For almost two decades I was an employee. I tried a lot of jobs, from selling stuff at a non stop grocery store in my hometown to middle management in a decently sized small business. I've tried a lot of things, but hardly ever managed to make ends meet on my salary alone. Running errands and doing side jobs was always there for me - knowing two languages aside from English and a decent HTML and CSS knowledge helped me make an extra buck or two each month. I've ran my own blogs once or twice, nothing fancy - and I always ended up selling them. After all those years of working for others I've become a decent copywriter, and when my last workplace closed a couple of years ago (due to the shrinking economy), I've decided to become a freelancer. Now I work from home, on my own schedule, and all things are peachy. Or are they?
Freelancing is to be a great choice for those in need of more flexibility - and usually more income - compared to "nine-to-five" jobs. First of all, you get to choose when to work. If you are a morning person, it's fine - but it's also OK if you are a night-owl. Running out for groceries, playing a game at https://au.royalvegascasino.com/slots/, or even leaving town for a couple of days is fine - you don't have to ask for permission, and there's nobody who can tell you not to it. Except for yourself, of course. Freelancing can make you location-independent (all digital nomads you read about online are freelancers). And the best part is that you often get to choose who you are working with, which is a major upside of this lifestyle.
But freelancing has its share of downsides, as well.
When you are an employee, you more or less know for sure that you'll receive remuneration for your work. When you are a freelancer, though, you never have this certainty. There can be times when you get to cherry pick orders, and others when you spend days in a row looking for a contract, but to no avail. This constantly changes the level of your income as well: one month you can make enough for three others, and the next you may end up asking for a loan to pay your bills. And, as a small business, you'll have to take care of your own accounting and job hunting as well. Being a freelancer is not just fun and games. It is hard work, and a lot of responsibility to take on. It's a big decision, but it can be worth it in the long run. It is for me - I've never made so much money while being an employee. But I know I never worked so many hours in a row either...
