Do you Charge $$$???

Im sure this has probably been brought up before... But anyway...

Ive heard two completely different stories regarding money and Tarot.

One group of people say "You shouldn't charge, because it's a gift - And you shouldn't use your gift for personal gain"

And the other group say "If people want a reading, charge them..."

Now obviously, Im not going to charge friends or family - I just dont see it as a problem for me to read for them...

However, there was a question of "coming to my mates party and reading there...." And being offered money...

Cutting to the chase here - Who charges for readings out there? How much do you charge? Do you do it on donation, or (for example) if you're asked to read at a party, do you just charge a flat fee?

Or do you do it for free?

Curious to know...
Rogan.

I have been to a party where we all got to effectively do our own readings...

All 12 of us were asked to pick 3 cards at the same time from the whole deck.... to form a past, present, future reading so 36 cards all out at the same time... not really likely that you are going to pick well if there are 33 carsd you can't access because someone else has them!

We then had to interpret each others... what do you see, what does it mean to you... type questions were asked... the official "reader" did nothing.... and I mean nothing other than sit there... nod and say "oh well done!" from time to time....

For this rip-off we were all charged £10, which meant that for 2 hrs work one evening... "work"!!! HA what a joke.... the reader went away with £100 or $200!!!! She also gave us all her card so that we could contact her for personal readings... £35/$70 for 1hr... I guess you can imagine that I didn't... I have now learnt to read for myself instead! Much more interesting... and after the inital outlay on decks and books... much more fun and cost effective!

It has made me VERY wary of readers now...

foxyangel

Foxy Angel - I can't believe that party you went to! You're right, Id be like "Helloooo?! What if he or she has a card that's in MY past, present of Future..."

How annoying...

Foxyangel said:

I have been to a party where we all got to effectively do our own readings...

All 12 of us were asked to pick 3 cards at the same time from the whole deck.... to form a past, present, future reading so 36 cards all out at the same time... not really likely that you are going to pick well if there are 33 carsd you can't access because someone else has them!

We then had to interpret each others... what do you see, what does it mean to you... type questions were asked... the official "reader" did nothing.... and I mean nothing other than sit there... nod and say "oh well done!" from time to time....

For this rip-off we were all charged £10, which meant that for 2 hrs work one evening... "work"!!! HA what a joke.... the reader went away with £100 or $200!!!! She also gave us all her card so that we could contact her for personal readings... £35/$70 for 1hr... I guess you can imagine that I didn't... I have now learnt to read for myself instead! Much more interesting... and after the inital outlay on decks and books... much more fun and cost effective!

It has made me VERY wary of readers now...

foxyangel

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Now that is just tacky! First, how can anyone get an accurate read when essentially half the deck is gone? Secondly, if she's getting paid, she needs to be doing the work!

I've done parties, and I've never done one like that! I may ask for the input of the querent, ask if they recognize any of the cards, but I'm the one doing the work, and I earn my pay!

Now as for the charging for readings aspect:

It's a gift. Yes I charge. Doesn't an artist charge for their gift? Doesn't a musician charge for their gift? So why shouldn't I?

I charge for my time, my talent, my expertise, my learning. For all the books I've read, classes I've taken, hours I've spent with the cards.

I've spent as much time learning Tarot as a doctor does in med school! More even! So why shouldn't I charge?

As far as how much? I have a tendency to get disgusted by those who charge $4.00 a minute or more. I'm sure they are talented and all, but are they really doing something that is worth that much?

A 15 minute reading with me is $15. In the shop I get $10 the shop gets $5. When reading outside the shop, I get the whole $15, but then the client tends to walk away with $1 to $2 worth of stones. Not to mention my advertising cost (I'm placing an ad in a statewide spiritual magazine, as well as business cards, flyers, brochures, fair booth fees, etc...)

For an hour reading it's $60, but I often give coupons and discounts. For instance every person I read with gets to draw from the coupon basket, where they get a coupon for anything from $5 off an hour reading, to 1/2 off an hour reading, to a free hour reading.

Why do I charge as much as I do? I have to make money, and being in business for myself I have to pay office and advertising costs. It tends to add up after awhile. I make enough to survive comfortably. Without my income my husband and I wouldn't make it. But I'm certainly not getting rich!

This subject has been brought up manytimes ... but I answer every time, anyway!

Yes, I charge. No, I don't charge. I give away more free readings than 'charged for readings' because it works out in Karmic terms better for me.

If I have to go to someone's house or do a party I charge ~ gas is not cheap! It is also an investment of my time - which is worth something to me, if to no one else. I have let payment slide; a coworker once called me up in tears and asked me to come over 'right away' - I dropped what I was doing and did her a reading. Did I sit there with my hand out and say 'O.K.-- That's $20 please'? No. She paid me when she got a around to it.

I have a website where I charge for readings. The only person who has made money off my website if the man who created the site for me! I have never made a cent off my site.

I do readings because I enjoy doing readings. I don;t do readings to make money of them.

I usually charge $20 for a one-on-one ... for however long it takes whether that is 20 minutes or 90 minutes for the reading. Why gouge the Querent?

Robin Wood does not charge to do readings; she feels that it creates a 'contract' between the reader and querent and she wants to read when she feels like it - not on demand.

Yes, I charge.

The fee varies according to the spread used & usually of a flat rate. In some instances, accept donations or an exchange of some kind. If I charged according to the time spent (which varies according to the reading), I would severely limit the clientele & my interest in reading not only for the income.

I charge because my resources of my personal energy, knowledge & time are very valuable--similiarly as any profession--& I invest wholly of those in respect of the trust placed in me as a reader.

tarotbear said:

This subject has been brought up manytimes ... but I answer every time, anyway!

Yes, I charge. No, I don't charge. I give away more free readings than 'charged for readings' because it works out in Karmic terms better for me.

If I have to go to someone's house or do a party I charge ~ gas is not cheap! It is also an investment of my time - which is worth something to me, if to no one else. I have let payment slide; a coworker once called me up in tears and asked me to come over 'right away' - I dropped what I was doing and did her a reading. Did I sit there with my hand out and say 'O.K.-- That's $20 please'? No. She paid me when she got a around to it.

I have a website where I charge for readings. The only person who has made money off my website if the man who created the site for me! I have never made a cent off my site.

I do readings because I enjoy doing readings. I don;t do readings to make money of them.

I usually charge $20 for a one-on-one ... for however long it takes whether that is 20 minutes or 90 minutes for the reading. Why gouge the Querent?

Robin Wood does not charge to do readings; she feels that it creates a 'contract' between the reader and querent and she wants to read when she feels like it - not on demand.

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There is definitely higher expectations when you are reading for money. And clients will call at all hours of the night! I've learned to set my voicemail for automatic pick up between midnight and seven AM. It's not that I don't want to help, it's that I won't be any help at all if I don't get sleep!

You also have to learn when to say no, something that is VERY hard for me to do!

gwynne~

The other 'aspect' is that giving something away for free implies it has no value; charging a fee implies much more in the mind of the querent.

It is like sewing for people. If I make you a dress custom-fitted to your body, it will cost you much more than buying it off the rack! People think that 'because you sew' that somehow you are going to make them a dress for $5! HA! DOUBLE HA! Custom sewing is always more expensive than ready to wear.

And so it is with Tarot ~ give it away and people expect you to give it away and it doesn't 'mean anything' or that 'it's all a joke, anyway.' Charge them, and they'll sit up and take notice.

tarotbear said:

gwynne~

The other 'aspect' is that giving something away for free implies it has no value; charging a fee implies much more in the mind of the querent.

It is like sewing for people. If I make you a dress custom-fitted to your body, it will cost you much more than buying it off the rack! People think that 'because you sew' that somehow you are going to make them a dress for $5! HA! DOUBLE HA! Custom sewing is always more expensive than ready to wear.

And so it is with Tarot ~ give it away and people expect you to give it away and it doesn't 'mean anything' or that 'it's all a joke, anyway.' Charge them, and they'll sit up and take notice.

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That's also one of the precepts of Reiki. If it's free it means nothing. If they have to pay for it they take it seriously.

The free readings I've done (and I do a LOT of them) tend to get blown off, unless there is some other form of exchange going on. But then that wouldn't really be considered free would it?

Yup. You get what you pay for.

I don't charge money, since it hasn't cost me anything to do a reading for someone. (Not for decks, gas, internet access, etc; those are all things I'd have/spent money on anyway, just for myself.) I do ask an equal exchange though. If I spend an hour doing an intensive reading, I'll happily accept just about anything - a friend of mine and I do cakes for readings with each other, or somesuch along those lines.

It's kind of difficult to barter in a lot of professional outlets, such as reading in a shop and the like, but there's always some way you can barter in most cases.

There are, especially lately, a lot of cases in which I'll read for free. No charge of any kind. The reason? I want practice. *shrugs*

Illy