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Why I love freelancing
My activity on the blog was pretty scarce lately so you might not know about my new professional situation. 3 months ago the radio station I have worked for the past 3 years closed its local studio and I was fired. Recession is serious in Romania too and mass-media is one of the most affected areas. I got a possible job invitation at another radio station for half the wage and double the workload. Not pretty at all.
The last 10 years of my life have been spent doing radio shows. I loved this so much. It was my dream job and I got it at 20. Now I am over 30 and it looks like some changes needed to be done.
Aside working in the media, 7 years ago I started web design. One site, another one, you learn how to design a layout, code it, in no time you realize you kinda have some skills and experience. And then you work more, you start earning some dollars and consider a possible fulltime job. And still you have that nice radio job, well paid, coleagues, fun. And just develop your tiny web business while still relying heavily on the radio wage.
Well, it’s all gone now. My changes in the media are small. Well, I can work for 200 USD a month or can earn this money on my own. I chose to freelance fulltime now. It’s been 3 months and I LOVE IT. Here is why:
- no more pesky coleagues or bosses. Well, I can’t say I had a bad relation with any of them, but there were times I didn’t like how someone spoke to me or the fact some used to “backstab” me. Yes, it’s normal at most jobs, even the fun ones as in the radio business.
- I don’t have to dress “nice” every day. I have to admit I don’t like wearing “fancy” stuff, even if I am a woman and some think I should. I can work in my pijamas or some tshirt/pants “home version” and not have to worry about my clothing.
- My car doesn’t need so much fuel. Having to drive each day to work and fro made my monthly budget lose money on the fuel. Now my car is parked outside and my “trips” in the city are less frequent. Of course, I “feel” the increase in my savings.
- I make my schedule, my time is MINE. I was sick for some days. I didn’t work and recovered. We wanted to visit Berlin, we went. No worries about not getting permission to leave the job, “do I have enough vacation days”, “do I need to cut off my journey to solve some job issues” .. My time is well spent or not, it all depends on me. As a freelancer and web designer I need to work based on deadlines. As long as I respect this, I can decide on how to spend my spare time, what workload to take etc.
- I earn FOR ME. All the money I get is mine. Of course there are taxes, but I am the one earning the “bucks”, taking the profits and having to benefit from all.
Freelancing does have its risks. You depend on your clients, you need to work A LOT to succeed, but, with good organization and budgeting you cannot but succeed. For me these last 3 months have been a blast. I do work immensly, I have to keep an eye on my spendings, especially since there’s no more wages to rely on, but it’s the best thing in my life. My social life is better, I can meet my friends, I can offer my clients better meeting hours (since I don’t have a strict schedule), I can go on trips or just take a day off.
Congrats Ramona!
Hello Patrick and thank you for the message. I have to admit you have always been a good model for me. I was raised in a “conservative” way and always thought I’d need a “normal” job. Seeing how well you did all these years really made me consider the alternative.
So I have to thank you for the good example you set for all these years
Hope you are OK and that wonderful book is selling like hot bread. It’s worth it
Woah…it didn’t cross my mind that even mass media will be affected by the recession. It’s sad.:(
It’s great to see that you were able to successfully transition to freelance work. I’ve seen some people try that and fail, but it looks like you had the skills and self control to succeed. Sometimes we are too afraid to quit our day jobs and start our own business, so it takes getting fired to make that happen. It’s a blessing in disguise. Good luck to you!
I agree with your opinion about freelance job. But I cannot to be full time as blogger now. But I still with my double profession. I hope some day I will do as your choice. Thanks for support
These changes in raote certainly pmogli you find that something better, better-paid and interesting. Freelancing is true today, and most importantly what you like to do it.
Recession is serious in not only in Romania by country too. All the business firm are firing workers. moreover many people of my country work in abroad they are also loosing their jobs.