Before there was freelance work online

As a stay-at-home parent, I have always managed to do something like freelance work online to make money and keep from dying of boredom, although maybe at home rather than online before 1998. I’ve tried selling insurance and that paid a lot, but it took me out of the house too often. I did some desktop publishing stuff from my home computer, making calling cards and designing menus for local businesses in my area, and this was quite an accomplishment as I have no creative training whatsoever. At that time, the only software I knew how to use was presentation software, but I managed. I did that for almost two years then I lost interest as the competition started getting stiffer and my profit margin narrower. I did a stint with a public relations firm to do their press releases, and I actually still do about half a dozen every year for the same company to this day. I also went into the direct marketing business, selling cookware that was really great but way overpriced, so that petered out pretty soon as well. I still have my own set, however, and I love them!

How I started in freelance work online

The point is, before the Internet was even a mote in anyone’s eye, I was already doing freelance work online in a sense. Getting married and having kids early may have been the reason, but my temperament is way suited for freelance work online because I like to work independently and in my own way. Any boss of mine would either fire me or have a coronary. I would not have been able to stick to a nine-to-five for more than a few months.

But I have made quite a nest-egg with what I have done so far, and now I am truly in the freelance work online niche. I started checking out freelance job sites about 10 years ago, and I subscribed to two or three that seemed reasonably well-stocked with job postings and charged minimal fees. I landed freelance work online almost immediately doing copy writing, a cinch with my experience doing press releases. After a couple of months, I already started turning down some projects because I was already going at full capacity without sacrificing my duties to my family. I also started charging a little higher for each project as my portfolio got fatter.

How freelance work online has paid off for me

You’re probably wondering how much I’m making doing freelance work online. Well, let me put it to you this way. Since I started freelance work online as a copy writer I make about $500 a week after taxes, working about 4 hours a day Monday to Friday.  When I’m in the zone, I take in more projects and work about 6 hours a day, so I can make between $800 and $1,000 a week. Since I stay at home, I didn’t need a regular babysitter and I never sent my kids to day care. I know everything about what’s going on with my three teenagers (well, everything they tell me anyway) and I’m home for dinner every day. I don’t need a car, and I do work in my house clothes. I only have two pairs of shoes, a pair of black dress shoes and sneakers.  For those who have to go to the office every day, I’ll let you do the math. Suffice it to say that I don’t have to worry about sending my kids to college, and we have two family vacations every year.

So does freelance work online work for me? Definitely.  Is this something I would recommend to other people? Without a qualm. But not everybody is cut out for freelance work online. Freelance work online is hard work, and you have to be disciplined if you want to do freelance work online full time. For many people, I would say that freelance work online as a sideline is your best bet.

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