Okay, so you may have noticed that my Saturday post wasn’t about money. I have an excuse - because hey, I’m full of excuses, right? 🫤 I woke up at 2:30 am on Friday to catch a flight, and by the time I opened my laptop at around 4 pm, my brain had turned into actual mush. So, here’s your money post on a Wednesday instead. Listen, when I get back to the UK, I promise I’ll return to normal. 🙃

The Habit of Free Work (a.k.a. The Fastest Way to Burn Out) 

The other day, I found myself telling someone not to give away their time for free. They had just spent an hour using their skills to help me, and they weren’t going to charge me for the session. PLUS, they had to pay for the space they were using. 

Of course, this sent my overactive brain into a spiral of deep thought, because thinking too much is basically my full-time hobby.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of giving your time away for free. And no, I’m not talking about those sneaky salespeople who offer a “free” event, only to spend the whole time selling you overpriced products or services you don’t need. (You know who I mean. 🙄)

I’m talking about genuinely kind, well-meaning people who:

✔️ Feel guilty charging for their work
✔️ Think they’re not quite good enough to charge yet
✔️ Just want to help people and end up over-giving

Sound familiar? Because same.

But here’s the annoying part: There are people out there - confident, bold, and fantastic at selling - who charge ridiculous amounts for products or services that honestly aren’t even that great. And guess what? People pay them without hesitation.

I’ve fallen for it myself. I once joined a “free” mastermind, only to be upsold on an overpriced service that was… well, complete rubbish. I ended up doing it myself - for a fraction of the cost - and better. But the person who sold it to me? They were a master at making it sound like it was worth every penny.

Meanwhile, countless talented and knowledgeable people - individuals who could genuinely improve lives - are undervaluing their work simply because they lack confidence.

Back to Me (Because, Duh, This is My Blog) 🤷‍♀️

I am so bad at following my own advice. I can confidently tell others to value their time, but when it comes to me? Yeah, nope. I do the exact opposite. 🤦‍♀️

And this got me thinking (again) about how we give the best advice to our friends - advice that’s genuinely in their best interest - but then completely ignore it when we’re in the same situation. WHY DO WE DO THIS?! Is it lack of self-worth? Some weird subconscious self-sabotage? No clue. But I do know this:

I need to stop giving away my time for free.

Lately, I’ve been stuck on a never-ending treadmill. Some of it is because I need to delegate more (note to self: actually do that). But a big part? I take too many free calls that stretch way past the agreed time. I share so much information and guidance that, by the end, the person doesn’t even need my services anymore. Brilliant.

Time for a rethink. 🤔

The Art of Setting Boundaries (Without Feeling Like a Prat) 

It’s time for boundaries, people. Clear, non-negotiable boundaries.

✅ 30-minute free chats - no more, no less. Enough time to see if we’re a good fit. If they need more help? That’s what my paid services are for.

✅ More free content, less free one-on-one advice. Instead of giving away hours of unpaid guidance, I’ll focus on creating accessible content - YouTube, blog posts, and (deep breath) maybe even social media again.

✅ No more one-on-one coaching through The Good Money Coach. It’s just not financially viable for me and I use my coaching in one-on-one meetings with my financial advice clients. Instead, I’ll focus on group coaching and courses, where I can help more people at once.

Final Thoughts (a.k.a The Part Where I Yell at You to Charge Your Worth) 

Giving away your time for free may seem harmless, but it can slowly erode your confidence, devalue your business, and take a toll on your well-being.

So, the next time you hesitate to charge, remind yourself:

✨ Your time is valuable.
✨ Your knowledge is valuable.
✨ Your skills are valuable.

Time is the most valuable thing you have. You can always make more money, but you can’t create more time. Charge what you’re worth - because if you don’t value your time, no one else will. ⏳✨