I’d like to quickly point out a site I’ve only recently become aware of (where have I been, right?). It’s called the Freelancer’s Union and can be found at http://www.freelancersunion.org. It’s headed by Sara Horowitz and you can see a short Youtube video introduction of it on CNN Money here.

Basically, Freelancer’s Union is a site geared towards giving some breaks to U.S. freelancers, including the ability to get group rates on insurance and retirement plans. In addition, the organization is involved in political action to try to bring fairness to the tax issues that freelancers face, (we generally pay more taxes than traditional employees do).

Other benefits include discounts on products and services, seminars, webinars, live events, a job board, and a community forum.

It’s free to join so if you are a freelancer, check it out.

I have no idea if this same type of organization exists in other countries, but if you’re a freelancer living outside the U.S., I’d recommend searching around for one. There could be some benefits waiting for you.