Price for On-line Tarot Readings

[katrinka]

 @DanielJUK - Have you tried marking the mails as spam?

2 hours ago, AJ-ish/Sharyn said:

when I was in hairdressing I ran an ad for $5.00 haircuts. I didn't get any returnees, it was all people looking for $5.00 haircuts and I ran myself ragged doing them. 

That's always a strong possibility. When I was on Keen, I opted into a feature they had where new customers got the first three minutes free. (I still got paid.)
The idea was to gain regulars, and I did get a few doing that. But the vast majority just stayed on for the free three minutes. And there were a good many who tried to split the three minutes between several readers. I've had people call me with literally 30 seconds left, and when the message came on telling them to add more money to their account if they wanted to continue, they'd just hang up. They sometimes didn't even finish getting their question out, and guess what? These people will leave you a one star review because they're cheesed that their call got cut off!

One thing I've learned over the years is that stingy clients aren't worth fooling with. They're trying to use us, and they can be aggravating AF. Why do more work for less money?

This is not to say I won't do charity readings, but those are virtually always face to face with people I actually know well enough to know that they actually ARE losing their home, or their son really MIGHT go to prison, or their spouse really DOES have cancer. It's too easy for strangers on the internet to hand you a sob story.

3 hours ago, Wanderer said:

It's a skill, and a talent, that should be appreciated and respected; when you think how much a plumber charges, let alone a solicitor, then that should give us a fair reckoning of what a good reader's time should be worth.

THIS.

Five dollars will get you a coffee at Starbucks. Try getting a plumber to fix your sink or toilet for a coffee - it's not happening. 😉

[katrinka]

39 minutes ago, Barleywine said:

As far as work, I hardly notice that. They're almost as natural as breathing for me now after working with them for over four decades. They started my love affair with the tarot way back when.

Reading cards is pleasurable and natural for me, but clients are work, IME.
In some ways it's like working retail - not as bad, but you're still dealing with customers. As an old friend used to say, "Happy people don't go to readers," and while that's a bit of a sweeping generalization, it's true for the most part. The jilted, the obsessed, the furious, the insecure, and the depressed people are a big part of the client base.

[Raggydoll]

4 hours ago, katrinka said:

Reading cards is pleasurable and natural for me, but clients are work, IME.
In some ways it's like working retail - not as bad, but you're still dealing with customers. As an old friend used to say, "Happy people don't go to readers," and while that's a bit of a sweeping generalization, it's true for the most part. The jilted, the obsessed, the furious, the insecure, and the depressed people are a big part of the client base.

I agree. This is especially true if you’re an empat and an intuitive (or even psychic) reader. That adds a WHOLE other layer of energy drain to it. And if you’re an introverted psychic empat (like myself, I’m an INFJ) then readings will cost you, even if you enjoy them and they feel like they flow out of you. The mere act of dealing with other people’s unbalanced energies (like you said, almost no one goes to a reader when they feel grounded, happy and harmonious) in combination with channeling messages is definitely not a 5 dollar affair. But still I mostly do it for free these days. Why, one might ask. Well. That’s because it’s part of my spiritual practice and my personal beliefs. I am called to hold space for spirit and to be of service. This is not a general opinion in any way, it’s between me and the energies and principles that guide me at the present. I used to charge money though, and I never had any problems getting a (more than) fair compensation. I have also done some brief work on those type of phone lines and back then the competition wasn’t as hard so I could basically work as much as I liked and the pay was good too. We did not have a rating system back then (no internet site involved, this was back in the days when people advertised in magazines instead) so the returning clients simply asked to talk to their preferred reader. 

[2curious]

IMHO, people hire a plumber or an attorney know what to expect.  There is a standard for those professions and the charges for their services are according to that standard.  You cannot become a plumber or an attorney by taking an online course or watching Youtube videos. This cannot be said of tarot readers.  There is a perpetuated belief that anyone can read the cards with little to no knowledge, let alone skill or talent.  Additionally, there is the need vs. want factor.  If your pipes break or you have legal issues, you will NEED a plumber or an attorney.  The same cannot be said of a tarot reading, or, a $5 cup of coffee.

[2curious]

30 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

I agree. This is especially true if you’re an empat and an intuitive (or even psychic) reader. That adds a WHOLE other layer of energy drain to it. And if you’re an introverted psychic empat (like myself, I’m an INFJ) then readings will cost you, even if you enjoy them and they feel like they flow out of you. The mere act of dealing with other people’s unbalanced energies (like you said, almost no one goes to a reader when they feel grounded, happy and harmonious) in combination with channeling messages is definitely not a 5 dollar affair. But still I mostly do it for free these days. Why, one might ask. Well. That’s because it’s part of my spiritual practice and my personal beliefs. I am called to hold space for spirit and to be of service. This is not a general opinion in any way, it’s between me and the energies and principles that guide me at the present. I used to charge money though, and I never had any problems getting a (more than) fair compensation. I have also done some brief work on those type of phone lines and back then the competition wasn’t as hard so I could basically work as much as I liked and the pay was good too. We did not have a rating system back then (no internet site involved, this was back in the days when people advertised in magazines instead) so the returning clients simply asked to talk to their preferred reader. 

I admire you for this.

[Raggydoll]

13 minutes ago, 2curious said:

I admire you for this.

Thank you. That’s a very kind thing to say 💜

[katrinka]

1 hour ago, Raggydoll said:

I agree. This is especially true if you’re an empat and an intuitive (or even psychic) reader. That adds a WHOLE other layer of energy drain to it. And if you’re an introverted psychic empat (like myself, I’m an INFJ) then readings will cost you, even if you enjoy them and they feel like they flow out of you.

It's a drain on me, and I'm just a garden variety introvert, one of those people who needs solitude to "recharge".
I can't imagine taking on all the client's emotions or any of that. It would absolutely wipe me out.

1 hour ago, Raggydoll said:

The mere act of dealing with other people’s unbalanced energies (like you said, almost no one goes to a reader when they feel grounded, happy and harmonious) in combination with channeling messages is definitely not a 5 dollar affair. But still I mostly do it for free these days. Why, one might ask. Well. That’s because it’s part of my spiritual practice and my personal beliefs. I am called to hold space for spirit and to be of service. This is not a general opinion in any way, it’s between me and the energies and principles that guide me at the present.

Surely you must limit that, though, draw some strong boundaries? People would drain you dry otherwise!

 

1 hour ago, 2curious said:

IMHO, people hire a plumber or an attorney know what to expect.  There is a standard for those professions and the charges for their services are according to that standard.  You cannot become a plumber or an attorney by taking an online course or watching Youtube videos. This cannot be said of tarot readers.

I agree that youtube and a course won't get you there, it takes a lot more than that, including years of study and practice, to become fluent. Even after decades, we're still learning. Though I'm sure a good many of those cheap listings belong to people who maybe watched a webinar or something and think they're ready. "Make big money reading cards at home in your spare time, learn in just five weeks, just sign up here! Paypal only." LOL.

And there really isn't a standard. The nature of it makes it impossible to set a standard, IMHO. Occasionally someone will make some kind of certification available, but all a certification means is that you've paid your dime and completed someone's program to their satisfaction. It's like courses - just doing a program for a few weeks won't get you there. I've never felt a need for certifications, as clients don't even ask about them. And can you imagine trying to make universal standardized requirements happen? Nobody would ever come to an agreement!

1 hour ago, 2curious said:

  There is a perpetuated belief that anyone can read the cards with little to no knowledge, let alone skill or talent.  Additionally, there is the need vs. want factor.  If your pipes break or you have legal issues, you will NEED a plumber or an attorney.  The same cannot be said of a tarot reading, or, a $5 cup of coffee.

That perpetuated belief has been a big gripe of mine for a long time. I won't repeat everything here, suffice to say that I have a Virgo midheaven and I can harp on what's wrong until the cows come home. It takes sustained effort to get good at something. It's an art, like music, painting, or dance.

People do get wants and needs confused, though. A LOT.

[devin]

18 hours ago, Saturn Celeste said:

Not sure what you mean by 'at home'?  But my erotic readings are using erotic decks.  I will take into account the author's interpretation of the cards (especially important in the Sexual Magic deck), my interpretation of the cards, the images of the cards and if I use a spread or not.  The majority of questions I get is "what does my partner like the most?"  So, if the cards show blow jobs or light S&M that is what I convey to them.  I did a relationship reading (the classic spread of side by side) using an erotic deck and wow did that ever come out awesome!

 Ah, okay, erotic, I get it, thanks. At home is just an expression - asking what something is in simple terms. Although, in hindsight, it's a potentially confusing one in this context! 🙂 

 

At least now my curiosity has been satisfied. I once heard a mathematician mention in a talk that he practices numerological sex - I'm still trying to figure it out..... does he mean 3 in a bed, 4, 7, 9! I don't have the energy to even contemplate this.

9 hours ago, AJ-ish/Sharyn said:

when I was in hairdressing I ran an ad for $5.00 haircuts. I didn't get any returnees, it was all people looking for $5.00 haircuts and I ran myself ragged doing them. 

18 hours ago, leroidetrèfle said:

You have to value your time and expertise before anyone else would.

 

I made my living as a freelancer for years and it took me ages to learn that cheap prices open the door to being treated like crap by your clients.... the more I hiked my rates, the less trouble I got. It was amazing, really. And I started getting bigger accounts.

 

16 hours ago, katrinka said:

We spend at least as much time learning to read cards as a person would going to law or medical school.

This is such a good point. And a good reader offers a very, very valuable service.

9 hours ago, Saturn Celeste said:

This is an interesting conversation but I am here as a quiet voice to remind everyone that not everyone is a lousy reader if they charge $5 for a reading.

Yes, in your case, I think it's far more of a reflection on the market than your skills as a reader. But I would still hazard a guess that most $5 readers are not great, to put it mildly.

Edited August 22, 2019 by devin

[Raggydoll]

15 minutes ago, katrinka said:

It's a drain on me, and I'm just a garden variety introvert, one of those people who needs solitude to "recharge".
I can't imagine taking on all the client's emotions or any of that. It would absolutely wipe me out.

Surely you must limit that, though, draw some strong boundaries? People would drain you dry otherwise!

Yes I limit it, for sure. I only take on what I have the energy to handle and I also only accept the readings that I feel called to do 🙂

15 minutes ago, katrinka said:

I agree that youtube and a course won't get you there, it takes a lot more than that, including years of study and practice, to become fluent. Even after decades, we're still learning. Though I'm sure a good many of those cheap listings belong to people who maybe watched a webinar or something and think they're ready. "Make big money reading cards at home in your spare time, learn in just five weeks, just sign up here! Paypal only." LOL.

And there really isn't a standard. The nature of it makes it impossible to set a standard, IMHO. Occasionally someone will make some kind of certification available, but all a certification means is that you've paid your dime and completed someone's program to their satisfaction. It's like courses - just doing a program for a few weeks won't get you there. I've never felt a need for certifications, as clients don't even ask about them. And can you imagine trying to make universal standardized requirements happen? Nobody would ever come to an agreement!

That perpetuated belief has been a big gripe of mine for a long time. I won't repeat everything here, suffice to say that I have a Virgo midheaven and I can harp on what's wrong until the cows come home. It takes sustained effort to get good at something. It's an art, like music, painting, or dance.

People do get wants and needs confused, though. A LOT.

Yes. I say time and time again that a person needs to have a solid basic understanding of the tarot before they can switch to become more of an intuitive reader. It is important to understand and respect any tool that you use, especially one like tarot that has such an intriguing history and diverse tradition tied to it. And when you are going to start charging for your readings, well, thats a whole other story too. Because you really need to know that you are good at what you´re doing. I firmly believe that you cannot just go by how satisfied someone seems right after their reading. A good talk can do that too, but that's not what they paid for. I think any professional reader needs to know that they give readings that are reliable, consistent and relevant. And if you do predictive readings then you need to evaluate your accuracy. It can't be in the same region as tossing a coin. Not in my opinion. It needs to be above the statistical probability (yet fully acknowledging that no one is ever 100% spot on). And I don't think that a beginner should charge the type of sums that the more experienced reader does. That does not mean that I think anyone should sell themselves too cheap. It is just important that your fees reflect what you have to offer (and I am not referring to how inventive your spreads are or how many decks you have, simply how good and well versed you are at the art of reading cards). If you are really good and truly know your stuff, then make sure your prices reflect that! Otherwise your potential clients can't know that they have stumbled across someone that gives them far more value than the equivalent of a cup of coffee!

[devin]

56 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

I firmly believe that you cannot just go by how satisfied someone seems right after their reading.

Just to clarify, when I said I recently did some free readings on social media and they went well, I'm not really talking about good vibes from the questioner, but confirmed accuracy: This, this, and this, is going on in your life. That kind of thing. I've also been doing loads of in-person freebies for ages and am a regular, if not always successful, world event predictor (it's great practice). Not that I assumed you were addressing the above to me, but my ego demanded I clarify! 🙂 

[Raggydoll]

9 minutes ago, devin said:

Just to clarify, when I said I recently did some free readings on social media and they went well, I'm not really talking about good vibes from the questioner, but confirmed accuracy: This, this, and this, is going on in your life. That kind of thing. I've also been doing loads of in-person freebies for ages and am a regular, if not always successful, world event predictor (it's great practice). Not that I assumed you were addressing the above to me, but my ego demanded I clarify! 🙂 

Oh, yes I absolutely did not have you in mind! I must admit I didn't read every post in here in detail so I was speaking very generally and mainly responding to what Katrinka said. Her and I share similar pet peeves so I went on a bit of a rant. So please don't take what I wrote personally! Clearly it had very little to do with the way you have gone about things. And I am glad you got to clarify - that meant I got the chance to do the same 😀 

[chongjasmine]

The price of online readings is indeed low. Some even less than $5.

[devin]

3 hours ago, Raggydoll said:

Oh, yes I absolutely did not have you in mind! I must admit I didn't read every post in here in detail so I was speaking very generally and mainly responding to what Katrinka said. Her and I share similar pet peeves so I went on a bit of a rant. So please don't take what I wrote personally! Clearly it had very little to do with the way you have gone about things. And I am glad you got to clarify - that meant I got the chance to do the same 😀 

My ego, needy little bastard that it is, thanks you.

[Raggydoll]

14 minutes ago, devin said:

My ego, needy little bastard that it is, thanks you.

Aww, bless him and tell him I said hi! He just wants some much needed love and attention - and who doesn't?! 😁

 

[devin]

42 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

That's my gif of the year, no question!

[Saturn Celeste]

I would like to thank @Barleywine for starting this thread.  It has really shed some light on how professional tarot readers think and I thank all of you for your insights.  I am the new kid on the block, I am only an intermediate that is very unsure of myself and yes, my prices do reflect that.  For a few years now, my son has been telling me my prices are too low and he holds the same opinion as most of you do on this thread that if you price yourself too low, people don't respect you.  I went through both my Wix site and my Etsy site this morning and raised my prices a little bit.  I know the longer I professionally read tarot the higher my prices will go but on the other hand, I still contend it's difficult getting your shop out there.  In all honesty, I don't have 20 years as I'm already up there in age but for the time I have left, I want it to be productive and constantly grow in my tarot reading.  Your comments on this thread gave me much pause to think these past couple of days and I really appreciate the discussions I've had with everyone!  Thank you all for making TT&M the awesome place that it is!!

[Raggydoll]

11 minutes ago, Saturn Celeste said:

I would like to thank @Barleywine for starting this thread.  It has really shed some light on how professional tarot readers think and I thank all of you for your insights.  I am the new kid on the block, I am only an intermediate that is very unsure of myself and yes, my prices do reflect that.  For a few years now, my son has been telling me my prices are too low and he holds the same opinion as most of you do on this thread that if you price yourself too low, people don't respect you.  I went through both my Wix site and my Etsy site this morning and raised my prices a little bit.  I know the longer I professionally read tarot the higher my prices will go but on the other hand, I still contend it's difficult getting your shop out there.  In all honesty, I don't have 20 years as I'm already up there in age but for the time I have left, I want it to be productive and constantly grow in my tarot reading.  Your comments on this thread gave me much pause to think these past couple of days and I really appreciate the discussions I've had with everyone!  Thank you all for making TT&M the awesome place that it is!!

That’s about time you listen to that clever son of yours! He’s so right! As someone with first hand experience of your readings I will say that they are AMAZING and you give such great value for money! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone do past life readings the way you do and it’s so fascinating that I keep referring to my previous ones. You are gifted and we are blessed to have you as an admin and a mentor here!!

 

[joy]

4 hours ago, Saturn Celeste said:

I would like to thank @Barleywine for starting this thread.  It has really shed some light on how professional tarot readers think and I thank all of you for your insights.  I am the new kid on the block, I am only an intermediate that is very unsure of myself and yes, my prices do reflect that.  For a few years now, my son has been telling me my prices are too low and he holds the same opinion as most of you do on this thread that if you price yourself too low, people don't respect you.  I went through both my Wix site and my Etsy site this morning and raised my prices a little bit.  I know the longer I professionally read tarot the higher my prices will go but on the other hand, I still contend it's difficult getting your shop out there.  In all honesty, I don't have 20 years as I'm already up there in age but for the time I have left, I want it to be productive and constantly grow in my tarot reading.  Your comments on this thread gave me much pause to think these past couple of days and I really appreciate the discussions I've had with everyone!  Thank you all for making TT&M the awesome place that it is!!

Finally!!! Yeah well done for listening to your son! I hear you, you think you might not get as many so that is the FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real. You are a great reader, you should know that by know ❤️ And stop telling you this 'I still contend it's difficult getting your shop out there', this sounds like a mantra . So change it into something positive. ❤️ You are great and I am more than happy to hear your raised your prices - now it is a little - and we will keep working on you to raise them more 😉

[Saturn Celeste]

@Raggydoll & @joy

[katrinka]

I don't remember the exact quote, but Loretta Lynn once said that you have to be the first one, or the best one, or the only one.
The best is pretty subjective, but the rest is meaningful here. You may not be the first or the only one to do erotic readings, but it's certainly not something everyone does. People can't get that just anywhere. Most of us will answer questions about sex, but we don't specialize in that.

When I was the only one doing Lenormand readings on Keen, I didn't even have to do anything else. No "regular" job. Exclusivity has its perks.

I'd really play up the erotic angle. Promote that. 😉

[joy]

43 minutes ago, katrinka said:

I'd really play up the erotic angle. Promote that. 😉

Totally agree, and I am pretty sure @Saturn Celeste is darn good at it! ❤️

[Saturn Celeste]

42 minutes ago, katrinka said:

I'd really play up the erotic angle. Promote that. 😉

Thanks Katrinka!  I am, this morning I also offered an erotic relationship reading and then I featured the 3 erotic readings I do.  That is the way to go!

[katrinka]

Yes!
You have to stand out. 😉

[Guest]

It has been fascinating reading the different responses, here. So much so that the subject has remained in my thoughts.

 

On reflection one believes that the important factor is the fair exchange. When I lived with my grandparents, my grandmother often received payment in tobacco, et cetera, rather than money. There was concord between service and payment. Sometimes that can include free readings (my mother isn’t charging - but the two or three readings she does with pasyans each week are helping with her dexterity and speech).

 

I did free readings for TABI for years, and on my blog as I know there are clients who cannot afford services on pensions, benefits, et cetera. 

 

In my experience, clients are more inclined to complain of price rises than initial higher rates. It is also important to educate clientele on what is being paid for. It’s not just the card amount - it’s the typing, recording, time difference, et cetera. 

[Raggydoll]

3 minutes ago, leroidetrèfle said:

It has been fascinating reading the different responses, here. So much so that the subject has remained in my thoughts.

 

On reflection one believes that the important factor is the fair exchange. When I lived with my grandparents, my grandmother often received payment in tobacco, et cetera, rather than money. There was concord between service and payment. Sometimes that can include free readings (my mother isn’t charging - but the two or three readings she does with pasyans each week are helping with her dexterity and speech).

 

I did free readings for TABI for years, and on my blog as I know there are clients who cannot afford services on pensions, benefits, et cetera. 

 

In my experience, clients are more inclined to complain of price rises than initial higher rates. It is also important to educate clientele on what is being paid for. It’s not just the card amount - it’s the typing, recording, time difference, et cetera. 

Yes, it’s very interesting. I guess I’m a bit influenced by my grandfather and my dad who almost never accepted money for helping people. My granddad would help people find missing objects (he was gifted with ‘clear knowing’) or even heal wounds if it was an emergency (he would stop wounds from bleeding using folk magic, but he did not think it was something that should be done unless it was a life threatening situation because he believed it could have magical repercussions) and both him and my dad helped neighbors with the use of dowsing rods etc. always for free. But they did accept gifts in return, especially edible things 😁 And I guess they both felt that the friendship they had with their neighbors was balanced enough since there was a great sense of respect and gratitude coming from both sides.