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Had to choose between a steady $500 retainer or chasing $2k project clients
I took the retainer for 3 months and felt secure but bored, then switched to project work and burned out chasing payments. Which side do you lean toward for keeping your sanity? I'm curious what worked for others.
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mason_murray83mo ago
Well, I guess the moral of the story is you either get paid to sleep well or you get paid to hunt down money like it's a full-time job in itself. I tried the retainer route once and felt like I was serving life without parole for three months. Switched to projects and suddenly I was a bill collector who also did some design work on the side. At this point, I'd rather have a part-time retainer that covers my ramen habit and lets me chase the fun stuff with a clear head.
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charlie1983mo ago
Man I had a buddy who took a retainer gig once and he said it felt like being in a slow elevator for six months. He quit to do projects and ended up chasing checks harder than he chased work.
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kimr913mo ago
...and that's exactly why I now just tell people I'm a "freelance hermit" who takes whatever comes in the door. I did the retainer thing for a year once, and yeah, it was boring but I actually slept through the night. Then I switched to projects and spent half my time sending invoices and the other half wondering if I should just go back to flipping burgers. Honestly, I think the middle ground is the sweet spot - like a retainer that's small enough to not feel like a cage but big enough to cover the basics while you chase the fun stuff on the side. It's not glamorous but neither is crying into your coffee over a client who ghosted you on payment.
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