Suddenly swamped with work related stuff. Not all of them pleasant, but dealing with it needs just the same. This too shall pass and all that. I really loath the taking advantage of freelancers way of running some businesses. We all need to get a decent income for a job well done, competence should be paid for not taking advantage of just because it's in the package of a freelancer.
Especially annoying when I've made myself perfectly clear beforehand, I am available for assignments once we've come to an agreement on a suitable rate, not before. And certainly not with a ridiculously short deadline for a measly rate. I'm actually *tad* shocked. Especially since it's work than needs to be done carefully and with high quality standards.
I want to make it perfectly clear that being a freelancer does not mean one is a serf. And if we can't come to an agreement on the rate I will unfortunately politely have to decline. My time and competence is worth a great deal to me, it really should be for you too.
I think this article puts it quite well - Freelancers are their own worst enemy We need to value ourselves better, if we don't noone else will. Do not work for cheap. Still, I do feel it's terribly sad and unfortunate that money and a reasonable pay should be an issue surprisingly often.
What's your experience with this,
as a freelancer or not?
How do you deal with it?
Do you have a minimum hourly rate or
do you make allowances depending on the job and circumstances?
As the saying goes, time is money, and you (better than noone else) know how much is yours. I teach Spanish in the afternoons and I'm my own boss, so I decide how much my students will have to pay and I've studied too much and I've worked too much to become a good teacher I won't work for peanuts. Some people may charge less, but what I think is maybe these other people may not be as prepared as I am, or else they would know how much their time's worth. And you know what? People come to my classes, enjoy them and are happy so they keep coming so I'm not overcharging, it's a fair price. And you, an amazing freelancer, have to charge as much as you find necessary because you'll be lost if you don't. The only reason I can think of to charge less or even do something for free is if the experience is going to be extremely enriching and if other people are not going to make big money out of my altruistic work.
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