Struggling to keep up with rent after switching to freelance work

Last month, I decided to leave my full-time job to pursue freelancing full-time. I was hopeful it would offer more flexibility and income potential, but so far, the inconsistent paychecks have made it really tough to cover my $1200 monthly rent. I’ve tried cutting back on everything non-essential, but between groceries, utilities, and basic expenses, I’m barely scraping by.

I’ve also started reaching out to a few clients, but work is slow to come in, and I’m worried about falling behind on rent next month. I’m hesitant to take on a part-time job because I want to focus on building my freelance career, but the financial pressure is mounting.

Has anyone else had to make this kind of leap and struggled with rent? How did you manage the early months when income was unpredictable? Would it be better to find a temporary part-time gig or just try to tighten my budget more aggressively?