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Shoutout to my accountant for a brutal reality check about my rates
We were reviewing my taxes from last year and she pointed out that after expenses, I was basically working for $18 an hour. She said, 'You're not a freelancer, you're a hobbyist at that price.' It made me realize I've been scared to charge what my time is actually worth. How do you guys figure out your minimum viable rate?
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mark7239d ago
My buddy's a mechanic and he had the same wake-up call last year. He was charging half the shop rate because he felt bad for friends. Now he just adds a flat fee for his time on top of parts, no more guilt. It's tough to put a real number on your own work sometimes.
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riley_price9d ago
Totally get this. I had the exact same talk with my tax guy two years back. I was charging project rates that sounded okay until we broke down the hours. He showed me I was making less than minimum wage on some jobs. That stung, but it forced me to do the math. Now I figure out my absolute minimum hourly rate to cover bills and taxes, then double it for any quote.
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