TexasCHLforum.com

fishman wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:Business a little slow, eh TAM?

Now thats funny!!!

Yep. Nothing funny about it. Glad to amuse you.

polisci wrote: I don't want to lose money, but more importantly, I want to get as many people as possible licensed to carry. I think this is very important and sends a very powerful message. I was considering charging people $40-$50 while holding large classes monthly.

I admire your intent here, but like some others, I really don't think that you will accomplish your goal. While I haven't done the empirical study on this, I think you would find that overall, the demand curve for CHL is what economists would call "inelastic". Will your classes fill up? Sure....there are plenty of people looking for a bargain. However, I just don't think that someone that is considering a CHL is going to make their decision based on a $100 or so in savings.

I support your endeavor, and agree in principle that no one who otherwise qualifies for a CHL should be prevented from doing so on the basis on cost, but given the inherent costs of shooting as a hobby in the first place, I just don't think cost is an actual barrier to a CHL....though that is totally my opinion, and I may be totally mistaken.

Best of luck to you!

The monetary costs aren't the only things to consider. You'll quickly see that the investment of your time will become the main driver for the rate you charge. Good luck though. It's a lot of fun.

I view the cost as reasonable. If you make it to cheap then every person with $5 in their pockets will go and get a CHL and you have a bunch of yahoos with guns and we don't need that. if the cost are to high then you eliminate the average law abiding citizen who is getting their CHL to protect them and their family

we have a great system and i am honored to be part of it

I charge $100 for a class. I offer discounts for Seniors, veterans, large groups, and couples. If someone contacts me and they can't pay the $100 and they don't fall into one of the groups that I discount then, under special circumstances, I'll cut the price or, even comp the class. The $100 per student if I only have one or two doesn't offset the cost of the class. (I'm counting, training, gasoline, printing, refreshments, equipment, etc.) but I will hold a scheduled class for one person. Classes at a time other than regularly scheduled will cost you more because it's a disruption of the force. I think if I had a class once a week with 5 students each I might recoup my costs in 2050, if lucky.

MoJo wrote:Classes at a time other than regularly scheduled will cost you more because it's a disruption of the force.

I understand that!

I really don't think lower prices would influence that much. They are already paying a higher amount to the state, invested in a gun and ammo. Most who take this are ready to get into the CHL culture and I think are looking for someone who will do a good job, rather than who is cheaper. $50 less when they hsave already invested this much wouldn't seem worth it if they think someone is cheaper because they are inferrior somehow (not that you would be, but the price could make some think that)

As a church minister, I am as benevolent minded as anyone. But not only do I need my expenses and investments in this covered, but also to put back into the business to keep making my classes better:

Fee I paid to take DPS class: $100
My hotel, meals, gas to take
the DPS class: $500
Power Point projecter $350
(Ongoing items below)
Business cards, pens,
NRA videos, ads in paper
copies of forms, postage,
CHL-16 book ($3 each, one for each student) These add up a lot.

10 hours of my time and legwork is worth?
NOT including the preparation time in advance of each class.

I knew an older preacher who retired and moved to a community and began attending a church there. As it turned out, they were looking for a preacher. They asked him if he would preach for them while they were looking for a preacher. He immediatly said "Sure....how much you going to pay me?" They were floored, but agreed to an amount.... he then would put that check back into the collection plate. He said he did it for several reasons (1) If he did it for free, they would have probably stopped looking for a preacher, since they could get him for free. (2) If he had done it for free, it wouldn't have been fair to the next preacher, as they would then think they could get his services for free or cheap (3) People, he said, don't seem to appreciate free preaching as much. I believe those last two points apply to the CHL classes as well.

My Gun Basics 101 classes I teach only pays for their expenses. I'ts a 3 hour class to get people interested in guns and maybe they will want to get a CHL. But I have invested a lot of time, not only the 10 IN class teaching, the 32 hours of class in Georgetown training, the hours preparing before each class, etc. that I believe I deserve to make a small profit... most of which will go right back into it. Out of their $100, I pay $10 for their lunch at the restaraunt that allows us to use their facility, and $8 to the range for range fees.

wgoforth wrote:I really don't think lower prices would influence that much. They are already paying a higher amount to the state, invested in a gun and ammo. Most who take this are ready to get into the CHL culture and I think are looking for someone who will do a good job, rather than who is cheaper. $50 less when they hsave already invested this much wouldn't seem worth it if they think someone is cheaper because they are inferrior somehow (not that you would be, but the price could make some think that)

As a church minister, I am as benevolent minded as anyone. But not only do I need my expenses and investments in this covered, but also to put back into the business to keep making my classes better:

Fee I paid to take DPS class: $100
My hotel, meals, gas to take
the DPS class: $500
Power Point projecter $350
(Ongoing items below)
Business cards, pens,
NRA videos, ads in paper
copies of forms, postage,
CHL-16 book ($3 each, one for each student) These add up a lot.

10 hours of my time and legwork is worth?
NOT including the preparation time in advance of each class.

I would like to add to that:
Prep time for each class (10 hr class is good for 12-13hr day)
class room fees between $30.00 per head to a flat 175.00
Range and target fees $15.00 per
Time spend putting together a good power point presentation
Total paper work per $10.00 (CHL-16, CHL-100, CHL-6, power point handout, etc)
Photos $10.00 per unless you can afford the equipment to do it yourself. even then there is more time and effort.
Gas to and from
I try a furnish some type of refreshment (coffee, soda, chips, crackers, etc)
In theory when are the CHL-100 being filled in, printed, signed and handed out (not suppose to be in that 10 hrs)
How much time sending paper work to the state
Time you spend talking to people about the class
This all adds up to a long day.
Unless you have your own range, classroom, camera equipment, heavy duty copy machine, etc., your out of pocket just on class day about $60.00. this does not include any time or effort.
there is no way I could live if I drop my fees that much.


I also agree with "MoJo"

I charge $100 for a class. I offer discounts for Seniors, veterans, large groups, and couples. If someone contacts me and they can't pay the $100 and they don't fall into one of the groups that I discount then, under special circumstances, I'll cut the price or, even comp the class. The $100 per student if I only have one or two doesn't offset the cost of the class. (I'm counting, training, gasoline, printing, refreshments, equipment, etc.) but I will hold a scheduled class for one person. Classes at a time other than regularly scheduled will cost you more because it's a disruption of the force. I think if I had a class once a week with 5 students each I might recoup my costs in 2050, if lucky.

OK off my soap box.
What ever you do I wish you well.

I can see where those who teach classes are coming from. It isn't worthwhile for them to spend their money to help others who probably will not even be grateful. It's well worth the investment anyways to be able to concealed carry! I know I didn't mind making the investment, and I don't exactly make a ton of money!

guntotinpreacher wrote:I can see where those who teach classes are coming from. It isn't worthwhile for them to spend their money to help others who probably will not even be grateful. It's well worth the investment anyways to be able to concealed carry! I know I didn't mind making the investment, and I don't exactly make a ton of money!

Congrats on getting your plastic today! You going to carry in the pulpit come Sunday?
Be sure and remember you have to do the official Wally Walk and make a report!

I did my Wally walk today! I just haven't got the detailed report posted yet!
To answer your question, I sure will be carrying in the pulpit. In this crazy time you never know when that might be a wise decision. Most of the men in my church are CHL holders and/or NRA members so they approve and encourage it!

guntotinpreacher wrote:I did my Wally walk today! I just haven't got the detailed report posted yet!
To answer your question, I sure will be carrying in the pulpit. In this crazy time you never know when that might be a wise decision. Most of the men in my church are CHL holders and/or NRA members so they approve and encourage it!

Yup, same here friend! Makes members stay awake better too!

Amen and Amen. Love a gun totin' preacher. Trying to get my preacher to do so. He took the course because it was a gift, but never followed through. Luckily, both his son-in-law and myself carry. Might be others who also do so.

RJ

I just don't see $50 being a deal breaker one way or the other. However, I believe you have the right to charge whatever you like. I also applaud your motives.

mot7981 wrote:I just don't see $50 being a deal breaker one way or the other. However, I believe you have the right to charge whatever you like. I also applaud your motives.

Looks like they haven't checked in since Jan 8th. Look at their first couple of posts to the forum and makes you wonder WHAT their motives were?