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| A Little Shameless Self Promotion |
I have a little Etsy shop (cough **link is on the top right** cough) where I sell readings for what I consider pretty cheap rates. I've been reading Tarot for friends and family for five years, but still feel I'm a work in progress, thus I've priced my readings to match where I feel my level of experience lies at this moment in time. It's been my experience that people will always pay the least amount for something that they can (which I can completely relate to) but in the case of Tarot, this isn't always the best strategy.
Tarot card readings are a very different sort of thing, and while it's completely true that there are scam artists out there trying to lure you in with a cheap reading, then con you into extra readings, spells to prevent horrors from occurring, pouches and oils to ward off evil, etc, for the most part, an honest reader is going to give you what you pay for and make no promises that he/she can solve your problems.
Card readers price their readings in all various sorts of ways. I price mine by the card. A general good rule of thumb is that the more complex the issue, the more elaborate the spread and thus the number of cards (and the price) increases. Coming to a Tarot reader with a question about where your long term relationship is going or what career path you should choose and hoping a three card reading will cover it is akin to putting a Band Aid on a bullet wound.....it's not going to do the job. The complexity of the question and the answers you need require a reader to see the whole picture.....this is simply not possible with a small reading.
A good rule of thumb is to think of the complexity of the spread as a measure of how life altering the issue you are asking about is and base your decision off of that:
- One Card Reading: Yes or No Answer questions (Will the cute guy that asked for my number call me?); Fun questions (Is my baby a boy or girl?), Energy questions (What should I be aware of as I go into my job interview today?)
- Three Card Readings (past, present, future reading): Short term relationship reading (Tell me about my relationship with X, who I've been dating for two weeks), New job reading (I'm starting a new job tomorrow, where is position taking me?), Change in direction reading (I've been thinking about changing my college major.....what do I need to know?)
- Five Card Reading: Relationship Problems (What are the issues surround the bad blood between me and my in laws), Issues where "baggage" may be involved (What is keeping me from committing?)
- Six Cards +: Varies depending on type of reading. Generally this is where we get into the complex career/relationship issues.
It is very important that if you are seeing a reader in person, that you have an idea before any card is spread, of exactly what questions your reader will be answering and how much the reader will charge you. Oftentimes, in person readers charge not by complexity of the spread per se, but by the time your reading takes. Complex readings can easily take an hour, as your reader should help you formulate your questions, lay out an appropriate spread and interpret it to the greatest detail possible.
Blessings!
