Should I bid lower than my hourly rate to fit client budget? Looking for opinions

[#1]

Hi Gang!

I really DO NOT want to sell myself short lowering my hourly rate, but I want to send in a proposal for a job, and the client's budget is $12 to $14 an hour. If I bid lower, then the client may think my skills are lacking, and they're not. This position is in my field of skills. If I keep my hourly bid, which is $4 over his budget I will not be considered. I have not had a job in 2 months. I NEED some money coming in. 

Your thoughts??

[#2]

Personally I bid at my preferred rate and explain why they should hire me instead of someone else. I'm in a different field though.

[#3]

Also that at least gets your info in front of them. They can always come back and ask you to work at the rate they offered, in which case it's more like you're compromising, and less like you don't think you're worth it.

[#4]

I do not recommend to bid lower. If a client is serious and you are really good you can still be considered and hired even being more expensive than what they are looking for. Check their average hourly rate paid, if it's between $5 and $10 forget it, but if it's higher you can still be hired with your current rate.

[#5]

Melinda - When you need a job, you need a job. Why don't you try reducing your rate a bit. A job at a somewhat lower rate is better than no job at all. Maybe a bid at $15 would get you the job.

[#6]

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Melinda M wrote:

If I keep my hourly bid, which is $4 over his budget I will not be considered.

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While conceivably true for this particular client, in general: false!—as has been attested repeatedly by some of the most successful freelancers. Second-guessing clients is a mug's game. Posting, bidding, billing, and collecting rates that reflect your worth is a professional's game.

[#7]

I wouldn't but I'm a snob and an a-hole.

[#8]

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Melinda M wrote:

Hi Gang!

I really DO NOT want to sell myself short lowering my hourly rate, but I want to send in a proposal for a job, and the client's budget is $12 to $14 an hour. If I bid lower, then the client may think my skills are lacking, and they're not. This position is in my field of skills. If I keep my hourly bid, which is $4 over his budget I will not be considered. I have not had a job in 2 months. I NEED some money coming in. 

Your thoughts??

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Why assume you won't be considered? I get hired all the time on jobs where I've bid substantially more than the client's budget, and so do a lot of other freelancers here.

[#9]

I have gone up a just a little on my rate. I assume I will not get hired because most clients do not want to pay much for experience.

As you read, I have been out of work for 2 months. That has never happened to me. I usually get a job withiin 2 days. The pressure of no income is hurting me financially and mentally.

[#10]

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Melinda M wrote:
I have gone up a just a little on my rate. I assume I will not get hired because most clients do not want to pay much for experience.

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So, don't work for "most" clients, then. Work for the ones who DO want to pay for your experience. Anyway what makes you so certain that you'll win this particular project if you do lower your price? Presumably many other people will bid the same amount or less. Maybe you'll stand out by charging more. 

[#11]

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Melinda M wrote:
I have gone up a just a little on my rate. I assume I will not get hired because most clients do not want to pay much for experience.

As you read, I have been out of work for 2 months. That has never happened to me. I usually get a job withiin 2 days. The pressure of no income is hurting me financially and mentally.

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I know the feeling, after 3-4 years with frequent jobs coming through UW, I just stopped receiving proposal or interviews. The first weeks I was just "shocked" like you but it made me realized I can't depend on a website to get work and well, some day things would change, and they did. The new "model" now it's becoming clear, cheap work for cheap money like many other platforms. And if they are keeping this way, it's because it's working for them.

The bottom line is: don't doubt your talent, boost your confidance, accept that you can't live out of UW anymore and start hitting job boards, searching on FB, networking on Linkedin. After 2 weeks sending emails to a lot of potential clients out of UW I got a lot of good feedback and just yesterday a nice job landed.

Don't let it affect you mentally.

[#12]

Hi Melinda, Yes that’s true if you bid the lower price then clients might not take you seriously and you could miss the opportunity.
So, I suggest you to bid the same amount they post and you can mention in the proposal/ cover letter that the budget is negotiable (if you want to really work on low budget)…
Though am not an expert guide !!

[#13]

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Moumita C wrote:
Hi Melinda, Yes that’s true if you bid the lower price then clients might not take you seriously and you could miss the opportunity.
So, I suggest you to bid the same amount they post and you can mention in the proposal/ cover letter that the budget is negotiable (if you want to really work on low budget)…
Though am not an expert guide !!

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I think she figured it out 2 years ago when she asked the quetion. 🙂 

[#14]

Yeah well, better late than never 😛

[#15]

Wisdom has no expiration date.

[#16]

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Preston H wrote:

Wisdom has no expiration date.

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Stupidity is also a hardy perennial.

[#17]

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Robert Y wrote:

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Preston H wrote:

Wisdom has no expiration date.

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Stupidity is also a hardy perennial.

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Well said. 

[#18]

When your intention is to help others, there’s no expiry date. May be it could be helpful to someone who’s looking for the same in recent days. Actually, I was only looking for this and found her question 🙋🏼‍:female_sign:

[#19]

It has actually helped me. Thank you.

[#20]

It's 2024 and I found this helpful. 😊

[#21]

hahah you guys made me laugh. It's june 2022 now 😁