Want a sneak peek into what it's really like being a freelancer? Spoiler: It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Every Friday, I share a tip I've learned from painful personal experience, plus everything I've been working on that week. Join me (and 7,000+ fellow freelancers!) on a behind-the-scenes adventure! 👇
My freelance year in review (revenue included)
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Hi Reader, Happy Friday! It feels like I'm clawing my way towards next Friday at this point. I have 4 pieces left to write before I take some time off (hopefully) from the 19th Dec. I can't remember the last time I had an extended period of time off work and I'm SO looking forward to the break. My plan is to not get my laptop out AT ALL (unless, of course, it's to book a holiday 😉) P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared 101 content ideas for freelancers who want more clients. Check it out here. And don't forget to give me a follow for regular tips and tricks! Here's what I've been up to this week work-wise: 👉 I wrote 5 pieces for clients (Sinch Engage, Salsify, and an influencer marketing tool) 👉 I refreshed 0 Shopify posts (we're done for the year) 👉 I had my final 2 mentoring calls of the year ⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~24 ⏱ Approx hours spent on non-client work: ~3 💰 Total revenue this week: £3,050 Want to advertise your business, course, product, program, or software to 7,000+ freelancers and creative business owners? Check out the affordable sponsorship options here. Friday Freelance Tip ✨ When I say 2025 was a YEAR, I really, really mean it. If you'd told this-time-last-year-Lizzie everything that would happen she would absolutely no way believe you. Not a chance. So much has happened and changed... some good, some bad, and doing this year's recap has probably been my most emotional yet. I won't go into too many details but my personal life was basically a shitshow for the first half of the year. Family illness, break ups, solicitors, it was a LOT. And I'm very thankful for work staying consistent throughout that time but also giving me the freedom to work as and when I needed. As well as travelling to 2 new countries, including travelling to the absolute other side of the world on my own, I have done a lot of cool stuff with friends, spent a ton of time out in nature, and made good headway with the renovation house I bought last year. There are people I will be eternally grateful for this year. But less of that and more of the business side of things. This year was very good revenue-wise, but it wasn't as good as 2024 and I fully expected that. I wasn't in the headspace to work as much as I did last year and, looking back, I realised that my high income last year directly correlated to how miserable I was in my personal life. Funny that, eh? So, without further ado, here's a lil recap of 2025. January: a slow but steady start to the year
February: lots of movement and momentum
March: fresh starts all round
April: talks, travel, and tzatziki
May: Barcelona and nature breaks
June: Australia and GRATITUDE
July: peak play mode
August: birthday month
September: big stages and big gigs
October: Morocco, Haim and Halloween
November: tattoos and cozy vibes
Looking back now, it's wild how much I did. But this recap also shows how freelancing isn’t linear. Some months are lighter, some explode, some take you across the world, some bring you home to yourself. But together they paint a pretty incredible picture. Here's to 2026! We need more Freelance Money Diaries entries! I'm forever grateful to anyone who shares their finances with us (you can do it totally anonymously!). Click the button below to do yours!
As always, happy freelancing :) Lizzie ✨ Interested in sponsoring Friday Freelance Tips? Get your brand, product, or service in front of 7,000+ freelancers, entrepreneurs, and founders. See sponsorship options here. Follow me on Instagram and on Linkedin, where you can see the behind-the-scenes of my business. |
Friday Freelance Tips ✨
Want a sneak peek into what it's really like being a freelancer? Spoiler: It's not all sunshine and rainbows. Every Friday, I share a tip I've learned from painful personal experience, plus everything I've been working on that week. Join me (and 7,000+ fellow freelancers!) on a behind-the-scenes adventure! 👇
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! Wish me luck as I try and cram 4 weeks of work into 3 weeks this month so I can sit and stuff my face with mince pies for the remainder of 2025. Hope you've got a better plan than me! P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared the tiny, easy system that gets me clients every month. Check it out here. And don't forget to give me a follow for regular tips and tricks! Here's what I've been up to this week work-wise: 👉 I wrote 2 pieces for clients (Spoke and an influencer...
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! This week has been call-heavy. Two calls with potential new clients (and some tough decisions to make - one seems like a great opportunity, but I'll need to weigh up the time commitments and whether it's worth it for me). I also held 3 mentoring calls with fellow freelancers which is one of my favourite things to do. I've been thoroughly enjoying getting to know your businesses and help you get to the next step. All mentoring slots have been taken for 2026, but I'll...
Hi Reader, Happy Friday! I'm feeling on the brink of burn out at the moment, so I've been chanting "one more month" for a while now in the hopes that it'll somehow give me the energy to push through 4 more weeks. Let me tell you, I cannot bloody wait to be at one with my sofa and a pack of mince pies. Anyone else?! P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared what I'd do if I was struggling to make consistent income. Check it out here. And don't forget to give me a follow for regular tips and...