I am currently working on my baking skills so I can one day open up my own shop. I used to make cakes for my friends so the cake doesnt go bad just sitting at my place. But now they are getting on my case about not bringing them cakes. But they dont give me any money. Since Im just starting out I have to pay for everything. How do I tell my friends that they have to start paying me for cakes and such because my bank account is taking a hit with all these requests?

Once they start paying you for cakes you ARE in business.

If they're demanding cake from you, then they aren't very good friends. I'd start taking my practice cakes to someone else.

I think everyone here has pretty much got the same story or started similarly I would say, if you're giving it free, they cannot ask for cakes. If you have requests for cakes, tell them how much it'll cost (yes, it's very much ok to charge a friend for a cake that you did not volunteer to provide for them. I do it all the time!). No money = no cake.

Tell them that you were just trying to spread your wings and practice on some recipes hence the free goodies, when you do more practicing in the future, maybe they'll get some but for now if they want cake from you they'll have to order it like a supportive friend.

I would simply tell them "I can't afford to give away any more cake". End of story..........

Just be honest..."At this time I can't afford to do any practice cakes but once I can I'm sure you'll love the free goodies...now if you want to pay for the ingrediants I'd love to make one for you!" Just make sure that they know you are NOT in business and this is just something that is a good hobby for you. If you start charging for profit then you have to follow the business guidelines and get your licence, etc.

And, yes, I have family and friends who wait for when I make practice or "just because" cakes because they know that I don't want the calories so I'll share with them<G> But I never just make a cake to their specs..that's business and they know that while they do get a discounted rate they will be charged for cakes they personally need for birthdays or whatever.

Matter of fact, you should have seen the disappointment when I got my shipment of cake dummies the other day...I could almost read their minds "but if she makes fake ones then we won't get to eat the REAL ones!" LOL! What they don't understand is I love cake so there will be some real cakes to share still! LOL!

When I also still worked a full time job, I'd take what I referred to as "overbakes" in to work on Friday. Not every Friday .... just whenever I had overbakes. These were surplus cookies I had at the end of the week after I filled that week's orders.

Eventually, there were "some" co-workers who started asking "when are you bringing in more cookies?"

My response? "When I see your check for your cookie order."

That either shut them up .... or got me a paid order.

I try to spread the freebies around...... some go to friends, neighbors, my work, husband's work, kid's school, the fire station around the corner. Mostly I drop them off at places where people know me- so they don;t think some crazy lady is dropping off a laced cake...... point is I spread it out enough that no one starts to 'expect' free cake.