J is for jalopy: n., what you’ll be driving if you don’t learn how to set competitive rates and manage your freelance income.

I’m no financial expert. But thanks to the magic of the Internet, I don’t have to be. Browse these resources at your leisure and learn more about setting competitive rates, managing your freelance income, and preparing for retirement.

Setting Freelance Rates

• How to Set Your Freelance Writing Rates by Brian Scott
• The WritersMarket.com Pay Rate Chart (requires subscription)
• Setting a Freelance Writing Rate Equal to the Task by Deborah Ng
• Talking Money With Clients: Increasing Your Freelance Writing Rates by Jennifer Mattern

Freelance Spending & Budgets

• It’s Not the Money, It’s You – Why You Should Track Your Spending by LaToya Irby
• Freelance Writing Budget by Kathryn Lang
• Writing for Money – Managing an Unpredictable Cash Flow for Freelance Writers by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen

Retirement for Freelancers

• Retirement Planning From a Freelancer’s Viewpoint by Thursday Bram
• Individual 401(k) Contribution Calculator for the Self-Employed from AARP.org
• Freelancers Retirement Plan from Freelancers Union

There is a wealth of information out there to help freelancers manage their income and expenses and plan for the future. Keep digging!

What are you doing to manage your freelance money wisely? J is for jalopy.