Hi Reader,

Happy Friday!

It always feels like September is the start of a new year. It's actually my favourite time of year, so I'm kind of okay with the terrible weather we've been having in the UK.

I'm planning to take the last few months of 2025 super easy, I've got my usual clients to write for and I'm cooking up some helpful new resources for my fellow freelancers. Stay tuned!

P.S. This week on Instagram, I shared how I stopped tying my value to my productivity. See how 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 1 piece for a client (an influencer marketing tool)

👉 I refreshed 2 pieces for Shopify

👉 I recorded a load of new episodes of the It's Fine, I'm a Freelancer podcast​

⏱ Approx hours spent on client work this week: ~10

⏱ Approx hours spent on non-client work: ~5

💰 Total revenue this week: £1,650

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Friday Freelance Tip​​ ✨ ​

I’ve noticed something lately that feels worth talking about: there’s a growing divide between freelancers who are thriving and those who are really struggling to land projects, keep their pipeline full, or even cover the basics.

And the truth is, both realities are happening at the same time.

Freelancing has always been hard, but the current climate is making it tougher:

• Competition is higher than ever .
• Budgets are on the decline. Some businesses are cutting spend, or outsourcing differently.
• Every rejection feels heavier when you’re already drained, and it makes showing up confidently even harder
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Over the past two years, I've noticed a big difference in the amount of work it takes to land new clients.

Before 2023, I would get 2-3 enquiries a week through my website and have a handful of referrals from fellow freelancers and past clients every month. I had to put very little effort into keeping my roster full.

Now, it all feels a bit different. Even though I've been doing this for 12 years now, it feels harder than ever to build a solid roster of work and KEEP it at that level. Everything feels a bit flaky at the mo, and it's not just me feeling the pinch.

Plenty of other freelancers who have skin in the game (I'm talking 6+ years) are feeling the shift too.

We're in a moment of flux and it's hard to know how it will end. What I will say, is that I've experienced a few other "fluxes" over the years, and all have worked themselves out one way or the other.

But that doesn't help us now, right?! That doesn't help those of you who are struggling to get even one client or who have suddenly found yourselves with no clients after losing all your anchors.

This discussion is important because it's so prevalent. The more we talk about it, the more we can close the gap between "struggling" and "successful" freelancers.

If you want to hear my unfiltered thoughts on this (and they are truly unfiltered!), listen to the latest episode of the It's Fine, I'm a Freelancer podcast.

In it, I dive into why this divide exists, the psychological impact it can have, and what we can do (both as individuals and as a community) to bridge it.

In particular, I talk about:

• Why freelancing feels harder than ever for some people right now
• What’s helping certain freelancers thrive even in the same economy
• The disconnect (and sometimes tension) between these two groups
• How both sides can approach things with more empathy, honesty, and support

This week, we have an email marketing consultant from the UK.

Where are you based? Bath, UK.

How long have you been freelancing? A year and a half.

What do you do? Email marketing consultation.

What was your 2024 revenue? £85,000.

This person freelances full-time, and this was their highest earning year.

How much did you take as a salary?

£76k - this was what was left after I had paid all my expenses for the year. This is about £20k more than my highest paid permanent role - and beyond my biggest dreams for what freelancing could offer me!

How much did you pay in taxes?

My tax for the year was £20k - ouch.

I put my tax in a high yield savings account so I can collect interest on it before I have to part ways with it in January.

What were your business expenses?

Around £200 a month, mostly on software subscriptions.

As it was my first full year being freelance, I needed new gear - a laptop, an iPad and a phone. It felt like a lot of money at the time but using a laptop that doesn't sound like it's about to take off is priceless!

Do you contribute to a pension or investments?

I put around 15% of every invoice into my private pension. I try to make this a non-negotiable since there's no employer putting a share in anymore. Present me sometimes begrudges this but future me will be glad.

Do you have any hot money-management tips?

Prioritise having a good emergency fund - at least 3 months worth of living expenses. I've found it's helped me to make better decisions about the work I take on. It means I get to say yes to projects I'm excited to work on, rather than having to say yes to projects that aren't a good fit so that I can pay the bills.

As always, happy freelancing :)

Lizzie ✨

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