Want To Be a Freelancer? This Would Be Your Life; Pros and Cons

Being a freelancer is now rather a trend than a thoughtful decision. Hundreds of specialists dive into self-employment because of income rates, working environment or in a pursuit for freedom. It is fashionable now to work while travelling, talk about amazing life of a happy slacker and write sweet posts about work-from-home to various social media.
 
I have been freelancing for already three years and I can honestly claim that such lifestyle isn’t all roses.
 
Sometimes you will be able to count only on yourself, and sometimes there will be things that make you feel desperate.
 
Not that you’re a crybaby, but when your computer crashes in the middle of work, even the toughest heart would tremble. So, cutting the long story short, here are top pros and cons of being a freelancer.
 

 

Work from Home vs Side Expenses

Those who have worked at office know how much effort it requires to deal with company politics and workplace drama. Besides, at office you’re always bound with all those politesse things and pointless formalities.
 
If you work from home you will only need a stable Internet connection, a phone and possibly some other appliances (if you still invoicing on paper etc.).
 
Also, the great thing might be that you will be done with meetings, urgent sessions and monthly reports. At home, you can focus more on getting the things done.
 
Ha! Have you considered hidden costs of home office in your budget? Because your bills for phone, electricity and WIFI will rise right away, as well as those for water and other utilities.
 
Why?
 
At office, the company takes care about the building, bathrooms, coffee and those cookies you eat for snack. When your computer breaks, your company pays for replacement.
 
At home, these expenses will be your burden. Let aside additional hidden costs for being self-employed.
 

Flexibility vs Deadlines

Actually, flexibility is one of the most referred reasons as to why people switch from fulltime jobs to freelance. People want to work when they like, travel, communicate and not be bound by any location or time. This also is critical for important matters – like when you need to visit hospital or go to your child's school.
 
Yet, together with such freedom comes great responsibility. You are to manage everything in your life, including your working hours.
 
And you can’t simply choose three or four hours a day solely for your business (unless you earn really big bucks per hour).
 
There will always be some distraction factors, such as your family members, neighbors, pets, phone calls or whatever else calling out for your attention. You will have to handle with them and keep in mind the deadlines.
 
Your clients won’t accept excuses for failed projects, unless it is something really serious. Oh, and did I say about the safety net?
 

More Money vs Unstable Payments

The one of most popular questions I get is how much a freelance writer can make. Let’s face it – we all have certain amount of monthly expenses. So it is crucial to clearly understand whether freelancing can provide you with a sufficient, bill-paying level of earnings. Of course, it largely depends on your field, but, on average, freelancers make more than regular workers.
 
The reverse side is that freelancers usually don’t receive regular paychecks. Unless you’re a part of a freelance team of the best essay service or another big company, you will probably flounce among minor projects hoping to earn enough to cover month’s bills.
 
Another unpleasant thing – bills pop up regularly and they won’t wait for “another little bit” until you receive the money.
 

Independence vs Dealing with Taxes

People dream of doing what they love and being free from reporting their progress to any kind of a boss. They want to make own decisions and opt for what suits them best.
 
Certainly, individual freelancing has such benefits. You don’t have to get any instructions from managers, force yourself into boring tasks or ask for day offs. Freelancing will provide you with a bunch of challenges so that you can grow both in personal and professional spheres.
 
Yet, when it comes to doing the actual thing, many realize that freelancers are considered as business owners. And as any business, they must file their taxes and report all sources of their income.
 
Tracking of all the income and expenses can cause additional troubles for a person, not familiar with taxation system. Also, it requires additional time commitments, which can only worsen the situation for a solopreneur.
 

New Career Options vs Learning from Scratch

Freelancing opens plenty of career possibilities. It also sharpens your professional skills, and for those who learn new things fast, there is no limit for improvement.
 
You may join a project you’ve been interested in and make many useful connections in professional sphere by attending job fairs, conferences, seminars and other events.
 
At first, however, things might go slower than you expected. It is not easy to jump into business without deep knowledge of marketing or sales mechanism. Also, you will have to learn about time management, accounting, SMM and other disciplines that might even have nothing common with your main occupation.