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My neighborhood found out I freelance and now everyone wants discounts on my services. How do you manage expectations without causing drama?
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jesse_wright307mo ago
Honestly maybe @gavin_johnson70 is overthinking it. These are just neighbors, not some big company. If someone asks you to walk their dog or look at their computer, is that really a freelance job? Sometimes people just want a bit of help from someone they know. You can just say you're busy or it's not really your thing without giving a whole speech about your rates. It doesn't have to be a whole thing with rules and discounts.
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gavin_johnson707mo ago
Man, that is so relatable. When my neighbors caught wind of my freelance gig, suddenly everyone had a "quick favor" to ask. I had to learn fast to be upfront about my rates from the get-go, no exceptions. It felt awkward at first, but I just said my time is how I pay the bills, same as theirs. Offering a one-time courtesy discount for the first ask sometimes smooths things over, but then you gotta stick to your guns. Honestly, setting those boundaries early saved me from so much resentment later on.
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grant_baker97mo ago
Exactly, and that first courtesy discount is such a critical tipping point. What happened for you after offering that initial discounted rate? Did you find most people respected the new, full-price boundary on the second request, or did you still get pushback and have to cut some folks off entirely? I'm curious about the transition from that "awkward first time" into a sustainable, understood arrangement with your immediate community.
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