I recently came across an article by freelance writer Pinar Tarhan where she lists the benefits of being a part-time freelancer.
In a nutshell, she points out how having a part-time job while freelancing helps her financially, keeps her from finding work at cheap content mills, and that she’s a happy freelance writer. It’s interesting because it’s a different perspective from the usual “I’m free from the corporate world” outlook that most freelancers revel in.
Scrolling down the comments, I was a bit surprised that there were several freelancers who agreed that having a part-time job while freelancing keeps them financially safe and socially sane.
I always thought that being a full-time freelancer was the target for most freelancers. Having a large stream of work, always busy during the day, an almost stable income every month—isn’t that what we all want?
I guess it isn’t the case for everyone.
Personally, I want to freelance full-time because I love working from home and I want a good and stable stream of income every month. But I gotta be honest. I can’t imagine myself writing web copy and product descriptions 8 hours a day and missing out on moments when I can play with my daughter, sit down and read, or write on my journal. So in the end, I’d probably still be a 20-25 hours/day freelancer even after graduating and settling down.
So I’d like to get an idea of what kind of freelancing schedule you abide by: Do you currently freelance full-time or part-time? Which do you prefer and why?
About the Author: Stef G.
Founder of The Freelance Pinoy, Stef is a freelance copywriter and blogger who loves writing high quality content for blogs and e-commerce. To receive free special updates and freelancing tips from her, sign up for the TFP newsletter. You can also follow her on Twitter @stefgonzaga. 
You probably saw my comment on Pinar’s post (or one like it if that isn’t the one you referenced), but I freelance part-time. I’d love to do it full-time (or earn full-time pay while only working part-time hours), but I don’t know if that is a possibility for my family right now. We are making major changes to our lives soon, so we will have to play it by ear what actually happens.
Hi Megan! Good to see you on The Freelance Pinoy.
Thanks for sharing your opinion about it. I guess having a part-time job while freelancing is a good first step till one’s more financially stable and with a good number of long-term clients.
I guess they’re looking for the security of the monthly income so whether they have clients or not, they still have money. I prefer doing freelancing full time as well but during dry spells, I couldn’t help wishing for a part-time job.
True, and some freelancers also look forward to part-time jobs for the social factor. It’s understandable.
Hi Stef,
I’ve been working as a freelancer full-time for the past 6 years now. I’ve held several corporate jobs and even pursued graduate studies; I still ended up working as a freelancer.
Why?
1. I was able to save a lot of money. I was able to buy a car (in cash) after 3 years of working as a freelancer.
2. The income that I currently earn as a freelancer is four times as big as my previous salary (as a corporate slave).
3. I don’t like going out and commuting. Saves me a lot of time when I work at home.
4. I can bring my work anywhere. The nature of my fiance’s job is to get posted to different countries every 6 years, so I need a job that I can bring with me, even to Timbuktu. :p
5. Most important reason for me: I can spend time with my family. Family is very important to me,
However, not all is fine and dandy in the world of freelancing. There are times when I want to pull my hair out in frustration. Why?
1. Income is very unstable. I handle around 5-8 clients a month, so that in the event that one pulls out, I still have enough to cover my daily expenses. I share the same sentiment as Gerson; during dry spells, I can’t help but wish I was working for a stable company.
2. I find myself working 24/7. I can’t help but check my emails even at night. That’s the nature of our job, I guess.
BTW, great blog! Love reading your posts.
Hi, RD and thank you for sharing! I’m happy to hear that freelancing has been much more rewarding and convenient for you than your corporate jobs. We’re hoping to acquire a car as well, but at this point my husband’s the one freelancing full-time (he’s a freelance Silverlight developer) while I’m taking classes and freelancing whenever I get the chance. So our income’s not enough to get there.
I agree that income can be very unstable, especially with how shaky the economy has been. But having a handful of clients is a good move, especially if they’re all long-term and have good working relationships with you.
Hello Ms. Stef!
This is my first ever comment on TFP. Thanks for having such a great blog for Filipino freelancers. This particular blog post hits very close to home for me because I am really considering quitting my job to go full-time in freelancing. Although I’ve only been doing it for a short time, I’ve been doing the math and I could earn 3 times more everyday doing freelance than doing my day job. I have three long-tern employers in oDesk. But the instability issue is one I’m afraid of. I’m like the breadwinner so the family so I have to play it safe. Its frustrating because I feel that I have finally found my passion in writing but I have to suck it up in the name of obligation and responsibility.
I haven’t decided yet though. *sigh*
Hello Gloria and thank you for visiting TFP! It’s great to have you here.
I’m glad that you’re able to find three long-term clients on oDesk. And yes, many of us (including myself) are still worried about the instability of remote work. It’s something I hope to find a solution for once I’m done with school and have more time to polish up my freelance biz.
I was wondering what you meant by:
If it isn’t writing, what kind of freelance work do you do?
I write.. Sorry if that sentence was unclear!
(And I sound so mean in that post.) I meant that I am not, at the moment, able to make decisions just for myself because I need to consider my family. Anyway, I think i’ll figure it out… Thanks for the reply!
How I wish there’s a way of registering our profession as a freelancer in the Philippines; I get a lot of odd glances and raised eyebrows for working online. It seems that they usually relate online jobs to networking, which are entirely different concepts! However, the perks of financial freedom would be somewhat limited if the government would make us pay taxes way out the range of our actual income. I mean, not all freelancers earn big-time.
My husband and I still get the same odd glances whenever we try to explain the nature of our work, but it’s to be expected.
As for taxes, you don’t have to worry because we have the power to declare how much our income is. What we place on our ITRs is what will be taxed.