I was reading over at the Freelance Folder this morning, and saw a great post from Laura Spencer about freelancing as a career choice vs. freelancing as a lifestyle. When I first started freelancing, it was definitely a career choice. We needed me to make money while staying at home with my son, and while my husband started school. My home business was just a way to pay the bills.

Now, though, since I don’t have to do a lot of the crap work I did originally, and now that I am more experienced, it’s more of a lifestyle. I can set my own rates, and I can choose the freelance projects I take on, not to mention figure out a time frame for them. And this means that I can work it around my lifestyle. It also means that I am not tethered to one location. No matter where my husband gets a job when he finishes school, I will be able to continue freelance.

Here are some of the things that Laura says about freelancing as a lifestyle:

1. You save money.

2. You can be there for friends and family as needed.

3. You can run errands during off-hours, providing a more relaxing experience.

4. You have a mobile lifestyle. You can work from anywhere — even the local park or coffeeshop.

5. You have creative control over your work and your life.

These are all things that make freelancing particularly appealing. And, after living this lifestyle, I could never go back to one that involves a traditional job.