Hit $500 on a single side gig job and it reset my whole thinking

I took on a weekend deck staining project for a neighbor, thinking I'd make maybe $200 after supplies. The final check was $500 because I underbid the time and she tipped extra for showing up early. Has anyone else stumbled into a number that made you rethink your hourly rate?

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1 Comment

the_andrew1mo ago

Yeah that's a good point but I think the real lesson is you actually underpaid yourself on the original bid, not that you found some magic number. If she tipped extra on top then your real hourly was way higher than you thought, which is awesome don't get me wrong. But the actual rate you should charge is what covers your time and materials and leaves you feeling good, not just whatever the client decides to throw in. Sounds like you're worth more than $200 a weekend for that kind of work. Just make sure you're not leaving money on the table regular like that.