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Thanks for the advice. I should focus on that "survival rate" so I know what my pay would be.

mattdw 12y ago
I guess I'm not suggesting you necessarily have to charge the survival rate, but it's worth knowing the absolute least you could charge and still survive. It's just a "zero" to calibrate your expectations against, so when someone says "that sounds high" you know that it's not actually that silly, compared to your baseline.
- HeyLaughingBoy 12y ago
  Why? I have no idea what the absolute least I need to demand for salary and survive. Why should I? Market rate for my skillset is $100k+ in my area of the country and that's what I calibrate against. If you offer me less than that I simply don't consider working for you.
JacobAldridge 12y ago
My rule of thumb is to set a rate that covers your "survival" if you only had 2 days work per week. That gives you loads of capacity to try increasing your rate (ie, you won't be desperate for work) as well as holidays etc. So if you need $40,000/yr to survive, your hourly rate is ($40,000/50 weeks /16 hours) = $50/hour. Reading the other answers, it sounds like $100/hour is the US market rate. So you have plenty of opportunity to grow from $50 to $100/hour, as quickly as you can. Good luck!
- hackerboos 12y ago
  I'm wondering how to calculate the hours/week I'll get starting out as a freelancer. I've been working on the assumption that I'd get 20 hours a week here in the UK and set my hourly rate at £26 accordingly. In the UK I'd also not be liable to make National Insurance contributions which would save £2,200 per year. Then comes another common question - self employed or limited liability company?
  - parasubvert 12y ago
    As a former freelancer the lesson I learned from others was to assume you'd spend 1/3 of the year on the bench doing interviewing/conferences/vacation/professional development/searching for the next gig. So perhaps plan 35-40 hours over 35 weeks. Then set your rate at or above the market rate for your speciality. Don't set it on your cost of living. If the market rate is too low to live, you'll need a plan on how to upgrade your stature or find a more in-demand speciality.
tomjen3 12y ago
You should know that rate BUT DON'T CHARGE THAT rate. Patio11, whose judgement I will defer to in all things regarding freelancing, just tweeted this, earlier today: >Far too many freelancers have an internal script where you have to start your biz in poverty and claw your way out of it. Eff that. And: >Professional work commands a professional rate, on day one. That's what professional means. Also his general remark regarding rates: Charge more.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]

I guess I'm not suggesting you necessarily have to charge the survival rate, but it's worth knowing the absolute least you could charge and still survive. It's just a "zero" to calibrate your expectations against, so when someone says "that sounds high" you know that it's not actually that silly, compared to your baseline.

HeyLaughingBoy 12y ago
Why? I have no idea what the absolute least I need to demand for salary and survive. Why should I? Market rate for my skillset is $100k+ in my area of the country and that's what I calibrate against. If you offer me less than that I simply don't consider working for you.

JacobAldridge 12y ago

My rule of thumb is to set a rate that covers your "survival" if you only had 2 days work per week. That gives you loads of capacity to try increasing your rate (ie, you won't be desperate for work) as well as holidays etc. So if you need $40,000/yr to survive, your hourly rate is ($40,000/50 weeks /16 hours) = $50/hour. Reading the other answers, it sounds like $100/hour is the US market rate. So you have plenty of opportunity to grow from $50 to $100/hour, as quickly as you can. Good luck!

hackerboos 12y ago
I'm wondering how to calculate the hours/week I'll get starting out as a freelancer. I've been working on the assumption that I'd get 20 hours a week here in the UK and set my hourly rate at £26 accordingly. In the UK I'd also not be liable to make National Insurance contributions which would save £2,200 per year. Then comes another common question - self employed or limited liability company?
- parasubvert 12y ago
  As a former freelancer the lesson I learned from others was to assume you'd spend 1/3 of the year on the bench doing interviewing/conferences/vacation/professional development/searching for the next gig. So perhaps plan 35-40 hours over 35 weeks. Then set your rate at or above the market rate for your speciality. Don't set it on your cost of living. If the market rate is too low to live, you'll need a plan on how to upgrade your stature or find a more in-demand speciality.

tomjen3 12y ago

You should know that rate BUT DON'T CHARGE THAT rate. Patio11, whose judgement I will defer to in all things regarding freelancing, just tweeted this, earlier today: >Far too many freelancers have an internal script where you have to start your biz in poverty and claw your way out of it. Eff that. And: >Professional work commands a professional rate, on day one. That's what professional means. Also his general remark regarding rates: Charge more.

deleted 12y ago
[deleted]