According to US-based online staffing platform Elance, there are currently 1 million Filipino online freelancers in its roster, pursuing jobs in design, programming, administration and marketing.
From January 2010 to April 2014, Filipino freelancers have earned an estimated P9 billion.
But freelancing is more than just choosing a job you can do leisurely. Author and businessman James Frey said that to make big bucks, you have to treat freelancing like any other job.
“I have a work day like everybody else. Every morning I get up and I go to work just like if I was a teacher, a doctor, or construction worker. Everybody has a job, and you get up everyday and go to your job,” he told ANC’s “On The Money.”
Freelancing has its share of risks because it does not guarantee a steady monthly income. To have the extra money for special occasions and emergencies, Frey said he has followed a simple rule: Don’t buy what you don’t need.
“I’m wearing this shirt, I’ve had this shirt for seven years. I don’t need another black shirt. I wear very simple clothing. You only buy what you need. You don’t need an expensive car. I don’t wear a watch or expensive jewelry, none of that stuff matters, what matters is that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family,” he said.
Frey is the author of A Million Little Pieces and one of the writers behind Lorien Legacies, a series of young adult science fiction books.
source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
