Live It Up! How to Make the Freelance Lifestyle Work for You
There are three ways to make a good living as a freelance writer.
You can work hard and earn a lot of money — or you can scale down your lifestyle and live on less. Or, you could do a little of each.
I do a combination of both. As I’ve mentioned here before, I earn around $70,000 per year working 20 hours per week on a combination of writing for magazines and corporate clients, teaching e-courses, and mentoring writers.
But when my husband and I (and later, our son) lived in New Hampshire for six years, even with my income and my husband’s freelance income, it felt like we were often living on the edge, making just enough to get by. All our bills were covered, but we didn’t have much of a cushion and we didn’t get to travel as much as we wanted.
I could have worked harder and earned more, because I was working only two days per week, with a few additional hours scattered here and there throughout the week. But I value my free time over everything else, and I didn’t want to bust my butt for 40 hours or more per week.
So we cut down on expenses.
Out went the cable, which we had only to watch Project Runway 16 weeks out of the year. Goodbye went the personal trainer. Sayonara, daycare!
We started feeling like we had more breathing room, though juggling a two-year-old at home and two writing careers was not easy.
Then we made the decision that really put us ahead: We moved to North Carolina.
I’d estimate our monthly expenses are around $1,500 less here than they were in New Hampshire.
That’s $18,000 savings per year.
For example, our health insurance is $600 less per month. Rent is $400 less than our mortgage was. Heat cost us $500 every month in the winter in New Hampshire, while here in North Carolina the amount is under $200.
We also homeschool and my mom helps out with childcare, which saves us the cost of preschool and, later, private school. Because we both work from home on part-time hours, we’re sure we can make it work.
That’s the great thing about freelancing: You can live pretty much anywhere, so you’re not stuck in a pricey area. And we freelancers tend to like our freedom and to make our own decisions, and we’re not afraid to make choices that others wouldn’t make, like homeschooling or pulling up stakes and moving.
Whatever you do, wherever you live, is your choice. Some people say they have no choice but to do X, Y, or Z, but that’s not true. You may not like your options, and you may be facing a risk, but you always have a choice.
And as a freelancer, you have more choices than most. You don’t have to go with the crowd. So why not use your freedom and independence to craft a lifestyle that works for you? [lf]
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May 31, 2012 Advice, Money, Motivation, Observations, Personal yammerings
I really like this post. I want to get into freelance writing and hope that my husband will be okay with that. We don’t have kids at the moment so we don’t have the price of daycare and such, but my costs for college do certainly add up.
Thanks for your comment, Ashley! When we started, we didn’t have a kid, a mortgage, or a car payment — just my college loans. So it was a good time for me to start, and my husband went freelance a couple years later. But yeah, those college costs…ugh!
Linda,
I didn’t know you were living in NC. Which portion of the state are you in? I just moved to Raleigh and I’m loving it so far, but I’ve been looking for fellow local writers to connect with.
Hey, I’m in Apex as of a year ago, which is about 20-30 minutes away! And yesterday I joined Triangle Area Freelancers. Shoot me an e-mail: lindaformichelli@gmail.com.
I love this post! I have been making different choices too and save lots of money that way. Thanks!
I’m glad the post resonated with you!
I used to live in beautiful Gorham, NH, and then wound up in North Carolina as part of my stint with the Air Force. I agree with you that residing in old NC is cheaper than NH. Still, it has its downside: We can’t earn any income from Amazon.com thanks to North Carolina legislation. We also have the highest gas tax in the south.
So lately, I’ve been researching cheaper, more income-friendly states. Out of curiosity, would you move if you knew of a better place? Or, have you – like me – reached a certain comfort-level that keeps you planted here (for the moment)?
Great post, by the way! Thanks!
Thanks for your comment! Do you mean you can’t sell your e-books on Amazon, or…?
We’re here for a while at least…my parents moved down, and my brother and his family. It’s nice being near family, and the free childcare ain’t nothing to sneeze at!
Should I ever reach the publishing stage of an accomplished writer, I believe I can sell my e-books on Amazon without worry. However, they wouldn’t allow me to put on my web page any “Amazon Associate” link to my book. This restriction also applies to the good people of Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
Of course, I have a lot of learning ahead of me before I can worry about income from my works.
In any case, I agree with you. After raising 3 of my own children, free childcare is nothing to sneeze at … unless they pick up cold or something and pass it along. Ah, those wonderful days of sharing …
Thanks again for your blog!
Linda, this post has some great advice in it. Sometimes, especially in the beginning of a freelance career, it would be wise to cut out any expenses that can be. Free up your money. You earn it after all.
Thanks, Nicky!
[...] Live it Up! How to Make the Freelance Lifestyle Work for You — by Linda Formichelli at The Renegade Writer [...]
Linda, thank you for being so open and honest about your income. Many writers covet that information and it was really helpful to see how exactly you’re making it work. How long did it take you to get to that $70,000 mark?
Thanks, Wade! I can tell you exactly: First year (1997) I made $30k. Second year was $50k. I can’t remember the third year — somewhere north of 50K. Year 2000 — over $80k. That was the year online magazines were starting up like crazy. Since then my income has ranged between 60-80k.
Linda, you’re earning real big. Right now, I am doing my real job and does freelance as a supplementary. I don’t know if I can achieve your current status that fast but I am hoping that I can someday. This was an inspiration. Thank you.
Thanks, Betty! Hopefully writers can learn from my experience to shorten the learning curve. I learned the hard way!
Hi Linda! I just wanted to tell you how much I’m enjoying your website and all the fantastic information you give away. I’m learning so much from you
I have a teenaged daughter who I have homeschooled since third grade. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. I truly believe she’s getting a great education while giving our entire family much needed flexibility. The flexibility of the freelance lifestyle appeals to me in the same way.
Thanks again for all the great posts!
Thanks for reading the blog, Deanna! I’m glad you’re liking it. We’re excited to start the homeschooling journey (we’re cutting our work schedules WAY down in September), though I guess you can say we’re doing it already!
Just found this site again after deciding to give freelance another try. It really resonated with me because this post describes what my husband and I decided to do after I was laid off in 2008. We got rid of cable/satellite TV and use Netflix, which we don’t watch near as often but is nice to have. We called it “downsizing where you don’t care to upsize where you do” We’ve been able to pay off a lot of debt and in 2013, with me now working full-time as a tech writer at a company that allows flexibility, we can start really putting money to savings.
I plan to give freelancing another go in 2013. I’m finding I analyze ideas differently and really focus on what could be high quality projects versus “anyone who will take me” since I have limited time and don’t “need” the money. I got burned out before from woking on a lot of assignments I didn’t enjoy because I was laid off and focused on any money versus truly building a career. I’m hoping this change in attitude will provide a more enjoyable freelance career.
Hey, good for you! I hope your freelance career takes off like a rocket in 2013.
I just wrote about this! http://www.thefreelancefix.com/when-money-is-tight/ I think budgeting and cutting out the “fluff” is a great way to cover bills and build some savings. You are very brave to give up cable, but the great thing is that you can watch tv online now! I really loved this post, I am looking forward to reading more soon!
Welcome, and thanks! I’ll check out your post. And yes…we watch Netflix now!