Maybe Freelancing Isn't For Me

I have a day job that's more than a 40-hour-a-week gig.  I manage this blog (which really doesn't count, but takes a good chunk of my time) and I freelance.

I wear a lot of hats.

But I'm getting a little tired of this freelancing thing.  I help small businesses with marketing strategies, promotional design, and sometimes digital marketing (websites, social media campaigns, etc).  It's a fun way to do business and really makes a difference.

But when you put a lot of effort into projects and only get empty promises from your clients (I'll pay you soon, can you wait a few more weeks?) it really puts a damper on what you do.

I'm at the point where I want to quit.  One freelancing gig I'm working on involves a new pet food company.  They're just getting their legs under them and learning to walk, but things are going slowly.  There could be a job waiting for me in the future, but for now, I've been feeding them ideas and designs for the better part of 3 months now with no paycheck in sight.

Soon.  Just a few more weeks.  It's going to happen.

You can only hear this so much before you stop believing it.

It's now Christmas season, and I put a couple of other projects on the back-burner to pursue this one.  I was expecting to be paid by now.

I had a trip planned this weekend to go visit my boys.  I can't go now, because finances are too thin.  I'd be getting there and back by the skin of my teeth, with no money for fun (or Christmas presents).

I was going to bring my girlfriend with me.  We were going to stop in Vegas on the way home.  I was going to propose.  Now, that's not going to happen.  (not yet, at least, but still...)

Am I overreacting?  Most clients don't burn me, but this one is stinging.  Shame on me for counting my chickens before they hatched, but shame on companies that want you to work for them but don't/can't pay you.

....fuck.

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