Is it Rude to Tell a Coach Their Prices Are Too High?

He walked into his first boxing session ready to learn, and walked out wondering if he accidentally insulted the guy running the whole thing. OP, a 24-year-old, sat down with Josh, a 23-year-old boxing “coach,” after noticing Josh was training other people, but not seeing any certifications or credentials.

After the workout, Josh laid out the plan: four sessions a month, one per week, and $20 per session for a total of $100 a month. OP said it sounded fine, then added the real problem, it was a little too expensive for him. Josh immediately snapped that it was rude to say it straight to his face.

Now OP is stuck replaying the moment and asking whether the price talk was the actual issue, or the delivery.

Original Post

So, for context, I 24M had my first session with a boxing "coach" 23M, who I have not seen any certification or anything of that sort, but I saw him training other people. So, lets call him Josh.

Josh after the session had told me about the price he would charge, that we would train 4x a month, 1x a week. I said "Yeah sure".

So, afterwards he said that it would cost 20 $ per session = 100$ a Month. He said "Is this alright for you?" and I told him "It sounds all good, but it is a little too expensive for me" He then said its rude to say it so straight to his face.

Now, I understand why Josh might be mad, cause he might think "So you think my coaching is not good, or whats the real reason you dont want me to coach you etc." but AITA for saying it this way, should I have formulated it otherwise ?

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It’s a lot like the AITA about refusing extra tasks while a coworker is on maternity leave.

See how the coworker’s maternity leave led to a workload boundary showdown.

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Right after Josh asked, “Is this alright for you?”, OP tried to be honest about the $100 monthly cost, and that’s when the vibe shifted fast.

The awkward part is Josh didn’t just hear “too expensive,” he heard “you’re not worth it,” even though OP’s only concern was the price tag.

After OP said it was a little too expensive, Josh called it rude, turning a simple pricing question into a personal judgment fight.

By the time OP is wondering if he should have “formulated it otherwise,” the whole boxing arrangement feels less like training and more like a misunderstanding.</p>

What are your thoughts on this situation? Share your perspective in the comments below.

He might be happier finding a coach who can handle “no thanks” without acting like it’s an insult.

Wait, you criticized your boss in a crucial meeting, risking team unity, right? Read the employee’s AITA story about openly challenging their boss’s decision.