I was undercharging for rush jobs for like 2 years and didn't even know it

A client casually mentioned they'd have paid double to get their website live before a big trade show, which made me check my old invoices. Anyone else have a wake-up call about their pricing structure?

3 comments

3 Comments

tyler3682mo ago

Panic tax is just smart business.

mia_fox982mo ago

I once did a whole branding package for a local bakery for what I now realize was basically coffee money. The owner sent me a thank you card with a gift basket that probably cost half my fee. That's when it hit me that my "nice guy" rates were just leaving cash on the table. It's so easy to just stick with the first number you pick and never question it. I had to sit down and actually look at what things take out of me, like the late nights and the constant back-and-forth emails. Now I add a "panic tax" for anything needing a turn-around under a week, no shame in it.

the_jesse3d ago

That "nice guy" rates thing is real. It's not just in freelancing either. I see it everywhere - people underselling themselves because they think being fair means charging less. The bakery owner sending a gift basket worth half your fee is a dead giveaway too. When clients are that grateful for the price, you know you priced too low. It's like how some restaurants have cheap food and you wonder how they stay open, then you realize they just have really good coffee or something else making the real money. The panic tax is just admitting your time has different value depending on the demand, which is basically how everything works in the real world.