FFN #94 When clients don’t pay (and what I’m doing about it)

I’d love to hear your tips! Reply to this email to send us a tip you think the community needs to know!

Happy Tuesday!
Sara here.

PSA: We’re moving our weekly FFN and WIP newsletters over to Substack!
We’re so excited about this next chapter—and even more excited to chat with you in the comments. See you there!

The dreaded freelance non-payment hit me twice this month. 😮‍💨

Which got me thinking about why Freelancing Females started in the first place — to act as a sounding board for some of the trickiest, most frustrating, and sometimes loneliest parts of freelancing. And let’s be real: not getting paid for your work ranks high on that list.

There’s no hiding it, the economy feels a little… shall we say, daunting? Or maybe just exhausting. So when two clients ghosted me on invoices this month, it had me feeling shaken, disheartened, and a little furious.

If you’re in the same boat (and stats say a lot of us are), I just want to say: you're not alone.
Here’s what I’m doing right now to handle it — and what you might try too:

1. Reach out, with clarity and professionalism
Seems obvious, but it’s always the first step.
I’ve sent a few calm, professional emails asking if there’s been a delay on their end or if there’s an issue processing the invoice. Sometimes it’s an honest oversight. Sometimes it’s not. Either way, it starts a paper trail.

2. Resend the invoice with a reminder of your terms
If I don’t get a response within a few days, I simply resend the invoice — this time referencing the agreed payment terms in our contract. 

For example:
"As per our contract, payment was due within 14 days of invoice receipt. Please let me know if there’s been an issue on your end."

I also include a gentle offer of a payment plan if cashflow is tight on their side. It’s professional, it shows empathy, but it also keeps boundaries firm.

3. Review the late fee policy in my contracts
This is the moment I’m glad I included a late fee clause. If you haven’t added one to your contracts, let this be your reminder!
Even a small fee (e.g. 2% per week overdue) signals that your time and energy have value — and often gets things moving faster.

4. Consider next steps
I give clients a week or so after my follow-up email. If I still hear nothing, I weigh up whether to:
• Call them (sometimes a phone call makes it real)
• Send a final notice
• Or in extreme cases, explore options like debt collection or small claims — not ideal, but necessary for larger sums.

Here’s what I’m doing to help prevent this in the future:

• Deposits, always – I now require at least 30–50% upfront before starting any project. No exceptions.

• Clear contracts – Every client signs a contract that outlines payment terms, late fees, and project scope.

• Automated invoicing tools – I use FreshBooks to send invoices and automatic reminders so I’m not manually chasing every time.

• Payment schedule baked into timelines – Instead of one final payment at the end, I break larger projects into phases, each tied to a payment milestone.

• Red flag radar is ON – If a client is vague about budget, delays signing contracts, or pushes back on deposits, I now pause and reassess before proceeding.

A note on boundaries + burnout
The hardest part of this situation is that it can make you feel powerless. But remember — chasing payment doesn’t make you annoying. It makes you a business owner standing up for herself.

Have you been through this recently?
If yes, reply and let me know how you handled it.
Or if you’re dealing with it right now, I see you. And I hope some of these tips help. 💛

Sara
Freelancing Females

✨ Mentorship groups are back! This time we are giving our community a special early bird discount.

🎧 A new podcast for your mental health walk 

📚 Something for your reading list: Hype Yourself: A no-nonsense PR toolkit for small businesses by Lucy Werner 

⏰ Are you working for free? Track your time and free up more space for work or life outside work with our fave tracker.

☕️ This mug makes my coffee taste better