Originally Posted by resolva Infact it is illegal to put prices whatever you want. Its called unfair competition. The reason why nothing is done is because most freelance designers are not registered which means you can't complain.

I'm not sure where you're coming from, so maybe things are different for you. But in the US, there is absolutely nothing illegal about putting your prices wherever you want. There is no such thing as "unfair competition" unless you're referring to monopolies. This is in no way the case here. And not being registered does NOT mean you can't complain if you have a legitimate grievance. You don't have to be registered as a business to freelance. But you still report your income and pay taxes (unless of course you're breaking the law), and have the same recourse for most problems that registered businesses do.

This is simply capitalism at work. You need to have a balance between quality and price that makes you competitive in the market. If someone can offer a service for $5 and you charge $45, you better make up for it by having increased quality or extra perks for the client. Do you have to spend $60,000 on a car? No. Do some people do it? Of course they do. If you're having problems with your prices, you're likely not targeting the right potential clients. Too many freelancers try to operate without a business and marketing plan. You need to evaluate your competition FIRST, and then again every year or two. If you can't compete, or if the market is saturated, you need to find another field or a way to appeal to a smaller niche market. That's basic business. If you can't handle basic business issues (including legal issues like you mentioned here) then you shouldn't be freelancing at all; at least not if you take it seriously.