I Already Accepted That Freelancing Isn't For Me Yet. Cheers To Celebrating My 4th Year in Our Company
When the pandemic started, I thought that I am one of the people that will be leaving the company and venturing into the world of freelancing. I had been researching and reading a ton of stuff for quite some time and got encouraged to maybe go ahead and jump on the bandwagon since this has become trendy to everyone.
Photo by Alex Kotliarskyi on Unsplash
I mean for a regular Filipino five digits income per payday is something that one can hope for, much more than getting six digits per month, right? But then again I always stumble into deep thoughts whether I should pursue it or not. I even had my resignation letter saved in my email ready to be sent to my manager if incase that I decided to do so.
Let's talk about stuff that freelancers are not telling you.
You Do Not Have Work Security
Clients come and go. You can secure one this month, but what if they are not satisfied with your output or for some reason they cannot pay you anymore? The reward is high but the risk is also proportional to that. Some people will say that you just need to find a golden client but to be honest it take some time for people to get one. A co-worker of mine resigned in our work to pursue this field he mentioned that it is due to the greener pastures but after three months he got re-hired by our firm and he told me that the project that he got was only for 1 month it didn't extend and the business went bankrupt.
In my case, since I am working in the corporate office if incase that the client will suddenly back-out ( I just hope that they would not) the company will be searching for other projects to where we can be placed to. Per last checking, the company's connected to the biggest search engine, the social media by Elon and other food chains. Not unless they all pulled out in one day I think stability at work is way better here.
You Do Your Own Taxes
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Isn't it nice if we taxes are not deducted from our salary? I am one of those people who wants to have it happen but then again it isn't possible as the said charges are automatically deducted from my paycheck.
If you are a freelancer, you do your own tax report not unless you hire an accountant to do it for you and a firm to handle your tax concerns that would be better. There are sanctions if deemed that you are evading tax.
Government Benefits and Pre-Need Insurance.
Freelancers don't have this benefit. If you are tied up with an agency technically you are not a freelancer anymore. Some agencies offer the benefits and insurance same with the company that I am in now. Health coverage is good and I think if I will be getting one for myself outside premium that I need to pay per annum is around 20,000 since we are three in the family I would need to shell out 60,000 PHP or $1,200 per annum.
Not All Rates Are Competitive
Yes you see it right not all can give you great figures when starting, the majority will be giving you either the standard rate or the lowest rate. I saw someone accepting job at $1 per hour. Kinda ridiculous but yeah it happens.
Just recently I had received my appraisal letter and I am quite happy with the increment that I got I think that since the start of my journey in the BPO world, the basic salary is almost triple. I can say that it is enough for us as April's still not working and can keep with our lifestyle.
Photo by Victor Rodriguez on Unsplash
Final Thoughts
If you are still connected with your company try to weigh things. I cannot speak that much about your current situation but it will always be better to have more details before you jump into any major decision. As for me, freelancing will stay as a pipe dream. I still need to polish my content creator skills so that I can bargain with a better rate.
Hmm, kahit nga ako dami na ka competition maghanap ng freelancing job. I quit my office job during my 10th month in the company and I never looked back. So bale, mga more than 10 years na din ako nag freelance (on and off talaga sya). Totoo, walang job security sa freelance unless you build your own business as a VA agency then you do your own taxes na din. May times din na I never work or never earned money for how many months for some personal issues. nag struggle din ako sa pera.
Grabe so brave! Tapos 10 years ago pa di pa ganun kadami ang freelancers di gaya ngayon na sobrang dami na talaga.
Business talaga ito from VA to becoming an agency haha.
Yes, and Upwork was previously Odesk and Elance combined. It was better coz I had different gigs for both platforms. When they combined, I lost Elance. I had left and right jobs.
parang gusto ko din mag VA part time.
Freelance is tricky thing, easily can pull you in to work more than you would on 9 to 5 job, and there is no sucha thing as security especially cause market is crowded now with freelance employees...
I agree it is already saturated nowadays plus the demand to be a jack of all trades is high. Though it is good to have multiple skillsets pay and competition is tough.
Point made!
Freelancing is really widespread na no super dami ng gustong sumubok. The salary you could get is very tempting and you are the only one who will manage your money, but, it needs a lot of work and effort din to be successful on that field. Kaya ako di pumasok sa isip ko ang freelancing ee hahah. Saka kulanh ako sa effort kaya di bagay sakin yan, huhu
Hahah samee tsaka feeling ko pag nag effort pa ako lalo baka mamatay na ako.
Hirap din i weigh pag ganyan di naman din ganun kalakihan na ang sahod tapos kailangan dami mo pa client para talaga bongga ang kita.
Hahahaha, diba, kaya hanga talaga ako sa iba na ang galing kasi nagiginf successful sila here. Talagang dedicated sila ee, kamusta naman ako, wala talaga ako nyan ahahahaha
HAHHAH kung ano nalang ang makayanan natin dun nalang dami na natin ginagawang kineme sa buhay.
Same thoughts when I resigned last year, I didnt fully deep my toes sa freelancing but I had a taste of it sa poetry commissions. I feel like freelancing can be the right choice if I know may security blanket ako of generational wealth HAHAHA it's kinda sad but also true. For now, speakership gigs are the way to go and so I hope you find your own kind of "freelancing" 😊🤗
Sabay sabay tayong sumigaw ng sana all ay may generational wealth!
Good thing you still have the speakership and other side hustles for now Hive nalang talaga ako focus haha wala pa masyado stress (char lang to ).
Yung work ko ngayon parang freelancing nadin naman wag lang talaga kami pabalikin ng opisina kasi I can't na talaga magbyahe.
Yeah, if we all do have that generational wealth sitting around, we'll consider freelancing.
In everything there is always and advantage and disadvantages. You really give the list of disadvantages and everyone who want to jump in freelancing that could read this for sure mapapaisip talaga hehehe.
Hahah ayun na nga we really need to weigh things properly kung okay ba ang disadvantages etc. Sympre hangga't maari we should be focusing on the advantages parin naman para mas maging sound ang decision.
This is true, being a freelancer, I would say it's harder than being a regular employee, though if done properly definitely it's all advantageous with a lot of extra work (like taxes and all). "What works for me, may not work for you", What's comforting to you, may not be comforting for me" kind of things and it always is situational based on everyone's lifestyle.
Korek! Alam mo yung kinaiinggitan ko lang dati sa mga nag fri freelance kala mo napakadali ng ginagawa nila haha. Pero ngayon while I am doing the content for myself aba ui nakakadrain ng utak ha.
I tried freelancing fultime for a year before deciding to getting a 9-to-5 job after college. What you have pointed out here is true. Freelancing comes with it's perks. You can work anytime as long as you meet client deadlines. Some payments are lucrative, but it's not always the case, no job security (unless you establish your own agency). You may have clients this month and may not have in the next. The 9-to-5 gives security and benefits, but sometimes taxing and toxic, or perhaps blant. However, it's what work for us matter.
If I did have any funds/generational wealth to cover daily necessities, I would definately continue. Although my job right now is a mix of both worlds, I need to report to the job, but I also have a bit of freedom of how I do my work. Well, i still do freelance (consulation gigs) from time to time.
They should weigh things before doing so. Earlier this year, I did quite a decade-old job that I had. Well, the idea of quiting seems not out-of-the-blue. I had been thinking out for more than a year already. I even considering of doing freelancing fulltime again, but I didn't resign abruptly. I waited for awhile and with the right opportunities at hand, i quite.
It may not be a pipe dream at all. You can still try and do freelancing on a partime-basis. There's no harm in trying though. Above all, try to find a freelancing that works with your time, goals and skillsets.
!PIZZA
This is quite a challenge nowadays, medyo mahirap na makipagsabayan sa mga bagong freelancers andami na. Sabi dun sa isang napakinggan ko, the pool is full and the clients are too little nadin :(
Bakit kasi wala tayong generational wealth hayys..
Ako naman, since nga we relocated what holds me to the company that I am in ay naka WFH parin kami till further notice. Sympre I am praying na maging permanent na para masaya ang lahat perks wise kasi all good na itong si company. Hirap lang pag pabalikin kami, 3 to 4 hours ang byahe ko papunta palang.
Hive nalang muna haha dami naman income opps lately dito kailangan nga lang ng seed na puhunan at sipag sa pag popost.
This is so true. Freeelancing nowadays is too crowded already, not the same as before.
It's always the "byahe". Yung traffic talaga nkakapapagod lalo.
With hustling and some capital to invest, Hive really provides good opportunity.
!PIZZA
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@juecoree(1/5) tipped @tpkidkai (x2)
Tagal mo na pala jan! Congrats! Nagtry din ako mag freelancing. Mas mahirap pa sya kesa sa regular job. Akala ko noon, hawak mo oras mo, kaso may mga times na araw na lang ng pasyal, mag log in pa rin ako para lang pasadahan yung pinapatapos ni client. Pero sobrang ganda ng pay ko dun sa freelance na nakuha ko. Though di kayang tapatan yung stress level. Kaya nagpaka housewife with a heart na lang ako talaga. Haha.
Yes mars! Nung time na nag-asikaso tayo sa proposal kay April nasa transition na ako sa paglipat dito buti nga napayagan ako na mag leave sa dating kumpanya kahit na mag reresign talaga ako haha.
Kaya nga ngayong naka WFH ako parang di naman totoo haha mas maaga na ako mag log-in.
Kung kaya naman ni Papa Ritsard why not! Hirap kayang maging isang ina I should have known kasi meron din akong housewife with a heart na full time.
Yes very nice TP. Walang TAX kasi dito. 😊
MGA TAO SA LIKOD SABAY SABAY TAYONG MAG
😂
I also tried finding a freelancing job, but sadly it is not also meant for me. Maybe because aside as kulang ako sa effort. my time is very limited rin kasi because of my job as a teacher. So now, I am focusing on Hive too kasi sobrang making tulong narin neto sa akin bilang breadwinner. 😊
Pwede din - paano ba kasi maging octopus? HAHAH
Focus nalang muna tayo sa Hive malay mo diba dito pala talaga tayo yumaman. Libre pa at hindi ganun ka stress.
Congrats TP! Sana all may tiyaga sa company. I'm a rebellious employee so hindi ako usually nagtatagal sa mga corporate jobs. haha
Salamat Claire!
Nako bago itong company na ito I had multiple instances na nag AWOL ako 2 months palang sa office hahha.
Whoaaa. Is it hard in that kind or work? Or can you give me some tips or ideas about freelancing? Sorry if I ask this questions but I would really like to know about freelancing.
Hi fire hmmm... freelancing is kinda a tough cookie to explain but more or less what you do here in Hive is also called freelancing.
Some platforms that you can use are upwork, onlinejobsph etc. You can even join facebook groups to be familiarized in such. Different freelancer, different skillsets to be offered as well so knowing something at first can give you a boost in looking for such a job.
In my case if I will be actively looking for a job I'll be looking for a data analyst, accounting and collections as this is my core job. Some people will start being a social media manager or general virtual assistant but yeah the pool of talented individual is quite saturated you need to become good to one.
Freelancing isn't for everyone. I've been doing it since high school so I am used to get paid shit and way past that for now. There are many work involved with freelancing and sometimes it feels like you have to constantly work 24 hours just to have some extra security or stable income.
My take is that if you are workaholic, you'd be great doing freelancing but if you're not, then it's gonna be a struggle since with office job, you can be lazy (this is based on people around me)and get paid. But it's not the same with freelancing, if you're lazy you can't really make enough 😅.
I only filed my taxes this year though I was dreading it, actually it wasn't that bad and easy. It's again depending where you're from but for me, it was such a breeze and I wasn't taxed anything.As for security, there's no security anywhere at least in my perspective. For me, a mix of business and freelancing with someone is ideal but that's just me.
One of the benefit about working with someone is definitely the healthcare is paid. Thankfully, where I am from, it's quite affordable. So yearly, I spend only $98/year for me and my parents.
I also wouldn't recommend anyone doing it if you're the sole breadwinner and have a family to feed. It can be very tough as again, security of income and such.
WOW I am just amazed on this I just tried to learn this stuff after I started working probably 7 or 8 years ago.
I am guilty to it, now that I am working in our home sometimes I am hit with laziness thus there are certain task that isn't accomplished timely ( I tend to over extend because of that as well which I hate doing so. Then again if I didn't lax I will not be in that predicament. )
That is good for you Mac! In PH some people are exempted to taxes if their gross income will not exceed to 250k PHP then if they exceeded, the excess will be computed and then depending on the amount of it the percentage VAT is processed. AFAIK the lowest that we got close to 0 is 8% somehow the amount is still small but oh boy! I am exceeding to the bracket already haha.
WOW this is quite cheap! I am envious if the price of the healthcare is the same most likely I will be grabbing it as well. But yeah not jumping into it right now hahah.
This! Need to make sure that there's always food in the table.
Thanks for dropping by Mac and SLR been busy with everything in life. Minsan gusto ko nalang maging patatas.