Put down the Kool Aid and step away.

It's always easier to lower your price or fee than it is to raise it. This is why the dealer doesn't offer a price lower than you're willing to pay for a car.

If you don't negotiate, reasonably of course, then you will leave money on the table that you will never get back. Ever. It's gone. Poof.

exactly.
Don't pass up opportunity in the name of foolish pride.
We're all saying the same thing.
lol

Well I can't afford to work for nothing since I got myself into debt when I was younger and stupider. But I've nearly paid it all off now, so it's either go work for someone else for nothing probably doing video work I'm not even interested in, or buy my own gear (get into debt again, but for something worthwhile) and do what I want. I might work full time in a warehouse at the moment but I still shoot videos in my spare time, even took a week of holiday leave and did a corporate video for $1600. I'm still reading books/forums & doing short courses etc. I've worked for small video production houses in the past so I've got a little bit of experience.