Freelancefolder

Budgeting for Freelancers

Posted December 17, 2009 in How-To, Lifestyle 30 Rockin' Comments »

It’s tough enough to budget money correctly when you’re on a regular income, but it gets really tough when your income is irregular and unpredictable.

What do you do with all that money you make, now that you’re a fabulous freelancer? Do you throw it in a bank account and pray there’s enough for that flat screen you’ve been wanting and this month’s rent? Are you saving or always coming up short with your bills?

I’d like to show you a great budget system I use for myself. I’ve tried lots of different budgets, but this one is by far the best. It works great with my irregular income and helps find every free penny, so I have enough for bills, spending and saving. What is this system?

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You May Be Addicted to Social Media If…

Posted December 10, 2009 in Lifestyle, Social Media 51 Rockin' Comments »

Do you use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or some other form of social media? Do you use it a little too much?

There’s no question that social media is an important part of today’s Internet environment. If you freelance (or are thinking about freelancing), chances are that you’re already involved in social media somehow.

But social media has a dark side too — it’s very easy to spend too much time twitter, write too many comments on Facebook, or overuse social media in some other way. In this post, we’re going to help you decide if you’re using social media too much.

Here are 20 ways to tell if you are addicted to social media:

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10 Ways to Green Your Home Office

Posted December 3, 2009 in How-To, Lifestyle 39 Rockin' Comments »

If you’re a freelancer who works at home full time or most of the time, give yourself a pat on the back. You’re doing the planet a great service. By working at home you’re reducing the use of fuels and limiting the amount of pollution generated by modern means of transportation.

However, there is still a lot more you can do to help protect the environment. In this post, we’ll show you ten ways to make your home office more environmentally friendly and an even better place to work.

Let’s start by reviewing the three Rs of eco-friendliness.

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Does Freelancing Make You Happy?

Posted November 12, 2009 in Inspiration, Lifestyle 69 Rockin' Comments »

Has freelancing made you happy?

Recently I read an article stating that the self-employed are happier than other folks. Was the article right? Does self-employment equal happiness?

If you are new to freelancing, you may not be able to answer that question. However, if you’ve been freelancing for a year or more, then you probably already have a pretty good idea of whether or not you are cut out for freelancing.

I can think of a lot of good reasons why freelancers might be happier than other people.

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The Basics of Freelancing on the Go

Posted November 5, 2009 in Business, Lifestyle 39 Rockin' Comments »

Are you a mobile freelancer?

If you’re trying to live the freelance dream, chances are that you answered “yes” to the previous question, or are at least thinking about it.

The old stereotype of the freelancer who works alone in his or her home office is changing. The image is being replaced by a newer, more mobile freelancer.

In this post we examine the growing trend of “freelancing on the go” and the essential tools that make it possible. Read on to find out just how easy it is to become a mobile freelancer.

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Learning How To Get The Most From Your Freelance Dream

Posted November 2, 2009 in Lifestyle 26 Rockin' Comments »

Freelancing can be quite liberating, but if done wrong it can be your worst nightmare.

Trust me on this one. I have seen people who were very successful in their day job, but ended up having to stop freelancing simply because they couldn’t handle it.

Deadlines, time management, clients… These are just a few of the things that can drive a freelancer crazy at times and leave him or her wishing for a day job. However, most freelancers learn with experience that there are ways to handle all of this without it being too stressful or overwhelming.

Before we delve into how to get the most from your freelance dream, let’s take a look at some of the good and bad parts of freelancing.

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Open Thread: How Do You Relieve Stress?

Posted October 22, 2009 in Lifestyle, Open Thread 46 Rockin' Comments »

Working as a freelancer can be very stressful.

There’s the stress of having too many projects all due on the same day, and there’s also the stress of dealing with slow times when you don’t know if you’ll be able to pay the bills that month. They don’t call it the freelance roller coaster for nothing.

Throughout all of these ups-and-downs, we freelancers need to maintain composure. There’s always work to be done, whether it’s on projects or marketing, and we don’t have time to get bogged down with enormous amounts of stress. Not to mention, too much stress just isn’t good for your body.

So, how to you relieve stress? How do you handle those difficult ups and downs? How do you handle major due dates? What are your tips for other freelancers for managing their own stressful situations?

Leave your thoughts, tips, and magic bullets in the comments.

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Open Thread: What Type of Freelancer Are You?

Posted October 12, 2009 in Lifestyle, Open Thread 96 Rockin' Comments »

Here’s a very simple question that we haven’t asked before on FreelanceFolder: what kind of freelancer are you? Are you a designer, developer, writer, photographer, or something else entirely?

Within your specific field, do you have any specialties? Do you focus on coding Wordpress themes, writing for business blogs, or photographing weddings?

Tell us about yourself in the comments. Hopefully we can all learn a little bit more about each other, and maybe even build some useful new connections or find some work. Feel free to link to your website or social media profiles as well :-)

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5 Choices You Will Face When Freelancing (And What You Should Choose)

Posted October 9, 2009 in Business, Lifestyle 31 Rockin' Comments »

One thing freelancers can never get rid of are dilemmas.

Work from home or work at starbucks? Take a much needed rest day, or keep working hard? Take on a new client or pass on the offer? The list goes on and on.

Out of the hundreds of decisions that we freelancers make on a regular basis, I think there are five major choices that matter the most. These are dilemmas that every freelancer faces at one time or another, and knowing what you’re up against can help you make the right decision. If you haven’t faced any of these dilemmas yet, trust me, you’ll face them soon enough.

Let’s take a look at these five dilemmas and what the best options are.

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