[Jamie]

Hello,

Basically i'd love to become a freelancer fulltime and as i've started providing hosting services i thought it would be perfect to start working from home. I'm from the UK and just wondered if it would just mean becoming self-employed and sorting out my taxes as such from my monthly income? Is it as easy as that? I'm interested in becoming a fulltime designer, even if i targetted around $1,000 a month that's nearly £750 a month which is quite sweet for me as i'm only young so i don't have any bills to pay + i'm living with parents.

$1,000 a month would be a lovely start and when i improve on my designing skills it would be nice to earn more. But i thought if i can earn atleast $50 a day which shouldn't be too much of a challenge i would be hitting my target every month. Even if it meant not having any clients but rather design a few designs on a daily basis and sell them at the end of the week, what do you guys think of this?

I mean once i get a full portfolio with quality designs it would be a bonus to receive a nice flow of clients, but doesn't feel necessary at this moment.

What's your opinion on this? Is it a good thing to do or too risky? (Not too risky for me obviously as i don't have a lot of cash going out).

Would love your opinions!

Thank you,
Jamie Hann

[Sam Granger]

I wouldn't go down the path of designing templates and then selling them. You can make far more money by building websites for local clients. That's what I would do if I were in your shoes.

[Jamie]

I wouldn't go down the path of designing templates and then selling them. You can make far more money by building websites for local clients. That's what I would do if I were in your shoes.

I'd have to get a decent portfolio up but would be worth it in the long run Thanks for the tips.

Jamie

[Sam Asante]

Even though I'm not the most popular designer, I still earn more than $1000 per month.
The way I did it was advertising on WHT for $25 Uncoded Custom Designs.
It worked like a charm for me as I got loads of clients, experience and built up a portfolio.
Then, when business was tough and my clients stopped coming, I made a series of hosting templates, which all sold for around $85 each.
The best way to get more clients is to practice until you have a nice portfolio, and then advertise as much as you can.
You don't need paid advertising until you are earning about $2000 per month.

[AaronMoody]

Im in the same position, This month i made around £600-£700 whcih is alot (in my eyes) but, the previous months i was earning around 100 a month (if that), with just the odd client here and there, for one reason or another my client list boomed this month, no doubt due to word of mouth, one happy client tells another.. and so on. I now have 3 current clients, and a few returning clients since. I was thiking of dropping out of college to focus more on design but decided against it, as its not a secure job, next month i might not get a client. My plan now is to finish my courses, go to uni for one year, then try find a job for a year in industry, internship and then finish my degree after that, after gaining experience in the real world

I guess what im trying to say is if its what you want to do, go for it, but consider the risks involved, webdesign...etc isnt guarenteed money unless you work for an agency. and unfortuneatly even if you design a stunning site, theres no guarentee it will sell.

[Morgan]

Jamie,

First off, in regards to your income versus taxing question, it all varies on local bi-laws of commerce. You would need to get in contact with your local Chamber of Commerce, and ask them about self-employment or sole proprietorship taxing laws.

Secondly, the freelancing industry is quite a burden to get involved with full-time, especially if you lack the knowledge of proper marketing, you lack the knowledge of properly establishing client relationships, and if you lack the passion of the work you do. Providing services to someone takes true dedication, and you need to be fully aware of industry procedures.

As a designer, you need to properly market yourself at a price rate most relevant to how you view your skillset. If you feel close to a beginner, you will not want to market high, and you would want to consider doing some non-profit, local, or discounted work to build a starting portfolio. If you feel close to intermediate, you can market higher, and look for heavier contracts. If you feel close to being advanced, you can market yourself high, and look for re-occurring contracts.

All in all, if you set your mind to it, you can do it. As you continue to base yourself in the industry, you will continuously learn different tricks on how to properly handle your workload.

If you need any assistance, feel free to add me on MSN (mklaif@hotmail.com), or send me a PM.