Becoming a freelancer is fast and affordable way to start earning an income from home. Especially if you freelance a skill you already have, you can get started offering your services today. What Is a Freelancer? A freelancer is someone who offers their services for a fee and usually with no expectation of a permanent a single client, although the work relationship can be on-going. It's a form of self-employment, similar to operating a home business versus telecommuting. With that said, a freelancer can work as a contractor, as opposed to a home business. Why Would You Want to Freelance? There are several reasons to start freelancing: Done on the side around your job, it's a way to generate extra income to pay off debt or save for a rainy day. It's affordable to start if you already have the skills and equipment to do the job. You can start quickly. As soon as you find a client, you can start getting paid to freelance. It allows for greater independence over a job. It's often flexible, allowing you to work part-time or during off-business hours. There can be a few downsides including: It can take time to build a full-time income. Work, and therefore income, can be irregular. Managing multiple clients and projects requires excellent organization. Pay for new freelancers is often low.