Money Playbook for Freelancers
Freelancers, welcome to Episode 10 — the final episode of our Finances for Freelancers series. We’ve broken down the essentials every freelancer or solopreneur needs to feel confident with money — from budgeting and taxes to pensions and pricing.
Today, we’re wrapping up with a punchy roundup — each of our expert guests shares one final, powerful tip to help you stay on track with your finances.
You can listen (12min) and subscribe here:
Now available on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Podlink
***
Key Takeaways:
1. Janet Knapton — Keep Business and Personal Separate
“So you don't need to have a limited company to ensure that you use a separate bank account from your personal spending.”
Mixing personal and business finances causes chaos — and often, tax trouble. Janet’s advice? Set up a separate business account from day one. It saves you time, tax, and stress.
2. Lucy Wheeler — Contracts Are Protection, Not Admin
“Think of them as boundaries... they’re designed to support both sides.”
Contracts set expectations for both you and your client. They’re not just legal safety nets — they clarify what’s included, what’s not, and how (and when) you get paid.
3. Zoe Brett — Think of Insurance as a Gift
“You're giving your future self security, you're giving your family security.”
Don’t view insurance as just another bill. Zoe reframes it as something generous: a gift of peace of mind that protects your income and your people when life gets messy.
4. Emma Hardwick — Track It All (From Day One)
“If you know what profit you're making, hopefully you can then forecast how much you need to save.”
Even in your earliest freelance days, tracking profit and tax is key. Emma recommends cloud tools like Xero to simplify invoicing, tax saving, and seeing where your money’s actually going.
5. Sara Dalrymple — Don’t Charge for Time, Charge for Value
“We can do things a different way and we should.”
Sara’s message is clear: pricing shouldn’t be about time on the clock — it’s about the results you deliver. Know your value, and set prices that reflect the transformation you offer.
6. Lisa Picardo — Don’t Ignore Your Future Self
“There are things you can do… even if money feels tight.”
Lisa’s been self-employed — and she gets it. Pensions may feel low priority, but even small steps now build big security later. Have the conversation, take action, and future-you will thank you.
7. Emilie Nutley — Automate Everything You Can
“As soon as you can automate your goals… it takes a lot of the mental accounting out of it.”
Make your systems work for you. Emilie recommends setting up digital bank ‘spaces’ or automating percentages for tax, savings, or big purchases — to remove stress and make things sustainable.
8. Lara Sheldrake — Work Smart, Not Hard
“This goes back to working smart, not hard… business doesn’t need to be complicated.”
Where’s your energy flowing — and what’s the easiest win? Lara encourages you to simplify, tune in, and make offers that align with your zone of genius. Less friction, more flow.
9. Victoria Nabarro — Shift from Short-Term to Long-Term
“Start thinking as a business owner. Start thinking long term.”
Move beyond month-to-month thinking. Victoria urges freelancers to shift into a longer horizon — using good months to invest in freedom, passive income, and goals that stretch beyond your next invoice.
10. Emilie Bellet — You Don’t Need to Hustle Harder
“You just need to build smarter.”
There will be ups and downs. Mistakes. Wins. Learning. But you don’t need to do more — you need to do things better. Find support, set up systems, and take time to rest. Your energy and your money both matter.
Final Thoughts
Let’s be real — freelancing is liberating, but it’s also a lot. One month you’re flush with client work, the next you’re chasing invoices and refreshing your banking app like it owes you something.
But here’s what these ten experts have shown us: you don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start treating your freelance work like the real business it already is.
Set boundaries (yes, contracts count). Track your money. Pay yourself. Protect your future. And most importantly, don’t wait to feel ready — none of us ever do.
PARTNER
Thank you to our partner PensionBee. With PensionBee you can combine, contribute and withdraw online. Take control of your pension, so that you can enjoy a happy retirement and join over 265,000 customers saving with PensionBee.
