Walking away from a steady 9-to-5 to pursue your dreams of going freelance can feel a little bit like jumping out of a plane: exhilarating and bold but also pretty terrifying. While the idea of choosing your own clients and setting your own hours is appealing, freelancing involves way more than freeing up your weekday calendar to do what you love. At the end of the day, you’ll need to figure out how you’ll stay afloat financially, which goes beyond just paying your bills on time. It’s a delicate balance that requires ingenuity, diligence, and a bit of flexibility.