At one point, I had read (and owned a copy of) almost every Discworld novel written by Terry Pratchett (except for Raising Steam). Having fallen on hard times, I sold some of them to keep myself afloat. Today, I sold the last thirteen of them for less than $8, so that I could buy groceries. I didn't want to let go of them (especially for such a low price), but I have to eat and I cannot afford to wait any longer for my bad debtors to pay me. What's the use of finding development work if I'm not getting paid for it?
At this stage of freelancing, I don't trust my clients to come through and not waste my time further than they already have (and it's going to cost the American one, although I feel that's a moot point at this stage; Karma's a b*tch). Should he manage to pay me and want me to do further work for him going forward, I'm going to insist on a written agreement and payment upfront before I release anything to anyone. I don't like playing hardball, but this isn't the first time I've been hard done by and left in the lurch when wanting to do business fairly and honestly. I don't want to feel like I'm extorting my clients just so I can live off the money I bring in, but cooperation is a two-way street and I'm currently traveling down both sides of it without any other traffic. Frankly, I've neither the time nor energy for that.
My bills are due on the fifteenth of this month and I am at least $30 short (not including my rent, which is ~$200). Where I'm going to find that money, I don't know. Thus begins my selling my crypto and possessions in order to stay afloat. It simply cannot last for long (since neither money nor crypto grows on trees). The fact of the matter is that as much as I cannot bring myself to ask, I need financial help in order to not end up homeless, but don't know of anyone to whom I can turn. Every month, I go through this stress, not knowing when I'll get out of this desperate hole. It really sucks. Freelancing for international clients was supposed to be my way out of the situation I'm in, not of prolonging it.
Lead image: Photo by Timur Weber from/on Pexels