Tom Formenski's spurred some wise rules for workers from long-time free agent Mitch Ratcliffe:

• Carry and use your own cell phone/number for business
• Carry and use your own email address even at work
• Carry and use your own health insurance
• Incorporate and work on contract rather than as an employee
• Carry and use your own hardware, building tech expenses into your compensation

Susan sez: While not everyone is going to do all this (no one wants to pay for health insurance), putting even one or two of these suggestions into practice makes obvious good sense.