Rant

Okay, hello, I'm finally sick and tired of this so I'm going to write a rant for all of you to read.

For the last couple of years that I've been on the web, along with before then, the most frustrating problem is people who do something such as design or code, but charge half the money you do, for a half as good job. I've seen people on this forum charging $30-$40 for a coding job, while me and many others charge $60 and up. The more expensive prices are still cheap for this industry, but going ever lower is just crazy.

My first question is why are you doing this? Sure, you will get more jobs and make a bit more money, but why not charge more, get a bit less jobs and make the same amount of money with less work. If you think you're worth it, charge more! But if not, just leave the industry you are in. Now.

Your price undercutting hurts people who do this for a living or to make extra cash to make rent, etc. I personally code so I can help pay for stuff like my clothes, a car, cellphone, and eventually college. I don't come from a rich or even medium family such as most of you, so I do this for my own sake, because my parents can't pay for everything. I now have to buy a new computer so I can even make money (I'm in a catch 22 situation), and undercutters aren't helping.

Thank you to all the designers and coders who charge a semi-decent amount, or those who don't hire these people.

/rant

Its an ever growing problem on here and the freelance industry as a whole.

Its mainly people who are doing it for a hobby or are younger, that tend to charge less (I apologise for being very stereotypical here).

A basic rule for everyone: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!

Edit: It really seems to be designing that feels the force of price cutting - I guess coding isnt too far off! I have to say i've seen more 'cheap' designs and than I have 'cheap' coding.

Or as I say, nothing is worth nothing. Agreed fully. I make much more by charging $50 an hour and doing 5 projects a month, than those charging $50 and doing 40 projects a month. While as I still have plenty of free time to concentrate on achieving my life goals, which are broken down into smaller goals, and then as I achieve them, one-by-one, it gives me much more optimism, self-belief and funds to continue rolling the snowball into something enormous!

I think i made a thread about this...It didn't acheive nothing i wanted it too

Im a joiner (carpenter) in England and now we have joined the E.U the Polish, Bulgarians are coming over and charge half the prices English tradesmen charge.

I charge 150GBP ($300) a day when i work on day work. People are coming over here and charging 60GBP ($120) And claming they are plumbers, electricians ect.

I am currently in the same situation as you designers. Although i work for a company who refuse to employ these people. I know what you are talking about.

It's not just coding/design, the whole web industry is being undercut by 13 year olds from clantemplates & similar websites.

But I would ask you the same thing, Andrew. Why are you and others only charging around $60? Myself, someone who spent the time going through college and graduating with a diploma in web design, development and maintenance is trying to make a living from things like coding, yet you completely undercharge. It is the same thing, only on a larger and higher priced scale. So by answering my question, you will ultimately also answer your own question.

I've come to accept and realize the fact that this is something that will never change. It's the way it works and will only continue to get worse. However I also understand the concept that you get what you pay for and you know what? Any client worth your time anyways will also understand that concept. I charge the going industry rates to clients (in real life in particular, not some random person from a forum or otherwise) and still get plenty of work. If your skills really are worth your rate, clients will find you and choose you over some undercutting person thinking they're doing the right thing.

I have found that low paying clients are harder to work with because they dont know what it takes, or they dont care. I turn down on average 3 clients a day because im not gonna make what they want for the price.

Agreed with everything, it may not go down too well and of course peoples skill level vary, but maybe there needs to be some sort of limit on minimum prices but based on peoples skill level. Or just simply but on a limit if people find there not getting what they pay for then those people who used to undercut will get less work. Either way were probably not going to be able to solve this problem however i think it would be good if there was at least some kind of constraint on a lower price + tbh the introduction of the free givaways forum doesn't help with the current coding situation.

In some cases, it's clients. People today want something for nothing, but they want it to be up to high standards. I think some freelancers are afraid to charge proper prices because they are afraid they won't get any work. However, for every tight wad out their, there are just as many people willing to spend a great deal of money.

Though I do agree that their are plenty of people who don't know what they're doing and are charging ridiculously low prices that hurt everyone else.