The Important Facts of being a Freelancer

Freelancer

You may be at that point where you want to quit your full-time job and try your luck at entrepreneurship. This maybe a new area to you completely especially if you are venturing into a freelancing career. This is a life changing decision which may impact you either in a positive or negative way. Let  us look at the Pros and Cons of being a freelancer.

Pros

You are the boss

You are not under the management of anyone other than yourself and your clients. You are responsible for all the tough decisions. To say the least, you are in control.

Flexible hours 

You can work whenever you want. You get to choose your own hours-the working hours don’t have to be the regular business hours.

You collect and Keep all the cash from various Jobs – You have no restrictions when it comes to collecting the payments whether the projects are big or small. You can allocate or keep all the profits from your large and small projects and clients. This gives you the freedom to decide how to use the money on either improving yourself or expanding the business.

You can work from anywhere

You are no longer stuck in an office or even in your home. You have the freedom to find a place that you can work best from.

Control over Jobs and Clients 

Being a freelancer gives you the freedom of choosing who you would like to work with unlike in fixed job, in some cases you will have to work with unprofessional or rude clients.

Cons

No employee Benefits 

Health benefits are expensive. Depending on your current health, switching to a freelance lifestyle might not be in your best interest. Besides, starting your own freelance business means you no longer have paid sick days or vacation time to use. Each day you  don’t work is a day you won’t get paid.

No steady or reliable workloads 

Freelancing may mean unstable income and workload that is inconsistent. In most cases you won’t be able to depend on any regular project, client or profit whereas in normal full-time job, you are sure of a salary.

A lot of Legwork

You are in charge of finding all your own clients and projects. In a traditional job, you might get projects or clients being handed to you. This means that, you do everything by yourself.

Not Getting paid

Being a freelancer also means that you run the risk of not getting paid or pushing people to pay you. Their  maybe ways to protect yourself from non-paying clients, but sometimes you may not realize the risk until it is too late.

You may overwork without realizing 

Being a freelancer, gives you the freedom to be your own boss and even work from home, this may make it difficult for you to distinguish between your work time and your personal life.

Related: Over 20 sites that offers opportunities to make money online

Unlock the secrets to success in business, digital marketing, personal finance, and more by subscribing to our newsletter from Business and Life Tips 

Bottom Line

Freelancing means having the freedom to decide which work to do and who to work with but it also means instability. You have to evaluate all these, and decide if it is worth you leaving the traditional 9-5 job.

Please you may follow us and share:

Comments

145 responses to “The Important Facts of being a Freelancer”

  1. I can so relate to your article – but you articulate it much better than I ever could. This is a ‘must read’ for anyone contemplating becoming an entrepreneur.

    1. Hi Stephanie I appreciate your visit and feedback!

  2. Your post provides someone a realistic view on building a stable income. I also believe it’s important to set goals for your business and knowing your – “why?” A true entrepreneur solves problems and enjoys serving others; the income naturally follows.

    1. Hi Rebecca, I totally agree with you on settting your goals. Thanks for dropping by.

  3. As an entrepreneur I know these pros and cons all too well! Great post.

  4. Good advice. There definitely some pros and cons to being an entrepreneur, but I guess that is the risk you take. While I would like to eventually become my own boss, I do like the benefits working a 9 to 5 brings.

  5. Angela Fernando Avatar
    Angela Fernando

    many think that being a freelancer is easy and fast money…

    1. That is why you need to learn the pros and cons.

  6. My mummy has often thought about freelancing (she’s a graphic designer) but a steady salary is too appealing especially with a family and the need for stability. One day maybe…

    1. Glad to hear that. The best way is to start freelancing while still at your day job.

  7. Stephanie Jeannot Avatar
    Stephanie Jeannot

    So true. Lots and lots of work without any employee benefits. But you are on your own clock. What is Better than working towards your own vision?

    1. Yes, it is always about finding what works well for your goals.

  8. I enjoyed reading the pros and cons to freelancing. I honestly never knew how big it was until now. Good points that you make here.

  9. Being your own boss can definitely be a challenge, but can also be awesome. These are some true things you pointed out! Totally worth it!

  10. Being a freelancer lets you have flexibility in your life, but it is a lot of work too. Thanks for sharing this – it is helpful to know these things.

  11. Alexandra Cook Avatar
    Alexandra Cook

    Such a gerat and very informative post. This can be very helpful for those wanted to start freelancing jobs.

    1. True, thanks for visiting.

  12. This is such a great post. What a useful resource especially for those wanted to e a freelancer.

  13. Fatima D Torres Avatar
    Fatima D Torres

    Good points in this post. And yes, there are so many cons to freelancing, but the pros outweigh them.

    1. Yes, getting the balance is key.

  14. Such a great list of pros and cons for freelancing. My biggest thing working for myself is sticking to a schedule.

  15. You made an excellent list of the pros and cons of freelancing. So many things to think about and consider!

  16. Jacque Hooper Avatar
    Jacque Hooper

    I always enjoy your advice; very clearly thought out and discussed! Thank you!

  17. Being a freelancer has always been such a huge deal to me. It was like I hit my late twenties and realized that that’s what I was doing owning a business. The tips you’ve been sharing on your blog that i’ve gotten to check out have been helpful to me, as a freelancer and as a content creator!

    1. Hey Jasmine, thanks for that insightful feedback. All the best.

  18. keisha1989 Avatar

    Thanks for all the advice. I think this post is so helpful and perfect for persons who want to freelance.

  19. Chelle Dizon Avatar
    Chelle Dizon

    Yes this is exactly a great list of pros and cons of being a freelancer. I have tried having an 8-5 job and I prefer being a work at home mom.

    1. Thanks for your feedback Chelle.

  20. I love your bottom line, it really is a trade off between freedom and security. If you are brave enough to take the freedom it can be great.

    1. True! Thanks for visiting.

  21. Great post a lot to take in. I’d love the flexible hours but I’d be wary of missing out on the employee benefits

    1. Thanks for your insights.

  22. All of these are true, especially the lack of work benefits like you would receive with a typical 9-5 job position.

    1. Yeah, that is why we need to know the facts before we make the informed decision of pursing Freelancing full time. I would advice one keeping a day job and doing freelancing on the side.

  23. […] You can also read: Freelancing Pros and Cons. […]

  24. I love being a freelancer and find the drawbacks to be minimal.

    1. Thanks for the feedback.

  25. Very balanced post. It’s so important to keep all sides of a decision to freelance in mind.

    1. Hi Kat, thanks again for dropping by. Looking on both sides enables one to make an informed decision.

  26. I agree on both, the pros and the cons, and it’s a big step to take. However, if you want to win you have to risk something. Risk assessment would be a good idea. If you can’t afford to loose, than it’s to risky to invest (meaning quitting your job and so on)

    1. Hi Lena, true but if you have a permanent job, it is advisable to keep the job while you embark on your side hustles or freelancing work. If you succeed in establishing your career as a freelancer then you can quit your day job, that way you have nothing to lose.

  27. Smart advice… There’s one major thing that I think is very important to figure out when thinking about freelancing, is the concept of concentration on tasks. For some people, working independently is great, they can move ahead without directions and feel comfortable having to figure things out on their own. But that’s not for everyone – neither is the discipline of working focused on work, rather than all the other things that calls upon us in life. Self-focused and driven work is great for some, not for everyone. And the key is to really know ourselves to understand this. Thanks for sharing your thoughts

    1. Hi Hanes, am more than grateful for those insightful comments. I agree with you, that we need to weigh the options to see what works for us, while considering everything on both sides before we make that crucial decision with regard to freelancing.

  28. Awesome post. Thanks for giving the real picture when it comes to freelancing. That is very important

    1. Hi, thanks for dropping by.

  29. Those cons are very true!
    That’s the reason I fear leaving the Higher Ed industry to take up Real Estate and Blogging. I’m not sure I will have the income security.

    Good breakdown.

    1. Hi, yes, it is always good to weigh the options, and settle for what works well for you. Thanks for visiting.

  30. Good thoughts. Remember to mention that the money you make will need to be responsibly allocated for taxes. Sometimes it’s a huge con to keep track of things like that.

    1. Hi Kat, thanks for adding more information.

  31. Great that you’re being so realistic and show what’s actually going on if you’re a freelancer. Good post!

    1. Hi Sophie, thanks for visiting.

  32. DigitalNomadSoul Avatar
    DigitalNomadSoul

    Yes, yes and yes again! Despite all of the disadvantages (which can indeed be very annoying) I still prefer this lifestyle over being an employee working a 9-5 office job. Thanks for sharing!

  33. Very solid article and helpful to me as I am just going into freelance work. Thanks!

  34. I have been contemplating quitting the corporate job for a while but the con list is still a bit too strong without a safety net. Great advice.

  35. Hey Thanks for sharing! Fear I think is what’s keeping me from taking the leap ! But working on it.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Join 900+ subscribers

Stay in the loop with everything you need to know.

The Freelance Content Marketing Writer: Find Your Perfect Clients, Make Tons of Money and Build the Business You Love!

Currently trending: