OK...so I went above and beyond the call of 'aunt' and did a big favor for my half brother. I agreed to do a rather large, rather detailed wedding cake for my neice for cost ($100). It was a 12-10-8-6 (choc, strawberry, red velvet and white choc)....

Yep, the check was declined....I got a bunch of excuses about fraud charges to his checking account but he forgot I work for a bank and know the rules about fraudulent charges. This is the first time this has ever happened to me...and it was from family. He doesn't have the money now which really isn't the issue. Ever feel like you have been taken advantage of?

Moral of the story....even if it's for family, you still have to look out for yourself

Aw thats a darn dirty shame. People can be regular sh!ts sometimes. They have to look at themselves in the mirror and live with the things they do.....just try and learn from this....took me about 60 years the hard way

Wow. I am so sorry that this happened to you. Sometimes it seems like you have to watch your family closer than anyone. It sucks when your taken advantage of, especially when its blood.

I think family members have a problem recognizing that what we do is really a business. years and years ago (it was actually when I had a different husband! ), a family friend of my parents had a child that died. i knew OF these people but didnt' really know them personally. I had a wedding cake that weekend, so I didn't go to the calling on Friday night because I was making a wedding cake.

My mom made all kinds of phony ass excuses as to why I wasn't there but "she had to work" wasn't one of them! It was my sister's husband who pointed out to everyone, "If I had to work at the factory, that would be an ok reason not to be there, but since debi is "only" working in her kitchen, then that's not a real job and she should have went."

(He's my favorite brother in law, by the way!)

Family. Can't live with 'em. Pass the beer nuts.

lol Indy.....keep the nuts(pun intended) and pass the beer

I agreed to make two cakes plus cupcakes for a friends nieces first birthday and their sister. They were having two parties in one. The theme was princesses so I went out of my way and purchased three different Disney princess dolls and make keepsake toppers for the cakes. All I asked for was money for the ingredients and the toppers

She gave me a check for 60.00. I told her that I wanted cash. I took the check to the bank and for some reason I asked them to verify funds before they cashed the check. I was then told that there wasn't enough money in the account. I tell her that I tried to cash the check and couldn't. She asked if I could wait two weeks until she got paid. I go to the bank two weeks later the day she gets paid to find out again that there are no funds.

I work with her boyfriend and asked him what was going on. He told me that she went to the bank cashed her check and kept the money. I told him to tell her that I will never make her a cake again. Then she comes to my work and gives me part of the money minus 14.00 and says there we are even. So I ended up spending money out of my pocket.

Then when she was having her first child last year her boyfriend asked me to make her baby shower cake. I was his supervisor at the time and thought this could be my baby shower gift to him. They kept changing the design of the cake and wanted jungle animals. She said she would give me money to buy characters for the cake. Again she never came up with the money.

Now it was one week before the baby shower no money no characters so I told him that I wouldn't be able to make their cake. I didn't have a problem with providing my time and the ingredients but the promise of providing the decorations and non payment a second time was a red flag. They ended up with a Costco cake. The sad thing is she keeps asking me to make cakes and I keep saying no.

It's sad but true that we have family or friends that take advantage of our good will and exceptional talent. WOW I must say myself how nicely I put that. BUT, I wasn't saying it that nicely in my head.

For these reasons alone I only accept cash, and won't even reserve the date without a deposit which covers all materials. I have been screwed so many times...not with cakes, but selling things on Craigslist and other things that for me if you can't go withdraw the money than you can't have the cake.

What I really hate are those family "rules." They can take advantage and cheat you, but according to the rules, you're not allowed to say anything or be upset. IMO, they should be the ones to be uncomfortable, not me because I'm trying to keep my mouth shut.

I've never forgotten that one sister owes me for a car I sold her, another for car repair money I loaned her, and the third one for the stove she bought from me. It's one chance and done with me. Can you tell I don't go to many family events anymore? I tell them it would be rude of me to go into the hosts house and start a fight because I am unable to keep my mouth shut. Somehow they agree that would be rude but they don't think the other person should be held responsible for being a cheat.

How can she have the nerve to keep asking you make cakes for her? Sheesh!