Why I undercharge, and how to change it
Name a lower price than you want, or give discounts nobody asked for? Where the pattern comes from, and 21 days of small steps to name your full price.
Does this sound like you?
- I name a lower price than I want.
- I give discounts nobody asked for.
- I put off asking to be paid.
Why it happens
The price often drops before anyone objects: fear of rejection, or of seeming greedy, speaks first.
Sentences about money heard in childhood, like "money spoils people" or "do not ask for more", make the full price feel unsafe in the body. Psychologist Brad Klontz calls these money scripts.
It is a learned habit, not a trait. So it can be relearned: in small, safe steps, testing the fear against reality.
Try it now: a price without excuses
Write how you usually name your price. The tool highlights the words that lower your worth before anyone objects. Nothing you type leaves this page.
The clean version:
Read it out loud, then stay silent for 5 seconds after the price. That is days 11 and 12 of the program.
The "Your own price" program
12 statements show which of the four programs fits you best. No sign-up for the quiz. Starting a program takes a free account.
What helps: 21 days of small steps
One step a day, up to 10 minutes. Each step rests on an established method, not on motivational slogans.
Week 1: Notice
Self-monitoring, the ABC model of CBT and family money scripts.
- Day 1Name the patternSelf-monitoring (CBT)
- Day 2Count, do not changeSelf-monitoring (CBT)
- Day 3What sets it offABC model (CBT)
- Day 4Whose rule is itMoney scripts (Klontz)
- Day 5What it costsCost of the pattern
- Day 6Where it sits in the bodyBody awareness
- Day 7Week one: what starts itWeekly review
Week 2: Test the fear
Behavioural experiments: you write the fear and its likelihood, then check it against reality.
- Day 8Write down the fearBehavioural experiment (CBT)
- Day 9The evidenceChecking the evidence (CBT)
- Day 10A safe first tryBehavioural experiment (CBT)
- Day 11No excusesStaying with discomfort
- Day 12Five seconds of silenceStaying with discomfort
- Day 13The real experimentBehavioural experiment (CBT)
- Day 14Week two: fear against realityWeekly review
Week 3: Act
If-then plans, a ladder of small steps, your values and a plan for slips.
- Day 15If, thenIf-then plans (Gollwitzer)
- Day 16The ladderGraded exposure
- Day 17What the money is forValues (ACT)
- Day 18"That is expensive"Rehearsal
- Day 19One rung upGraded exposure
- Day 20A slip is not a failureRelapse prevention (Marlatt)
- Day 21Three weeks laterWeekly review
An example step: day 10, A safe first try
First write what you expect to happen. Then name your full price where it is safe: in a draft email or a price list, or say it to someone you trust who plays the client.
What happened, and how did it feel?
This is self-help, not therapy
The program helps you notice the pattern and try something different in safe steps. If the pattern comes with lasting low mood, panic, debts you cannot manage, or is tied to trauma, please see a specialist. You can find one on Companion, and many offer a free first call.
If things feel unbearable right now or you have thoughts of harming yourself, call your local emergency number or a crisis line where you live.
Questions
Is this therapy?
No. It is structured self-help built on CBT and other established methods. It does not replace a psychologist, but it can be a first step or support between sessions.
How long does it take?
21 days, up to 10 minutes a day. One step opens each day. A missed day stays open, nothing is lost.
Is it free?
The quiz is free and needs no sign-up; the program is free with an account. Talks with the guides: a few messages a day for free, more for a fee.
Will anyone see my notes?
No. Your notes and counter are private. At the end you can share an exit story, anonymous by default.
Who is "Your own price" for?
For when you name a lower price than you want, give discounts nobody asked for, or put off asking to be paid. 21 days, up to 10 minutes a day.