Thanks Mom....?

Decorating By sugarMomma Updated 8 Mar 2011 , 2:17pm by love2makecakes

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sugarMomma Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 4:04pm
post #1 of 14

So my mother was excited to tell me that her Filipino Association would like me to do a cake for a party and want to pay me $125.........for a cake that feeds 250, lol!

I know it's my fault. I've done cakes for them before at no charge before, but usually for events that honor my mother though, so I guess to them that amount is a grand gesture. I can't insult them or embarass my mom by asking for more. I did tell mom that it was a special favor price for them in case anybody at the event wants to give me more business.

At least my ingredients will be paid for...

13 replies
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metria Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 4:18pm
post #2 of 14

heh, make the cake over at her house ... then she can clean up icon_smile.gif

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VentureSister Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 4:23pm
post #3 of 14

I know what you mean. I donated a cake for a charity auction sponsored by the place I work that was supposed to be all buttercream and a specific simple design. My well meaning boss tells someone that is looking over the description that I would be happy to do a completely different cake (that is mostly fondant and much more time consuming) if they bid on the item. And my boss didn't even tell me this until after the auction was over and the person won the cake. grrrrrr

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mahal50881 Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 4:33pm
post #4 of 14

I'm a Filipino from Virginia Beach too! I wonder if I've seen any of your work? Gotta be careful with those aunties, they're always looking for a deal!

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sugarMomma Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 6:24pm
post #5 of 14

Hi Mahal50881! Funny, I saw your Angry Birds cake in a facebook pic posted by Rico Marcelo! I work at the Hilton with him, I wonder if we've ever met?

Mainly I do cakes word of mouth by/for friends and family, I haven't posted any recent pics (or actually hardly any at all) but I made a Dr. Suess cake (with the same baby shower theme as yours) for a filipino baby shower. I also made a Ni Hao cake that reminds of yours, but I think yours are cuter. Maybe I will try to find some and download...

The doctor's coat cake in my gallery was made for Dr. Hipol's birthday 4 years ago, if you know him or went to that event. I am sure we have some peeps in common. Love your work, especially the shoe box cake!

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sugarMomma Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 8:17pm
post #6 of 14

Just to be clear, I am not angry at mom or the Filipino Association, I know they mean well. Mom wasn't even trying to get a deal, she was proud about the generous offer of $125, lol. I was just showing how people have no idea about the time or cost that goes into making cakes...especially one for 250 people.

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TexasSugar Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 8:41pm
post #7 of 14

No people don't know and that is where you need to educate them. People don't tell you how to price your cakes. You price them based on what you need to and people either pay or don't pay.

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Coral3 Posted 7 Mar 2011 , 10:16pm
post #8 of 14

If you go ahead and make it for $125 then you need to make it very clearly known that it is actually a $700 (or whatever it's really worth) cake, and that if you made a cake that size again that is what you would have to charge. Otherwise when everyone finds out that this particular cake 'costs' $125 they'll all want one!

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cutiepiecupcake Posted 8 Mar 2011 , 12:20am
post #9 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coral3

If you go ahead and make it for $125 then you need to make it very clearly known that it is actually a $700 (or whatever it's really worth) cake, and that if you made a cake that size again that is what you would have to charge. Otherwise when everyone finds out that this particular cake 'costs' $125 they'll all want one!




Totally agree with you Coral3

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mahal50881 Posted 8 Mar 2011 , 12:22am
post #10 of 14

Just a question. How do you plan on making a cake for 250 people with only $125? 3 full sheet cakes?

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sugarMomma Posted 8 Mar 2011 , 1:38pm
post #11 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by mahal50881

Just a question. How do you plan on making a cake for 250 people with only $125? 3 full sheet cakes?




Haven't figured out specifics, but wasn't planning on covering anything in fondant for sure. I'm not even sure it will really be for 250, I want to confirm with another member. Mom loves to over-estimate and over-prepare.

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sugarMomma Posted 8 Mar 2011 , 1:41pm
post #12 of 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coral3

If you go ahead and make it for $125 then you need to make it very clearly known that it is actually a $700 (or whatever it's really worth) cake, and that if you made a cake that size again that is what you would have to charge. Otherwise when everyone finds out that this particular cake 'costs' $125 they'll all want one!





Definitely, told mom from the beginning.

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ingy Posted 8 Mar 2011 , 2:16pm
post #13 of 14

I think that this is a beautiful gesture on your part. There is nothing wrong with paying it forward as they say. Obviously you are not going to undercharge everyone for your work, you have to know when it is appropriate and I think in this case it is. You mom seems to be very very proud of you and your work, its a beautiful thing! take it embrace it and always when you can pay it forward you will be amazed at how gestures like this will come back to you three fold!

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love2makecakes Posted 8 Mar 2011 , 2:17pm
post #14 of 14

I recently made a cake that I completely underestimated. Uggg.... However, I'm the one that decided to over decorate the cake (I just can't help myself sometimes!). Anyway, when my client picked up the cake, I gave her the invoice which noted the price (the price I should have charged) and let her know that I was trying a new technique and therefore by doing so over did her cake a bit. So on the invoice I discounted the difference and showed the balance due as the amount I quoted.

I really wanted to make sure I pointed this out because I would not for her to tell her friends or family that she only paid $$ for this cake and have them think that is the type of cake I make for $$.

With that being said maybe you can give an invoice (to whom ever is in charge of paying for the cake) and note on there what you would have charged and that you are giving them a discount.

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