When do you know you can charge?

I charged from the beginning. I took a class on reading tarot cards (NOT a way I think one should learn, I know.... now.) and the teacher said "even if you only charge a quarter, you should charge for what you do and give value for what you charge." Some of my friends reminisce about how it used to only cost a quarter. but I do it for free too. If I feel like giving. then giving a free reading becomes a special gift. Especially since the energy cost ot me is still quite sustantial.
Ace

Annabelle4 said:

In my case, I’m not yet comfortable with face-to-face readings. I’ve done a handful of them, but still feel a little bit nervous about it, and I have a tendency to rush

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LOL!!!
But perhaps you'll feel the same every time you do it!
I read yet from Radio and TV Shows, in living and direct, on air, when i don't even see the person who is asking, when many public, the rest of audience is hearing me or seeing me, ready to judge what i'm doing...
can you imagine how it feels?
I always am very nervous, but for me is what say me i'm taking this seriously,
that is not a game, like what actors feel when time to enter to the stage...
But when you are already there is very funny...
Btw, in these media my service are only in exchange for the publicity,
but after i have many querents in the office!
But, yes, i agree, is very hard, people asking for very delicate topics, like the " How is my health?" one, can become very scary !!!
But i love it, and that's cause i think that those that aren't truly Tarotist at the bottom do not remain much time in this "business"...
So i believe you can feel you more secure but the nerves will be with you for ever...
at least is my experience!
Thanks to let me share it!

My daughter kept telling me that people don't understand the tarot. She
says we have different understanding.
After I thought about this, she was right to my way of thinking.
We have knowledge that people come to us to hear and learn from.
Even if they don't understand at the time, their answer will come.

When my confidence was confortable with this idea, I started
to charge for readings. Heck we do all the studying!

ArcanoMáximo said:

Good what you did when accepting the money!!!

I believe that if we want or need prosperity is very necessary to have a "Conscience of Prosperity".
After all the money is not more than an energy and should be changed for any other if we want to collaborate with the free curren of energy.
When we read the cards we are giving from our own energy (and from many more else wills across the time related with the Tarot) for which if we do it free we are removing the responsibility of the other and not giving him the opportunity of collaborating with the Universe.
On the "Spiritual Way" we are acoustomed to give and is difficult to ourselves to accept what is offered us, we think is more spiritual to do it for free when for sure is all the contrary... *snip*

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ArcanoMáximo, I do believe your right.
and I've never really been the sort of person with money on the brain, I always felt there are more important things in life.
Unfortunately, in this life, I'm learning that I may have been wrong, not to have paid more attention to material things, and means...

As far as the cards, I'm more the type to take my time.
Sometimes I worry that I may say the wrong thing.
Or, put what I see in words that may not be so pleasant, and I really do not like to be unpleasant. so sometimes it takes a few minutes to try to tactfully say what I see.

Yes, i was so too.
Even now some times i feel uncomfortable when the moment of to say the price, but i know i must do it.
I was worried with the same you said, till i started to see how persons were taking my time for free but paying to another ones, and not precisely a little account. Felt very stupid. If you allow it ppl can really play with you.
We don't live in the best of the worlds, of course.
Now i'm one of the most expensives in my area.
I realized that they took more seriously what i have to say when having to pay many more for that.
I don't underestimate my own value any more. I don't think is a good stuff to do with oneself.
When is really necessary, i give it for free, no problem, but as my work is not a "life or death" stuff, if they want it, then they have to pay, cause when i go to the bookstore for another Tarot book to improve the knowledge of my work tool i have to pay it, and every time more expensive, btw.
Very logical, after all. Isn't it?

I'm gonna sorta hijack this thread.... This has been bugging me since it was first posted.

Get this. Change the title to "When do you know you SHOULD charge?

It’s a whole different meaning - and I think more exact. It induces better, and more accurate answers.

Wording a question in a reading is of equal importance. A sloppily worded question produces a sloppy reading. It will not produce useful information for the sitter.

When they sit down and don't have a question, do you have a 'general' spread that covers all areas of life? Do you know how to use it?

Can you aid the sitter in finding the question? Do you take the time to help them word it correctly?

If your answers are negative to all of these queries, than you perhpas you should not be charging money. If you answer affirmative than perhaps you should be charging money.

Reading Tarot is (IMO) more about the sitter and their question than about the deck, the card meanings, or the money.

Oh Umbrae,
That was such a thought..... my!

Because I'm thinking about it... I even created a page for email readings. It's still not face to face... gosh, think I could do Christmas Bazaar ones? Not with the decks I have, in this town. Maybe down the road, literaly at the bigger town ones.

I don't think that is quite what I have in mind to get my feet wet. I haven't read but twice and both times ... were pretty pathetic. I would never charge anyone for those... and besides I asked them if they would like one or if they minded if I did a reading for them.

I think the readings I do are fairlly accurate... tho' it would be good to do follow ups and find out, how things evolved or simply how manifested iself. So I guess that is why I'm still here doing reading exchanges and learning.

But since I'm being told I should probably start charging instead of doing readings for free for my chat buddies, it's making me think that starting out doing emailed readings is a good, if tentative beginning. I can't charge on my site because it's one of those freebie ones that has rules against that. I have to check to see if l did decide to charge, if I could link it to an "Buy Now" site on ebay? (I read that bit about readers not charging much there)
I also thought about suggesting donations even.

But what the heck... I'll do baby steps, probably splash all over and make a few mud puddles. So I'll read some more suggestions... and think on this some more.

Maybe it is really asking... not so much when should I charge... but asking am I good enough to charge? Then again... it is my time, that I could be using for something else.
Not for face to face... yet.

My opinion

When you've given readings, and personally I think in person is the best test, and people come back and seem pleased with your insight. The best clue is when people you've read for (when you didn't charge the the first time - or several times) insist on paying you something or some how - that means they really value your service and you should probably value it more too.