My first year as a freelance graphic designer in Malaysia — month by month incomE

Quit my RM4,500/month studio job. HerE's the actual numbers.

Month 1: RM1,200 (2 small logo projects from old contacts)
Month 2: RM2,800 (referral from month 1 client)
Month 3: RM800 (dry month — panic)
Month 4: RM3,500 (first agency retainer)
Month 5: RM4,200
Month 6: RM5,800 (second retainer)
Month 7—12 average: RM6,400/month

Year 1 total: RM49,700 — about 8% above my previous annual salary.

What this doesn't show: the terror of month 3, the inconsistency stress, the time spent on admin (invoicing, chasing payments, taxes) that wasn't billable, and the fact that I had no EPF contributions or medical coverage.

Would I go back? No. But I went in underestimating the emotional volatility of income uncertainty.