3 ms·

Ask HN: How much should I earn from online freelancing?

3 points by ahmedaly 15y ago

Hi.. I am working on freelancer website: http://www.freelancer.com/affiliates/ahmed613/ I am currently making around 1500 to 2000 USD per month, and I am web developer with extensive experience in web APIs. I feel that this is a too low income, comparing it to the average American developer's income.. So I need to know.. how much should I earn from online freelancing, if I work 40 hrs/week.. so its just like full time. You can say annual or monthly expected income, or even per hour rate. Waiting for your answer and thanks, Ahmed.

padobson 15y ago
Freelancer is set up to save the clients money, with developers bidding on mostly small projects - its a race to the bottom. What you need to do is use resources like LinkedIn to make contacts with business owners and use your development skills to solve pain points and contract with companies that are up against deadlines - that is how you push your rates up. Network, network, network. When you get a contract that pays $15/hr, use your network to find another that pays $20. When you get that, immediately start selling your services for $30. Once you have that, try for $45. One company may not be willing or able to pay you $2000 a week, but 3 clients may pay you $700 if you solve the right pain points in 15 hours of work. But you must always be forming new relationships and looking to make connections that could lead to more business. Otherwise, you should probably just take the best job you can find
- ahmedaly 15y ago
  Hi and thanks for that great tips.. I do earn more money from my network of contacts, specially that when they assign a project to me, no competition is there.. so my rates are much higher.. But I never thought about linkedin.. and not sure how can I select the companies that would be a potential customer for me?
glimcat 15y ago
Free is fine, expensive is fine. Cheap is not.

3 ms·

Ask HN: How much should I earn from online freelancing?

3 points by ahmedaly 15y ago

padobson 15y ago
Freelancer is set up to save the clients money, with developers bidding on mostly small projects - its a race to the bottom. What you need to do is use resources like LinkedIn to make contacts with business owners and use your development skills to solve pain points and contract with companies that are up against deadlines - that is how you push your rates up. Network, network, network. When you get a contract that pays $15/hr, use your network to find another that pays $20. When you get that, immediately start selling your services for $30. Once you have that, try for $45. One company may not be willing or able to pay you $2000 a week, but 3 clients may pay you $700 if you solve the right pain points in 15 hours of work. But you must always be forming new relationships and looking to make connections that could lead to more business. Otherwise, you should probably just take the best job you can find
- ahmedaly 15y ago
  Hi and thanks for that great tips.. I do earn more money from my network of contacts, specially that when they assign a project to me, no competition is there.. so my rates are much higher.. But I never thought about linkedin.. and not sure how can I select the companies that would be a potential customer for me?
glimcat 15y ago
Free is fine, expensive is fine. Cheap is not.