Rates and payment

My base rate for research and consulting work is $50 (US dollars) per hour, billed to the quarter hour.

• I have some special offers for common topics I know I can research quickly.
• Discounts are available for projects over 5 hours.
• Questions relating to accessibility also get a discount for non-profit groups looking to improve access.

Other arrangements may be possible – if money is tight for you, let me know what your budget is, and I’ll let you know what the options are. (More info on some possible options below.)

Rush work is available for an additional fee (depending on the amount of time involved) if I have space in my calendar. Please inquire. Otherwise, an estimated date for completion is part of our agreement.

Text and video chat have additional fees beyond the cost of the research. Text chat is $25 per hour (billed to the half hour) additional, video chat is $50 per hour (billed to the half hour) additional. Please let me know if you need these for accessibility reasons.

For research that involves visiting a specific site, you will also be expected to pay for expenses (entry fees, copying fees, parking fees) In most cases, I should be able to provide an accurate estimate in advance. Travel time is charged at $20 per hour.

More information

Payment method:

Payment is normally invoiced via PayPal (you don’t need an account, just a card you can use online).

Are there options for payment besides PayPal?

Yes, there are. I’m glad to consider checks or money orders, but will need to allow plenty of time for the money to completely clear into my account. If you’d like this option, please let me know as part of our discussions about the services involved.

I am open to considering other payment options: if you have something in mind, please ask. Barter or trades are unlikely options, but if you have something specific in mind, I’ll be glad to consider offers of equal monetary value.

Do you offer payment plans?

I do. I’m glad to work out the details with you depending on how much time we’re looking at, and the timeframe involved. Research will not begin until you’ve made the payment involved, but we may well be able to break a longer task into smaller more affordable pieces.

I can’t afford your rates, but would love your help.

I know money is an accessibility issue for a lot of people. Here are some options, and I’m glad to discuss which of them might work best for a particular need if you contact me.

• I provide a significant number of resources for free on my Seeking site that cover many common Pagan topics
• Let me know your budget, and I can tell you what I could provide that fits that number.
• Payment plans are available, and we can work out a schedule that makes sense for you.
• Check out my online courses and see if any of them meet your needs. (They’re much cheaper than my consulting.)
• My newsletter has tips on researching, and I may sometimes share discounts on services or courses.

You might also get lucky if you ask online. As mentioned in my bio, I’m active in other online spaces, notably The Cauldron, an online interfaith Pagan forum which is also full of other smart and experienced Pagan (and non-Pagan) folks with good information. I reply there as time and energy permit (so please don’t fish for an answer specifically from me), but it’s a good resource for thoughtful and research-savvy help. Please read the rules carefully before posting – it works a bit differently than many other Pagan online spaces.

Finally, I’m committing to donating a percentage of my services as discounted or pro-bono services. I’ll link from this page if time is available, and note it in my newsletter.

Would you donate your services to our non-profit org or fundraiser?

I’m glad to consider it!

For non-profits, I am glad to offer a discount (based on the amount of work required) to share resources about making your events or materials more accessible. I’m glad to consider discounts for other services as well. Please let me know more about your organisation’s goals when you contact me.

I am glad to donate an hour or two of services for a few fundraisers a year. If you’d like me to consider your favourite, please tell me about it through the contact form and provide a link to any additional information about the project or beneficiary.

How do you set your fees?

I reviewed hourly rates for equivalent professional research services, including library salaries in the Boston metro area, fees charged by genealogists and family history researchers, and fees charged for highly individual services in the Pagan community (such as divination readings.)

Last updated March 31, 2018