how to (not) charge money for what I do
Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 10:33PM I have a hangup. I can’t seem to get comfortable with charging money for what I do. I’m talking enough money to meet expenses. I have design clients telling me I don’t charge enough. I take on pro-bono web design jobs with relief, because I don’t have to set a price. Then I realize I have 3 large pro bono jobs, and no paying ones. And no time to take on any paying ones. And I’m relieved.
If we’re ever going to get out of this city, chances are it’ll happen sooner rather than later if I actually make a buck or two. Yet I hate to talk money. Truly hate it. Take today for instance. I had a fellow mom-blogger in the ‘hood tell me about her new venture a few months ago. Events for moms. Sans kids. I liked the idea, it fed into my s a n e m o m s stuff very directly. So I said I’d love to work with her on it. When she next contacted me, it had morphed from a physical place to a series of events. Somewhat less interesting to me, but ok. So what did she want me to do? Could I help with the website? Sure. Without blinking I offered to do it for free, and as I recall she made noises about not being able to pay much … at which point I had every chance to charge at least something for it! But no. Then I spent hours designing it. Learning all kinds of new tricks (not a bad thing in itself) because she has very specific ideas about how she’d like it to look. Then I go today to train her and her biz partner in how to update the site, and that’s all find and dandy but I don’t think to set a limit on my time. I don’t say “this is taking my entire day, one of the two precious chunks of time I have every week to get things done w/out kids along” … and I finally say I have to go in 20 min, and leave 40 min later. After almost 4 hours of free training. Sure I’m getting PR out of it as an event sponsor, but it’s not worth all that much. At least not yet, and I don’t have high hopes.
Why do I hesitate so much to charge real money? I downplay my worth to other people, at least in terms of dollar amounts, all the time. I don’t factor in how fast I tend to work, how many bases I cover (I edit copy while I design sites while I create graphics while I tweak code … and i research SEO if you tell me you need it, I train you in how to do your own upates, I help you set up your email accts that come with your new site, and I’d probably walk your dog if you asked me to.)
Every job I’ve ever had I ended up doing a million things more than asked. And with the exception of two brief managers, was rarely compensated or recognized for those things. One job I quit, another I helped close up as it failed. Why is the graphic designer one of the last 8 people in a company that was 65 strong? Because she was game to do/try/learn/muddle through just about anything. They don’t pay for that. They can’t. And it’s what I think I’m really good at. Just how do you charge for that? P’raps I need cards that call me the Muddler in Chief. I rather like the idea. Girl Friday? I dunno.
Reader Comments (7)
maybe a card that simply says " i r retarted bout munny" on it. With a big smiley face and "take advantage of me" under it.
haha, awesome idea mike! especially if it's well designed. i find that packaging my services into different "packages" and setting a price for them makes it easier for me to talk money. i totally hear you though. it's hard to charge for a service when you're not sure how long it will take or how much extra work it will be. your post made me laugh though, i guess because i relate.
I'm exactly the same way, but about photography. After doing a ton of pro-bono work where people would say I should charge etc I finally decided to NOT make it a profession, but a hobby. I just don't have the personality to stand up for myself and set boundaries.
our whole society is SO money centric and yet most of us have a hard time talking about it frankly and directly.
i am currently trying to figure out what hourly rate i'll charge for tutoring in our new area (once we relocate).
if i charge too much i won't get any work. but so many of my tutoring clients have told me that my help is really great. i know i shouldn't have qualms charging more than the lowest going rate. i think that's what I have to keep in mind.
and anyway, if i start high, and it turns out i'm not getting any takers, i can always lower my rates, or offer discounts. but if i start out low, i'll be kicking myself i didn't charge more, right?
anyway all these issues aren't intellectual ones, but about our relationship to others and money, which is SO complicated. i find myself trying to figure out the bare minimum i need to live, instead of thinking, what would it be nice to have?
Oh Paula, Once again you fail at being properly (North) American.
thanks all, glad to know i'm not the only one fighting it, especially other N. Americans ;) i want to barter, but can't yet see it working in reality. certainly not until i'm taking care of a bit more of my own daily needs like food/shelter. spent some time house planning tonight and that was a nice antidote.
i didn't realize it had to do with my acting bolivian, but maybe it does. i never used to be so frugal until i had a good paying job i wanted to quit, and thus was born the "what is the absolute minimum i can live off of" mentality. perhaps now I can start to factor in beer, wine, restaurants, travel and saving for a house into what i can at least dream of. what a dreamy thought!