13 most common questions about being a freelancer
1. What are the areas in which I can work as a freelancer?
There are no defined areas for working as a freelancer . Any activity mint phone number data project that allows the provision of services can be used as a source of income for freelancers.
Some of the most common are in the context of digital work, such as:
Data Scientist
Technical Writer
Marketing Manager
Copywriter
UX Writer
Social Media Manager
Content Creator
Graphic Designer
Motion Designer
Video Editor
SEO
Translator
Programmer
2. What should I do to work legally?
The first step to legally becoming a freelancer in Portugal is to open your business as an independent worker. You can do this at a Tax Office or through the Tax Portal under “Services” > “Start of Activity” > “Submit Declaration”.
When starting a business, you must decide whether you want to be a service provider or a sole trader. Both options have advantages and disadvantages, so you should choose the one that best suits the activity you are going to carry out. As a freelancer, you will be providing services to your clients, so the safest option is to register as a service provider.
Do you have questions about opening a business with the tax authorities? Check out our article and learn how to fill out the declaration of commencement of business with the tax authorities.
3. Am I entitled to vacation and sick leave?
As a freelancer, you may be able to take vacations or take sick leave. However, there are some specifics that you should be aware of.
If you take a holiday as a freelancer, you will not be entitled to holiday pay. However, you may be entitled to sick pay under certain circumstances. You will need to:
Have a Certificate of Temporary Inability to Work (or sick leave) issued by a doctor from the National Health Service
Have paid contributions to Social Security for at least six consecutive or intermittent months at the date of the request for sick leave;
Have your Social Security contributions up to date.
Please note that you can only start receiving sick pay after 11 days of sick leave, unlike full-time workers, who start receiving it after 4 days.
4. Where can I find clients as a freelancer?
There are several ways to find clients to start your freelance career. One of the easiest ways is to use platforms dedicated to freelance work, such as Fiverr , Upwork , Zaask , Workana or Freelancer.com . If you prefer, you can also find vacancies through Linkedin, job search websites or by contacting the companies you would like to work with directly. The key is to not give up and, if you hear a few no's, keep trying.
5. How should I set my budget?
The first step will be to define the amount you want to receive per month. Imagine you want to receive €1000 - you will calculate it as follows:
If you work 22 working days, 8 hours a day, you will be working 176 hours (22 x 8h). Dividing €1000 by 176 hours, the hourly rate will be, more or less, €5.68.
To this amount you should add the expenses arising from your activity (internet, electricity, water, rent, travel, subscription to computer programs, taxes, among others). Only after everything has been added will you arrive at the final amount that you should charge your customers.
This calculation can be adjusted if you work as a freelancer part-time: simply adjust the amount you want to earn per month, the hours or days you want to work and your expenses. Furthermore, if you have a parallel employment contract, you will not need to pay Social Security contributions.
6. How should I issue invoices?
You can issue invoices in two ways: through the Tax Portal or using certified invoicing software , such as Vendus. Discover all the advantages of using invoicing software.
7. What payment methods can I use?
Some of the most common ways are by bank transfer or through Paypal. If you choose Paypal, please note that the platform includes some usage fees.
