c/toronto-freelancers

Hit $5k in a single month for the first time and it messed with my head

I've been freelancing for about 18 months now doing graphic design work out of my apartment in Scarborough. Last month I hit $5,100 in billings which was way more than my previous best of $3,200. The weird part is I didn't even feel like I worked that much harder. I had three bigger projects come in back to back from repeat clients and one new referral who needed a rush job. It made me realize I've been undervaluing my time because I was scared to ask for more. Now I'm wondering if I should raise my rates across the board or if that was just a lucky month. Has anyone else had a big month and then struggled to figure out if it was sustainable?

3 comments

emma_lee22•6d ago

Just saw the math on charging per hour vs per project and I totally switched sides

For like 2 years I was all about hourly billing. Felt safe, you know? Then I did a branding project for a bakery in Hamilton and tracked my hours. Came out to $38 an hour after all the back and forth. Next week the same kind of project I quoted flat at $800 and finished in 11 hours. That's almost $73 an hour. The numbers just hit different when you see them side by side. Has anyone else found a specific threshold where one makes way more sense?

3 comments

river_thompson•29d ago

Need window tinting recommendations for home office (Toronto)

Hey everyone, I recently moved my home office setup into the south-facing sunroom of my place here in Toronto. The natural light is amazing, but the glare on my monitors is driving me absolutely crazy, and it gets insanely hot by 2 PM. Has anyone hired a good window tinting company locally? I want to get a decent UV/heat blocking film installed but I'm not sure who to call. Most places I found seem to mostly do cars and just offer flat glass as a side gig.

3 comments