How to Make Sure You Get Paid as a Freelancer

Freelancing is such a stupid word.

After all, we don’t work for free, and we certainly enjoy seeing payment notifications pop in, am I right? So today on the blog I’m sharing advice to help ensure your clients follow through and pay you for your services and products.

As a freelancer (AKA a small business owner) you’re responsible for not only doing the work but also following up on the accounting end of things. Although everybody likes to get paid, and some freelancers share information about their many streams of revenue, there’s often an awkward silence when it comes to negotiating payment terms and fee schedules.

Well, it’s time to speak up. Here are a few ideas to think about when evaluating your next freelance partnership.

1. Ask How You’ll Be Paid

Your contract should state how your payment will be sent to you and in what currency. For example, will there be a direct deposit transfer made to your bank account number xxxx in US dollars, do they use Paypal or will a check be mailed to your address on file?

You might think this is a silly tip to share until you find out that there are people out there who will try to pay you with rewards points, gift cards, online currency or foreign currency.