaction to “jump” was simply a rebellion against my previously energy-draining, soul-sucking job. I realized that it’s all about fit: if you’re planning to go back to the full time grind, make sure the place you will be working at is a place that utilizes your skills to its fullest potential and is the kind of environment that suits your personality and working style.

Will I freelance again? Most likely – but the next time I do it, it will be out of readiness, not rebellion.

Thanks for your bravery, Logan. A good dose of reality. We need to hear from successes as well as strugglers. And everyone in between.

Somewhere upthread somebody mentioned universal health care… Sue, I think…

For a very long time, I clung to a crappy, extremely expensive COBRA policy because I have pre-existing conditions, which, I had be told by an insurance agent, would utterly prevent me from getting health care. I have chronic depression, which in the eyes of most insurers lumps me in with drug addicts and those who have been institutionalized after criminal activity. Finally, after a great deal of research and time, I did find a company that would cover me, although it was with a rider for mental health care.

But even after all that, I don’t want universal health care anywhere near me or my family. I’ve heard way too many horror stories out of Canada. After working for government sub-contractors and now as a government employee’s spouse, I’ve seen the bureaucracy, waste, and frustration that comes about when we turn over our problems to the state. The health care world needs adjusting, but I’m thinking Congress isn’t the one to do it. Think of everything the federal government is control of, and how YOUR tax money is spent… really, do you truly, honestly, want the health of you and your family in the hands of these people?! I sure don’t.

What we have in the U.S. now is far from perfect, but it could get a lot worse. And it will if we beg the government to swoop in and “fix” us all into… well, Canada. (Nothing against Canada, which is a beautiful country with very nice people, amazing scenery, fantastic beer, great sports, and, best of all, Michael Buble– but if I need a heart transplant, I’m sorry, I’m staying the *&@% away from Alberta.)

“I’m disorganized. I have atrocious negotiating skills. And I really have no idea how to properly deal with the money that comes in.”

So maybe the first priority might be to find someone that can help you learn to be more organized, develop the negotiating skills, and money and client management. Since just trying harder in the same manner will probably just get you more burned out.

Maybe a coach, maybe a business consultant, maybe someone else.

Nothing to do with cowardice here. Maybe you just need to learn how to better manage your time, energy, and your business. Maybe you need to learn to say no to the wrong clients and projects for you. Maybe you just need some new strategies.

Or perhaps a day job might be better for you, it’s a preference, not cowardice.

@freegal: Alberta is not Canada. For starters, we all call it the “American Province”… for a reason. Because they’ve eroded Canadian values there long ago, including things like health care and other aspects of the social contract. I grew up in Ontario and had excellent care, no problems. No waiting, no payments, nothing botched, just solid care when I needed it. Free. I’d like to see that matched here in the US, where things are more often then not filthy, rushed, overpriced, and hack, and that’s after you pay inflated prices and haggle with your insurer. And unless you pay top dollar for a serious rich person’s doctor or dentist, get ready for the real horrors. I’ll take Canada any day. Not to mention our drugs are the actual price and not ‘add a zero’, which is the game I play on all my previous prescriptions. This scare mongering done here is just so people don’t question too much what they are missing.

Logan, thanks for sharing the tough stuff.

One suggestion for trying to ride the wave (which I’m sure Skellie or someone has talked about on this site) is to see if you can put some clients on retainers. And think outside the box on who clients could be – they might be your “competition”. Freelancers in your business who are more established, with way too much work coming in the door, might like to outsource work to you. This could leave them doing the client management, negotiating, etc., and you can focus on writing what they ask you to write. I do some of this for other web design/development agencies an it works out really well.

Very sad story … dont give up. Thanks for sharing…

As far as health care in the US goes, even if you can’t find a good lone provider, you might try what I’ve done for the past year after my big layoff.

I took a graduate class–just one, and many of them really aren’t all that challenging, to be honest. But one graduate class at three hours was enough to be considered formally a full-time grad student (it’s usually much higher for undergrads) which qualified me for student health insurance.

Remember, student health insurance is based on a risk pool of people in their early twenties who never go see the doctor anyway. It can be stunningly affordable, even if it is often fairly basic.

Heads up. “Susan Kennedy” (if that is the real name) is a spammer. On your blog, she got a journalism job as a reporter on realmatch.com. On my blog, she got a Telecommunications job. Could just be that she is just this multi-talented. but somehow, I doubt it.

Logan,

This took me 3 long years of stress, misery and exhaustion before I figured it out… and all it took was one week of being completely broke to realise that something had to give. And most of it was my inability to let things go, or say “no”.

The reality of the situation is that you are feeling guilt for choosing this path. I feel that maybe you feel this need to be a “perfect” husband, father and provider, and the stress of this is taking its toll. And its perfectly understandable.

I am a mother of a 6 year old and a 2.5 year old — my husband works 14 hours a day and my son makes daily life really bloody hard sometimes. I don’t have the problem of no health insurance, because I live in Australia and my private health is cheap enough anyway… but we have similar financial pressures with an almost doubling of the cost of living in recent years.

But, it doesnt bother me anymore. Because you know what? Perfection doesnt exist. Kicking the ball around with your 3 year old is more than many fathers do, and I think you really need to cut yourself some slack. Running a business is really hard, and my husband has to help out in the evenings, because I am working late or whatever. I feel like I am working 24/7, between the kids and the house and the business… that I totally get it. And having a partner that gets it doesn’t hurt either

The partners of freelancers or other business owners do need to accept, in some capacity, that building a business is really hard in the first 5 years. And we also need to accept that its going to be hard too, but it really is worth all the effort. Your kid will be fine. Ans the Wiggles are good for them anyway… hahaha

There is a reason that most small businesses fail in their first couple of years – it is for exactly these reasons.

keep your chin up. It gets better. And one day you will have a moment where you go “a-ha!” — I think its coming

I sympathize with all of this, and have recently made the transition from full time freelancer (complete with 80 hour work weeks, no insurance, ornery clients, an angry girlfriend, and on and on) to a nine to five situation, and I have to say, while I’m not overenthusiastic about my day job, the benefits are great and its totally calming to have a salary to rely on, particularly in this economy. Plus, its nice to have a free workspace to go to (I come into the office on weekends once in a while to work on side projects), and the little perks are really charming (you mean I can print whatever I want? no matter how long it is? the coffee is free? I get to interact with people face-to-face all day? whoda thunk?)

But beyond all that, I think having a day job has actually made me a better freelancer. Now, I only take side projects I’m actually interested/invested in, and I (usually) only have one going at a time, so in the time I do spend freelancing I’m able to keep my focus much better. I’ve been much happier with the freelance work I’ve produced since starting my day job, and its also opened some time to do some things I’ve been putting off (like redeveloping my own website, which has been shuttered for almost six months now)

Dude… having been a work-from-home dad for the first 2 years of my daughter’s life, go easy on yourself here. 1-2 hours of focused time with Daddy is a LOT for your girl, especially if you’ve got Mom around, too. I was where you are now, and I got that corporate job you’re looking for. The money is great, but believe me, this ain’t perfect either. You’ll have days that you’ll wish you had the problems you have now. I resisted getting this corporate job for a long time because I KNEW I wouldn’t get that time back with my girl. Lucky for me, though, I can afford to have my wife stay home w/ the kids. One of us is better than none of us with strangers raising my kids all day. Buck up, raise your prices, and don’t work on getting better at writing, get better at marketing… stop charging for words, and start charging for results… works out good for you, and your clients. Jay

Dear Logan,
I´ve been freelancing since 2005 and I´ve never worked so little and earn so well, but I´m a very disciplined person to keep my life under control.
Right down I gonna share my day to day with you and our friends here in Freelance Switch.
06:10 am – I wake up , take my breakfast and go to gym.
06:40 to 07:30 – work out.
07:40 to 08:20 – take a shower, get dressed the same way if I would work at a company, turn on my computer and surf on the main news web sites to get updated. These sites are:nytimes.com, aol.ca, reuters.com, uol.com.br, globo.com, yahoo.ca, thestar.com. I like to know what is happening in Canada, USA and Brazil.
08:20 to 12:00 – work
12:00 to 13:20 – my lunch time! At least once a week a use to meet friends to have lunch, go to shopping mall, by something, go to supermarket, go to bank, to a library or simply walk on the street to see people. I also use to sleep when I have lunch in my home. It´s my way to keep good energy to start to work again.
13:20 to 18:00 – work. I usualy finish my job at 18:00 every day, I just work after this hour rarely, only when I have an urgent job or when it become more complex that I expected.
18:00 to 23:00 – My free time when I use to improve my skills studying, researching and prototyping.
It´s a very important time because I believe if I have a good domain of my tools I gonna take less time to do my tasks and I´ll earn more money in less time. But I don´t spend my free time only in front of my computer, I spend this free time with my wife, take a walk with my dog, visit friends, watch movies and etc..
Weekends – Rarely I work on the weekends, this is a very estimated time to me, it means to have fun and relax, actually diving, running, traveling, visiting friends, family, going to cinema etc..
By the way, when I need to learn a new software or techniques, I use to study on saturdays from 08:00 to 12:00.

TIP 01 – FREE TIME
I Never, never, never, answer business phone calls after my work time, I say from 12:00 to 13:20, after 18:00 and on the weekends. It´s my time, if I don´t have time to have lunch, if I don´t have time for me and my family, I would need change my concepts.

TIP 02 – ANSWER MACHINE
My answer machine get in the game to help me during this time.
I have a secret to share with you and I hope any of my clients don´t ready this post.
My fiends and family knows that I don´t answer the phone after 18:00 and on the weekends. It´s a strategy to force my clients to understand and respect my time. So because of this, my friends and relatives need to identify themselves when my answer machine pick up the phone call. They use to say something like “Hey Wanderson it´s me your mother pick up the phone boy!!!”
Maybe you´re wondering, but if your client call to your mobile phone?
I just keep my cold blood and don´t answer the phone and call him or her back as soon as possible. If I was not a freelancer working on my home but an agency? They would call to an agency Saturday at 20:00? Of couse not? Feelancing is a bussines and the first person that need to understand that is YOU.

TIP 02 – QUALITY OF LIFE
Dedicate a quality time to your health, working out, running, swimming, praticing a marcial art, yoga or something that keep your body and mind trained.
Drink watter, eat fruits and pay a close attention to your soul and mind.

TIP 03 – GOD ABOVE EVETHING
Before to start to work, thank GOD for the privilege to work as a freelancer and for the good life,for the good family and good friends you have.

BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS
Have contracts! I have 03 clients that pay me monthly, so it keep my bills payed without problems.
These contacts usually cover up site maintenance, graphic design and web design projects. The stuffs that the companies always need.
So, as I have a stable revenue from my usual clients and I always have new clients that give me a plus on my revenue with fast projects.
For instance, this month, a new client approached me with a project, an e commerce web site. The payment form will be 8X of $2.000 + a monthly contract of $800,00.
So, during 8 months I gonna have a plus on my revenue of $2.800,00, but the project will take 02 months to be deployed, after this I gonna have other projects to do, adding more revenue. To my $2.800,00.

HOW NOT TO WORK SO HARD
I believe that the key to not work 20 hours a day 7 days on the week is to consider 02 points:
To be mastered on your tools to take less time as possible on the tasks and organize your time efficiently. Don´t check your email every 10 minutes, block people that disturb you on the instant messengers, turn on your iTunes and listen a good sound and work relaxed and happy.

FINAL THOUGHTS
It´s not the absolute truth, that´s my way to run my business and my life and it´s working for me so far. My intention writing this post is not to show you the right way to live or work, but just to share with you may day to day.
I hope this post can help you and other readers. Sorry for type mistakes, I´m not a native English speaker.

My name´s Wanderson Siqueira, a happy freelancer designer based in Rio de Janeiro
http://www.wortek.com.br

Great post by Wanderson Siqueira (and great name!!). Logan, you’re definitely doing a lot wrong it would seem, so maybe need to spend time working out a schedule, reviewing the rates you’re charging, and then enjoying life. Work had during the work, relax during the non-work hours.

It’s certainly not pleasant to think about the potential drawbacks to what most of us think of as a dream job, but it took courage to put such a realistic post on this site, and I applaud you for that. While freelancing certainly has its challenges, and it’s not easy managing a home business while trying to raise young childrn, there are things you could do to make your life a little easier. I cut my hours practically in half when I started outsourcing my back-office operations to an employer of record organization, MBO Partners. I no longer had to spend countless hours on all those tedious tasks that I wasn’t being paid for, like invoicing and collections. Tax managment suddenly became much simpler, and through MBO I had access to group health insurance benefits and a retirment savings account. So, not only did I gain valuable time to spend with my son, but I also gained additional hours I could spend doing billable work for my clients, so my income increased as well.

great read! Freelance is not for everyone… I gave full time freelance a try and did ok made enough to pay the bills but I want more. Now I have a 9 – 5 that gets me through the month and the freelance is what’s paying for my families future.

I wish you the best Logan in what ever road you take to provide for your family.

Wow. Tough story to read over. I do not freelance, but I own a small design firm. I too am struggling very badly, and am on the verge of being homeless. However, I don’t have a family or baby to feed. The only thing keeping me going to my office everyday is hope.

Things are very tough. It will all come around eventually!

This is a good post. We solo-professionals (“freelancer” tends to denote “amateur” these days) often reappraise what we are doing. It’s especially true that, no matter how much money you have in the bank today, you don’t always know what it’s going to be like next month.

I was lucky to have a contract that paid me much more than enough money for three days work than I needed for a month. During the five months this lasted, I had pretty unstressed days where I did lower paid writing gigs that were good for my portfolio – and paid several household bills – and enjoyed real freedom to experiment with just what the heck it is I’m trying to do (and that really can take time!).

The highly lucrative gig has now gone. However, I’m optimistic and reinvigorated and already pulling in new writing gigs. I also have time to develop my own site – itself a kind of portfolio that helps bring in jobs – and haven’t had to dip into what I saved before walking out of a lucrative job in law.

I still don’t know exactly what I will earn next month. I do know that I’ve been quite fortunate in not having to keep my head above water with low-paid contracts and gigs. I still feel the excitement that comes with winning each new paying gig. I work erratic hours and tend to do additional marketing or adding to my site when I’m not doing paid work. I have never felt so happy in life.

“Freelancing” at anything is potentially difficult. But put in the graft and you make your own luck.

Good luck to everyone surviving or thriving in this exciting world. I intend to avoid salaried slavery – getting paid for my time more than my expertise – for as long as I possibly can.

Thanks for the post!