Comments on: Why freelancers should avoid living check to check at all costs http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/ Practical Career Advice for Women Who Think Outside the Cube Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:41:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Melissa http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-31282 Melissa Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:05:29 +0000 http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-31282 i dont think i've had any instances when the client gave me a bad check or tried to send one unsigned, but i have had multiple clients 'forget' or say they mailed it when they obviously didnt. best way to get the check? (this only really works for online work) Tell them that you'll take down their site or not be able to do any further site updates until the check is in your hands. In both instances when i did this, i got the check overnighted and had it the next day. i hate to play 'hardball' tho.... why can't they just pay? i did the durn work! :) i dont think i’ve had any instances when the client gave me a bad check or tried to send one unsigned, but i have had multiple clients ‘forget’ or say they mailed it when they obviously didnt. best way to get the check? (this only really works for online work) Tell them that you’ll take down their site or not be able to do any further site updates until the check is in your hands. In both instances when i did this, i got the check overnighted and had it the next day.

i hate to play ‘hardball’ tho…. why can’t they just pay? i did the durn work! :)

]]> By: Michelle Goodman http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-30301 Michelle Goodman Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:10:06 +0000 http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-30301 oops, if i wasn't clear above, i meant, "i would accept checks or credit cards as payments; paypal makes it easy to accept credit card payments. but before you do, read <a href="http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/01/21/ask-the-cubicle-expat-should-i-use-paypal-to-get-paid/" rel="nofollow">this post on the pros/cons of using paypal</a>." oops, if i wasn’t clear above, i meant, “i would accept checks or credit cards as payments; paypal makes it easy to accept credit card payments. but before you do, read this post on the pros/cons of using paypal.”

]]> By: Michelle Goodman http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-30300 Michelle Goodman Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:06:58 +0000 http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-30300 amanda, sorry about the client nightmare. i'm glad you finally got paid. i'm sure you've written that client off. if not, don't accept her calls in the future (unless the check bounces!). requiring a 50% deposit is smart. if someone doesn't have the money up front, they're not likely to have the money on the back end either. i would stick with checks or credit card; here's a post on the <a href="http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/01/21/ask-the-cubicle-expat-should-i-use-paypal-to-get-paid/" rel="nofollow">pros/cons of using paypal</a>. while cash or cashier's check works well for you, it's not too standard in the world of business transactions and may sound hinky or small-time to your clients. why don't you see how/when other designers get paid (see their site FAQs, or ask them) and model yourself after that... amanda, sorry about the client nightmare. i’m glad you finally got paid. i’m sure you’ve written that client off. if not, don’t accept her calls in the future (unless the check bounces!).

requiring a 50% deposit is smart. if someone doesn’t have the money up front, they’re not likely to have the money on the back end either.

i would stick with checks or credit card; here’s a post on the pros/cons of using paypal. while cash or cashier’s check works well for you, it’s not too standard in the world of business transactions and may sound hinky or small-time to your clients. why don’t you see how/when other designers get paid (see their site FAQs, or ask them) and model yourself after that…

]]> By: Amanda Strong http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-30297 Amanda Strong Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:23:55 +0000 http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-30297 Just recently (like January) I had a client give me a check (on a Friday) and ask that I not cash it until Monday. I deposited it on Wednesday. The check was returned. I contacted client. She apologized and said she had made a big purchase over the weekend and forgot that she had written me a check a day earlier. Ok. She's to drop a check 2 weeks later when she gets paid. The check never comes. And a week later? Still check-less. I called and e-mailed and called again having one way conversations with myself about how I had already paid the printer and needed the money ASAP... I received a host of excuses and lame lies not personally but through text messages and voice-mails. This lady was trying hard to avoid me. Finally, a month later (and after the original invoice deadline) she promised to drop the money by my house. She never showed. I finally had to threaten legal action if she didn't pay me within 24 hours. Fortunately I was paid (not in cash or cashier's check as I specifically requested) but by check. A check that wasn't even dated for the day she dropped it off, but for the following day. Classy. My freelance has mostly been small projects like invitations, wedding programs, etc commissioned by friends and friends of friends... I have learned that I should now take a deposit and look into how I am paid (check? cashier's check? cash?)... Just recently (like January) I had a client give me a check (on a Friday) and ask that I not cash it until Monday. I deposited it on Wednesday.

The check was returned.

I contacted client. She apologized and said she had made a big purchase over the weekend and forgot that she had written me a check a day earlier.

Ok.

She’s to drop a check 2 weeks later when she gets paid.

The check never comes.

And a week later?

Still check-less.

I called and e-mailed and called again having one way conversations with myself about how I had already paid the printer and needed the money ASAP…

I received a host of excuses and lame lies not personally but through text messages and voice-mails. This lady was trying hard to avoid me.

Finally, a month later (and after the original invoice deadline) she promised to drop the money by my house. She never showed. I finally had to threaten legal action if she didn’t pay me within 24 hours. Fortunately I was paid (not in cash or cashier’s check as I specifically requested) but by check. A check that wasn’t even dated for the day she dropped it off, but for the following day. Classy.

My freelance has mostly been small projects like invitations, wedding programs, etc commissioned by friends and friends of friends… I have learned that I should now take a deposit and look into how I am paid (check? cashier’s check? cash?)…

]]> By: Michelle Goodman http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-29786 Michelle Goodman Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:57:41 +0000 http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-29786 Mir, wow, now THAT's a snafu! Extra zeroes?! Man! Mir, wow, now THAT’s a snafu! Extra zeroes?! Man!

]]> By: Mir http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-29766 Mir Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:39:53 +0000 http://www.anti9to5guide.com/2008/03/05/why-freelancers-should-avoid-living-check-to-check-at-all-costs/#comment-29766 Ha! I especially liked your Christmas miracle one -- the fact that you sent it directly probably saved that guy from a similar (waiting) fate. I wrote about an <a href="http://workitmom.com/bloggers/corneredoffice/2008/02/05/easy-come-easy-go/" rel="nofollow">overpayment check snafu</a> about a month ago, and coincidentally I just got the proper payment yesterday. Good thing I wasn't needing that check for groceries, or anything. Ha! I especially liked your Christmas miracle one — the fact that you sent it directly probably saved that guy from a similar (waiting) fate.

I wrote about an overpayment check snafu about a month ago, and coincidentally I just got the proper payment yesterday. Good thing I wasn’t needing that check for groceries, or anything.

]]>