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Nobody bosses me around! Well, almost nobody. The one person I don’t mind bossing me around is well, me. That’s why my name doesn’t appear on anybody’s payroll. Or appraisal form for that matter. Yes, I’m a FREELANCER. And as Ronald McD will tell you … I’m lovin’ it.

Before I took the freelance plunge, I was working in the crazy advertising mill as a copywriter for nearly a decade. I’m proud to say, I have been without a full-time job for the last 3 years.

Trust me, your world will not crumble when that steady paycheck stops coming in. It will probably choke and sputter in the early days but as clichéd as it sounds … life will go on.

Caution: Think it through carefully … you’ll thank me for it later.

I may be skipping merrily through the freelance garden today, but believe me, going freelance was definitely not an easy decision to make. Although I had no homemaker husband or children to support, I did have a couple of pensioners (my ever-understanding mom and dad) and a precious little puppy princess who were all depending on me. Not to mention the banks who say they ‘officially’ own my home and car.

If it’s so scary, why bother right? Well, as any savvy investor will tell you, the higher the investment risk, the higher the potential for returns. Freelancing is no different.

FREELANCE = More time + More money

That pretty much sums it up, more or less.

‘Time’ is probably the biggest carrot that freelance has to offer. As we grow older, our priorities shift. We want to spend more time with our loved ones, and less with our cranky bosses and moronic colleagues.

Don’t get me wrong, the money’s not bad either. You get to decide how much your time is worth. Although there will always be frugal clients and wafer thin budgets that will ultimately determine how much you can charge, the beautiful thing is - the harder you work, the more money you’ll make. And that’s one thing you can’t say about a full-time job.

It’s different … and yet it’s the same.

What’s different? For one, I can walk out of the bedroom and be at my office desk in minutes. I’ve forgotten how it feels to be stuck in a traffic jam. I can shower any time I like, even walk the dog in between jobs. If I feel like a siesta, no one can accuse me of sleeping on the job.

How is it similar to a full-time job? Well, I still enjoy the creative satisfaction and adrenaline-pumping deadlines that are part and parcel of any permanent advertising agency stint. I still get to explain the difference between prepositions and propositions to clients. I am eternally grateful nevertheless that I have clients.

Getting started

If the situation permits, start off by moonlighting. Take up little freelance projects after office hours. Build your network of clients. Let the word out that you’re available to freelance. But more importantly, keep your clients happy. There’s no better testimony to your abilities than a satisfied customer.

Before you go freelance full time, do have enough savings to last you 8 months at least, in terms of financial commitments and other expenditure. You can never be sure when the next cheque will come in. Sometimes projects can drag on for months. Most of the time, it’s the clients that will be dragging your payments.

Don’t stretch yourself too thin by taking up more jobs than you can handle. Always remember why you’re a freelancer. Repeat after me, “More time for yourself, less stress in your life.”

Some people liken freelancers to hippies. I really don’t mind that label because I’m a happy hippy.

Note: The above article was contributed by a freelancer who wishes to remain anonymous. Allyhunt believes her story will be a useful guide to those that are contemplating of going into freelancing “full time”. Any other freelancer care to share a tip or two?