Question about taking a big project for less money versus a small one for more

Last year, I had to choose between a six month website build for a local non-profit at $30 an hour or a two week logo design rush job for a tech startup at $75 an hour. I picked the logo job for the higher rate because I needed cash fast. It was stressful but paid my rent for two months. Has anyone else faced a choice between a long-term, lower-paying gig and a short, high-paying one? How did you decide?

3 comments

3 Comments

wells.alice1mo ago

My buddy took the long, cheap project for stability, but the client kept adding work and he felt totally stuck.

hayes.elliot1mo ago

That's the stability trap right there.

-1

emmasingh1mo ago

Oh man, you're so right. I took a "safe" project once (a simple website for a local shop) and they just kept adding little features without raising the price. Every week it was "one more small thing" until I was doing free work for months. My friend even said I should just say no, but by then I felt like I was in too deep (you know, that guilty feeling). Finally I had to just finish it fast and promise myself never again. It's so easy to get stuck when you're scared to rock the boat.