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Re:Ask HN: Standard freelance web development rates by AdrianRossouw on Thursday March 05, 2015 @11:30AM (#9151741)
I worked backwards from my target salary, divided by the amount of workdays in a year, with an added 15% contracting rate modifier.

So if I wanted to make 90k/y, my day rate would be :

> (90000 / 230) * 1.15 = $450 per 8-hour day.

PS: I don't like selling time in less than 4 hour batches either.

Re:Ask HN: Standard freelance web development rates by gk1 on Thursday March 05, 2015 @11:45AM (#9151870)
I wouldn't recommend doing this.

What does your target salary have to do with the value of your work?

Re:Ask HN: Standard freelance web development rates by midnightmonster on Thursday March 05, 2015 @12:00PM (#9151988)
It's also a really naive calculation in that it assumes you will be able to fill nearly every working day out of the year with a full day's worth of paying work. When are you going to pursue leads, develop your sales funnel, learn new tech, and file your taxes?
Re:Ask HN: Standard freelance web development rates by charlesnw on Thursday March 05, 2015 @12:56PM (#9152496)
Um. You work for money. Generally one should have a target amount of money in mind (based on a budget). I rather like the calculation. I'll use it next time I do consulting.
Re:Ask HN: Standard freelance web development rates by jnbiche on Thursday March 05, 2015 @02:43PM (#9153314)
Do you think this is how companies price their goods?

I mean, sure you should calculate a bare minimum rate. But you should charge as much as the market will bare.

Re:Ask HN: Standard freelance web development rates by gk1 on Thursday March 05, 2015 @01:16PM (#9152666)
Of course you should have a budget, but what does that have to do with the value you're providing as a consultant?

If you're asked why your hourly rate is $X, are you going to reply "because I have expensive hobbies?"