| Author |
Message |
psm89
Newbie
Joined: Jun 07, 2006
Posts: 10
|
 Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:35 am |
  |
Ok so I guess this is really a vent.
I had an aunt ask if I would make my cousins wedding cake a few months ago, the cousin was eloping and they would be doing a home reception when they got back. I said of course I would and to let me know what they wanted when the date got closer. She called 8 weeks ago and asked about cost for about 75 people. I told her normally I would charge $3.00 per serving on a basic buttercream frosted cake,so cake normally cake would be $225 to which she gasped and said I didn't plan on spending that much. I really liked this aunt and was fairly close to my cousin growing up so I said I would give her a discount and charge $100. for the cake. Again a gasp and she said I was thinking of spending about $45, and could I just do a "small" tiered cake and she would just buy some sheet cakes (from the store) for the rest. To which I took a DEEP breath and said I would do a SMALL 2 tiered cake at cost ($45).I know...crazy!
ok, wait this gets better (worse)!!!
At my daughter graduation this past weekend she sees this phenomenal 3 tiered ( 12,9. and 6 inch) zebra print cake done in fondant that I made (took 6 hours just to decorate) and says "that size will do, and oh yeah we are expecting about 100 people now."
I thought "OHHHH wait a minute here" and sent her an email reviewing our conversations and what we had agreed on and that even at cost this cake would be $75 for expenses alone. I would do it at cost but it would be buttercream and not fondant . (I know, I was an idiot to even agree to this but it's family I kept telling myself)
She emails me back today and says they they have rethought the wedding cake and decided since it's now an "open house" and with the additional cost they decided to go with a sheetcake from Walmart! And sorry to waste my time.
I'm not even sure I can respond to her right now. What do others tell relatives and those who think we work for free???? I want to scream "I'm trying to start a business here"
I'll try to attach the graduation cake I just did so you have an idea of what she was asking for but I only have a pic on my camera phone and hubby took digital with him and the pictures are still on it. |
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
92.08 KB |
| Viewed: |
241 Time(s) |
|
| Description: |
|
| Filesize: |
92.08 KB |
| Viewed: |
241 Time(s) |
|
Last edited by psm89 on Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:26 am; edited 2 times in total |
|
    |
 |
|
|
|
indydebi
Forum Matriarch
Joined: Jul 07, 2006
Posts: 22123
Location: Indianapolis IN
Birthday: Jan 19
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:50 am |
|
Her: "I was thinking of spending $45 to feed 75 people."
Me: (laughing out loud, hard and long) "And what part of your body did you pull THAT number out of?" 
If you owned a grocery store, would they expect to get their groceries for free? If you owned a gas station, would they expect to fill up their car for free?
unfortunately, there are people out there who can answer "yes" to those questions. |
|
|
|
  |
|
|
krissycupcakes
Frequent Member
Joined: Jun 21, 2008
Posts: 223
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:04 am |
|
OMG.... yeah i would like that zebra cake for $45 too!!hahaha what a joke i do try to not charge crazy prices for my friends if its a party Im going to . but i think even I would charge more then $45 and i like how it turned from a "small" tiered cake and sheet cakes to that will do to oh and its 100 people.people are just clueless! |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
blu_canary
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 26, 2009
Posts: 74
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:05 am |
|
I haven't checked walmart prices on sheet cakes, but can you even feed 100 on $45 there?!
On a similar note, my neighbor just asked me yesterday about doing her daughter's wedding cake. Not ready for numbers or anything yet (date hasn't even been set), just asking me if I would do it. Not so bad? Her parting comment was, "Besides, I'm sure your prices will be much cheaper than the bakery." Hmmm. I'm thinking this doesn't bode well. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
MLand
Regular Member
Joined: Mar 03, 2009
Posts: 107
Location: NC
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:14 am |
|
I HAVE looked at Wal-Mart and the grocery stores. 100 peeps on $45 will NOT be happening!! And will she get the exact SAME care and taste from Wal-Mart that she would have got from yours? NOT! |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Ladiesofthehouse
Regular Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2008
Posts: 143
Location: Alaska
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:36 am |
|
I just had this happen as well for a birthday cake to feed 100 guests. They decided to go ahead and make "gourmet" cupcakes themselves after getting a price from me.
Just wait till they have decorated the 50th cupcake and have 50+ to go and every flat spot in their kitchen has a cupcake perched on it...I can just hear the thought process...Oh, and since we had to start making these so far ahead of time because we are doing everything else for the party, how are we going to keep these from drying out till they are served? How am I going to make the rest of the food for my guests with my kitchen full of these stupid cupcakes? I can't believe how much the ingredients cost for these cupcakes--it's just cake...
Do people even think these things through, or do they just see the $$$...LOL
This may sound strange, but secretly I am always relieved to hear people like this are going somewhere else for the cake. I would have resented doing their cake for so little $$ the entire time I was making it and after all that work to not even make a profit? No thanks, I'd rather make a delicious cake for my immediate (and very appreciative) family if I'm doing it for free! |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
indydebi
Forum Matriarch
Joined: Jul 07, 2006
Posts: 22123
Location: Indianapolis IN
Birthday: Jan 19
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:24 am |
|
| blu_canary wrote: | | "Besides, I'm sure your prices will be much cheaper than the bakery." |
Me: "Hmmm. what makes you think that?"
And LadiesoftheHouse, I see the ALL THE TIME on the catering side. They have NO IDEA how much time, work and space it takes to cook food for 100 people. A co-worker volunteered to work one of my weddings for some extra money. Halfway thru the event, her butt was draggin' the ground. I asked if she was ok? SHe said, "Yeah." I said, "Do you NOW understand why catering is a little pricey?" She said, "OH YEAH!!!!" |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
neelycharmed
Regular Member
Joined: May 18, 2009
Posts: 155
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:31 am |
|
I totally understand.
this girl who is marrying a very distant cousin of mine asked if I could give her a discount because she's marrying into the family.
the cousin of mine wouldn't even know what I looked like if he saw me in the street.
I almost rather do cakes for strangers then family sometimes... which is very sad.
Jodi |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Bluehue
Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 01, 2008
Posts: 698
Location: Western Australia
Birthday: Dec 12
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:37 am |
|
|
| |
|
|
blu_canary
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 26, 2009
Posts: 74
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:44 am |
|
| Bluehue wrote: |
Just email her back and say "you haven't wasted my time" - altho you have saved me a fortune. |
*LMAO* And probably a bottle's worth of advil! |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
__Jamie__
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
Posts: 5018
Location: The less seriously you take me, the better off we'll all be!
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:49 am |
|
Geez...I need a bottle of Advil just from reading all that! |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Bluehue
Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 01, 2008
Posts: 698
Location: Western Australia
Birthday: Dec 12
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:03 am |
|
|
| |
|
|
__Jamie__
Forum SuperStar!
Joined: Aug 16, 2008
Posts: 5018
Location: The less seriously you take me, the better off we'll all be!
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:05 am |
|
Lol!! Too funny....man oh man....no, I doubt we will ever see a day when that happens. Until then, we console ourselves with Aspirin and Gin....whew. Watch those borders guys, they can get a bit wonky when you're hitting the bottle! Hahahahaha! |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
havingfun
Frequent Member
Joined: Nov 09, 2005
Posts: 452
Location: North Carolina
Birthday: Jan 01
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:20 am |
|
I went from a 3 tiered 25th anniversary cake order to 100 gourmet cupcakes to "I am just going to get a sheet cake from Walmart with the couple's picture on it". I priced the cuppies at $1.00 a piece and was absorbing the rest of the cost because it was for our minister and his wife. Don't people know that carrots, raisins, walnuts, cream cheese, lemons, coco lopez, coconut, chocolate, flour, sugar, eggs, etc., don't come free???? Not to mention all the "background" supplies: the cakeboards, wrap, boxes, etc......
I really am NOT having fun with family, friends, and church family.
Havingfun. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Franluvsfrosting
Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 08, 2007
Posts: 534
Location: Granite Falls, WA
|
| Posted:
Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:22 am |
|
My husband gets that too being a woodworker. Everyone in the family has at one time or another thought they could get some beautiful, designer piece of solid wood furniture for garage sale prices. The about choke when we tell them his rate is $50 per hour and they pay for materials. I haven't had to have a conversation like this for awhile now so I'm thinking they finally took my advice and just went to Ikea. You want garage sale prices go to a garage sale.
Just be thankful you didn't end up having to do the cake. You probably would've kicked yourself the entire time.  |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
