Do you ever feel guilty about charging?

[raf_gti]

I'm sure there are many of you out there who have had a client who cannot pay for whatever reason, most likely a little old lady who can't afford to have her cat treated, plumbing sorted etc etc.

Assuming of course you are charging a fair market value for your services are you ever tempted to give out a freebie when you hear the sob story?

My GF takes a very hard lined approach of never 'falling' for the story, so far it is an approach which is working well as she has very little in the way of un-paid bills.

[ShadownINja]

I do have two rates... and clients are aware of them but nobody's tried to pull a fast one (or they've been good at it ).

[JustinP1]

I have done work for cost price if I believed in the cause.

However, that is different to someone who gives a sob story *after* you have agreed a price and done the work. And on that, I don't alter it.

[limpsfield]

Never - if they can't afford to pay then go somewhere else if they think they will get the same service.

And a sob story afterwards is just despicable.

However I complete believe in haggling over stuff when buying and the first quote is just an offer - so I don't mid participating in that. But not after the work is done.

[Simpo Two]

Business is business. My first thought is - 'if you want to pay less, which bit of the job do you want me to skimp on?'

That said, I will sometimes trim a few bits off if I like the people and want to work with them. But anyone who says 'It doesn't cost 50p a mile to run a car' can take a running jump! One couple even had the audacity to say 'But we didn't charge you mileage to come and see you'. WTF!

[speedchick]

I do sometimes do 'mates rates' for the jewellery, but they don't get it much cheaper, as I still have my costs to cover. If someone is spending a lot, or buying a lot, then I will usually throw a pair of earrings or something in for free.

If I am at a craft fair, then there is always one little un that wants to buy something for mum and is a little bit short with their pocket money, if its a 'cheap' (as in inexepensive..I do a lot of smaller items for school fairs) then I will usually let them off a little bit of the price.