Don't ask about my rates.
If you begged me, I could probably make-up some bullshit hourly rate and lie about how long it takes me to develop a campaign or a logo – if that would make you happy. But the fact is, I don't work like that and I've never met another creative who does.
It might take me five minutes to develop an idea for your project. But that doesn't mean I'm going to charge you ten bucks. It could be that all the work I've done, all the schools I've dropped-out of and all my other seemingly unrelated experiences might have all lead to this one moment where I develop the layout for your new website. And that's going to cost you – cash or check (since I'm not advanced enough for cards).
Don't think I'm going to take your shirt, either. I'm not a thief – I'm a commercial artist. I'll end-up billing you with rates that are fair and competitive. It's going to cost you a lot more than it would if you bought your assistant a copy of Photoshop – but if your assistant was any good at making ads, he or she wouldn't be your assistant.
It's going to cost less than a big agency – with their Herman Miller chairs and expense accounts – I will charge you a fraction of what they would. And the work will be better, because I don't need the approval of three committees and four Ivy Leaguers to show you my work. It will just be me and you. Me with my scrap paper, you with your checkbook.