Advice for a first time freelancer?

[latifox.livejournal.com]

Hello everyone,

I've been wanting to work as a full time freelancer for illustrations, but I still have some rough patches to work out. So far I'm in the process of finishing up my ToS, and getting a portfolio site up. I want to work more with traditional mediums and get into fursuit commissions in the future. Plus I feel I've learned lots from reading posts on this community as well as experience from the few commissions I have taken in the past.

But I'm worried about money stability. I know art isn't a hot buy right now, and my commission status has been set to "closed" for so many months that I don't have much of a basis for how many people would be interested in buying. I want to move out with my boyfriend in the upcoming months, and obviously need to help support my end of rent. But to me it feels like everything is up in the air!

What would my fellow artists recommend me do..? Should I get a grunt job somewhere to earn up cash while I'm starting out with commissions? (which I would be doing, but my health is horrendous. Would have to tiptoe around my parents and boyfriend's better judgment. x_x) How soon would it be wise to start working at conventions?

Any extra advice is greatly valued! <3


ETA: Thank you for all your suggestions! It seems pretty unanimous that I get a part-time job, as I was suspecting. Hopefully I can work something out soon. :3