Top Ten Signs You May Be Charging Too Little
Jack KnightThis article has been translated into Spanish by Diana at Artegami. Thanks Diana!
Finding that pricing sweet spot where you make a great income without scaring clients away is one of the most asked about issues here on FreelanceSwitch. Today for your amusement, here are ten signs you might have gone the other way are charging waaay too little…
Number 10:
Your client mistakes your daily rate for an hourly one.
Number 9:
You’ve won every job you’ve ever pitched for.
Number 8:
Even though you work 80 hour weeks your income level qualifies you for welfare payments.
Number 7:
New clients are always asking what “the catch” is.
Number 6:
Clients pay your invoices in cash from their wallet.
Number 5:
Other freelancers regularly send you hatemail.
Number 4:
Your old clients don’t even bother asking you how much something is going to cost.
Number 3:
You never run out of work, yet you are subsisting on baked beans and 2 minute noodles.
Number 2:
Your 12 year old brother earns more spending cash than you flipping burgers.
…. And the number one sign you may be charging too little
Companies have been calling from India wanting to outsource their work to you.
Chris Hoeppner
May 6th, 2007
Hilarious!
Nicholas
May 6th, 2007
Drumroll… then, a rim shot…
Excellent list. I recently had an offer for a freelance problogging gig for $3 per article, 300 words per article, had to be researched, myriad of topics, and even then, I still couldn’t get credit for any of the work…
this was an easy NOOOO!!
So, you’re right. Pick your jobs, or you’ll find yourself chasing money all the way to the welfare house.
Philip Seyfi
May 6th, 2007
Robert
May 6th, 2007
That makes my day - do you really think it not a good idea for me to finish the jobs they don’t even want to do in India?
Pat
May 6th, 2007
Oh SNAP! Why have you been spying on me! And listening to my voicemail, isn’t that illegal? You only made one mistake, it’s mac and cheese, not ramen.
Eric Bobbitt
May 6th, 2007
Hahhah, the last one was the greatest
Ink Master
May 6th, 2007
I lolled :p - luckily I don’t fall into either one of those categories… well, maybe #5… but not cause I charge too little but rather cause I tend to steal customers here & there
David Golding
May 6th, 2007
Maybe this could also be titled the “Rite of Passage for Freelancers.” I think I’ve definitely run into a little of all of these.
As for the other freelancers sending hate mail… That’s probably a given no matter what you’re charging, if you’re good that is.
Dating Books
May 6th, 2007
haha that last one cracked me up.
I can relate just a bit too much to that. Great list.
clint
May 6th, 2007
That is my problem!!!
David Pache
May 6th, 2007
Very funny :^)
Ali
May 6th, 2007
How about that a client never questions when you charge them, even when you think “He He! I made a killing on this job”.
Nathan
May 6th, 2007
I want to punch everyone who types “lolled”
Nathan
May 6th, 2007
I agree with Eric, the last one was the greatest. Some content writers in India charge 20 Dollars for 500 words..
Max Thrane
May 6th, 2007
Hah, the last one was just way too funny!
Great! 
Chris Lorensson
May 6th, 2007
Good one, Jack. Makes you think twice- doesn’t it?
sean percival
May 6th, 2007
hahaha, very well done
TBone Steak
May 6th, 2007
That’ll be the day, when Idia outsources to us……
Respiro
May 6th, 2007
Never thaught that freelancers have such a hard situation…
Gerard McGarry
May 6th, 2007
The last one was by far the best. Glad I’m not the only one who gets those calls! Fantastic list!
Free Nature Photogra
May 6th, 2007
right price… try free. I get chump change to even consider photography as a profession to go into.
JAIME
May 6th, 2007
IF SO …..HOW MUCH IS YOUR ADVISE..?
Paul
May 6th, 2007
I hope that never happens to me [again]. I remember when I was paid cash from a client’s wallet. Since that day, I’ve learned to charge just a little more. I’m currently working on the 60 hour week
JAIME
May 6th, 2007
SORRY.. I LIVE IN INDIA
Techie Buzz
May 6th, 2007
LOL, great list.
Definitely might lead to many people upping their rates. ROFL
Richard.
May 6th, 2007
Oh, shit…I qualify for #2.
Mindloop
May 6th, 2007
Love the last one,
almost chocked in my dinner whilst reading it!
Dan Masq
May 6th, 2007
hahaha! the India one had me on the floor! great top ten!
Arjun Muralidharan
May 6th, 2007
Funny list, but really, the India pun hurt me right here.
Jason
May 6th, 2007
Guilty of #4… But a very funny list - thanks!
Alan
May 6th, 2007
This is one of the funniest things I have read in a long time.
Thanks.
Ivan Minic
May 6th, 2007
Cool
p.s. Great design
Guin
May 6th, 2007
When they see the price and say “That’s it?”. Aw man, I cringe when I hear that- I know I just f’d myself
Jonas
May 6th, 2007
Eh, you’re describing me.
*increasing rates like a randy republican*
quaff
May 6th, 2007
I don’t get number 2? O.o
quaff
May 6th, 2007
er wait scratch that, number 9!!
Top Ten Money Lists
May 6th, 2007
[…]Top Ten Signs You May Be Charging Too Little[…]
fdg
May 6th, 2007
HAHAHHA KORN!
haha
May 6th, 2007
India one was awesome…..
Michal
May 6th, 2007
Haha, the last one’s great
internet TV
May 6th, 2007
Hahahah, this is hilarious. I like the number 1!
Allan
May 6th, 2007
OMG! How did you know?! Now I have to move house!!
Hahaha!! Excellent Read!!
jdjohnson
May 6th, 2007
I eat noodles for lunch…
Simon
May 7th, 2007
That made me giggle.
Kuswanto
May 7th, 2007
Hahaha.. the #1 is sooo true. Sorry for India folks, but you are always giving very low price.
Eat noodles is not a sign poverty in some country
, like in Japan Noodle Ramen are quite expensive.
Soni Pitts
May 7th, 2007
Heh…I knew I was charging too little the day I accidentally quoted my *complete project* price for a web sales page as a “per page” price (web sales letters can wind up being several Word pages long), and the client didn’t even blink.
Took me all of 10 seconds after the call to update my site to make that “per page” quote my new minimum price.
And the good news is that I no longer qualify for food stamps. Yay!
Esteban
May 7th, 2007
I really don’t think India native freelancers would find that premise exactly funny… Indeed, maybe they would be glad that at least, they had a job and get paid for it…
Sorry; don’t like xenofobist posting at all…
Blain Reinkensmeyer
May 7th, 2007
That is pretty funny stuff, lol.
Favouritism
May 7th, 2007
*Adding 1 more point “End of the day, you made another person charge lower then you and you lost your lovely client even tot they keep saying you are the best.
Bobbin Beam
May 7th, 2007
Excellent! Love it! I’m gonna post this link on my voiceover blogsite!
Wayde Christie
May 7th, 2007
Great to see our diggs are getting you dugg
malique
May 7th, 2007
hatemail! i’ve got some!
xandr
May 7th, 2007
last one is great!
didats
May 7th, 2007
hihihi…
i can’t say anything. the lists is a true story!
Cyan
May 7th, 2007
Thanks Wayde!!! We’ve gotten so much traffic today, its been great! Spreading the FSw Spirit
Peter
May 7th, 2007
Haha, great list, very funny.
Aditya Pratap V.
May 7th, 2007
Great list, except the last one. Being an Indian, I was hurt to read the last one.
Cyan
May 7th, 2007
Hi Aditya, I hope you understand we meant no offence on that front, it was more just about the fact that much of the world outsources work to Indian firms for their quality and cost effectiveness, hence if they are outsourcing to you then you must be REALLY cost effective
But my apologies for any hurt the post may have caused, it was not intended that way.
I’m glad you enjoyed the rest of them!
Aditya Pratap V.
May 7th, 2007
Thanks for giving me a good laugh, though.
g c mcdowell
May 7th, 2007
Great list. It’s funny because it is so true . . .
der Existenzgründer
May 8th, 2007
Hi,
I blogged a german translation of your list here.
peziak
May 8th, 2007
Sounds like my dumb butt.
I work for a University in the Caribbean (bad idea). Right now I am redesigning the website (home & top level pages which desperately need realignment) - improving usability, organization and overall aesthetics, based on actually commications strategy and reworked IA and coding in CSS of course. Easily a $100,000US private job.
I also develop several promotional sites within the network. I am not even on the web team, I work in Marketing. But because I have extensive experience in UI design and planning unlike those individuals on the webteam. And I am actually the only one on campus who codes only in CSS. Yesfront end developer as most of the web professionals in this country know only how to code tables!!!
For my hardwork, I get a lousy $1100US a month, for this and my actual job which is event management and marketing planning. In a former life I was a Canadian web freelancer making good money but wanted to travel the world and get back to my marketing roots. What a fool!
Now got my web design groove back and I have finally become passionate about webdesign and designing strong online communication models. The experience is good but I like getting paid what I am worth. At this point I need to get the hell out of here.
Ok Whining over, got to get back to the grind.
Jeff Finley
May 8th, 2007
I get the sarcasm here, but this is hardly a helpful list. If any of those are true, the designer is clearly an idiot because their rates are TOO low. But most designers fall under the “I feel like I’m charging a lot, but I don’t feel like I’m making that much money” category. I’d like to see a list catering to those on that edge.
Robert
May 10th, 2007
I took the liberty to translate it on my German blog for the German speaking community - thank you again for this hilarious list.
Zeeshan
May 12th, 2007
hahaha, i love the last one lolz…. good one
Motorcycle Guy
May 12th, 2007
haha I wasn’t expecting number one lol.
Pakistan Website
May 13th, 2007
Funny… I like the 12 yr old burger flipping bro - hahahaha…. interesting…
Marko
May 14th, 2007
Hilarious! Last one is bottom of all bottoms
Respiro the logo guy
May 19th, 2007
“Companies have been calling from India wanting to outsource their work to you.”
Quite mad! :))
Danny Foo
June 10th, 2007
ROFL! Number 9 was a killer. *still on the floor*
desigirl
July 2nd, 2007
LMAO. Oh dear … I believe I’m Number 9. * immediately changes my price list *
Simos
July 9th, 2007
Very amusing.. maybe we should include some of these as pointers on our freelancers site (http://www.peopleperhour.com)
Terri Lynn Welling
September 19th, 2007
I needed a good laugh today and this truly made my day! I laughed so hard, because it is so true! I was there at one point in my life! Thanks for the good chuckle!
Sotiris Filippidis
September 22nd, 2007
Just finished translating this excellent article to the Greek language and added it to my blog with a reference to the original: http://www.dotnetzone.gr/cs/blogs/sfilip/archive/2007/09/22/35248.aspx
Scott Wilson
October 26th, 2007
The last one’s the best one! Thanks for posting this.
Solida
November 30th, 2007
Thats so funny… maybe cause there is this ringing in my head in at least half of those.
Prasanth
November 30th, 2007
Haha…that was really funny…thumbs up…but the last one? u really needed that?
Digital Base
December 10th, 2007
“Companies have been calling from India wanting to outsource their work to you.”
Laughed my ass off with this one…
Sidney
December 14th, 2007
Hilarious! But real!! XD
Prince John
January 4th, 2008
Will you reject an assignment just because it is from India?
Leal
January 8th, 2008
I guess now I have to think over my rates. Nice post.
San
January 8th, 2008
I’m a Idia & I’m givig work to the freelacers in US & UK
I hope they wo’t read this. Although, I pay them more tha their couterparts, they will ask more from me.
(That’s not my accent, Damn “N” key is not working ;D
Onur Oztaskiran
January 16th, 2008
The Other Eric
January 22nd, 2008
Here’s a creative Top 10 Reasons for Underbilling:
http://weirdblog.wordpress.com/2007/03/22/creatives-top-ten-reasons-for-underbilling/
Enjoy!
-E
Patrick Moore
January 23rd, 2008
Hysterical, and spot on.. ages ago when I first began freelancing several of those would have applied to me. Thanks for putting a smile on my face amidst being buried by work — although luckily I’ll be having more than baked beans for dinner tonight
Patrick Moore
http://www.setsailmedia.com/
40 –– Now What?
February 22nd, 2008
I love this list!
I recently spoke at an editors’ association meeting about rates, and they were trying as a group to raise their rates across the board in town. But while editing is only a part of my business and not the whole like most of them, we were all still shocked to discover that they were all charging less than half of what I charge. I’m going to pass this on to the whole group now!
Carla
http://40-nowwhat.blogspot.com/
Jad
March 30th, 2008
This is a great post! Funny but the sad thing is, I am guilty of some of these!
Kalon
April 4th, 2008
This is a funny post but I do find myself wondering a lot, quite seriously however, what exactly DO you base your rates off of? For me; production cost blended in with hourly rate..but then somehow someone else somewhere seems to be charging the production cost (or worse; less…) and it leaves me wondering how I can compete with the samitarians in the world (who design for fucking free).
HarrySimons
April 11th, 2008
The was an awesome read
, Not sure they are real tell tales but still a good read 
Peter Knight
April 12th, 2008
I work for shiny mirrors, beads, firewater and smoking sticks. In exchange I can give you this yellow metal stuff that is too soft to make tools with and we can’t eat so it’s good for nothing
AndrewV
April 13th, 2008
“Companies have been calling from India wanting to outsource their work to you”… God, you nearly gave me a hard attack cause of laughing!!
trendoffice
April 18th, 2008
How many of the listed reasons are enough?:)
Anurag Sharma
April 21st, 2008
Very nice list. I am from India but I am not hurt at all with the last one. I am myself a victim of the those people who are ready to work for ancient peanuts from the Incas excavation site. I sometimes wonder how low can people stoop to get work. I do charge what I give. I do want to get paid for my hard work. That’s how it shud be.
Mon Geslani
April 24th, 2008
Damn! I have the number 1 sign… Got to rethink how I charge my clients. Thanks FreelanceSwitch!
Julie, J.A.B.'s Freelance World
April 29th, 2008
Yeah, I think I even have a man who disguised himself as being from the UK but he’s really from India. cheap jerk.
philippines freelance web
May 4th, 2008
such a great list… Now i know how to deal with people something like this