Freelancer shares a three-step script for handling client scope creep

A freelance writer recounts agreeing to an unbilled two-week blog section on a fixed-price marketing site, a costly lesson that scope creep is a billing issue rather than a communication one. They present a three-part reply: acknowledge the request positively, ask the client whether it replaces an existing deliverable or is new work, and state the cost in writing before any work begins. The approach is meant to surface trade-offs and make clients choose, with written approval required before new work starts. The author also argues that small unbilled favors add up to thousands of dollars a year, and recommends keeping a written record of scope decisions.