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Freelancing

Launched Q&A site for self-employed and freelance workers.

3
votes
1
answer

How is this different from Freelancing?

sep 30 '14 at 18:20 Robert Cartaino 473
6
votes
3
answers

Could this be expanded to businesses who work with ICs?

mar 11 '13 at 16:32 Community♦ 1
13
votes
1
answer

How is this any different than OnStartups?

nov 20 '12 at 17:55 Community♦ 1
17
votes
2
answers

Is this proposal going to do any better than old, dead Freelance Workers proposal?

oct 10 '12 at 6:38 mtk 501

discuss this proposal

61 Example Questions

active newest votes
up vote 21 down vote
How can I ensure clients pay invoices on time?
added by Graeme Hutchison Dec 12 '11 at 9:15
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<comments removed> Please do not use comments to answer these questions. Comments are here to help improve the questions. This proposal is not part of the Q&A site, and the task at hand is to help define a future site. Thank you. – Robert Cartaino Oct 5 '12 at 23:36
2  
Votes over 10 for a particular question don't help to create the community. Rather than vote again for a popular question, it's best to look at some of the questions with fewer than 10 votes and upvote them. Don't forget that you can also move your votes by clicking the up arrow on a question you've already voted for to remove your vote, then voting again on another question. - Quoting MCeley – Joe Baker Feb 13 '13 at 4:57
up vote 19 down vote
How should one charge for a project - per hour or wholesome fixed amount?
added by mtk Sep 28 '12 at 17:19
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8  
Votes over 10 for a particular question don't help to create the community. Rather than vote again for a popular question, it's best to look at some of the questions with fewer than 10 votes and upvote them. Don't forget that you can also move your votes by clicking the up arrow on a question you've already voted for to remove your vote, then voting again on another question. – MCeley Jan 7 '13 at 13:33
up vote 17 down vote
Freelancing often means working alone. How do you make sure you are following "best practices" when you don't have others to bounce ideas off of?
added by Terry Oct 8 '12 at 18:27
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up vote 13 down vote
Is there any specific etiquette around using client work in a portfolio? Is it normal to ask permission?
added by Matthew Higgins Jul 22 '12 at 12:44
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up vote 12 down vote
Do I need to use an accountant?
added by richaux, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 24 '12 at 17:18
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up vote 12 down vote
What are the most effective ways for a freelance worker to protect his intellectual property?
added by Renan Oct 27 '12 at 3:14
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up vote 12 down vote
How do people cope with working fulltime and freelance at the same time - time management
added by kolin Jan 14 '13 at 9:51
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1  
To avoid asking a polling, not constructive question, this one should be changed to address a specific problem. "How" stands for a list of solutions for an unidentified set of problems. – bytebuster Jan 27 '13 at 23:50
@bytebuster I agree to an extent you could end up with a list list of solutions, however the question I believe is a valid one, as the question maybe redressed as "I work 9-5 full time and then try and do freelance work in the evening, however I am finding this difficult to achieve because I don't seem to be able to manage my time", but that is a little too long for a question title, the problems should acutally go in the question, not the title, for me the title here is an example question. – kolin Jan 28 '13 at 8:31
1  
This is exactly what I'm talking about. "Unable to manage my time" looks like a root problem, and the question is no longer about freelance. There's Personal Productivity site where such a question can be asked today, not waiting for this proposal to become beta. – bytebuster Jan 28 '13 at 10:45
up vote 11 down vote
What is the best way for someone in the US to handle payments from overseas?
added by winwaed Feb 1 '12 at 14:04
link
<comments removed> Please do not use comments to answer these questions. Comments are here to help improve the questions. This proposal is not part of the Q&A site, and the task at hand is to help define a future site. Thank you. – Robert Cartaino Oct 5 '12 at 23:35
up vote 11 down vote
How many hours can I expect to invoice per year?
added by flurdy Feb 9 '12 at 17:14
link
1  
Is there a background to this that I'm overlooking? Taking the question at face value, I'm reminded of my first impression of SE: Someone asked one of those 'I'm nervous and just want to bounce the idea off of smart people' questions and a user suggested it be closed because it was too speculative. The same is true here. Self employment is sought after namely for the freedom, yes? With the varying hours, varying goals, varying definitions of 'billable hours' I can see estimates varying to the point of being unhelpful. – La Bamba Jan 6 '13 at 3:06
I suspect that the real-world quality of this question will be highly dependent on the actual question body. Hard to say with just the proposed title if it will be a good question or not. – Joe Baker Feb 13 '13 at 4:59
up vote 11 down vote
What are good time-scheduling/calendar management tools for a freelancer?
added by mtk Sep 28 '12 at 17:18
link
up vote 11 down vote
I have a business idea, how can i get it converted to a business? What should i do?
added by NatGio Jan 3 '13 at 10:31
link
3  
"How" without any context usually means a bad question here. If you specified a particular problem you're facing while converting your business idea into a business, the question would be far more constructive. – bytebuster Jan 28 '13 at 14:04
1  
I agree with @bytebuster . You can be more concise, maybe stating what's the next step. And even that is ambiguous, I think the point of stackexchange is to have a site full of shared knowledge and the most important part is that it should be easy to navigate, remember you will be able to apply about 5 tags to your questions, so, if you notice your question may end up having more than 5 tags you may consider asking several different questions. In this example I would separate to different aspects of business. *Actually your question may fit better in the "startups" forum. – JorgeArtware Jan 28 '13 at 20:11
up vote 10 down vote
Am I allowed by UK and US law to charge interest on late invoice payments? What percentage can I charge?
added by Graeme Hutchison Dec 12 '11 at 9:16
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up vote 10 down vote
I will take on a member of staff to help with some ongoing projects. What steps do I have to take to register them as employed and me as an employer?
added by Graeme Hutchison Dec 12 '11 at 9:18
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Again, given geographic differences, this perhaps ought to be ... in [Country/State]? – Andrew Sep 10 '12 at 6:26
up vote 10 down vote
How can I manage/record the time spent with different clients throuhout the working day?
added by Graeme Hutchison Dec 12 '11 at 14:51
link
<comments removed> Please do not use comments to answer these questions. Comments are here to help improve the questions. This proposal is not part of the Q&A site, and the task at hand is to help define a future site. Thank you. – Robert Cartaino Oct 5 '12 at 23:34
up vote 10 down vote
Is it worth using a site like Elance to get clients or should I go for trying to get clients by myself
added by jclozano, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 24 '12 at 20:06
link
<comments removed> Please do not use comments to answer these questions. Comments are here to help improve the questions. This proposal is not part of the Q&A site, and the task at hand is to help define a future site. Thank you. – Robert Cartaino Oct 5 '12 at 23:36
up vote 10 down vote
What are the options for pension provision for the self employed?
added by richaux, edited by WikiSpeedia hang-around May 24 '12 at 20:07
link
<comments removed> Please do not use comments to answer these questions. Comments are here to help improve the questions. This proposal is not part of the Q&A site, and the task at hand is to help define a future site. Thank you. – Robert Cartaino Oct 5 '12 at 23:35
up vote 10 down vote
Other than IRAs, are there any other ways for US freelancers to save for retirement in a tax-advantageous way?
added by winwaed Feb 1 '12 at 14:06
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General question: better if ... for [Country/State] freelancers ... (and national references for "IRAs") – Andrew Sep 22 '12 at 7:12
up vote 10 down vote
Do freelancers need to charge sales tax for goods and services?
added by neilfein Apr 12 '12 at 18:23
link
3  
@Farhad - Comments in Area 51 example questions are intended to discuss whether or not the question is on topic, not to actually answer them. Use this time to help form the site and keep the proposal hot. When the site moves to beta, then answer the questions. Good luck! – jmort253 Aug 19 '12 at 0:07
2  
Given geographic differences, this perhaps ought to be ... in [Country/State]? – Andrew Sep 10 '12 at 6:24
up vote 10 down vote
What criteria can I use to decide what kind of company I should found for my freelance activities?
added by tricasse Aug 28 '12 at 11:58
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up vote 10 down vote
What are the tax and employment rules for operating as a Freelancer in [Country/State]
added by Andrew Sep 22 '12 at 7:13
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1  
Possibly could separate into two questions? – Andrew Oct 22 '12 at 16:45
up vote 10 down vote
When working with international clients in low income countries, should I lower my rates to be competitive with locals or try and justify my rate?
added by MCeley Oct 5 '12 at 12:45
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up vote 10 down vote
Where is a good place to get information on the difference between a Sole Proprieter, LLC, a S-Corp, and a C-Corp?
added by Nick Oct 18 '12 at 22:38
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up vote 10 down vote
What are some common mistakes when incorporating into [LLC/S-Corp/C-Corp] in [State]?
added by Nick Oct 18 '12 at 22:46
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Please re-phrase your question; if you are asking for a list, question may be considered not constructive. Also, "small business" is too vague term that may be a subject for various industry- or location-specific restrictions. – bytebuster Oct 30 '12 at 22:35
I changed it to be a little more specific as to type and region since various mistakes could differ based on that. When I posed this, I was thinking this would be a community wiki type question where people could share there past mistakes with people just starting out. – Nick Oct 30 '12 at 23:05
up vote 10 down vote
As a citizen of [CountryA] staying in a [CountryB] on a [Business/Work] visa less than 180 days/year, am I eligible for paying taxes in [CountryB]?
added by bytebuster Oct 19 '12 at 9:47
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up vote 10 down vote
What is the taxation limit in France for freelance workers if they already have a full time job?
added by FarhadA Oct 26 '12 at 11:42
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up vote 10 down vote
Are there any laws in Europe to forbid freelance work on the side of full time job?
added by FarhadA Oct 26 '12 at 11:44
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2  
This question is far too broad. – Phira Nov 9 '12 at 10:56
In France, one can not work more than certain hours/week, I do not know the rules here to know exactly how it will work for people who have side jobs. That was the main reason I asked this question. – FarhadA Dec 28 '12 at 22:40
2  
What about re-phrasing it like this: "I'm working fulltime in [Country]. What is the maximum hours/week I'm eligible to work for a freelance job? How the hours are calculated if I have several freelance activities?" – bytebuster Jan 19 '13 at 18:34
That is actually a good idea. – FarhadA Jan 20 '13 at 0:28
Would you consider editing the question to make it more specific? – bytebuster Jan 27 '13 at 23:53
up vote 10 down vote
What are the main factors to consider when setting my hourly rate?
added by bytebuster Nov 27 '12 at 0:00
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E.g., should I consider that typical rates in my location are lower than where my customer is, so that I have to discount? – bytebuster Nov 27 '12 at 0:02
up vote 10 down vote
Will accepting work at lower than my standard rate grow my business or define me as a "cheap" option?
added by aszekely Nov 28 '12 at 20:59
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up vote 10 down vote
As a new freelancer in the US, what paperwork (if any) do I have to file to operate as a sole proprietor?
added by Peeja Jan 8 '13 at 15:42
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up vote 10 down vote
How can I convince a client why I charge more than normal?
added by flurdy Jan 8 '13 at 23:24
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1  
You may consider stating "than market average" instead of "than normal". That way you could get an answer about product development/marketing or something of that kind. – JorgeArtware Jan 28 '13 at 20:01
up vote 10 down vote
Charging different rates for friends/family, do you do it and why?
added by kolin Jan 14 '13 at 9:52
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I realise that this question is definitely more of a forum question (asking for peoples experiences, and not an actual "this is the answer" question. – kolin Feb 15 '13 at 9:30
up vote 10 down vote
How effective are finding jobs on Freelancer and oDesk?
added by Banath Jan 25 '13 at 11:37
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Changing this to [Craigslist] would be better. The same question would be relevant substituting a different site for Craigslist. – Joe Baker Jan 27 '13 at 20:25
Thanks, changed it to Freelancer and oDesk. – Banath Jan 27 '13 at 23:13
up vote 9 down vote
What is the best way to turn down business should I have too much on my agenda without completely turning the potential client off of my service?
added by Randy E Oct 18 '12 at 21:38
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up vote 9 down vote
As a citizen of [CountryA] staying on a in [CountryB] on a [Tourist/Guest/Student] visa, am I eligible to be self-employed?
added by bytebuster Oct 19 '12 at 9:45
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For questions regarding requirement of work permit papers – bytebuster Oct 19 '12 at 9:46
up vote 9 down vote
What are the minimum contract terms one should have in place with a client before taking on freelance work?
added by Tom Davies Oct 23 '12 at 15:22
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Do you mean "contract terms" or something else? – gmcgath Dec 4 '12 at 22:09
I did, thanks for spotting that. Edited. – Tom Davies Dec 4 '12 at 22:12
up vote 9 down vote
Should I set up Authorize.net or another gateway to accept payment, or use Paypal, checks, and/or escrow companies?
added by Brad Ullery Feb 14 '13 at 17:28
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Or an invoicing company such as Freshbooks.com – Banath Feb 27 '13 at 1:26
up vote 8 down vote
Are money received via [freelance Web site] considered taxable in my home country or in a country I stay in?
added by bytebuster Oct 19 '12 at 9:49
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up vote 8 down vote
How can I convince a client that I charge less than normal?
added by segiddins Oct 25 '12 at 18:28
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up vote 8 down vote
Are there any free time management software packages that I can use to track my hours?
added by User2542 Feb 4 '13 at 22:55
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up vote 8 down vote
Is there a good list of standard tax write-offs for a conventional home based freelancer?
added by User2542 Feb 4 '13 at 23:04
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