My freelance epiphany: Skipping the contract bit me in the end

A client refused to pay for extra work because we never signed anything. I learned my lesson and now insist on paperwork before starting any job.

4 comments

4 Comments

milarodriguez1mo agoMost Upvoted

Try using a simple statement of work for smaller jobs instead of a full contract. It just lists the work, cost, and payment terms on one page. Scope creep kills small projects too, so having that basic doc saved me when a client kept asking for "tiny tweaks" that added up to days of work.

margaret_robinson731mo ago

Ugh, that's the worst feeling. I got burned the same way early on. What milarodriguez said really clicked for me, that simple one-pager is a lifesaver. I made my own version that just lists the main job and price, plus a line saying any extra work needs a new agreed price. It feels less scary than a big contract but still gives you a leg to stand on.

verab381mo ago

Using a one-pager like @ryanjohnson suggested saved me from endless tweaks.

ryanjohnson1mo ago

Totally changed my view on needing big contracts for every single job. Hearing how a basic one-pager stops scope creep made me finally try it. Now that simple list of work and price saves so many headaches.