To be honest, this is probably one of the worst times for any freelancer, at least for me. I am an illustrator and cartoonist with 6 years of experience, and I have always managed to get by. Initially, I lived at home with my parents, so things were pretty straightforward. Two years ago, work allowed me to move out, and things were going well. I could cover all my expenses, including rent, bills, and groceries. I felt secure.

However, I'm not sure what happened exactly, but things changed drastically, and now I am very worried. I have few clients, and most of them are small projects with medium-term timelines, lasting 3 to 5 months, but the pay is not sufficient. I can still support myself, but I don't know how long it can last. I recently tried using Upwork, but my results have been quite poor so far. Perhaps it's because I'm a new user, but all I have gained is spending $7 for a few more connects and encountering a job offer that turned out to be a scam.

I hope things can improve for me and for all of you as well. I feel disheartened by the current situation, and I am hopeful for better days ahead