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When should you send your bill?
Right away, of course. Bill early, bill often. If the assignment is of a certain size, you bill even before you start. (“Only $1800 is required to begin. Nothing else is due until you receive the...
View ArticleQ/A: Working by the hour. Sort of.
Tara asks: A good client asked me to handle a sideline project on a quick turnaround. Since it was a little different from what I normally do for them, I quoted an hourly rate. They asked how long it...
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Money: The three-day rule
Don’t discuss this with your friends who have regular jobs. They won’t get it. Or, they will think this is unfair. But never mind that. You and me, as free-range and self-sustaining independents, we...
View ArticleDifferent fees for different clients?
Um. Yes. Of course. That’s practically a rule. I’m surprised when I hear this question from other freelancers. Some wonder if it is fair or ethical to charge one rate to client George, and a different...
View ArticleQ&A: Do I have to give the deposit back?
From a friend in the UK: Q: I’m a freelance coder and developer. Twice, in the span of a month, I have accepted an assignment, taken a deposit, only to discover that the project is pure hell. One...
View ArticlePricing: Skip ahead a few years
I’ve seen this happen over and over with the freelancers I know. Especially with me. I kick myself for it. Consider: When you’re new to freelancing, when you’re finding your way, your fees are modest....
View ArticleWhat is a fair price, anyway?
I used to think that a ‘fair price’ was whatever the client was willing to pay. I had always heard, “If they pay, they must consider it fair.” So I made it a practice to shoot for the ‘whistle price’....
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