If you have psychic gifts, are a medium, or offer any other type of heart-based service (healer, massage therapist, Reiki practitioner, etc.) the topic of money can be really uncomfortable.
I know the feeling… it can be hard to accept money in exchange for helping others.
I’ve noticed that many of my mentoring students want to make money using their spiritual gifts, but the thought of actually charging money FREAKS them out.
Believe it or not, this feeling is normal.
Working through our heart is something that we are called to do in a very genuine way, and money is never what motivated us to pursue our calling.
For most of us, we just followed our joy, and it led to helping others.
With that said, everyone needs money to live. So, if the only thing that’s stopping you from charging a fee is the uncomfortable feeling associated with it, here are some practical tips that will help you in a jiffy:
1. What Are You Getting Paid For?
For the first 10 years I did this work, I did not make one cent.
Actually, I lost money.
Each time someone needed help, I would pay a babysitter to take care of my children so I could focus on whomever I was helping.
I gladly gave my time and energy to anyone who needed me for intuitive guidance, or to connect with their loved one in spirit.
Friends kept encouraging me to charge a fee, but the thought of it made me really uncomfortable. I felt like if I took money from people who were in need, it desecrated the work.
Then one day, I had a revelation:
I was rushing to drop off my kids with the babysitter so I could go back home to meet a client, and I thought, “This isn’t working.”
As much as I loved helping people, I was constantly putting my family last.
My husband would come home to find dinner wasn’t ready; and my promise to be back in an hour to pick up my kids would often stretch out to two hours or more. One day when I picked up my daughter, she said, “Where were you mom? You promised, one hour.”
I was so torn as to what to do that I almost gave up altogether. And then a friend said something to me that really helped:
Think of it as getting paid for your time, not your gift.
Thinking of it in this way helped me a lot, and I started accepting a small fee.
2. Energy Exchange
I’m sure you’ve heard this before: There should be an exchange of energy when offering your services or using your psychic gifts.
One way to do this is to accept money in exchange for your services because money is energy.
Obviously, if you feel guided to help someone for free, or for a discount, that’s okay! Listen to your intuition and Higher Self, and do what makes you feel comfortable.
Tip: If someone offers to trade services with you, make sure it’s an equal exchange of energy. In other words, don’t trade a 15-minute tarot card reading for a two-hour massage.
3. People are Grateful
One day many years ago, a woman handed me a $50 bill at the end of her intuitive reading. I handed it back to her and explained that I didn’t charge a fee. She said, “Honey, I insist you take it.”
She went on to explain that she would like to become a regular client, but felt like she would be taking advantage of me if she didn’t pay — that it would make her uncomfortable.
Wow, I had never thought about it like that!
I mentioned this to a friend and she said she felt the same way, so when I realized that people wanted to pay me, I was shocked.
My friend then went on to explain that she wanted to ask me for a mediumship reading, but she did not want to take advantage of me. In the end, we worked everything out and she became my first paying client!
4. Developing Psychic Gifts Costs Money
Things like classes, books, online courses, and mentoring cost money. And for those of you who are drawn to tarot cards or crystals, you have the expense of those supplies as well.
PLUS, if you have to travel to a certain class, you will also have travel and meal costs. It all adds up.
All of the professional psychics, mediums, and tarot readers I know have invested money to master their intuitive gift.
Accepting a fee for the work you do can help you cover these costs, and, help you earn money to further your spiritual education.
And when you further your spiritual education, you have more knowledge to help others!
5. People Get Paid for All Kinds of Gifts
Each day, people get paid to use their natural talents and abilities: Doctors, athletes, musicians, carpenters, and designers are just a few that come to mind.
It just so happens that your gift is of a spiritual nature – and this is what confuses many tarot and intuitive readers.
Ask yourself this question:
How wonderful would it be to support myself financially while doing what I love and helping others at the same time?
Plus, we need to eat, and have clothes and shelter.
6. Other Expenses
If you would like to support yourself using your soulful or psychic gifts, you will encounter business expenses such as:
- Business cards
- Hosting for your blog or website
- Website and logo design
- Advertising
- Cost to rent an office
- Business and marketing courses
- Spiritual business coaching
- Graphic design (eBook covers, etc.)
- Membership to spiritual business groups
- Designated telephone line
- Massage table (for healers and Reiki practitioners)
2013 was my first full year as a psychic medium blogger and my expenses were a few thousand dollars.
But again, the fee you receive for your work can be reinvested into helping your business grow, which means more people that need help can find you!
Takeaways
If you decide to start charging money for your psychic gifts or other heart-centered services, the fee you charge is up to you.
If you want to get your feet wet until you are more comfortable, start small. You can always increase your rates as you get more comfortable.
I hope these tips have helped you gain a new perspective on charging money for your psychic gifts!