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10 small, practical steps to help you regain control of your freelance finances

Let me start by saying this: if your freelance finances feel messy or out of control right now, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve been there.

I wasn’t taught how to manage freelance income. Both my parents had regular jobs with steady paycheques (and pensions), and like many people, I entered freelancing without a roadmap. It took time—and more than a few missteps—for me to figure out how to make things work in a way that felt sustainable.

Be wealthy like Goatley

What follows isn’t a perfect system. But every one of these steps has helped me build more financial clarity and confidence over time. They’re small changes, but they take discipline, and they won’t magically transform things overnight. It will take some time, but it will be worth it.

When you give yourself a little breathing room, everything shifts. You stop making decisions out of panic and start making them with purpose. You don’t take every job just to keep the lights on because you don’t have to. You have space to rest, think, and grow your business on your terms.

Here’s what helped me get there. Maybe it will help you too.