Well, that’s a good question.

The quick answer is anything between £40 to £250 in the UK or $60 to $300 in the US for a 45 to 50 minute session.

Sessions can be in person but are also often given by phone (you generally pay for the phone call too) or via video conferencing.

Often, coaches offer packages whereby you can pay in advance for 4 or 6 sessions at a slightly reduced rate or they bill you on a monthly basis. Some coaches also offer a money-back-garantee on the initial period (be it the first session or the first group of sessions).

How many sessions will I need?

You will need at least 4 sessions to set your goal, to challenge the limiting thoughts and habits holding you back and to start moving forward. You might need more sessions if your motivation wanes and you need somebody by your side to keep you moving forward in the right direction. So, a total investment that could well add up to thousands!

Here comes the longer answer…

The longer answer to how much you should pay for a life coach is … it depends.

It all depends on how much money you can afford to spend.

If you can afford the money then you shouldn’t ask yourself how much you should be spending but which life coach to choose. You shouldn’t try to save a few pounds or dollars in that process but try to get the very best coach you can for the money you want to spend. After all, this is your life. Life Coaching can dramatically improve your life and it is well worth the investment. But only a good coach will ask the right questions that will catapult you forward, only a good coach will inspire you.

How to find a good life coach?

The very best way, in my opinion, is by word of mouth. Go by recommendation from someone you trust.
If you don’t know anybody who can recommend a coach, search the net for good coaches. There is no government approved training for life coaching. There is no globally recognised standard for coaching. In fact there are many many coaching accreditations out there with nobody really saying which ones are any better than the others (apart from the organisations selling you the coaching, mostly). Consequently, anybody could declare themselves a life coach overnight.

How can I check the experience my coach claims is genuine?

Unfortunately, with no agreed standard qualifications, a lot of the information you can check is open to exaggeration, misinterpretation and well, poetic licence. What you can check is from where you heard about the coach (as stated above, referrals are best) – if not by a personal referral, then maybe between professional bodies or coaching organisations (again, check that the organisations doing the recommending are legit). How many coaching hours does your coach have (i.e. hours of real coaching experience), what clients has your coach worked with and testimonials (again these can easily be made up, particularly in the coaching world where a lot of clients prefer to remain anonymous).

In the end though, there is no substitute for actually doing a little research, following your instincts and how you feel about a coach, meeting or calling them to see if you have a good rapport and they seem genuine and above all, know what it is that you’re looking for in a good coach (for you).

So, what makes a good coach?

Some people are born to be coaches. For these people, coaching is a natural process. Why? Because they know how to put their client first, they know how to listen and by asking the right questions at the right time, they know how to draw the best from their clients. However, most people who pursue a career in coaching need training and a lot of practice to become good coaches and it’s anybody’s guess where along their coaching journey you might be joining them. I would recommend you don’t take chances, go for coaches who have been trained in Life Coaching and NLP. Go for coaches who have been doing it for a long time (the longer they’ve practiced, the more they should have honed their skills). Go for coaches who inspire you and who have done for themselves what they preach for others.

Once you have short-listed a few, check their prices in case of nasty surprises. Some coaches do charge incredible amounts of money (well over the price range given above) and, even though you can afford a coach, you might not quite want to pay these high prices. Then, call the coaches left in your list. Lots of coaches advertise a free first session. This is not a formal session but an opportunity for a first contact. So you can see if you could work with them and vice versa. This is your opportunity to ask all the questions you like. Make a list in advance. Are they confident in their answers? Do you like what they have to say? Can you feel their enthusiasm?

That’s it. You should now have singled out the life coach for you. Start your sessions and don’t forget to ask for you money back if, when it comes to it, you don’t think they’re up to the task.

What if you want a life coach but just cannot afford the price tag?

There are actually lots of ways to get life coaching on a budget.

For free:

1. Use free resources on the internet. Many life coaches give tips on their webiste. You will find articles on this webiste. These are all good resources to start you think about your goal and challenge your current thoughts and habits.
2. Attend free coaching seminars. These are normally for people who want to become coaches but many attend them to learn more about coaching and get some ideas and direction about their own issues. As exercises are practices on each others, you will get the chance to talk about your issues.
3. Meet with some coaches for free. Even if you can’t afford coaching sessions, many coaches advertise the first session for free. Use the opportunity to call a few coaches. As I said earlier, these first sessions are not formal sessions but opportunity to present your issue and get to know the coach. However, coaches welcome questions. So prepare questions and try to get a feel for how they would tackle your issue.

For a small amount:

1. Buy self-help / self-coaching books – Here are some books to help you started. They cover a large range of issues and might just be enough to start you on your journey.
1. Be your own Life-Coach by Fiona Harrold has helped many change their life. It covers a good range of subjects (Create the life you’ve always wanted, Self-Confidence, Self-Reliance, What do you want?, Do the work you love, Feeling Attractive, …).
2. You could look at NLP guide books also – NLP is a very powerful tool for change. This book, Brilliant NLP by David Molden and Pat Hutchinson is practical, easy to understand. A good introduction to NLP.
2. Try email coaching – Email coaching is not as responsive as phone coaching obviously but it might suit you well (it gives more time for reflection, you keep a written account, can read, re-read the coach’s comments and act on them in your own time). It is also much, much cheaper (starting at £40 per month with one email a week). Another advantage of email coaching over the other solutions above is that it follows you on your journey, which is indispensible when you need help at hand to motivate and keep you pushing forward. Click for a more detailed overview of e-mail life coaching.
3. Try group coaching – You will be in group of up to 10 for a much cheaper price than a normal one-to-one session. Do this if you’re not worried about expressing yourself and talking about your problems in front of others. Another limitation is that the more people attend, the less time you get to talk about your own problem. Also, sessions might be more generic to suit everybody.
4. Some coaches offer reduced prices to people with limited means – It is worth investigating this option although you will have to explain why you should qualify.

Is it worth trying these money-saving avenues?

Absolutely. Having a good coach will probably get you to your goal faster but if you are determined, motivated and ready for the challenge, these money-saving options can broaden your horizons, open your mind to new ideas, present you with several possible exercises and solutions, enrich you and get you there too!