Also, I always keep in mind that at some positions; there are people who want to spend more money if they can. Spending more this year might mean a bigger budget next year. Sometimes power at the company is somewhat stacked by who manages a larger spend each year. And sometimes perception of quality has to do with what you spend. A $60k consultant must be better than a $6k consultant right?
In fact I just a few weeks ago lined up a nice little contract on this exact basis. A customer had a budget allocation that they'd won but had been slow in lining up the work from another department in the same organisation. So now it's come to me, because they "need" to spend the money before the end of the year.
Meh. But doesn't it make you throw up a little inside? Don't get me wrong. I want to make a ridiculous amount of money. But I want to make it by creating a ridiculous amount of value. Not because I figure out how to game lame, inefficient, entrenched business model number 13 in ways X, Y, and Z.
But I am actually creating value for my clients beyond helping them game a broken budgeting process. I will be saving them potentially thousands of hours of tedious labour and freeing up qualified specialists for much more productive tasks.
Charging more and being proud about it does add to your aura, in their eyes. They'll appreciate you more (given that you deliver).
About the budget allocation cooking - this behavior is usually observed - perhaps even common - at very large/government organizations. I'm more inclined to work with medium businesses and down to startups, so I've rarely encountered it myself.
