A Free Sample Reading, Please?

So, I wanted to address my thoughts on the "Can I have a Free reading?" or "A Free sample reading?" question that gets put to me.

Now, I have always had a free reading draw on the go for my Facebook followers. It really does make me happy to do a freebie here and there. And I figure the Universe will give it to who needs it most. So, if you think you need it most, get your name on that note.

When I get the request on a near daily basis, though, It makes me want to giggle and make jokes. There are a few ways I think of this.

*If a possible employer asked you to come in for a full day and not get paid, so he could "sample" your work - and you did, completing the job at hand, only then to find out they were never going to hire you and on that unpaid day you did the entire job they needed done for nothing, how would you feel? This is what it's like to complete a free question reading - I've done the job people normally hire for.

*You have a skill. It's something you are good at, something that you spend say, oh, 17 years perfecting and upgrading and working intensely on. Let's say it's plumbing. You know you're worth at least $60 to complete a job, but because you are trying to balance affordability with what your skill is worth, so that everyone can have running toilets, you charge half of that. Yet, people still call you up to ask you to come and fix their toilet for free. Just to see if you can do it. Never mind that you've given them a tonne of referrals and feedback from others with fixed toilets.

*I'm not entirely sure what a sample reading would entail... umm, the first 2 sentences of an entire email reading? A picture of the first 3 tarot cards in a 7 tarot spread? (which is what I use for each question.) I've always thought that leaving others' feedback on my website was equivalent to a "sample" - as best as one can sample something like this.

My full in person readings are $30 (as of this writing.) My one question email reading is $9.00 (and that's CANADIAN dollars, folks.) I think that $9.00 is a sample sized price - if you were buying a sample of shampoo, that full sized cost $7 or so, you'd probably still be paying $1.50 for the sample.)

I'm not ticked or angry about the requests for free readings - I DO wonder however, how come it happens so often in this industry. Everyone else gets paid to work, gets to pay their bills and feed their kids based on what they've earned with their skills and in their jobs.

This is my job. I've dedicated more time to it, in order to help more people, and reach a larger audience. I've got my prices low low low in order to be able to reach people who would like or who even need this guidance, without it being a big scary strain on their wallets. (Last time I checked, famous psychics were charging around $700 USD for phone readings - and you'd get put on a 6 month waiting list to connect.) I can do your reading just as well with my own skills as any of the high priced readers. Far faster. And WAY less expensively.

I make myself available everyday. (Except ofcourse Sunday.) I make connections, read from the heart, and have time to care about those I'm reading for. Send prayers out to them, and follow up, stay connected online.

So, if anyone is doubting, I have given an awful lot of my time, my self, my heart to being able to read, without pay. Spiritual work, reading, praying, sending love and healing, the free readings, and all the struggles to reach this point. If it were all about the money, I'd be charging FAR more.

I love what I do. I love that it's helpful and giving and kind. I love the sharing, and the teaching, and the lifting up of lives.

I also like to feed my kids, and occasionally have a meal myself.

If I didn't charge something for doing this, I'd have to be doing something else to feed us, which would eat up any energy and time I had for readings, and NO readings would happen, ever. That's just how it is.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything. I also hope I haven't offended anyone. In no way am I accusing or angry - just felt the need to voice why I don't do all my readings for free.

Blessings to you,
Lori-Grace