Do You Charge Your Friends? Setting A Precedent?
Business By twinsmake5 Updated 23 Jan 2009 , 2:44pm by justinsnaynay
I did a cake last week for my daughter's friend - I asked to do it. I didn't charge. A kid from the party has a birthday next week and her mom asked if I could do her cake. I feel like I should do the kid's cake for free since I did the other kid's for free. However ... as time goes on, am I setting a bad precedent? Where do you draw the line?
IMO You don't owe the second kid a free cake.
If someone from the second party asks you to do a cake would you think they should get it free.
A lot of companies have a friends and family discout which you could apply in this case should you choose to do so and since it's your company doing the cake, you get to pick the amount.
Unless you really want to do another free cake...................
I follow Duff's rule : Any one of my friends can have a cake for free, but they have no say in what they get.
Do you know this woman? If your not close with her, charge for it. You dont have to charge a lot but at the very least break even
I did a cake last week for my daughter's friend - I asked to do it. I didn't charge. A kid from the party has a birthday next week and her mom asked if I could do her cake. I feel like I should do the kid's cake for free since I did the other kid's for free. However ... as time goes on, am I setting a bad precedent? Where do you draw the line?
Yes, you are. A friend of a friend of a friend....the line gets blurred after awhile. My friends know dang good and well the amount of time and devotion I apply to cakes...they would never expect one for free, unless I offerred. Now, you're not even talking about a friend...just some random kid? No way should you do that for free.
Is this person in your circle of friends also? If so, the first Mom may have told the other kid's Mom that you made their cake for free.
The way I feel is if I offer to make the cake than it's my contribution to the party and I don't charge for it. If somebody asks me to make a cake, the first question out of my mouth is "what do you have in mind and what's your budget?" That way there is no confusion and they know that they are "ordering" a cake from me.
I made free cakes for friends and family for about 20 yrs because I wasn't licensed. Now that I am licensed, they pay. I told them all the free cakes are finished folks, it's business now. I do still have a couple more nieces and nephews that are single and I will make their cakes for free as I have for all the others.
It's really your decision, but be careful of the snowball effect this could have.
I feel like I should do the kid's cake for free since I did the other kid's for free.
I'm sorry, but that's the most illogical logic I've ever heard. 
as dkelly said ..... "I'd LUV to do the cake for your party? How much were you looking to spend?"
I agree with dkelly...If I offer to do the cake it's free (and I don't get offended if they say no thanks, either!) If they ask, they pay for it.
I did a cake last week for my daughter's friend - I asked to do it. I didn't charge. A kid from the party has a birthday next week and her mom asked if I could do her cake. I feel like I should do the kid's cake for free since I did the other kid's for free. However ... as time goes on, am I setting a bad precedent? Where do you draw the line?
The BIG difference here is that you volunteered to do the cake for your daughter's friend. If someone then sees your work and asks you to do a cake for their child you are in no way obligated to do it for free. That's a paying gig. If you do every kid's cake for free you'll never get another paying job because everyone will know you as the gal who gives away cakes and they will never expect to pay. You'll never be able to ask for payment again because you really will have set yourself up for only free cakes.
Don't sell yourself short because you feel you have to - you're worth it!
If I offer to do the cake then I won't charge... If they ask me to do a cake, my reply, what is your cake budget???? Learn this one early and you will be fine.
Please expect to be paid for your cakes. This is a hobby that can turn ugly if you make a lot of freebies. You can become resentful of the time and effort you put in without the validation for your efforts. (Yes, the "OOoh's and ahhhh's" are wonderful, but they don't pay for the 3 hours or more work you put in)
Besides, when I do freebies, there is always a voice in the back of my head that says "Maybe I'll take home another order from this party"--that's exactly what happened to you. Good advertising!!
I made a wedding cake for free for acouple at my church. I did offer to make it a a gift as I know they had like a $1500 budget and trying to do the Christian thing. NEVER AGAIN! This was a 3-tiered cake that I covered in hand colored olive green icing. I had to ask her for a picture of what she wanted 3 times, but for she gave it to me & I had to end up picking up her cake top. She basically wanted me to work around her schedule. Guess what happened at the wedding? I heard she had been talking about me on how I offered to help her & wasn't being very helpful, then I actually was standing behind her & actually heard her talking about me on how I was harassing her for a wedding picture...and she nevere even said thank you for the cake! By the way, my cakes are made from scratch & with Swiss Meringue buttercream!
A good way to handle that kind of request is to just say, "Sure, let's get together and talk about what you're looking for, and then I can quote you a price."
It's a very matter-of-fact statement, and it gives her an "out" if she didn't realize she would have to pay for it. She can just choose not to follow up if she's not prepared to pay.
Great advice, thanks! Asking for their budget and what they have in mind is a great and easy ice breaker. I'm sure the gal expects to pay. I just didn't know how to ask and wasn't ready for the question. Thanks for the tips.
I charge everybody who asks for a cake...even my husband pays, but if I offer a cake, it's free.
I agree with everyone else. If you offer the cake than it is free but all others should pay.
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