Can I still afford being a freelancer?
Times are rough and things are tough at the moment. I officially went as low as a freelancer can go: I have work but no money to go to work. Is this for real??? I never thought I could get to this point. Now, it’s “fashionable” for agencies to justify their own unpaid provided services by telling freelancers they are having problems “processing payments” or “the Finance Dept. at the moment is unable to make any payments” or “the payments system is down”… They might as well just tell us they haven’t been paid themselves!!
This has brought me to self-brainstorming to find the most appropriate solutions for my freelance business.
1) Because I’m a mom, I must realize that missing working days are going to happen, whether I can fight them or not;
2) Childcare always have to be paid, whether I have work or not;
3) No more Mrs Nice Girl! From now on, I will not accept anymore assignments/projects from outsourcers that don’t pay on time. - This can be hard, because I might occasionally not have a choice, so I am having to force myself not to take these (even when there’s nothing else to chose from); When payments are not paid timely, the assignments are cancelled and new projects are not accepted/delivered, at least until payment is done;
4) I should not take work at a lower rate than I have reached to be paid at, after certification. Take it or leave it! It’s a matter of principle. If I keep lowering my rates I (and consequently, my trade) will lose credibility;
5) I should keep looking for new Clients, never losing sight of the existing good paying ones.
My mom keeps telling not to give up, that all hard work will end up paying for. But I am running out of ideas. I cannot work or invest if I’m not paid on time (or paid at all!). When working as a freelancer or working as an employee pays the same, what choices do I have? :(



