Financial planning for freelancers

As a full time freelancer and consultant, I enjoy my freedom and the diversity of the topics I may address from a day to another. However, from time to time I am faced with a very unpleasant side of my freedom. 

There it is a price to pay, of course, and it is about money that I would like to talk a little bit now, a couple of hours before entering the weekend.

The most important think that you should keep in mind when it comes to starting your freelance life is how you will cover your basic needs: rent, daily food, insurances. Once this amount is safe, try to think a bit in perspective: what if the main provider of the money for rent, or food will delay the payment, for different reasons. Once, my employer forgot to pay my consistent bill for almost one month and if not my careful savings on the back of my bank, not only me, but the daily comfort of my family would have been affected.

This is why I love to work as much as possible, at least for a couple of month before a first slow down in March/April, and another significant one in August/September. In between I want to dream about trips, and surprise journeys in different corners of the world and some challenging new business ideas. But, take it as it is: without money, you can hardly move forward and before you start dreaming, check your account - with online methods it is more than easy to do it nowadays. It does not matter how much you love your job and how much you fun you have to work from home each and every day. Once upon a time you will realize that the frustration of counting every money and worrying how you will survive for the next weeks will diminish if not uproot completely your amazing imagination. 

At least it is how it works in my case: the financial insecurity is not a creative boost for my writing and consulting life and only the idea that people do not pay in time or ignore my mails asking for a clarification of the financial condition makes me sad and sick and unhappy. This is because I am a very correct person and each time I have a debt, I like to pay it in due time. 

Once again, my advice before closing my online business for the next 25 hours: enjoy your life as a freelancer but be sure that you can afford it. If not yet, work a little bit more and save even more. With some nice savings in your bank account, life can look easy and the inspiration will flow.

Good luck everyone!