If you wish to work as a freelance writer, you should know that you could save money doing this work. However, it might seem close to impossible in the beginning. You need to earn more than you are spending and find ways to put some of your earnings aside. At the same time, when your profits begin to increase, you must refrain from making unwise investments. People will advise you to buy this office equipment and that innovative software, and you will end up with a lot of stuff you didn’t really need. As a result, we decided to help you make informed financial decisions and provide you with tips on how to start saving. Continue reading and saving with these strategies.
1. Set long-term objectives
One of the first steps you need to take to start saving money as a freelance writer is to set long-term financial goals. That can help you stay motivated when career opportunities don’t come your way as much as you hoped. And even if you only take on short-term projects, you can still set yourself up for long-term financial success. Setting long-term financial objectives, such as achieving financial independence, going on a holiday, buying a home, or other things, might help you save money as a freelancer. Furthermore, if you set tight rules for how you save that money, you will make it simpler to reach your objective. For instance, most freelancers aim to live on 50 percent of their income and put the other half in the piggy bank. Of course, if you add even ten percent more, you may achieve your goals much faster.
2. Cut commuting costs
Another great way to save up as a freelance writer is to give up on your office. When you rent a space to work, your expenses are substantially greater than when you work from home. You need to pay rent, bills, and even office equipment to make your office functional. At the same time, the costs of going to your office are probably pretty high. If you use your car regularly and travel a long distance to the office, you have to pay more for maintenance. A frequently used car needs more repair over time. And let’s not even get started on gas prices and tolls. Those are the most significant expenses when using your vehicle to commute.
So, instead of renting an office space and traveling to work, work from home as often as possible. You’ll be saving money in no time.
3. Move to a cheaper country
Digital nomads have a significant advantage: they can work anywhere they want. They can become globetrotters and work while traveling the world. As a result, if you find yourself in an expensive city or country, you can always move to a different one. Search for the best destinations for digital nomads and pick your favorite place. Also, if you hate the cold, you can chase the summer in countries with a warmer climate. For instance, many South American or African countries might be excellent destinations for you. Not only can temperatures be more to your taste, but such countries might be less expensive too. And when you live in a less expensive place, you can save more money.
4. Teach yourself to buy cheap
We live in a society where consumerism is the norm. We buy things we don’t need just to toss them sooner or later. Also, instead of making a budget, researching the market, and looking for deals, we buy the first thing we see, even if it’s more expensive than it should be. And that happened just because it was comfortable.
However, when you are a freelancer counting every penny, you can’t spend unwisely, especially if you also want to save money. Instead, you need to weigh your decisions and calculate every expense. For instance, don’t buy new furniture for your office, but look for second-hand options. There are many stores where you can find used furniture in working condition. But, do inspect everything well before paying and taking the items home or to the office. Some good bargains aren’t always what they seem.
5. Use free tools
As a writer, you need tools to do your job perfectly. These tools are both useful for writing and fun to use. However, they also cost, and some of them quite a lot. Therefore, as a freelance writer, you might not afford to work with them. But don’t despair just yet. Most writers do not even make full use of these tools. As a result, you don’t really need the full versions. Freemium versions can be just as helpful, especially in the beginning. Also, there are many free tools on the market that you can use with confidence. Other writers have used them successfully and can recommend a couple if you ask. Additionally, don’t invest in the most modern technology. A freelance writer can save money and be successful even if they are writing on the same laptop or PC for 5 to 10 years.
6. Use all the free Wi-Fi
Being a freelance writer comes with many challenges. One of them is learning how to cut your expenses. If you have already given up your office and started working from home, you have taken the first step. However, what do you do when you can’t work from home? What if you have your partner doing it already, and you would overlap, you don’t have enough space or the kids run around the place all day long during vacation time? Then, you need to find a place where you can do your job in peace but not spend a lot of money.
As a result, look for local coffee shops that provide free Wi-Fi and fair prices for their products. Even better, you can go to work at the local library. But, don’t eat out while you are working. Pack a sandwich with you or go home for lunch, if you can. You will save much more money that way.
7. Keep track of your expenses
Keep track of your costs to know where your money is going. Only by doing so will you be able to determine what consumes most of your revenue and how to reduce it. For instance, you can make a file where you can keep all your receipts. Separate them into work and non-work-related categories and analyze them at the end of each month. That can give you a clear idea of how much you spend on a project or yourself. The next step is to find ways to cut those expenses you discover to be unnecessary and put that money aside.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to save money as a freelance writer. You just need to pick the best option for you and put it into practice. And, of course, if you believe more of these tips can help you save money, feel free to test them and see how they work for you.
