I earned net 18,000 euros last year as a full-time freelancer for NGOs💶 below the Belgian minimum wage by several thousand.

I earned 39k gross, and after taxes and expenses, it came to 18k. I am not sure how to make this sustainable. 😰 This is not the fault of my clients. It's also not, as some men suggest to me, that I just need to demand higher pay or work harder ✍ I have already been turned down by several NGOs that didn't have the budget.

Extortionate taxation systems and hostile freelance environments is cloaked as something that we must just 'accept.' I should get a Real Job i.e. work for a private profit-driven company 👩‍💼

💫 I am not against full-time salaried work - but I would push back against the idea that those of us in non-traditional careers must suffer for wanting to pursue our passion.

❗ An economy that penalises activists, freelancers, artists, cleaners, designers, service industries for not pursuing a corporate career can't be solved by just working harder or 'the grind.' It needs a complete reprioritisation of what contributes to a fulfilling, sustainable and democratic society.

So a question to freelancers out there - how do you do this? What's your experience?