How to Survive As An Online Freelancer

It's been more than three years since I decided to leave the corporate world in exchange for a life (and work) at home. Did I make the right choice? Was I successful in the path I chose? I think I'd have to say yes on both counts - I'm still here, still surviving. That to me means I must be doing some things right. :)

A lot of people think working as an online freelancer is a bed of roses - you command your own rates, your own working hours, you can work in your pajamas, and you can work while watching TV. While all that is true, it doesn't have to translate to all these being 'easy'. In fact, I'd have to say being an online freelancer is a tad more difficult than being in the solid and structured corporate world.  But I've dwelt on that before in this post about why WAHMs get stressed.