Should You Lower Your Rates This Holiday Rush? Here’s the Truth

Holiday season in the Philippines hits different. The moment “-ber months” roll in, every corner suddenly smells like bibingka, your kapitbahay’s karaoke mysteriously operates on extended hours, and clients—local and international—enter full panic mode.

It’s the busiest time of the year for freelancers… and the season when many start asking for discounts.

But here’s the million-peso question:

Should you actually lower your rates during the holiday rush?

Let’s break it down – minus the drama, pero with a little real talk.

Why Clients Ask for Discounts During the Holidays

It’s not because they’re kuripot (well… sometimes). It’s because:

• Budgets reset in January, so companies try to stretch whatever’s left.
• Q4 is full of urgent campaigns, so they want more output for less money.
• Inflation is real – global brands are cutting costs, not just Pinoy SME clients.
• And honestly? Many assume freelancers “need extra money” this season.

But here’s what they don’t know…

Data Says You Shouldn’t Lower Your Rates

According to multiple global freelance market studies:

• Demand for freelancers spikes by up to 40% in Q4.
  • (Social media, e-commerce, newsletters, customer support – lahat yan sabay-sabay na trending.)

• Freelancer income typically increases by 22–34% in the last quarter, thanks to rush projects and holiday campaigns.
• Urgent deadlines are statistically priced 1.5× to 3× higher in the industry.

So tell me – does that look like the season to cut rates?

Nope. Not even a little.

The Psychology of Pricing During Peak Season

When clients are rushing, the value you bring increases:

• Faster turnaround
• Emotional labor (yes, dealing with frazzled clients is a skill)
• Expertise under pressure
• Ability to execute with limited revisions
• Stable reliability at a time chaos is the norm

Discounts devalue all of that.

And get this:

Clients who ask for discounts during your busiest months?

Sila rin usually yung pinaka-demanding.

Coincidence? Hindi.

The lower the price, the higher the entitlement.

When Should You Offer a Discount? (Almost Never – But Here Are Exceptions)

There are strategic exceptions:

1. Long-term clients you genuinely love

As in, the “Hindi ako nagba-burnout sa’yo” type.

A loyalty gesture – not a markdown.

2. Bulk projects with 2–3 months of guaranteed workload

Not 2 weeks. Not “holiday bundles.”

Real, sustainable work.

3. When you propose it, not when you’re pressured into it

Offering a promo is a strategy.

Giving a discount out of guilt is people-pleasing.

So What Should You Do Instead of Giving Discounts?

Here are smarter, more frugal-friendly moves:

1. Offer Priority or Rush Packages

“Guaranteed within 48 hours”

Price: +30% to +200%

Holiday rush? Charge for the rush.

2. Add freebies that don’t cost you extra labor

• Template
• Checklist
• Insights
• Mini-report
• 2025 content calendar

Small gesture, big perceived value.

3. Set clear holiday boundaries

December is prime burnout season.

Protect your sanity – set cut-offs and working hours early.

4. Strengthen your pre-January pipeline

Most freelancers cry in February because they didn’t plant seeds in Q4.

Engage prospects now.

The Hidden Cost of Lowering Your Rates

Let’s be brutally honest:

• You work more.
• You earn less.
• You condition clients to expect low prices.
• You train yourself to undervalue your expertise.
• Your January becomes a financial hangover.

And the worst part?

Cheap clients don’t magically become premium clients in January.

They stay cheap.

Real Talk: You Deserve Holiday Rates, Not Holiday Discounts

You are:

• The person keeping their campaigns alive
• The one handling their Christmas surge
• The one delivering while everyone else is on vacation
• The silent backbone of their revenue season

Your time is premium.

Your skills are even more premium.

And your energy? Scarce.

If there’s ever a season to raise your rates, it’s now.

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