Freestyle Freelance

I've never been one to be a workaholic. And I've certainly never been one to thrive in a business setting or an office job. My mind simply doesn't function well in places like that. I have a dominantly creative mind, and therefore, the "societal norm" of the 9-5 job makes me feel like I'm suffocating. So, when I came up with the idea to quit my day job, my creative, artistic self rejoiced triumphantly!

... But that celebration was soon brought to a screeching halt when my critical mind caught up with the decision my heart had made, and that critical mind was saying—no, yelling—"What the actual HELL?!"

There was only one period of time in my adult life, prior to now, that I didn't have a job, and that was the year that I went back to college. I was under a lot of stress and, at the time, the thought of adding a job into my schedule made my head spin. I didn't work for almost a year, but I was still financially supported—partially by family (which I am extremely grateful for) and partially through teaching music lessons.

Well, now that I have been financially supporting myself completely for several years, the idea of ripping all of that predictability out from under me seemed like the most frightening thing in the world.

Being a freelance, unemployed worker is kind of like standing on one of those glass floor, suspended 100 and some-odd stories up in the air: it's both terrifying and exciting all at the same time. It's sort of a suspenseful adrenaline rush that propels you into the next day, the next job, the next "adventure."

That's what I had decided to start calling these day-to-day job hunting sessions: "adventures." I had to give it a positive title or I would have started to swim in my own mental self-doubt and that would have caused widespread panic in my life. We all know that the moment you panic is the moment that you stop thinking clearly and you can easily drown in mental and emotional muck. To keep my head above water I decided that I would start driving for Postmates, the food-delivery service. Even that part-time "work-when-you-want" job was draining me.

"There HAS to be a better way," I thought to myself.

So, how have I managed to support myself for nearly five months without a "real" job? Glad you asked. (: I'm gonna tell ya!

Here are a few *secrets* to keeping gas in the car and the phone from being shut off.​​

1) Postmates was definitely a part of it, bringing in some extra income on the side, but it really was mostly that... a "side hustle." Come to find out, being unemployed is primarily stringing together little "side hustle" jobs to pay the bills.

Even though that might sound stressful, it's actually fun. I pick up work when I need it, and I can set my schedule. That's the cool thing about a job like that: I can work when I need to by going "online" in the app. Need some extra cash? Deliver a few orders and get the cash (plus tips) deposited into your account within a few days. It's a win-win.

(Note: I have not been paid by Postmates to say this. I do, however think that these types of "jobs" are great for making your wallet a little fatter. But there are many options: Uber Eats, GrubHub, Delivery Dudes, Shipt, etc...)

2) Some income also came from music gigs. Being a gigging musician has its perks when people actually pay you in real, cash money instead of paying you in "experience." The compensation I received for the gigs that I took through the holiday season literally saved my ass a time or two... or three.

3) Find something that you're good at that you can make money and find someone who is willing to pay you for that service. Love dogs? Find a few dogsitting gigs. Good with computers? Ask around to see if anyone needs any tech work. Good with organization? Look for small business needing help getting organized. Good with kids? Babysit.

Ask for referrals. See if any friends of your friends need some help around the house, with moving, or whatever. I have made extra income from working on computers, doing secretary/filing work, cleaning, organizing, selling things for people for a percentage of the profit, etc, etc... This actually turned out to be more fun than I thought it would be, and it's become one of my favorite ways to make a little extra cash.

4) Savings account. Find ways to save money while you do have a job. For instance: pay yourself first. Wealthy people pay themselves first as soon as they get paid instead of waiting to give themselves the "leftovers" once they've spent most of their paycheck. Even when you don't have a job, you can still find how to save money in fun ways that you may not have thought about. This is your opportunity to become creative. Make a game out of it and see how many ways you can save money, from saving on your electric bill to collecting spare change. It all adds up.

5) Cancel subscriptions that you don't need/don't use. I ended up looking at my subscriptions, for example, to places like JustFab.com, Netflix, Apple Music, Banfield, MyFitnessPal, etc... And I realized that I had roughly $100 monthly going to subscriptions. All of that adds up to a mind-blowing $1,200 per year. Ugh! So I got rid of them all.

Yes, you heard me right:

all of them...

... even Netflix!

That is the expression, or some variation thereof, that I'm met with when I tell people that I don't have Netflix, Hulu, or any other video streaming service... I don't even watch TV when it's around.

For most, things like Netflix, or a daily coffee from Starbucks, are a necessity, and I understand that it's important to treat yourself and relax every now and again. But now I see those things as luxuries instead of necessities, and honestly, it's saved my bank account many times over. The satisfaction of checking your account to see that you still have several hundred dollars left over before your next job is waaaaayyy more satisfying than any Starbucks drink ever could be. So, skip the coffee and skip the mind-numbing show. Your bank account, you mind, and your productive self (bye-bye procrastination), will thank you later.

**DISCLAIMER**

I'm not saying that you should just go all rogue and quit your job tomorrow (unless you're really feeling like the spirit compels you to do that... then I really can't stop you), but I am saying that if you've wanted to step out and do something else, there are options for making money work for you until you get your footing or find your passion. These are just a few ways that I have made it work for me.

I haven't always lived comfortably, but I have still lived. For God's sake, we live in "'Merica." How can we not be living comfortably so long as we have food to eat and a roof over our heads? I have still always made my bills and had just enough at the end of it to do something small for myself or put a little extra away in savings. However, I'm learning that not having extra money at the end of the month isn't the end of the world either.

Moreover, I would have to say that the most important thing I have learned from this journey is not just how to make money and "get by." The most important thing I have learned is how to live well below my means. I have learned what I can truly do without and there are many, many things that I can live without.

One more thing to add...

I have never been good with money... until now. Just ask my mom. She can tell you countless stories about my past relationship with money. I am not writing this post to make it seem like I have all the answers when it comes to managing money. My only hope is that I could help someone else with their monetary struggle so that they come out on top a little sooner than I did. Cause sometimes, when you're in your early twenties, saving money for the long term is the last thing on your mind.

So, take it with a grain of salt. Or maybe try implementing a few of these tips into your life. And if you're an unemployed freelance worker, let me know what you have done to keep the lights on. We're all just trying to make it out here and live a happy life, and a little good advice goes a loooong way. (:

Love & good vibes.

xo,

Elizabeth