Three Benjamins

[+ harey]

300 seems to be the magical number. Some excellent escorts advertise for less, but I routinely see that rate in large and midsize cities, for companions both exotic and (frankly) ordinary. A few really special men may ask for more, but for most the magic number is also the market ceiling. When did $300 become the standard? And why do so many escorts set their rates at the top of the scale? Is this trend driven by a Millennial generation sense of entitlement?

[+ Charlie]

I don't know when it happened, but it was after I stopped hiring; $150-200 seemed to be the norm then. (I was horrified in the 1970s when I realized it had jumped from $60 to $65 for a higher end escort.)

[LivingnLA]

Interesting question. I'm not sure when it happened since I'm so new to this market.

 

I'd imagine it has to do with a variety of factors. Wealth concentration is one macro factor. The top bracket had far more money than ever before so "luxury goods and services" have all seen significant price inflation.

 

A related factor might be how professional massage has gone from a dollar a minute to more like 1.5 per minute in a large market like LA. So, escorts figure they should be able to get 2-3 per minute for their "massages" and that leads to 4-5 per minute for "full service."

 

It's all about what the market will accept. I'm fine with 300 an hour as the top end but I expect a completely professional and thoroughly enjoyable experience for that rate.

 

Things like inconsistent or unprofessional communication or attitude, inappropriate dress, etc all negatively affect my view of an acceptable service and that's without getting into anything physically intimate.

 

Lastly, I'd imagine smaller markets to be closer to 200 an hour and various factors such as service limits, marketability etc. should all impact pricing too.

[mattr]

There is no magic number, the market ceiling is whatever a client is willing to pay and that varies from escort to escort. Also, to some clients $300 is a lot of money, to others it is a drop in the bucket.

 

A service provider is free to set any price he wishes, a client is free to determine the maximum he will pay any particular escort. If an escort is getting enough business at a particular rate, then that is likely the right price for him regardless of what you or I think. Conversely, if I set a ceiling on how much I am willing to pay, an escorts supposed feeling that he is entitlement would have no impact that ceiling.

[+ Truereview]

I don't think generational traits have much to do with it (Millennials feeling entitled, which btw is a myth). I do think it is more the market. Over the last 10 years, I've seen the avg move from to $200 to $250 to $300. After the financial crisis in 2007 - 2008, it stayed pretty steady around $250, but late 2013, I noticed a larger wave of guys going to $300. Like all services, they will continue to inch up and adjusting up or down depending on market dynamics and/or the perceived "value" of the service provider. I have noticed guys who set their rate at top-of-market, but I don't worry much about why cuz it is all so individual. If I scratch my head about someone's rate, that's a signal for me to just skip the ad and find someone who is smarter about setting their rate. If they are meticulous about rate-setting, they are likely to be so about other matters.

 

I've had a couple of guys in my portfolio approach me about raising the rates we locked into. I've shared with them that I'm happy to do so as long as they are fine with my seeing them less frequently. However, I'm not here to be a hardass, I'm here to have fun with guys who deliver their best. So...I did increase one guy's locked-in rate to $300, but the reason was simple: he has gotten increasingly more attractive (for me) and his bedside manner has improved greatly. His performance warrants the higher rate. All this to say that there are practices out there you can engage in to curb the impact of rising rates. I find most guys are happy to work out agreements as long as it is win-win.

 

I hate to sound so mechanical about this, but like any hobby, I need to set budgets, boundaries, and protocols to make the best out of the fun, while caring for the egos, pockets, and emotions involved.

[alexslaveboy]

I guess I am a sucker as I am paying anywhere from $250 to $450 for guys and we do not have pentration sex.

 

But I also require outcalls strictly to my place in Jersey and most of the NYC guys charge higher for traveling to Jersey

ie: gas tolls and commute time

 

I tend to see the guys who spend more than an hour with me and hire them multiple times in the month.

[MikeyGMin]

portfolio

 

LOL. I'm sure your portfolio is broad and well-diversified.

[+ Truereview]

LOL. I'm sure your portfolio is broad and well-diversified.

Even in my sluttiness, I support inclusion and diversity.

[DonaldTramp]

Didn't someone recently foolishly suggest that everyone should raise their rates to $1000 because the economy is bad & business is slow? Sounds like a great idea!

[+ glennnn]

Today, I read one post by a very well-known, and well-respected escort that indicated that bookings were down, and, therefore, escort revenue was down. Here, we find a discussion of increases in escort rates. What is the relationship?

 

I, for one client, have a limited amount I can spend on my hobby. Let's say $2500/year. @ $250/hour that means 10 hours. @ 2 hours/session that means 5 sessions, most likely spent with 5 different escorts. Raise the rate to $300 and I am down to 4 sessions spent with 4 escorts. (This ignores the very generous second hour discount many of our wonderful escorts offer). My point is 4 escorts got a bump of $100 in revenue from my business due to the increase, while one escort had a loss of $500. I saved $100, but lost one session per year. Also, at $300/hour, and only four chances per year, I want a guaranteed fabulous experience and will only patronize the top few escorts, taking no chances.

 

I love our escorts and understand that they have a tough business to manage, but volume sales often raise profits and they can be negatively impacted by a raise in rates. Am I the only client who is afraid of being priced out of the market? The time to raise prices is when your product is scarce and in high demand. Is that now? I don't know.

 

Disclaimer: I am not an economist or a business genius. Be gentle, please.

[+ bashful]

Today, I read one post by a very well-known, and well-respected escort that indicated that bookings were down, and, therefore, escort revenue was down. Here, we find a discussion of increases in escort rates. What is the relationship?

 

Glennnn, I, for one client, have a limited amount I can spend on my hobby. Let's say $2500/year. @ $250/hour that means 10 hours. @ 2 hours/session that means 5 sessions, most likely spent with 5 different escorts. Raise the rate to $300 and I am down to 4 sessions spent with 4 escorts. (This ignores the very generous second hour discount many of our wonderful escorts offer). My point is 4 escorts got a bump of $100 in revenue from my business due to the increase, while one escort had a loss of $500. I saved $100, but lost one session per year. Also, at $300/hour, and only four chances per year, I want a guaranteed fabulous experience and will only patronize the top few escorts, taking no chances.

 

I love our escorts and understand that they have a tough business to manage, but volume sales often raise profits and they can be negatively impacted by a raise in rates. Am I the only client who is afraid of being priced out of the market? The time to raise prices is when your product is scarce and in high demand. Is that now? I don't know.

 

Disclaimer: I am not an economist or a business genius. Be gentle, please.

 

I like what you have to say from a client perspective. Even before this thread came about, I had begun tracking my spending on this hobby. Rates are the biggest part of our expenses as clients, but not what concerns me the most. If their rate was prohibitive, I wouldn't contact them. But, with any hire, there are additional costs. Not counting gas and tolls, we have to pay for parking (and tips too) and not wanting to be late for an appointment, I leave early to not be stuck in traffic. If I arrive early, I don't want to hang out in the lobby of his hotel, of if he hosts at a residence, I stop somewhere for a beverage. Not cheap in the big city. But, that's not a complaint. Simply part of the cost of hiring. I was surprised when I added it up, 9 hires in the last year were just a little south of 4K. I think I need to take a hiatus.

[down_to_business]

They set their rates at $300 because they look at rentmen and they see someone else set their rates at $300. If they don't set their rates at $300, some busybody "client" tells them they need to set their rates to $300.

 

Set your budgets and spend accordingly. If that means you can only hire your guy once a month instead of twice a month, so be it.

 

I don't seem to follow that rule myself. I know I would likely hire once a week at a reasonable rate of $200... but at $300 I just lose interest and barely can get myself to hire once a month anymore.

[Reluctant Daddy]

I'm only a year into hiring, and just beginning to realize just how expensive this hobby can become. Not sure if a go fund me page would help or if I should just shoot for a hardship withdrawal on my 401k.

[MikeyGMin]

I come from a Mormon family where most of my siblings give 10% of their income to the Church. They are both equally frivolous, but I think I get a lot more enjoyment out of my donations.

[+ glennnn]

I come from a Mormon family where most of my siblings give 10% of their income to the Church. They are both equally frivolous, but I think I get a lot more enjoyment out of my donations.

 

 

 

Having had my own experience of LDS life.... I agree 100%. This is much more enjoyable and actually much cheaper!

[marylander1940]

They set their rates at $300 because they look at rentmen and they see someone else set their rates at $300. If they don't set their rates at $300, some busybody "client" tells them they need to set their rates to $300.

 

Set your budgets and spend accordingly. If that means you can only hire your guy once a month instead of twice a month, so be it.

 

I don't seem to follow that rule myself. I know I would likely hire once a week at a reasonable rate of $200... but at $300 I just lose interest and barely can get myself to hire once a month anymore.

 

Maybe you could offer that deal to an escort and hire him for 200 every week.

 

Have you thought about it?

 

240 seems to be an average rate for incalls here in DC, not so much in NYC where the average rate is 300 and could be hire for outcalls.

[+ Truereview]

I work hard, I volunteer, I save, I do charitable work, I rescue pets, I say my prayers, I wash behind my ears. My selfish treat is this hobby - a hobby I can afford above and beyond doing the "right" things. Every hobby is supposed to be fun, but it should also have protocols, boundaries, and budgets; otherwise, IMO, it just becomes an addiction or a vice. My psychological limit is $300/hr or $1200/night. If the avg market pricing ever goes north of that & my portfolio strategy implodes, I will hang up my sneakers, get into my big boy pants, and consider (gasp) hookups or (double gasp) monogamy.

[+ purplekow]

I am considering retiring and as a result, I am expecting to cut back on my hiring. I may not live any longer but it will seem that way without the occasional companion, but hiring constitutes my largest expense for entertainment and when one is cutting back, entertainment is one of the first things to see the knife.

I usually hire for overnights and so in addition to the expense of the companion, there is dinner and sundries and quite frankly, I do not enjoy as much bang for the buck. Also, there is less bang from the buck, as either my libido has ebbed or my appreciation of the skills of the escort has decreased.

[+ glennnn]

I work hard, I volunteer, I save, I do charitable work, I rescue pets, I say my prayers, I wash behind my ears. My selfish treat is this hobby - a hobby I can afford above and beyond doing the "right" things. Every hobby is supposed to be fun, but it should also have protocols, boundaries, and budgets; otherwise, IMO, it just becomes an addiction or a vice. My psychological limit is $300/hr or $1200/night. If the avg market pricing ever goes north of that & my portfolio strategy implodes, I will hang up my sneakers, get into my big boy pants, and consider (gasp) hookups or (double gasp) monogamy.

 

 

No just call me! I really like you and I suck good!!

[liubit]

When I started my "hiring career" back in the early 1990s, the going New York City rate was $100. I saw it go slowly up to $125 (very impractical fee, BTW), then $150, $200, and finally $250 when I left the city in 2002. Yes, it is obviously market driven. I agree, the "right" rate is whatever a client is willing and able to pay.

 

Fortunately for me, the going fee in Prague, where I now live, is somewhere between $100 and $140. I have never hired above that.

[DonaldTramp]

Sometimes it's better to just stay home & jerk off to PornHub.

[WolfRamNHard]

I work hard, I volunteer, I save, I do charitable work, I rescue pets, I say my prayers, I wash behind my ears. My selfish treat is this hobby - a hobby I can afford above and beyond doing the "right" things. Every hobby is supposed to be fun, but it should also have protocols, boundaries, and budgets; otherwise, IMO, it just becomes an addiction or a vice. My psychological limit is $300/hr or $1200/night. If the avg market pricing ever goes north of that & my portfolio strategy implodes, I will hang up my sneakers, get into my big boy pants, and consider (gasp) hookups or (double gasp) monogamy.

 

Some of us actually enjoy hooking up. It's different from hiring, but not necessarily better or worse. Different strokes.

[Despardo]

Does anyone on this thread shop for his own groceries? Have you noticed any change over say the last year in the price of meat? fruit? fresh vegetables? even beer? The average price for a six pack of beer has gone from $5.99 to $8.99! The rent on my modest one bedroom apartment in the suburbs has gone up more than 14% over a period of 3 years. When was the last time you bought lunch in a restaurant and paid less than $15 with tax and tip? How much did you pay for the last pizza you had delivered?

[+ Truereview]

Some of us actually enjoy hooking up. It's different from hiring, but not necessarily better or worse. Different strokes.

Good point! Thank you. I believe hooking up is a perfectly good alternative, and I am all pro-choice Sorry if my "gasp" made it sound like it was a bad or worse choice in general. It is just not my preferred choice; therefore, I gasp. Maybe I need a hooking-up mentor...

 

No just call me! I really like you and I suck good!!

I promise to bring flowers & I plan to stuff you with Argentinian chorizo!

[mike carey]

I promise to bring flowers & I plan to stuff you with Argentinian chorizo!

Promises, promises! *Books ticket to Montevideo (or should that be LA?)*