How do you know when you're ready to begin charging for your services?  How in the world do you set your fees?  And how do you get people to pay them?

This does not, however, bum me out.  Maybe it should, but doing astrology the way I like to do it is too labor-intensive to make it lucrative for any but the most talented, business oriented, or lucky astrologers.  Nor does it lead me to believe I am any the less qualified to share with you my thoughts on the matter of astrology and money; not making lots of money with astrology does not mean I haven't had to deal with setting fees, getting paid, and the host of other money related issues surrounding our fair profession.

Let's say you've been studying astrology for a couple of years.  You've done a number of "practice" readings for unsuspecting friends and relatives.  They seemed pleased, even impressed.  At least one person of your acquaintance has said, "Hey, you should be charging for this!"  What are you waiting for? Let's address your (presumed) misgivings, point by point.

Point #1: Is it okay to get paid for helping people?
Of course.  I mean, I am a pretty idealistic astrologer.  My goal is to use astrology to help people transform their lives.  But I also live in the real, 21st century world, where food, lodging, and cool clip art for my web page require money for their obtaining.  So, I charge money for my astrology work.

When you charge for your services, you send important messages to your client:

• "You are in the hands of a professional and can expect to be treated respectfully and professionally by someone who knows what the hell he or she is doing."
• "You are in the hands of a professional who believes astrology, and his or her ability interpret it, is worth your time and money."
• "You are in the hands of a professional who respects his or her own time and effort and expects you to respect it as well."

Point #2:  Am I ready to charge for my work?
There are a couple of ways to approach this.  First, you could sit a series of exams given by NCGR or another astrological organization and earn their seal of approval that you are indeed ready to practice as a professional.  This isn't a bad idea at all, especially if you suspect your astrological training has been spotty.

Honestly, though, some of the very best astrologers I know have yet to take an exam administered by any astrological organization.  Perhaps you might ask your teacher if he or she believes you're ready.  You might also wish to ask yourself this fundamental question: "If I were getting a reading with an astrologer, what would my expectations be?  Am I prepared to fulfill similar expectations of my own clients?"  Obviously you're not going to be as adept at complex work as someone who's been practicing astrology for 25 years, so keep your expectations of yourself reasonable and be very honest with your clients; don't misrepresent your experience.  Screen them carefully ("What are you seeking from an astrology reading at this time?"), and don't be afraid to refer them to a more experienced astrologer if you feel they need help that is beyond your current skill level. 

Point #3:  What should I charge?
When I started out I was desperate for experience, so I charged only $35 for a 90-minute session.  With the hours and hours of preparation work I did, that came out to..oh, say $3 an hour or so.  But that's what I felt comfortable with.  There was at least one fellow student in my first astrology class who began charging for readings after about one year of study and charged $100 right out of the chute.  She's probably filthy rich today.  But I would have felt wrong about charging those kinds of fees with so little experience.

Gradually, as I felt I was offering something of somewhat higher quality, I raised my fees. Eventually I settled on a formula that goes something like this: As a secretary I could earn $20 an hour, so that feels like a minimum hourly wage that's appropriate for my astrology work which is much, much more demanding.  I do at least four (usually more) hours of preparation and then the session--let's say that's 90 minutes  Five and a half hours x $20 = $110.  My current fee for a taped or written 60 minute reading is (AS OF FEB. 2008:) $150 - still quite a deal.

Point #4: What if people don't want to pay my fees?
Early in your practice you will, I guarantee, get people who object to your fees.  I firmly believe this is a cosmic test: do you believe in yourself?  Do you believe in your worth?  You must come to terms with this, and opposition from clients will help you do so.

There are a couple of ways to deal with objections to your fees.  If everyone objects to your fees, they are probably too high.  If no one objects to your fees, they are probably too low.  If the occasional person objects to your fees, you can explain that they are paying for your time and expertise --a customized approach to examining their life.  Explain that you understand that is not for everyone's budget, and offer them a $25 computer generated report or a referral to a company that offers these reports.  Or offer suggestions of books they can read.  Offer to send them a free newsletter or brochure so they can have time to think it over without pressure.  You want to be as sensitive as possible to people's money issues, and leave the door open for future commerce, without perpetually undercharging.

The key is to not back down from your reasonable and well-considered fee, because that sends a message that you don't believe in yourself or in the worth of astrology.  It can be frustrating to receive objections to your measly $75 fee from when someone who drops $200 in a trendy clothing store each month without a second thought.  But it's not up to you to set other people's financial priorities--just your own.