Sad. But at least because you state your rate, you can see how much them lowered. I have lost customer after them say their own prices after I estimate a lot more (that is based in decades of experience, in the same market).

When the counter-offer is TOO BAD you can say, 100% sure, the experience moving forward will be VERY BAD. I'm not in a market where programming is well paid, and this is the most certain sign the customer will not pay on time, or even at all..