Asking for money as a Freelancer
Put the ball in the client’s park. Preferably via text/email as that gives both sides time to give a well-thought answer.
Here’s an example:
Hi Jen,
It has been wonderful to reconnect with you.
This list is very well thought out and I appreciate the detail. I think I have a general sense of the scope. While I am not sure I can work on all of the list, I am confident that I can work on many of the points.
Are you thinking of this as paid work? How many hours would I need to dedicate?
Please pass my regards to David and Cherie and the rest of the team as well.
Best,
Daksh
If they are serious about the contract work, they will likely pay. If not, you can say, “I have tried volunteering my time, but it hasn’t worked out well for me in the past. The motivation to complete tasks is not sustainable unless it I have a commercial incentive.”
That’s all there is to it. You’ll be surprised at how often the genuine people are willing to pay.