Cost: In order to make the course more accessible, I charge on a sliding scale. However, because income is only one factor in each person’s financial situation (among many others such as cost of living in their area, number of dependents, health care expenses, and so on), I use qualitative rather than quantitative criteria.
Tier 1 is the true cost of the class; Tiers 2 and 3 are discounted. In the descriptions below, the term “discretionary expenses” refers to nice-to-haves such as eating out, vacations, new clothes, cultural events, technology, and leisure activities/hobbies. “Basic needs” refers to expenses such as groceries, housing, transportation, and health care.
Tier 1: $350. For people who can comfortably afford to pay for discretionary expenses on a regular basis.
Tier 2: $210. For people who must adhere, by necessity, to a tight budget for discretionary expenses.
Tier 3: $70. For people who spend nearly all their income on basic needs and have little to no money remaining for discretionary expenses. Limited to 2 slots.
Tier 4 (Pay It Forward): $400. For people who can afford to contribute more and want to offer additional support. The extra payment helps keep this endeavor sustainable for me and allows me to continue offering the class to people in Tiers 2 and 3.
The sliding scale is based on trust and an honest assessment of where you are financially. But please don’t agonize over which category you belong to; your initial gut feeling is probably correct. (My approach, and some of the language used above, is drawn from Alexis Cunningfolk’s thoughtful guide “The Sliding Scale: A Tool of Economic Justice.”)
Payment plans are available; you can split the fee into 3 monthly installments.
As a business based in Washington state, I’m required to charge state and local sales tax to customers who also live in Washington. The total sales tax can range from 6.5% to 10.6% depending on the customer’s location.
Refund policy: If you cancel your registration at least 2 weeks before the workshop begins, you’ll receive a full refund. Less than 2 weeks before the workshop begins, I can no longer give refunds.
Absence policy: In order to keep the sessions more relaxed and allow people to feel comfortable asking questions, I don’t record the sessions. If you have to miss a session due to illness, emergency, or some other unexpected conflict, please contact other participants in the workshop to ask if you can borrow their notes.