After years of freelancing, I’ve encountered clients who seem to forget our agreements once the invoice lands.
Recently, I’ve begun including clear payment deadlines and late fees in my estimates. It really helps minimize confusion and ensures I get paid without hassle.
I usually ask for a deposit too
I skip contracts and put everything on the invoice - payment date, work scope, hourly rate.
Send invoices immediately after finishing, not weeks later. Clients forget what they agreed to.
Mention payment terms upfront when discussing the project.
Put payment terms on every invoice, not just estimates. I slap “Net 15” and a 2% monthly late fee right at the top. Shows them exactly what happens when they don’t pay on time.
Most payment headaches? Being vague upfront. Clients pay faster when they know the exact due date and late fee costs.
Stay consistent - same terms every job, zero exceptions. Clients respect clear boundaries way more than wimpy payment requests.
I just write the due date on mine. Late fees sound nice but nobody pays them anyway.
Half my payment problems vanished once I started asking for 50% upfront. Game changer.
Tried late fees but collecting them was a pain. Now I just get paid before doing most of the work.
Big jobs? I split payments up. $2000 project = $1000 to start, $500 at midpoint, $500 at completion. Much easier chasing $500 than the full amount.
Be specific about payment triggers too. Don’t say ‘halfway through’ - say ‘after you approve the first draft’ or whatever fits your workflow.
Signed contracts before starting work have saved my ass countless times. Invoices are just paperwork at that point.
What actually works:
Invoice terms are fine, but most disputes happen because you had a weak original agreement. When clients know exactly what they’re getting and when to pay from day one, invoicing becomes automatic.
Learned this after chasing payments for work clients swore they didn’t want or thought was free.