@stefano I learned, way before LLM and spicy auto-complete were "things", to never shave my price without a shaving in scope too.

When I do fee estimates they are very detailed, most in my industry don't share that, but I do.

So if they ask me to "find" $500, I will ask where they want to cut back.

Most times they don't, and hire me anyway. When they don't, its not personal, they just have different priorities.