Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Invoice

Money talk can feel awkward, especially when you’re just starting out as a Virtual Assistant. You’ve got clients to impress, contracts to send, and a million Canva graphics to finish—and now you’re wondering, “Am I actually charging enough to make this all worth it?”

Spoiler: if you’re asking that question, there’s a good chance the answer is no.

I’ve been there. I used to charge so little I felt like I was volunteering with a subscription to burnout. And while there’s no perfect “one-size-fits-all” rate, there is a way to figure out if your pricing is actually working for you—or silently sabotaging your business.

In this article, I’ll walk you through a no-fluff, totally doable pricing audit to help you get clear, confident, and ready to raise those numbers if needed.

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Step 1: What’s Your Real Monthly Income Goal?

Let’s start with the big picture: what do you actually need to earn per month?

Don’t just pull a number out of thin air. We’re going deeper than that. Your goal needs to:

• Cover your personal living expenses (rent, bills, food, etc.)

• Include your business expenses (tools, courses, subscriptions, taxes)

• Leave room for savings, growth, and fun (yes, that trip to Lisbon counts)

Let’s break it down:

• Personal bills: €1,200

• Business expenses: €300

• Taxes (30% buffer): €500

• Savings/fun: €500
  → Monthly goal: €2,500–3,000

This is your baseline. Anything under that and you’re hustling for survival, not sustainability.

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Step 2: Know Your Available Working Hours

How many billable hours can you realistically work each week?

Spoiler: it’s not 40.

You’ll spend a good chunk of time doing admin, onboarding, marketing, creating content, updating your systems. Those hours aren’t billable—but they’re necessary.

Let’s say:

You work 30 hours a week

20 of those are client-facing and billable
→ That’s about 80 billable hours a month

• Now divide your monthly income goal by your available hours:

€3,000 ÷ 80 = €37.50/hour

That’s your minimum sustainable rate.

And if you’re charging less than that? You’re building a business that’s eating your time and your energy.

 

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Step 3: Assess Your Current Pricing Model

Time to look at what you’re currently charging and how.

Hourly? Retainers? Project-based? Packages?

Each has pros and cons—but regardless of your structure, you should know:

How many hours a client gets

What deliverables are included

What’s outside of scope (and what happens when they ask for it)

Let’s do a quick pricing audit:

😬 If you just realized one of your clients is paying you less than your minimum sustainable rate, don’t panic.

We’ve all had “legacy pricing.” The key is deciding whether to:

Raise the rate

Reduce the deliverables

Let them go and make space for aligned clients

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Step 4: Consider Your Value, Not Just Your Time

Pricing isn’t just math—it’s positioning.

Are you selling your hours, or are you selling results?

Because results are worth more. If your social media strategy gets a client 10 new leads a week, that’s not a €25/hour task—it’s a revenue generator.

Ask yourself:

What outcomes do I create for clients?

What headaches do I remove from their day?

What’s the value of their saved time, improved branding, better client experience?

When you frame your services around transformation instead of tasks, your pricing goes from “cheap freelancer” to “premium support partner.”

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Step 5: Audit for Scope Creep

Let me guess—you started out with one set of tasks, but now you’re doing everything short of picking up the client’s dry cleaning?

That’s scope creep.

And it’s the silent killer of your hourly rate.

If a client pays you for 10 hours/month and you’re secretly working 15? Your real rate just dropped by 33%.

It’s time to:

Track your time (I use Toggl)

Compare what you promised vs. what you actually do

Create a new scope or suggest an upgrade package

Script:

“I’ve noticed our current scope has grown over the last few months. I love supporting your business, and to continue delivering at this level, I’d like to discuss adjusting our plan.”

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Step 6: Are You Attracting the Right Clients?

Your pricing also affects the kind of clients you attract.

💸 Low rates tend to bring in:

Micro-managers

Budget-hunters

People who don’t value your time

✨ Aligned rates bring:

Respect

Autonomy

Better long-term partnerships

You might think lower prices make you more competitive—but they can actually signal that you’re inexperienced or desperate. And we are neither.

If your inbox is full of chaotic inquiries and price-shoppers, it might be time to raise your rates and watch the quality shift.

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Step 7: Plan Your Rate Increase (Yes, You Can Do This)

So now that you’ve done your audit, what do you do if your rates are too low?

You raise them. With intention.

Timeline:

Give clients 30 days’ notice

Frame the change as growth, not punishment

Offer upgrade options if needed

Script:

“Over the past year, I’ve invested in additional tools and training to better support clients. As a result, I’ll be updating my rates to €X starting [Date]. I’m excited to continue working together at this new level!”

Most good clients will understand. If they don’t? That’s your sign.

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Bonus: The Mindset Shift

Your rates don’t just pay your bills. They communicate your confidence, your capacity, and your commitment.

This isn’t just about “charging more.” It’s about:

Setting your business up for long-term success

Protecting your energy and avoiding burnout

Creating space for clients who see your value

You are not expensive.
You are appropriately compensated.

And if someone says, “You charge too much”?
Smile, and say: “I’m not the right fit for you—thanks for reaching out.”

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Final Thoughts

Doing a pricing audit can feel confronting. But it’s also empowering.

You deserve to work with clients who value your time, pay you fairly, and make you excited to open your laptop every day.

Start where you are.
Look at the numbers.
Make small shifts.
And remember—you’re not here to survive.
You’re here to thrive.

Because this isn’t just about being a VA. It’s about building a business.