It's never fun to increase rates on current clients, but sometimes, it has to be done. Freelancers face an eternal question: how to increase rates. The easiest way to raise your rates is to simply charge the next client more money. Boosting your current clients' rates is much harder. I've had to do it, and […] How to increase rates on current clients appeared first on Miranda Marquit ..read more

How do you feel about renting forever? I'm in this debate, and, for me, it's all about renting. Here's how to decide where you should land in the rent vs. buy debate. Almost 10 years ago, I went from being a homeowner to renting again. (I was still married and my son was in middle school, but that's a whole other financial lifestyle discussion.) At the time, I was convinced that I would probably never want to buy a home again. People insisted I'd change my mind. I haven't. In fact, I doubled down in a very public way. By sharing my thoughts with The New York Times. I continued my tour de force ..read more

What's your freelance writing schedule in 2024? How do you want to change it? And what's your ongoing focus? Every couple of years, I share my freelance writing schedule at the request of readers and others. It's evolved over time as my priorities, living situation, and other factors have changed. Figure out your freelance writing schedule When creating your freelance writing schedule, consider various factors: When you have available time: This is huge. After all, you need time to write, no matter the stage you're at with your freelance writing career. Review your schedule to see when y ..read more

Credit cards often get a bad rap. In fact, with the right approach, you can integrate rewards credit cards into your spending plan. I love my rewards credit cards. I use them every day to build toward what I want in life, getting the most bang for every buck I spend. In fact, I can usually send my son to see his dad for free, and I often get to stay for free in hotels, using rewards points. How do I earn all of these rewards? Well, I do it through my efforts to integrate rewards cards into my spending plan. Here's how you can use credit card rewards in your own life. Figure out what matters to ..read more

Can't pay your taxes? Don't ignore the situation. Here are some things to consider as you move forward. Being unable to pay your taxes can be stressful. I know. I've been there before. When I first started my freelance writing career, I had no idea what I was getting into, tax-wise. And it was rough. I've learned a lot since then—including the available options when you need a little help to pay your taxes. Options for when you can't pay your taxes In an ideal world, you'll be able to pay your taxes on time and in full. One reason I set up an S Corp election and started using Gu ..read more

We often get hung up on financial concepts when it comes to investment. But have you thought about how you invest your time? Investing is often considered in monetary terms. However, we have other resources to invest. One of those resources is time. Before you get too hung up on money, think about the way you invest your time. You might be able to put it to better use. Why time is more important than money It's true that we all need money to live. Some of us make do with less money than others, and some of us have help from others as we plan out how to afford our lifestyles. We get hung up on ..read more

I travel much more than the average person. I'm often asked how I do it. Some of it's my travel fund. But I also save money on travel through other strategies. I've never been much of a penny pincher. Even during the days I was forced to pinch pennies, I didn't like doing it. I dreamed of the time when I no longer needed to watch every penny. Today, I don't have to be as vigilant with my money. If I can spend $100 extra and leave at a better time, I'll do it. But that doesn't mean I'm not looking for deals and figuring out how to get more for my hard-earned dollars. How to save money on travel ..read more

People talk about a Viking River Cruise as “too expensive.” But is it really too expensive? Here’s my travel cost breakdown of Viking River Cruise vs. Carnival. Back in 2017, I took my son on a Viking River Cruise up the Danube River. It was an eight-day affair and took us from Budapest, Hungary, to Passau, Germany. Many people commented on its expense. After all, for two of us, it cost $6,000. Wowza. Compare that to the $670 cost of the five-day cruise to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico that I took over Christmas at the end of 2019. It seems like a huge cost difference. But that low stick price can be ..read more

As a freelance writer, it makes sense to diversify income sources. You never know when something will fall through or you'll need extra cash. Here are some of the things I'm doing. When you have a variable income, developing different revenue streams can make sense. This doesn't mean that you have to monetize everything you do. However, it can make sense to think about how to diversify income sources so that you aren't completely stuck if a source of income dries up. Why it makes sense to diversify income sources I'm a big believer in the importance of income diversity. Building inco ..read more

When you own a business, you don't have the luxury of benefits from “the man.” You need to create your own benefits package when self-employed. When you own a business, you lose the benefits that are often associated with working full-time for someone else. It's one of the challenges of being self-employed. This doesn't mean you have to accept a life without health insurance (well, you couldn't now anyway, due to the ACA) or a retirement account. You can create your own benefits package when self-employed. Purchasing Insurance When you don't get insurance through work, you might need to purcha ..read more