Invoicing 101: Best Practices for Getting Paid Faster as a Freelancer

There’s nothing quite like the high of landing a new freelance client. Until, of course, you send your first invoice… and then radio silence. Suddenly, that excitement turns into awkward follow-up emails, weird payment delays, and a constant mental math game of “Can I actually afford to pay myself this month?”

Sound familiar?

If you’re nodding, you’re not alone. For freelancers, late payments are unfortunately part of the landscape—but they don’t have to be. A few smart tweaks to how you handle invoicing can help you get paid faster, set clear expectations, and spend way less time chasing money that’s already yours.

Let’s talk about how to do that.

First: Stop Making It Hard to Pay You

You’d be amazed how often freelancers unintentionally slow themselves down with vague, confusing, or overly casual invoices. If your client has to open your email, open an attachment, log into some portal, manually add up line items, and then mail you a check? You’ve already lost.

Make it easy. Use a professional tool like QuickBooks, Wave, or FreshBooks. Accept multiple payment methods—ACH, credit card, heck, even PayPal if you must. The more friction you remove, the faster the money lands.

And if you’re still sending PDFs with “Let me know if you have any questions”—stop. You’re not annoying anyone by being direct. You're running a business.

Be Crystal Clear on Payment Terms

“Net 30” sounds professional, right? Except not everyone actually knows what it means. And even fewer feel bound by it.

Instead of relying on industry jargon, spell it out: “Payment due within 30 calendar days of receipt.” Even better? Shorten that window if you can. Many freelancers have moved to “Due on receipt” or “Net 7” and—surprise—it works. You don’t need to justify it. You're not a bank.

Pro tip: Add a polite late fee policy. Something like, “A 5% late fee may apply to invoices unpaid after 14 days.” 

You might never enforce it—but just seeing it there makes people take your invoice more seriously.

Invoice Right Away (Not Someday)

Don’t wait until the end of the month. Don’t wait until you “have time.” Don’t wait at all.

Invoice as soon as the work is complete—or better yet, upfront for deposits and milestone payments. The longer you wait, the less urgency the client feels. It’s like restaurant service: you want to bring the check while they’re still happy with the meal.

Friendly Follow-Ups Are Not Rude

Following up on a late invoice isn’t aggressive. It’s responsible. Keep it short, polite, and professional:

“Hey [Client Name], just checking in on this invoice from [Date]. Let me know if you need anything to process it—otherwise, I’d appreciate payment by [Due Date]. Thanks!”

Often, all it takes is a nudge. People forget. Spam filters attack. Life happens.

Bottom Line? Respect Your Work—and Make It Easy to Pay You

You deserve to get paid—promptly and with no weirdness. If invoicing still feels messy or inconsistent, that’s where we come in.

At Mountain Top Bookkeeping, we help freelancers organize their invoicing systems, track what’s owed, and finally take control of the financial side of freelancing—without burning out or second-guessing yourself. You’re not “bad with money.” You just need the right partner.

Let’s talk about your books. We’ll help you spend less time chasing payments—and more time doing what you actually love.