I find that women and gender nonconforming people disproportionately apologize for having to charge people for what they produce. DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR THIS. STOP. You aren't forcing anyone to do anything and there is a cost to whatever it is that you are producing as an offering.
So many of us are in it. I have really had to shift my disposition on this matter. It's why I don't like to use the term "free." Nope, it's not free, you're just offering it at no cost to the participants. Someone is bearing the costs though & often it's you.
When I mentor younger people on salary what I tell them is what worked for me: divorce what you ask for from your perceived value. Instead ask what you know based on market conditions you can get away with asking.
I think many of us under charge because/1
We tie our ask to what we think we're worth and society tells us we're worthless.
And there are ways to charge less to people who you want to be able to access your talents but are financially disenfranchised but that's after you've established what you can ask for.
Also, my going rate is x but for your group I'll charge a lower rate y (or even nothing) also IME reduces the BS that comes with people who unintentionally have decided your time is worth zero. *nobody's * time is valueless
I agree in particular with this part "And there are ways to charge less to people who you want to be able to access your talents but are financially disenfranchised" - in some instances it can make sense to offer something at no cost cuz you want to do so for any number of reasons.
The US government publishes wages by metro area and occupation about once a year. Adjusting these for inflation is a really good way to get a sense of what employers near you are actually paying people for most fields.
www.bls.gov/oes/current/...
I literally took 4 months to send an invoice for some consulting work I did because I felt bad asking for the money. This is why I can never be fully self-employed. I’d starve to death.
