--- title: Freelancing Is Hard description: The difficulties of being a self-employed software engineer. image: https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/hubfs/Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/blog/freelancing-is-hard#main-content) [![](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo.png?width=2048&height=2048&name=logo.png)Homepage](https://nhcarrigan.com) - [Code](https://git.nhcarrigan.com) - [Socials](https://socials.nhcarrigan.com) - [Documentation](https://docs.nhcarrigan.com) [Join Discord](https://chat.nhcarrigan.com) - [Code](https://git.nhcarrigan.com) - [Socials](https://socials.nhcarrigan.com) - [Documentation](https://docs.nhcarrigan.com) [Join Discord](https://chat.nhcarrigan.com) ![](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg?width=6336&height=2688&name=Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg) # Freelancing Is Hard ![Naomi Carrigan](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Generated_Image_1790742324098.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=Generated_Image_1790742324098.jpg) Naomi Carrigan October 12, 2024 One of my clients paused my contract this month. They do not have any work for me. I carry a very heavy workload specifically so that events like this have less impact. That approach is not viable for many people, and it is arguably unhealthy for me. > I make freelancing look easy, but it is full of challenges and risk. ## Sourcing Clients The hardest part of freelancing is finding people to pay you. Many people struggle with this step. Networking is essential here. Most of my clients have come to me through my network. Networking is not about finding a job or getting people to refer you. It is about adding value. For example, volunteering in the Hacktoberfest community created a connection that led to my role at Deepgram. Moderating Rythm created an opportunity to build their community tooling. Open source contributions can also be a good way to network, but only if you commit to them. Drive-by contributions may seem tempting, but they will not leave a lasting impression. Consistent, high-quality contributions to a specific project over a long period show your ability and give you experience working in a team. ## Losing Clients No matter how hard you work, you will part ways with clients. The project may be complete. They may no longer have the funds to pay you. You may not have met their expectations. Whatever the reason, it happens. In the U.S., you have very little safety net. You are not eligible for unemployment benefits, and it is difficult to prove an unjust termination. You need to create your own safety net. This can be a significant amount of savings, or an adjustable workload that can absorb the loss. I tend to work 80 to 100 hours a week, so there is never a shortage of work. However you choose to handle it, freelancing can be "feast or famine". You should be prepared for that. ## Financial Concerns Aside from having savings to fall back on, there are other financial concerns. Taxes are the largest. In the U.S., you are the employer. You must pay both the employee portion and the employer portion of income tax, known as "self-employed tax". There are penalties if you do not pay it early. This means you must keep accurate books of your income and estimated tax liabilities. There are other concerns. It is rare for a company to pay into a pension or 401K for an independent contractor. Health insurance is typically not offered, so you must source and pay for your own. These costs add up. On the positive side, you can write off business-related expenses. Depending on how you structure your business, you may also be eligible for additional benefits such as a business line of credit. ## Running a Business Being a freelance developer does not mean that all of my 100 working hours are spent writing code. A large amount of time goes to business tasks. Marketing keeps me visible to potential clients. Content creation, such as this blog, generates passive income and provides evidence of my knowledge and expertise. I also maintain an active presence on as many social media platforms as possible. This ensures that clients can find me and know how to contact me. None of this work is paid. Sometimes I pay for it. It is part of the investment required to run your own business. ## Isolation Remote work often appears glamorous. You avoid a commute and can wear pyjamas all day. However, you miss a lot by not working in an office. For example, I never had the same opportunities to connect and socialise with colleagues. This becomes more pronounced as a freelancer. You may be the only developer on a team. You may work directly for a client with no technical experience. This can leave you isolated. It is essential to find other ways to connect with your peers, such as programming communities on Discord. > I do not share my story to frighten you. I share it to inform you. Many content creators and influencers describe freelancing as the best possible career. It does have real advantages. However, freelancing is not easy. It is not a path to "easy money". If you have read the challenges I have described and you are still interested, I wish you the best of luck. If you are more comfortable with a traditional W-2 role, that is also a good choice. What matters is that you make an informed decision that leads to the best life for you. ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fmktg.nhcarrigan.com%2Fblog%2Ffreelancing-is-hard](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fmktg.nhcarrigan.com%2Fblog%2Ffreelancing-is-hard) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg?width=6336&height=2688&name=Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg) I Stayed for 36 Hours Straight. Here Is Why](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/blog/ai-hackathon-berkeley-2026) ### [![](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg?width=6336&height=2688&name=Generated_Image_September_29_2026_-_9_34PM.jpg) ADHD and Software Engineering](https://mktg.nhcarrigan.com/blog/adhd-and-software-engineering) --- [Privacy Policy](https://docs.nhcarrigan.com/legal/privacy/) · [Terms of Service](https://docs.nhcarrigan.com/legal/terms/) · © NHCarrigan 2026. 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