How to Ask for More Money: Start by Understanding Your Worth

If you have ever felt nervous about asking for a raise or raising your prices, you are not alone. Many women, even successful and high-achieving women, hesitate to advocate for themselves financially.

Sometimes it is mindset. Sometimes it is fear of rejection. Sometimes it is that voice whispering “Who am I to ask for more?” But here is the truth: your skills, experience, and growth have value. Your compensation should reflect that. Whether you work for a company or run your own business, increasing your income often starts with getting comfortable asking for what you deserve.

Why Asking for More Money Matters

I once worked with a client who transitioned into data analytics without a formal degree in that field. She was talented, highly capable, and significantly underpaid.

She believed she did not deserve the same salary as someone who studied analytics in school. However, I encouraged her to look at the value she was delivering: her expertise grew every year, her skills contributed to the company’s bottom line, and she adapted, learned, and excelled in a fast-changing industry.

And guess what? She earned a twenty thousand dollar raise once she finally asked.

Your paycheck should evolve alongside your impact. Not based only on the degree you earned years ago or the starting salary someone once offered you. You are worth more today than you were yesterday because you are constantly learning, applying, and growing.

Related Reading: Facing Your Fear: How to Ask for a Raise When You're Underpaid

How to Determine the Value You Bring: A Simple Exercise

This is one of my favorite tools because it creates confidence and clarity when negotiating or setting your prices.

Grab a notebook and list out:

1. Formal Education

• Degrees
• Certifications
• Continuing education courses
• Professional trainings

2. Informal Learning

• On-the-job experience
• Skills you developed through trial and error
• Mentorship or coaching wisdom
• Personal breakthroughs like learning to set boundaries

3. Real-World Results

• Projects you improved
• Revenue you helped generate
• Problems you solve every day
• Client or team success you contributed to

If you want to take it a step further, assign a dollar value to what those skills have produced. This is not about bragging. It is about acknowledging the investment you have made in yourself. Time, money, energy, and courage all count. Allow that evidence to shape the way you advocate for your income.

Related Reading: Tips to Negotiate a Higher Starting Salary

What Happens When You Advocate for Yourself

My client’s growth did not come from suddenly waking up more talented. It came from recognizing that her starting salary was just that, a starting point. Her value had increased. She deserved to be compensated for her evolution.

If she had not spoken up, she would still be leaving money on the table. And the same could be true for you.

I used to negotiate salary out of pure necessity because I was swimming in student loan debt and needed to keep up. Over time, I learned to advocate from a place of worthiness. You deserve fair compensation. You deserve opportunity. You deserve growth.

Everyone else is asking for more. It is your turn.

Final Thought: You Are Worth What You Help Create

Raising your rates or asking for a raise is not entitlement. It is alignment. If your skills have grown, your paycheck should too.

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Two Simple Steps to Improve Your Money Mindset

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