Simple, Short, and Sweet.

[Seraph]

Client: We are a startup business, will you design our site for free? We will promote your as our designer, as a payment.

Seraph: No.

-----

You'd be surprised how often I am asked this.

[Zellie Crescent]

I'd tell them: You know what's a good payment? Cash.

[Mnemjian]

Ooh, I've got to try that one!

"Hello, Maserati, I have a great deal for you. You give me a free car, and I'll tell people how nice it is. It's a win-win!"

[Shironu-Akaineko]

You'd be surprised how often I am asked this.

No.
No I'm not.

Had a lady awhile back contact me on my Etsy, asking for 120 charms for FREE for an event she was planning.
At my first refusal, she conveniently talked to her assistant and they brought it down to 80. Still for FREE. Also, she wanted me to lend her a bracelet I just posted for photoshoots.
At my second refusal, I also suggested Loaner Insurance, as in if she accidentally lost it or the model liked it too much, I would be paid for non-return.

Oh my god did the shit ever hit the fan. Unleashed the fucking fury, she did.
I'm unprofessional, I don't know how to run a business and I made it unattractive to work with.

How dare I ask money for my product.

[Exaspera]

Yeah really, you guys! They'll give you FREE PUBLICITY!!! :-P

[Shironu-Akaineko]

We can't afford the FREE publicity.

[Android Kaeli]

I do beaded jewelry, mostly bracelets, necklaces, and the occassional pair of earrings. The only time I'll ever do something completely free is if it's a gift for <random holiday and/or birthday> or the person that I'm making the jewelry buys everything but the string used ( I got fishing line for that, at 500 yards that can hold a good amount of weight, for $2.50 ). I've done that twice already for the same person, I was "tipped" the extra beads because the person in question had no use for the extra beads.

Outside of these two instances, yea that's the price I have set, no it's not coming down unless I feel generous, yea I'm an evil person. Deal.

[Andara Bledin]

I got fishing line for that, at 500 yards that can hold a good amount of weight, for $2.50

Completely
I don't know how good it is these days, but back when I was beading regularly, fishing line wouldn't hold up over the long run. It'd get brittle and break after a few years or so. It may be better, now, but we always used waxed beading thread. (the thread is dry; you buy wax and apply it yourself)

^-.-^

[RetailWorkhorse]

Completely
I don't know how good it is these days, but back when I was beading regularly, fishing line wouldn't hold up over the long run. It'd get brittle and break after a few years or so. It may be better, now, but we always used waxed beading thread. (the thread is dry; you buy wax and apply it yourself)

^-.-^

Even further off-topic....

I use waxed floss when I'm rebeading any of Mom's necklaces.

[wynjara]

Completely
I don't know how good it is these days, but back when I was beading regularly, fishing line wouldn't hold up over the long run. It'd get brittle and break after a few years or so. It may be better, now, but we always used waxed beading thread. (the thread is dry; you buy wax and apply it yourself)

^-.-^

I use the thread-like fishing line myself, not the plastic-feel mono-filament that most people think of when they think fishing line. In some weights it has a waxy coating already, and it holds up amazingly compared to similar weight thread. The plastic stuff does break easily.

[Exaspera]

I hope it's okay to tell about another site here. There's no forum, just entries that you can read and come right back here.

Clients From Hell - It's all about designers of media and their clients. Pretty jaw-dropping stuff, some of which I have heard myself.

(Mods, please let me know if this is not okay to post)

[Andara Bledin]

I use waxed floss when I'm rebeading any of Mom's necklaces.

Our beading was usually with tiny little seed beads. There's no way we'd ever get most types of floss to go through the holes in the needles.

^-.-^

[ralerin]

Completely
I don't know how good it is these days, but back when I was beading regularly, fishing line wouldn't hold up over the long run. It'd get brittle and break after a few years or so. It may be better, now, but we always used waxed beading thread. (the thread is dry; you buy wax and apply it yourself)

^-.-^

I use the thread-like fishing line myself, not the plastic-feel mono-filament that most people think of when they think fishing line. In some weights it has a waxy coating already, and it holds up amazingly compared to similar weight thread. The plastic stuff does break easily.

You'll be surprised that most beaders DO use fishing line, the palstic stuff. I ordered hematite bracelets for my wrists, and they snapped after a week, scattering dozens of itsy beads all over the place. I need to find my magnetic clasps and restring them.

Even further off-topic....

I use waxed floss when I'm rebeading any of Mom's necklaces.

No. Stop that. Use a good quality jeweler's wire or silk instead. Floss snaps easier than fishing line.

[Exaspera]

No. Stop that. Use a good quality jeweler's wire or silk instead. Floss snaps easier than fishing line.

Do they sell silk thread say, in with all of the other bead stuff? I've been using waxed dental floss, too.

I don't make jewelry as a business, I just have lots of beads and sometimes get the idea that I can do that.

[Andara Bledin]

If you go to a shop that has beading supplies they should also have a section of threads (there's some pretty decent nylons in with the silk these days) and wax as well as needles.

Huh, seems some places also sell the plastic junk for beading. I'd never use it. When my thread is stronger than the metal rings holding my work together, I know it's good thread.

^-.-^