I have been in business for 19 years and don't always "keep taking business from dead beats".  I have a policy in place.  See my response below to Greg Bloom.  I am posting this to warn others.  If this is not of concern to you, please keep your comments.   Thank you.  Also, often the very clients who are requesting work, look at this site.  If this client does that, or if others choose to work for them, they can only know that if you stop working... they stop paying.  That is my experience.