How much do you charge for readings?

[hierophant]

If any of you get paid for readings, how much do you charge?

 

My mum suggested that perhaps this could get me through college, instead of waiting tables or working at a grocery store. And I have sold a few readings through etsy. But I have charged 1 or 2 dollars, and I have given really in depth readings (up to 800 words written reply) and allowed for follow up questions.

 

I have had to limit it to one follow up question, because some costumers really have asked so many follow up questions, that I have worked for over 3 hours on one purchase, for 1 dollar. Then, I'd do better working at a store. So it's hard work, too, when people really...Uh, do you in english have the expression "Give them the hand, and they take the whole arm"? I feel like I've given some a finger, and they've taken both arms and legs.

 

I feel so cruel for having to limit people, because I do believe in readings that won't empty peoples pockets. But at the same time, I am basically loosing money when I charge so little, and people demand so much.

 

So I would love to know how much you charge for readings? To get an idea about what it is worth.

 

(I have a relative that charges over 2 dollars a minute. She taught me tarot, and she is REALLY good and sought after. But I find those prices to be too high for me. ).

[HOLMES]

the price is

10 dollars for one card

20 dollars for 3 cards

25 for 5 cards

30 for 7 cards

40 for 10 cards.

 

that way i don't have to worry about time,  with etranfers the money can go into your bank account without paypal.

 

i think a big part though is, on the forum i give feedback to the feedback so it is more then just pounding out a reading on the keyboard,the client imo misses out if they don't give feedback so we can give feedback..

many times on the forum it is only through feedback to the feedback that everything is clairfied, and all confusion about what i was saying is cleared up.

 

[hierophant]

the price is

10 dollars for one card

20 dollars for 3 cards

25 for 5 cards

30 for 7 cards

40 for 10 cards.

 

that way i don't have to worry about time,  with etranfers the money can go into your bank account without paypal.

 

i think a big part though is, on the forum i give feedback to the feedback so it is more then just pounding out a reading on the keyboard,the client imo misses out if they don't give feedback so we can give feedback..

many times on the forum it is only through feedback to the feedback that everything is clairfied, and all confusion about what i was saying is cleared up.

 

Oh, I'll totally keep doing free readings and feedback exchanges on the forum, whenever I have the time <3

 

I have been doing the celtic cross for 2 dollars for 1 - 3 days delivery, and 2 dollars for 24 hours delivery. I pretty much selling myself short, I think  ::) I sell on etsy, so it's a written reply, and how much time I use really varies.

[HOLMES]

I should say that I also use a soul message card..

I do it at the beginning but turn it over at the end after the reading is completed..

so those who pay for 1 card, are actally getting 2 cards..

but they don't know that ! :).

it really shreds light on the reading.

 

yea don'tsee yourself too short 1

 

[Barbastelle]

the price is

10 dollars for one card

20 dollars for 3 cards

25 for 5 cards

30 for 7 cards

40 for 10 cards.

 

that way i don't have to worry about time,  with etranfers the money can go into your bank account without paypal.

 

i think a big part though is, on the forum i give feedback to the feedback so it is more then just pounding out a reading on the keyboard,the client imo misses out if they don't give feedback so we can give feedback..

many times on the forum it is only through feedback to the feedback that everything is clairfied, and all confusion about what i was saying is cleared up.

 

Oh, I'll totally keep doing free readings and feedback exchanges on the forum, whenever I have the time <3

 

I have been doing the celtic cross for 2 dollars for 1 - 3 days delivery, and 2 dollars for 24 hours delivery. I pretty much selling myself short, I think  ::) I sell on etsy, so it's a written reply, and how much time I use really varies.

 

I think you're definitely selling yourself short Hierophant! A full Celtic Cross reading for 2 dollars is astonishingly cheap. I understand what you're saying about not wanting people to be unable to access a tarot reading because it is too expensive, but you also have a right to be fairly recompensed for your services - it sounds like you've been putting out an incredible amount of time and energy for very little reward. Find a middle ground?

 

How have you found Etsy as a platform for selling your readings? I'm considering starting there myself.  :)

[hierophant]

 

I think you're definitely selling yourself short Hierophant! A full Celtic Cross reading for 2 dollars is astonishingly cheap. I understand what you're saying about not wanting people to be unable to access a tarot reading because it is too expensive, but you also have a right to be fairly recompensed for your services - it sounds like you've been putting out an incredible amount of time and energy for very little reward. Find a middle ground?

 

How have you found Etsy as a platform for selling your readings? I'm considering starting there myself.  :)

The platform is great, but I think you need to really consider before you start how much time you want to put into each reading. And really get your "rules" into your listing as soon as possible.

 

It's a great platform! And I'd love to favorite your shop, or even start a TT&M team there :)

[Barbastelle]

 

I think you're definitely selling yourself short Hierophant! A full Celtic Cross reading for 2 dollars is astonishingly cheap. I understand what you're saying about not wanting people to be unable to access a tarot reading because it is too expensive, but you also have a right to be fairly recompensed for your services - it sounds like you've been putting out an incredible amount of time and energy for very little reward. Find a middle ground?

 

How have you found Etsy as a platform for selling your readings? I'm considering starting there myself.  :)

The platform is great, but I think you need to really consider before you start how much time you want to put into each reading. And really get your "rules" into your listing as soon as possible.

 

It's a great platform! And I'd love to favorite your shop, or even start a TT&M team there :)

 

I hear what you're saying about deciding your rules beforehand, I think that's really important. I've spent a while formatting my listings on Etsy (it took a few days of editing for me to get thumbnails that I'm happy with, etc), but they're live now, so I'll be happy to message you a link to my shop and I'll favourite yours too!  :)

[DanielJUK]

I think you are selling yourself short hierophant, okay so it might not be your main income stream when you have a full time career or job in future but you should be compensated for the time and effort you put into a reading. Readings longer than about 4 to 6 cards take work and time and Celtic Cross takes at least an hours work!

 

If you are starting out, I would give an introductory offer, first reading with me $10 or something like that for up to 6 cards.

I have decided that I want something back for my readings that are not exchanges on this forum and I have a few people I read for, they can give me something back in return, like another reading or something in their skill set or a small payment for my reading. For a smaller reading I would charge $20, 6 to 10 cards $40 and I think something I put a lot of work in I would charge $60. Maybe think in your head about $20 for each 30 mins you work on it or per 200 to 400 words. My readings get quite big and detailed though and I tend to put a lot into them so I justify it.  Charge $5 to $10 extra for a quick turnaround! When I pay for readings I rarely get it before 7 to 10 days! I am fine with that. But you should put your prices up a little!  <3

[hierophant]

It is not my main income stream, no. But after having had a very fancy job, my income has drastically been reduced after I decided to go back to college. I don't want to price myself so high that people feel as if the money they spent was not worth the reading.

 

Also, this might be my self confidence being horrible, but I would feel the pressure more if I charged too much.

 

I have bought a few readings on etsy, to gauge my competition (lol), and I do realize that I am selling myself short. 10$ or even 20$ is absolutely within a reasonable price range. I do see people charge even 50-100$ for what I do, so yes, I do realize I am selling it cheap.

 

I guess I just made this thread to get a discussion, and a green light from this forum, on charging what my time is actually worth. <3

 

So I love to hear what you all charge. <3

[Arch]

I have never taken money for reading the cards,

I've mostly read them for myself and for random people I've met in my life,

and a couple of forum threads on another forum where I offered it to practice.

 

If I where to show up to like an appointment IRL, I'd take about $315 for it.

That is just because that is my going rate as a freelancer.

When in doubt I go to minimum amount aka $315 or 2500 NOK (since I know you are norwegian hierophant[/member] )

I take 500 NOK ($60) for the value of the reading, and 2000 NOK ($250) for the hassle/risk of showing up.

And I demand to be paid upfront, no-money-no-show.

 

If people don't want to flesh out that kind of money,

then they should really look for someone else to drag their ass out the door for them.

 

As for online I'm more unsure what I would charge.

The $60 for the value is a given in my world, maybe an extra $40 for every hour I had to spend on it.

 

But, again I'm an expensive person to hire.

What one charges, should in some way be reflected by whatever else one neglects by doing the task.

I charge so much at a minimum, because experience has shown me that if I don't I lose out.

I could invest that time somewhere else, and hence that time and value sums up to at least $315,

maybe even more if I feel that the value I offer is special and no competitor can replicate my sauce.

If I get no customers from that pricing, I assume that market has a culture of leaching.

It usually comes down to competitors offering stuff for free or taking symbolic payments.

Or else my competition is just way ahead of me in streamlining their services and actually make money while being cheap.

 

Anyway enough ranting from me, I'm not sure I would want to do reading for money online.

At least not at this time, too many other projects in the pipeline.

But it is good to know that it is done, and that there are marketplaces for it.

[hierophant]

Thank you Arch[/member]

 

Being a Norwegian and all, my work time is really valuable - I think we probably have the highest minimum wage in the world. I think it would be illegal for any workplace to hire someone for less than 160 NOK / 20$ an hour or so. And they have to pay me even more to work weekends or afternoons. (On top of that, we have 5 weeks off every summer, every easter and christmas off, or 100-133% extra pay for those days, and so on, and we even get an extra that is 10-12% of last years income every july as "vacation money").

 

I am used to getting 30-40$ an hour doing IT. Having gone back to college, I will probably now only get part time, minimum wage jobs. But at the price I am selling the readings now, I would make more on minimum wage.

 

But also, Norway is expensive, and etsy has mainly US costumers, where people in low paid jobs makes much less than 20-30$ an hour? So, I don't want to rob them of all their money. Therefore, finding a price that compensates for my time, without being too expensive for the buyer, is important :)

[Ratty]

People are paying for time as well as the reading. You can dash off a 10 card reading in twenty minutes, and it's worth $15, or you can take your time, go into the querents situation and really help out, so it'll take nearer an hour. That might be worth $40 for the same cards.

 

I couldn't do a dashed-off reading if someone was paying. (Or even not paying.) So I think I'd want (need) the time to do a proper job.

 

IIRC you read an extended CC variant that has 13 or 14 cards as standard. Seriously worth more than $2. Are you even making USA minimum wage? Ask yourself how long you take to do a good job. A novice, like me, will take longer than an experienced reader. Nevertheless, it all counts to the experience the querent receives.

[hierophant]

Ratty[/member], I am not an experienced reader at all. I touched a deck for the first time this summer. ;) But people seem to think I have been doing this for years ;)

 

I was given a very strict tarot bootcamp by my mum, though.

 

I offered really cheap readings at first as a marketing strategy to kick off my shop. But now I am looking into raising it to realistic prices. :)

[Ratty]

Ratty[/member], I am not an experienced reader at all. I touched a deck for the first time this summer. ;)

 

Me too.

 

But people seem to think I have been doing this for years ;)

 

That shows you are good enough to earn if you want to. You carry your family tradition, which is also worth. It's the quality of the final result that matters.

 

On Etsy, nobody knows you're a dog (or a wolf).

[hierophant]

Thank you all for the answers! Very interesting to hear from you all how much a reading is worth.

 

I will adjust my prices!

 

8)

[Arch]

Thank you Arch

 

Being a Norwegian and all, my work time is really valuable - I think we probably have the highest minimum wage in the world. I think it would be illegal for any workplace to hire someone for less than 160 NOK / 20$ an hour or so. And they have to pay me even more to work weekends or afternoons. (On top of that, we have 5 weeks off every summer, every easter and christmas off, or 100-133% extra pay for those days, and so on, and we even get an extra that is 10-12% of last years income every july as "vacation money").

 

I am used to getting 30-40$ an hour doing IT. Having gone back to college, I will probably now only get part time, minimum wage jobs. But at the price I am selling the readings now, I would make more on minimum wage.

 

But also, Norway is expensive, and etsy has mainly US costumers, where people in low paid jobs makes much less than 20-30$ an hour? So, I don't want to rob them of all their money. Therefore, finding a price that compensates for my time, without being too expensive for the buyer, is important :)

 

I just took a long saturday walk and I had this thread on my mind while taking it.

One thing you will have to consider if you get any kind of volume or take any kind of livable price,

is of course taxes.

I don't know if you have thought on how to deal with those?

Both in terms of pricing and in terms of how to actually pay them.

 

Personally I would take my $60 + tax.

Which would come closer to $76 according to the calculations of my invoice firm.

I would personally just withdraw the money from paypal and invoice myself for the amount.

Then I would just get the money paid back minus tax a couple of days later.

That is usually what I do when a customer insists on paying by money transfer or Vipps (mobile payment).

People are so lazy nowadays and don't want to get an invoice anymore.

 

So in reality I'd probably end up charging $80 + $50 per hour just to get an nice even price.

I'd probably present it as costing $130 and billing by the hour after that.

 

I almost had the urge to go ahead and do it, but I will hold off for now.  O:-)

I really need to clear up my todolist if I'm going to try something like that.

[hierophant]

 

I just took a long saturday walk and I had this thread on my mind while taking it.

One thing you will have to consider if you get any kind of volume or take any kind of livable price,

is of course taxes.

I don't know if you have thought on how to deal with those?

Both in terms of pricing and in terms of how to actually pay them.

 

 

I have considered taxed. I can make a bit of money on my hobby, before taxes becomes relevant. But if I make enough for this to not classify as a hobby, I will have to pay 34-49% taxes on the income. Of course I can deduct everything I use for this endeavor (computer, cards, camera to take a picture of the spread..). I do know a lawyer who specializes in taxes, but we broke up so I guess he won't help me with this :P

 

I have crated a separate bank account where the money from etsy is deposited, so I have it all very tidy. Etsy also keeps track off all my payments and such.

 

But with the prices I am charging, I will not go beyond the "hobby limit" :P

 

I am thinking perhaps $15 for a same day reading, and 10$ for 3 days delivery? I really find the pricing to be very difficult!

 

(I would pay about 36% taxes on regular income on minimum wages.)

[Arch]

I have considered taxed. I can make a bit of money on my hobby, before taxes becomes relevant. But if I make enough for this to not classify as a hobby, I will have to pay 34-49% taxes on the income. Of course I can deduct everything I use for this endeavor (computer, cards, camera to take a picture of the spread..). I do know a lawyer who specializes in taxes, but we broke up so I guess he won't help me with this :P

 

I have crated a separate bank account where the money from etsy is deposited, so I have it all very tidy. Etsy also keeps track off all my payments and such.

 

But with the prices I am charging, I will not go beyond the "hobby limit" :P

 

I am thinking perhaps $15 for a same day reading, and 10$ for 3 days delivery? I really find the pricing to be very difficult!

 

(I would pay about 36% taxes on regular income on minimum wages.)

 

Sounds like a reasonable start to me.  :)

Yeah pricing can be very difficult, probably one of the hardest.

There are so many factors to consider into it.

One will often just have to experiement to see what works.

 

You seem to have a charitable streak.

In my experience people who want to do charity have a different internal balancing act going on.

It of course adds to the complexity of setting a "fair" price.

But if you have no intention of taking this beyond a hobby, then it is all good anyway.

 

I think that having to pay up to 50% tax is a horrible thing when it comes to doing buisness as a single citizen.

And in such cases all one can do is to bake it into the prize, if one expect to live on it.

Of course, that can often put one in a pricerange that will scare customers away, if one is unlucky.

 

This all reminds me of a model called spiral-dynamics. (The charity vs buisness thing)

But I guess that is better had in another thread or on PM, unless you don't care if we go off-topic that is.

 

[hierophant]

Thank you all for the feedback - it gives me more confidence in myself and the worth of a good reading <3

[hierophant]

No sales with new prices. So we'll see if anything happens soon  :-X

 

I bought a reading from Barbastelle[/member] in her etsy shop. I would highly recommend her :) But I think we are both selling ourselves short  :P

 

In Norway I'd expect more sales around the 12th of each month (payday for emplyees in the public sector). So we'll see if I can find some kind of pattern to this. It seems to be a bit of up and down.

[Barbastelle]

No sales with new prices. So we'll see if anything happens soon  :-X

 

I bought a reading from Barbastelle[/member] in her etsy shop. I would highly recommend her :) But I think we are both selling ourselves short  :P

 

In Norway I'd expect more sales around the 12th of each month (payday for emplyees in the public sector). So we'll see if I can find some kind of pattern to this. It seems to be a bit of up and down.

 

That’s so kind of you Hierophant! I’m doing low prices at the moment to encourage some initial buyers, and then I’ll raise them a bit :)

[Page of Ghosts]

I really think you're not charging enough for your time and hard work, hierophant. I understand that you don't want to rob people and that our local clientele in Norway are more well off than the Americans on etsy, but it's also worth mentioning that spending money on tarot readings is not... how do you say it, a primary need? It's a nice treat to give to yourself once in a while, but not as neccessary as food, shelter etc. so I think you could confidently bump it up to 20$ if not more for your celtic cross (I also have a hard time setting prices in general so this is just a suggestion) and maybe have some cheaper readings with less cards. When you gain more skill I think you could probably charge more for your expertise as well. I don't do paid readings myself, but from exchanges and such it is a lot of work that goes in to doing a good job :))

[hierophant]

Thank you Page :)

 

I have upped the prices to about 15$/120NOK - no one has bough to that price yet! And I have added a cheap 3 card reading that will be short and sweet. I guess one has to have a lot of reviews before people will go ahead and buy a reading that'll actually cost them.

 

So I think, in any business, but especially with readings, one needs a bot of word of mouth or good reviews to really get it going. So it was also a bit of cynical tactics to sell them so cheap in the beginning. ;)  >:D

 

I have browsed a bit, and I see the prices vary A LOT! So it's good to hear you guys agree that I could charge more <3

[Little Fang]

Word of mouth and being active on at least one social media for your business helps a lot!

 

One of my favorite readers got their start on Tumblr, and then became popular and didn't have to use it as much.

 

I know I'm trying to focus on Instragram right now since it's right up my alley. 

 

That sounds like a reasonable price though!  When I was starting out, I did readings for testimonials over at AT, so I had some reviews on my site people could refer to.

[hierophant]

Word of mouth and being active on at least one social media for your business helps a lot!

 

One of my favorite readers got their start on Tumblr, and then became popular and didn't have to use it as much.

 

I know I'm trying to focus on Instragram right now since it's right up my alley. 

 

That sounds like a reasonable price though!  When I was starting out, I did readings for testimonials over at AT, so I had some reviews on my site people could refer to.

I hadn't even considered tumblr! It's not much used here. But that's a great idea! I'll sign up and figure out if I can have a give away or something to get a boost :)