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How to decide your hourly value

A worksheet method to set an hourly value from the income you need, the hours you can really work and the costs of working, without copying anyone.

Your hourly value is the number the whole calculator rests on. It should not come from a stranger's post; it should come from your own life.

A simple worksheet

  1. Write the income you need each month after costs, in rupees.
  2. Add your regular costs of working: data, tools, equipment wear, space.
  3. Add a share for tax and for slow months. A professional can tell you what to set aside.
  4. Estimate the hours you can work on paid creative work in a month. Be realistic: only part of your time is paid.
  5. Divide the total by those hours.

Example, with made-up numbers: need Rs 30,000, costs Rs 5,000, set-aside Rs 5,000: total Rs 40,000. Paid hours: 80. Hourly value: Rs 500. A real person's numbers will differ.

Why unpaid hours matter

You also spend time finding clients, answering messages and sending invoices. These hours are unpaid, which is why paid hours are fewer than hours worked.

Review it

Check your hourly value every few months and raise it when you improve or get busier. Read when to raise your rates.

Keep going

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