Starting your own freelance business can be an excellent way to take control of your career and unlock some exciting opportunities. Freelancers are essential small business owners that make money on their own terms, doing the things that they love.
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The Freelance Business
Before you decide a freelance business is the right route for you, it might be a good idea to think about how you’re going to manage cash as a freelancer. Although any professional can make money if they know how to advertise themselves properly and find clients online, tracking down customers isn’t always easy.
You’ll need a way of coping with the ups and downs in your financial journey. The following tips could help you to get started on the right track.
Build an Emergency Fund
There are no guarantees in life. Even if you have a standard nine to five job, no-one can tell you for certain that you’re going to have a consistent income for the next few decades. However, as a freelance business owner, there’s even less uncertainty.
Every day, you’re seeking out new clients and opportunities to keep the money coming in. You won’t always get the results you’re looking for. The good news is that you can prepare yourself for the worst. Start by looking at your budget to see where you can start saving money.
Refinancing your old student loans means that you won’t have to pay as much out of your pocket each month. This is a great way to add some padding to your safety blanket. You can also look for ways to cut down on luxuries. Once you have an emergency fund of around 3-6 months’ worth’ of bills, you’re in a good place.
Don’t Quit Your Day Job Immediately
Starting a new career is an exciting concept – particularly in the freelancing world. Many of us love the idea of being able to work for ourselves, choose our own customers, and even pick the hours that we dedicate to work each day.
That doesn’t mean that you should rush in too quickly. Even if you’re launching an inexpensive business model, you’re going to need some cash to get you started. Staying with your typical job while you build up some extra money will ensure that you don’t immediately fall into financial hardship the first time something goes wrong with your new enterprise. It also gives you a chance to find some valuable clients.
Save Whenever You Can
Finally, there will be months in your new role where you find yourself earning a lot more in your freelance business than usual. This might happen because you were lucky enough to get a few high-paying clients recently. On the other hand, you might discover that increasing your price helps you to generate extra income.
Rather than celebrating by using all the extra money you earn – save that cash. You never know when you’re going to have to make up for a dry period in your business. Having some extra savings aside for those rainy days will ensure that you can keep the lights on when the going gets tough for you and your company.
