Pink Bottle Pricing Scale
For a sliding scale to work, it relies on truthfulness, respect for complexity, and accountability. I never ask for income verification. I trust my clients, to be honest. Instructors deserve to get paid, and clients deserve services that recognise the multiple realities of economic access and privilege.
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Recently, someone shared the idea of sacrifice versus hardship when examining access. If paying for a class, product, or service would be difficult but not detrimental, it qualifies as a sacrifice. You might have to cut back on another spending (such as going out to dinner, buying coffee, or a new outfit), but this will not have a long-term harmful impact on your life. If, however, paying for a class, product, or service would harm your life, such as not being able to put food on the table, pay rent, or pay for your transportation to get to work, then you are dealing with hardship. People coming from hardship typically qualify for the lower end of the sliding scale. The idea of sacrifice versus hardship is a very useful nuance when talking about access because it recognises and respects that paying for something might still be a challenge, even if it is just a short-term one while giving appropriate space for those who are dealing with financial hardship.
Here are general guidelines about how I am pricing my sliding scale to help you determine where you fall on it.
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* Basic needs include food, housing & transportation.
** Expendable Income might mean you are able to buy a coffee or a tea at a shop, go to the cinema or a concert, buy new clothes, books or similar items each month etc.
Higher Cost Option
Middle Cost Option
Bottom Cost Option
There are limited slots for services and classes offered at the middle and lower end of the scale. Please be mindful that if you purchase a price at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher price, you are limiting access to those who genuinely need the gift of financial flexibility. When engaging with sliding scale practices, being honest with yourself and your financial situation grows solid and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of instructors and creators like myself, who have families to support and bills to pay. Additionally, I can invest more time and resources to free and lower-cost offerings when I am paid fairly.