The Incusia blog
Getting paid, writing invoices and dealing with clients, for people who do the work themselves.
PRICING AND RATES
How to raise your rates with existing clients
Copy-paste emails for a first rate increase, a long standing client, a pushback, and a client who walks. Includes the notice to give and the percentage to name.
14 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
How to tell a client something is out of scope
Copy-paste emails for flagging out-of-scope work early, mid project, after you already did it, and when the same client keeps adding more.
14 min readGETTING PAID
What to charge when a client cancels a project
Cancellation and kill fees for freelance work. What percentage to charge before you start, after kickoff, at the midpoint, and when the work is basically done.
13 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
How to politely decline a project
Copy-paste emails to decline a project when you are too busy, it is the wrong fit, the budget is too low, you have a bad feeling, or you want to refer it on.
13 min readGETTING PAID
What to do when a client disputes an invoice
Copy-paste replies when a client disputes an invoice: the amount, the scope, a claim they never agreed, and a partial dispute. Includes when to rewrite the bill.
13 min readPRICING AND RATES
How to follow up on a quote that got no reply
Copy-paste follow-ups for a quote nobody answered. Send them at 3 to 5 days, one week, two weeks, and then a breakup email that ends the quote.
12 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
How to ask a client for a testimonial or referral
Copy-paste emails to ask for a testimonial right after delivery, months later, for a referral, for a public review, and as a single follow-up.
13 min readPRICING AND RATES
How to charge a rush fee for urgent work
What to charge for urgent freelance work, and copy-paste emails for a compressed week, a 48-hour turnaround, a weekend, and a client who wants rush speed at the normal price.
12 min readPRICING AND RATES
What to say when a client asks for a discount
Copy-paste replies when a client asks for a discount. Hold the price, trade scope, make a one-off exception, offer a volume deal, or give a firm no.
13 min readINVOICING BASICS
How to bill for a project in stages
How to bill a freelance project in stages. Copy-paste emails for proposing milestones, invoicing a stage, chasing an unpaid stage, and pausing the next one.
13 min readGETTING PAID
What to do when a client can't pay the full invoice
How to tell a real cash problem from a stall, what to offer instead of the full invoice, and how to write the dates down.
8 min readPRICING AND RATES
How to move a client onto a retainer
Which clients belong on a retainer, how to price it so the year is worth more, and what to say when they say no.
8 min readGETTING PAID
Sending an invoice to collections
When an unpaid invoice is worth sending to collections, what that tends to cost, and why it usually ends the client.
8 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
Can you withhold work until you get paid?
What leverage a freelancer actually has on an unpaid invoice, why it has to be in the agreement first, and what it costs when you use it.
8 min readPRICING AND RATES
What freelance deposit percentage should you ask for
How much to ask for up front, when 50 percent is reasonable, and what to do when a client refuses a deposit.
10 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
Net 30 vs net 14: which terms get you paid fastest
What each payment term means, which one gets paid fastest in practice, and how to choose terms for a new client.
10 min readGETTING PAID
Can I charge interest on a late invoice
When you are legally allowed to add interest to an overdue invoice, how much, and whether charging it costs you the client.
10 min readINVOICING BASICS
How to number invoices, and why it matters
Invoice numbering systems that keep your books clean, stay legal, and do not break when the year changes.
8 min readINVOICING BASICS
Invoicing a client in another currency
Which currency to invoice in, who absorbs the exchange rate, and how to avoid losing money between sending and getting paid.
9 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
Estimate vs quote vs proposal: what the difference is
What each document commits you to, which one to send, and how an estimate becomes an invoice without retyping it.
9 min readCLIENTS AND CONTRACTS
When to fire a client who pays late
How to work out what a late paying client actually costs you, and how to end it without a fight.
10 min readGETTING PAID
Software to Chase Overdue Invoices Automatically
Compared: the tools that chase late invoices for you. Honest look at Invoice Ninja, Bonsai, FreshBooks, Chaser and Incusia, including what each gets wrong.
15 min readGETTING PAID
Why Clients Ignore Your Invoice Emails
Your invoice email is getting buried, filtered, or ignored. Here is what actually causes it, and the specific changes that get invoices opened and paid.
15 min readINVOICING BASICS
Net 30 vs Net 15 vs Due on Receipt
Payment terms decide how fast you get paid. A practical comparison of Net 30, Net 15, due on receipt, and deposits, with what to use for which client.
15 min readINVOICING BASICS
Invoice Numbering Systems, Rules and Formats
How to number invoices properly. Sequential, year-prefixed, and client-coded systems compared, plus the rules on gaps and what to do about voids.
15 min readGETTING PAID
Late Payment Interest Rights in the UK and EU
UK and EU law gives businesses a statutory right to interest and compensation on late commercial payments, even without a contract clause. Here is what you can claim.
16 min readGETTING PAID
Client Won't Pay? 5 Email Templates That Actually Work
Five copy-and-send emails for when a client will not pay, from a friendly day-one follow-up to a last-resort notice. Includes timing, late fees, and what to do if they still ignore you.
17 min readINVOICING BASICS
Payment Terms Wording Examples: 15+ Copy-Paste Templates
Ready-to-use payment terms wording for Net 15, Net 30, deposits, late fees, kill fees, and payment methods. Copy them onto your next invoice today.
12 min readGETTING PAID
How to Charge Late Fees (Without Losing Clients)
A practical framework for charging late fees: grace periods, fair rates, legal limits, wording examples, and when to enforce versus waive.
12 min readINVOICING BASICS
Your First Freelance Invoice: Complete Beginner Guide
A beginner guide to sending your first freelance invoice: what to include, a full template, common mistakes, the send email, and how to follow up.
11 min readINVOICING BASICS
How to Write an Invoice: Templates + Real Examples
Learn how to write a professional invoice with copy-paste templates for freelance, trade, consulting, products, and creative projects.
11 min readGETTING PAID
How to Ask for Payment Politely (Without Feeling Awkward)
Five copy-and-send email templates for asking for payment politely, from a friendly heads up to a firm final notice. Includes exact timing so you never guess when to follow up.
16 min readGETTING PAID
Client Won't Pay? Here's Exactly What to Do
A step by step plan for when polite reminders fail and a client still will not pay. Covers demand letters, small claims court, collections, and when walking away is the smarter move.
15 min readGETTING PAID
How to Chase Late Invoices Without Being Awkward
A practical follow-up framework for chasing late invoices without sounding desperate or damaging the relationship. Learn when to personalize, when to automate, and what to say at each stage.
14 min read
Ready to stop chasing invoices manually?
Incusia sends automatic reminders so you get paid without the awkward emails. Starting at $9/month, price locked forever.