I almost gave a friend a huge discount on a website, glad I didn't

My buddy needed a basic site for his new food truck, and I almost quoted him $200 just to be nice. My cousin, who's been freelancing for five years, told me to stop and actually list out the hours. I spent 15 hours on it, which would have been less than $14 an hour. I ended up charging him $600, and he paid it without blinking. How do you guys handle pricing for friends and family?

3 comments

3 Comments

kevinallen2d ago

Hold on, "undervaluing their own work" is a business idea, not a friendship rule. Charging a friend full price for a simple job can feel like you're treating them like any other client. That $200 was a real favor, a gift of your skill to help someone you care about start up. The good will from that can be worth way more than the extra $400. Now every time he sees that site, he might just see a bill he paid, not a buddy who helped him out.

lisab322d ago

Kevinallen's point about good will is nice, but it's just a website. It's not like you built his truck by hand. A fair price for a simple job keeps things clean. He got a working site, you got paid for your time. No big deal.

henry_anderson542d ago

See this all the time with people undervaluing their own work. You did the right math and your friend probably respected you more for the professional quote. I've watched so many side hustles fail because the person felt guilty charging a fair rate.