The first payment is a memorable moment for most freelancers, but it also tends to come with some lessons that you only learn by going through it. Some people get paid less than they expected after fees were deducted. Others realized they had not set up a proper payment method in advance. A few got paid perfectly but then had no system for tracking the income. Every experience teaches something different. What happened when you received your first freelance payment, and what would you do differently now?