The $15 Stapler That Fixed My Pricing Panic

I was undercharging for my first freelance graphic design gig because I was scared to ask for more, then I realized I was treating my work like a cheap stapler instead of a heavy-duty one. I tried raising my rate by 50% on the next project and actually got a YES without any pushback. Has anyone else had that moment where a small object or thing made you see your pricing differently?

3 comments

3 Comments

cora_west58d ago

Started noticing I was charging less than what my barista made per hour and that hit me hard. Grabbed a random calculator app on my phone and just started plugging in what I actually wanted to earn plus time spent on revisions. Next client got a quote that was 60% higher than my usual and they didn't even blink, just said "sounds fair." That little calculator moment totally changed how I see my own value, even if it feels awkward at first.

morganl718d ago

I mean, okay, but "they didn't even blink" kind of proves my point. If nobody pushes back, you probably could have asked for even more and left money on the table. That calculator app might just be a best case scenario guess, not a real market test.

karenc208d ago

Watch how people happily overpay for takeout coffee then choke on a 50 dollar invoice for skilled work.