Content:
The Hourly Trap
Trading time for money has a hard ceiling. There are only 24 hours in a day.
If you charge $100/hr, you are punished for being fast.
Fix a bug in 10 minutes? You make $16.
Fix it in 10 hours? You make $1,000.
This misalignment incentives "slow work" and hurts both you and the client.
Value-Based Pricing
The solution is to charge for the outcome, not the input.
"I will fix your login system" -> $500.
Whether it takes me 10 minutes or 10 hours is my problem.
The Scope Creep Nightmare
The fear with fixed pricing is Scope Creep. "Can you just add this one button?"
This is why you need iron-clad scopes.
How I Solved It
I stopped writing vague scopes in emails.
I use a structured proposal generator that forces me to list EXACTLY what is included (and what isn't).
"Login System" includes:
- JWT Auth
- Password Reset Flow
- Google OAuth
It does NOT include:
- 2FA (Add-on: +$300)
- Admin Panel (Add-on: +$1000)
Clarity saves relationships. And bank accounts.
Generate clear, scope-locked proposals: swiftpropose.com
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