[josephjrobison]

Yes - retainers and contracts are gold! Less time on the treadmill of one-time projects. You may need one-time projects to start, but try to convert it to retainer soon after.

For one-time projects have them always pay 50% down and milestones for the rest. Don't start until they pay.

And if you can help it, don't bill hourly. Everyone who's been down that route advises against it. If clients don't fully understand what you're doing, they're going to try to manage the only thing they know - your hours.

This is a great resource/podcast for developers on getting paid and not billing hourly - http://www.ditchinghourly.com/

[roberthl]

I agree that retainers are a really useful tool for ensuring a consistent income and minimising time spent prospecting, but do also consider your motivations for freelancing. If you are looking to work on a variety of projects then a retainer may limit your ability to take on new opportunities when they come up.