Rachel Lindsay wrote:I'm not allergic to doing work...I am allergic to asking money for the hard work that I do!
SO I have rates for my online work, and they are above what I myself would ever be able to pay for the services I offer. However, multiple people in the last year who have paid me have said I am not charging enough. (!!!)
But still, I would feel horrible charging more--I already feel guilty about charging what I do! (Note: online teaching is a hobby for me, an avocation, not my family's bread and butter.)
This post is because I am very interested in non-traditional, Permie ways to think about money and livelihoods and work. I have had one student who traded me music lessons for my teaching time, and that was one of my favorite arrangements I've ever had. What else could I do? What are ways y'all think about billing, fair wages per hours spent, and using vs. not using fiat currency? I'd love to hear several folks sound off on this topic!
Rachel, you are obviously very good at what you do. If the people are recommending that you charge more they are expressing guilt about short changing you. Perhaps you could charge what the market is requesting you charge and then provide work gratis to people who you encounter that want or need your services but have no ability to pay. In no way are you bilking people for your work and the more you make from the affluent customers the more you can give to the rest of the community. From a permaculture perspective, enrich the land by overproducing knowledge transfer. You have the rare opportunity to be generous doing what you love.
