In addition to the changes that the bad economy brought to the overall freelance industry in 2009, I also wanted to mention several things I did to help keep my lights on. To compensate for the lack of income, I found myself trying to save money in every way possible. Downgrading phone and cable services, refinancing our mortgage, keeping the heat turned down and using coupons at the grocery store were only a few ways to save a buck. These savings made a huge difference and allowed me to upgrade both my computer and phone - both of which were totally out-dated. I do my own bookkeeping, but I've found that a good accountant can result in more cash back at tax time. I also found a mortgage broker that I trust, and refinancing has saved us hundreds of dollars each month. Note: I've listed the contact info of both my accountant and mortgage broker to the column on the right under "FREELANCER FINANCIAL RESOURCES". And no, I don't receive a commission.
Shopping around to find the best insurance, as well as not letting credit card companies bully you will also save quite a bit of money. I recently received a letter from CITIBANK stating that they plan on charging an annual fee of $60 a month to "maintain quality service". This is the second or third notice I've received from a bank/credit card company trying to squeeze me for a few extra bucks, and it's total bullshit! The way I see it is if I have to cut my hourly rate in order to stay in business then a bank who has received a Federal bailout can eat any extra operating costs. There are plenty of other credit card companies out there competing for my dollars, and I'm sure I can find one who won't try to screw me out of my hard-earned cash as badly as CITIBANK is!
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