My experience is mostly summarised in this answer I had posted on Quora a while ago: qr.ae/Tz7aM8
Personally I didn't choose to take it far myself. I only pursued it remotely for a while through odesk -now upwork) but then I kind of missed human interaction -there was something depressing in living and working in the same 4 walls. Also was stressing about managing time, judging whether I should focus on finding new customers or accepting extra tasks that were not as interesting from the existing ones. And billing -I hated billing.
But I know some others that went in all the way and never looked back -some ended up turning it essentially into a mini-agency business where they take jobs and subcontract the right people for them.
Still, even with the limited direct experience I had, it did seem very promising: I only took two or three very specific, task-based freelancing jobs 8 years ago, for a stupid fee (I just wanted to build some feedback). With both customers it almost straight away changed into a lengthy cooperation that lasts to this day -a small stable income on the side with minimal investment of time.
I have little doubt that I could be earning much more if I hadn't given up on it (even though I earn a healthy wage working full time), but psychologically it didn't make me happy. Though it did end up to be beneficial, both as an experience and as a long-term income supplement, so I most definitely don't regret it.
And the possibility is still at the back of my mind as a full-time endeavour. Perhaps now that I'm older I could handle it better? Perhaps I would travel a lot and that way I wouldn't feel so isolated. Or would I? But if I was to find myself unemployed I think I would give it an honest try before I jumped to another job.
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My experience is mostly summarised in this answer I had posted on Quora a while ago:
qr.ae/Tz7aM8
Personally I didn't choose to take it far myself. I only pursued it remotely for a while through odesk -now upwork) but then I kind of missed human interaction -there was something depressing in living and working in the same 4 walls. Also was stressing about managing time, judging whether I should focus on finding new customers or accepting extra tasks that were not as interesting from the existing ones. And billing -I hated billing.
But I know some others that went in all the way and never looked back -some ended up turning it essentially into a mini-agency business where they take jobs and subcontract the right people for them.
Still, even with the limited direct experience I had, it did seem very promising: I only took two or three very specific, task-based freelancing jobs 8 years ago, for a stupid fee (I just wanted to build some feedback). With both customers it almost straight away changed into a lengthy cooperation that lasts to this day -a small stable income on the side with minimal investment of time.
I have little doubt that I could be earning much more if I hadn't given up on it (even though I earn a healthy wage working full time), but psychologically it didn't make me happy. Though it did end up to be beneficial, both as an experience and as a long-term income supplement, so I most definitely don't regret it.
And the possibility is still at the back of my mind as a full-time endeavour. Perhaps now that I'm older I could handle it better? Perhaps I would travel a lot and that way I wouldn't feel so isolated. Or would I? But if I was to find myself unemployed I think I would give it an honest try before I jumped to another job.