A few days ago, this was going to be a post about what a hypocrite I am. I was—still am, really—ready to hang my head and confess what an awful thing I’d done.

I’ve written here how many times about setting rates and valuing your work? About how your time is valuable and you deserve to be paid well for it? And I do think that most freelancers who cannot make a living struggle not necessarily because their work is poor, but because they have difficulty valuing their time appropriately. It’s an issue about which I’m really passionate, quite frankly.

And yet, last week I engaged the services of another freelancer and then blanched at the cost. Not because the cost wasn’t fair, mind you, but just because I was feeling overwhelmed. And she offered to let me pay less, and so I did. And then I felt extremely crappy about it.

We’ve been working with a terrific dog trainer. In fact, if she were to bill me for all of the emails and phone calls we’ve exchanged as my family journeyed through the dog selection process, I’d probably have to declare bankruptcy. And she did a little private training session with us once Licorice came home, and it ended up being two hours, and so the cost was commensurate with the time spent.

“I know you’ve had a lot of start-up costs, here,” she said, seeing the look on my face. “Getting the dog, and buying the expensive food for her,” (Licorice has skin problems, so she is now on premium dog food that costs more than the food we eat) “and the shots and medicine and vet visit and everything. I understand it’s been expensive. If you want to pay less, that’s fine.”

I hesitated. I wanted to pay less, yes. But what was fair? I mean, fair was her regular rate. Or possibly even more, given all the assistance she’s given us for absolutely no charge. After a bit of back and forth (she wanted me to pick a number, and I had a really hard time with that), I ended up paying her half her regular rate. And immediately signing up for a regular training class (at the regular rate), too, but still.

Would I have done work for someone for half my regular rate? Just because I knew they had a lot of expenses? I don’t know that I necessarily would.

Plus this is someone who has really gone out of her way for us, not to mention that I just plain like her. The more I thought about it, the crummier I felt. Was it worth it, the money I saved?

Fortunately, a solution may have presented itself that soothes both my wallet and my conscience. It turns out that the trainer is working on a book. A book that will need copyediting. Her services for my services; money saved, all around, and a great exchange of expertise to benefit everyone.

So I think it’ll be a happy ending, after all. Thank goodness. Viva la barter!