Have you been wondering if there is a job that you can do at any time?
Looking for a way to earn money even if you don’t work and are a stay at home mom, dad or child?
Well, you are in the right place, coz. It sounds like freelancing be the gig for you.
What is Freelancing
To put it simply “Freelancing” basically is an alternate method of working, you work for yourself “self-employed, and do work on a short-term basis for a client. Instead of being employed on a full-time basis by a company for a specific job.
When you do freelance work, you are referred to as a freelancer. In our online global network freelancing has become a heck of a lot easier to find and execute, compared to olden times where you physically had to go to a place to do the job.
Now! You can even work as a freelancer from the comfort of your own home or wherever you prefer working from.
What is a Freelancer?
A freelancer or a freelance worker, is a person who is self-employed and is not really committed to a particular employer on a long-term usually this a short term contract that 2 parties, either a company or an individual (the employer, outsourcer) agree to a job with a freelancer (you short-term employee), to execute a task.
Benefits of being a Freelancer
In most cases, freelancers set their own work rates as in their own pricing structure for the work they do, either per hour, per day or per job (gig).
A freelancer normally pays his or her own self-employment taxes, they don’t have any employees, you also have the ability to choose the projects they want to work on, with as many clients as you want and can manage.
Another benefit of being a freelancer is that you can also work remotely from your home or on the road or at whichever location you choose.
What is an Independent Contractor?
According to Wikipedia “An independent contractor is a person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services under a written contract or a verbal agreement. Unlike employees, independent contractors do not work regularly for an employer but work as required, when they may be subject to the law of agency.”
Click here Wikipedia for more details
Difference between a Freelancer and Independent contractor?
Let’s look at what differentiates a freelancer and an independent contributor. Though the differences are minimal I felt it best to put a few down to clarify a few things.
A freelancer is self-employed. If a person is not paid on a regular payroll with taxes taken out, they are not an employee and are therefore self-employed. As a freelancer, you don’t need to set up a corporation to be self-employed. Most self-employed people use Schedule C on their personal taxes when they file.
An independent contractor is a person, business, or corporation that provides goods or services under a written contract or a verbal agreement. Independent Contractors usually work for a longer-term than a freelancer.
An independent contractor can have and usually has employees and they normally file their own taxes and insurance unless they are working with a company or agency that will handle those issues. They may also need to be licensed by the vocational licensing board in their country or state.
Who can be a freelancer?
Anyone can become a freelancer. Ideally, it would be easier to offer your freelance in the field of your profession of which you are an expert. This helps you focus on a familiar niche and makes it easier for you to move up the ladder in that field.
But, wait! Even if you do not have any professional skills you can use your informal skills e.g. hobbies or even learn a new skill by taking a short course or even teaching yourself something you think and feel you can be good at. Then capitalize on it in the freelancing world.
What do you need to be a freelancer?
All you need is a laptop, desktop computer or even a mobile device (Smartphone or Tablet) and a good internet connection and you are good to go!
Types of Freelancing Jobs
There are lots of freelancing jobs out there! Actually, they are too numerous to mention here so I will mention a few common ones.
- Graphics & Design
- Digital Marketing
- Web Development
- Arts and Crafts
- Health, Nutrition & Fitness
- Social Media Marketing
- Virtual Assistant
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Content Marketing
- Video Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Crowdfunding
- Marketing Strategy
- Web Analytics
- Influencer Marketing
- E-Commerce Marketing
- Mobile Advertising
- Music Promotion
- Writing & Translation
- Video & Animation
- Music & Audio
- Programming & Technology
- Business
- Financial Assistance
- Lifestyle
And that’s just a few…
I’m sure you can see that there is a lot more to choose from.
Where can I find freelance opportunities?
They are lots of ways you can find freelance work:
Recommendation from a friend: friends and family are a great resource for freelance gigs because they have friend and colleagues that might need a job done that you have the skill to do so don’t rule them out or be shy in telling them your skills and need for freelance jobs. As they often recommend you without any hesitation which is great for you.
Online Platforms: these are the easiest and, in my opinion, the best source for freelance opportunities both small and large, as you get instant access online freelance jobs in most cases. Please read our article on online freelance companies to find out which companies you can try out.
Former Workplace and Co-Workers: Assuming you didn’t flip off your boss and co-workers when leaving and you parted ways the right way. More often than not your former employer can recommend you to their friends and family and even the company for small jobs that they know you can deliver. I’ve seen it happen a few times actually. So, try not to burn bridges when you go your separate ways.
News Paper listing: Some magazines, newspapers and small tabloids often have job sections with short-term listings suited for freelancers e.g. painting a wall or repairing a piece of machinery or artwork or something, the list is endless.
Social Media Pages or Groups: These are another great source that people overlook, but within those groups, some people need assistance that you could render. And just like that, you’ve got a freelance gig.
Forums: Forums are another great place to source jobs in your areas of interest.
Why Should You Become a Freelancer?
People will always need help in all aspects of life whether its an individual or a company, you might just be the one to assist them.
If you are a stay at home mom or dad or an employee with a bit of time to spare and looking for an extra cash outlet, then freelancing could be a perfect side-hustle for you.
We use it as a side-hustle as well for our blog for those days when we are free and want to earn some extra cash to help people solve a problem, they might have that we have expertise in.
Can You Make Money Freelancing?
Finally, the big question???
Though I have briefly mentioned it above. I am guessing it is the reason why most if not all of you are interested in this topic.
The answer is Yes…
I know people who make a full-time income freelancing. They have established themselves and their services in the technology niche and are minting big bucks every month for minimal work hours.
Granted they started early, and it took time for them to get to where they are, but you can get there too in time, the important thing is to start freelancing today.
In the meantime, you can try our freelance challenge below to start earning some bucks right away.
Hi, I’m Henry! I am in the Information Technology field and my wife and partner Mwila use to be in the Travel industry, before going back to school and about to have our baby. We started Aiding Progress to help you achieve passive income by providing you with information, ideas, training through courses to help you achieve another source of income.
