Freelancers and expenses....

[purplepeony]

I do some freelance writing and have been invited- provisonally- to have a meeting with the publication re, future developments they are planning and my involvement as a consultant/writer.

Two issues here- one, they are paaying me below the going rate for work I have already done- so I discover in retrospect, and need to negotiate a better fee- and two, it will cost me about £25 to get to them by train etc.

No mention of my expenses has been made- should I ask for them in advance?

[flowerybeanbag]

If it's going to involve regularly travelling to them, you need to factor that in as part of your negotiations.

When you start negotiating your fee, you can also request at that point that your expenses are reimbursed as and when you need to travel to them. You mention should you ask in advance. If you are asking for a better fee in advance, then yes mention anything else you want such as expenses. Otherwise I'd leave it until the point you are discussing all financial arrangements.

Whether they agree to do so or not entirely depends on the negotiations really.

[RibenaBerry]

As Flowery says, it's all commercial in freelancing, so you have to negotiate it all, and best to do that upfront.

[hatwoman]

as the others said, re expenses tied to work you agree to do. howevr ime it would be unusual to claim/be offered expenses for attending a preliminary meeting - if thats what you're thinking of.