Warning: I had a client ghost me after a $2,500 project last week
Everything was going great. I'm a freelance writer and this client in Austin had me do a full website rewrite, about 15 pages total. We signed a contract, I sent the first half, they paid the deposit, no problem. I finished the rest, sent the final invoice for the other $1,250, and then... nothing. For seven days straight, no replies to emails or calls. What makes it worse is I turned down two smaller jobs to hit their deadline. Now I'm stuck with no payment and a big hole in my planned income for March. Has anyone else had a client disappear right at the payment stage? What's your next move after the contract terms run out?