I think classes are something different entirely. If you go someplace with the desire for someone with expertise to impart their knowledge onto you, then they should be paid. You pay for college, you pay for other training courses and books.

I think the issue at heart with charging for investigations is that, in my opinion, it shouldn't be "for profit." You need to ask for money to help split costs, ok. But no one should be making money off of this.

I feel an investigation to help a family out should be free. To train a group is different and a fee to cover the cost of the venue and insurance is fair. Remember, if you put your name to lead you need to be insured to protect yourself.
A fee to attend a lecture or forum with experts is without question, same as attending a class or symposium.

personally I am very much against the idea of charging.,,my group is strictly a not for profit thing. I do plan later to offer paranormal discussions and equipment discussions at our local library...free of cost of course, but I just don't feel right charging for something like that... also I just feel like it turns paranormal investigation into more of a sideshow. I do like the term paranormal tourism.. although I agree I wouldn't really expect it to be anything much like a real investigation. generally if a group is charging they have way too many people coming along to get anything really done research wise. just my 2 yen but to each his own

I agree but when a venue is used there are fees to the company conducting the investigation, rental, advertising, speaker/Investigator fee, etc. You don't get a TV personality for free

We personally don't mind. There are hidden costs to allow people to investigate a larger facility such as Waverly Hills. The liability insurance for places liek that are incredible. Plus they have to put some money into repairs so that the place remains safe for people to come in to investigate. And for older buildings, those repairs are very expensive. So we don't mind paying a reasonable fee to investigate places like this.

I think a family thats needs help should get it even if they can't pay if they can then they should do so

CC i would like to read and take any class you do in any format except in person because you would have to come to kansas for me to be in a class room i would love a chat class then we could ask questions

I think CC nailed this question with the first response. 1, 2, and 3...ect.

I personally would not charge to do an investigation. I have a gift I'm willing to share. If there's a negative energy around you or a structure you reside in...I'll let ya know for free. I would not be comfortable charging as I do not want to seem as though I would take advantage of someone. For example I think a monetary value would prompt me to tell someone what they want to hear rather than what the actual situation is. I feel I would get to that point.

I would definitely help pay for equipment to go on a group (small close knit group that trust eachother) investigation. I would not charge the person looking for the help...more interested in helping the person than in the money.

I've been to Winchester Mystery...for me it's not haunted. The history is most interesting but I felt nothing. That could be from years of paranormal tourism and the diminishing of the haunt maybe...but I didn't so much as get a chill.

I think it's great to be 'interested' in the paranormal and pay for classes and whatnot. People are just naturally interested I guess.

grandmaducky wrote:


Ducky,

I really wasn't trying to elicit any kind of query for how many would be interested in a class at this point, but I appreciate the vote of confidence. And I will certainly keep that as great input for when the time comes to have some classes. Thanks!

CC