Jason - i read the link... thank you
What we do is log onto our bank account through our online banking via our computers...
Click on Transfer funds.
Enter your bank accounr number - your branch number - your name - your ammount owed and a invoice number you have given me -
enter all of the above - click Transfer - and voila - my money has been transferred to your account.
When we log out of our Tranfer section the receipt for what we have done shows up - and we are able to print that out as a Paper record.
Mobile phone banking is available - but i wont use that -
I cant print out a receipt from my mobile phone for my paper records.
Re the Original question - it comes across to me that the Bride already had sourced another Caker, thus why she was so calm and cool about cancelling her order with OP.
Perhaps money wasn't an issue - shrug.
Perhaps *aunty* around the corner said she would do it - as a gift....shrug.
I had a bride cancel with me once - as her grandmother got dreadfully upset that she wasn't making the wedding cake.
The bride didn't seem miffed at all that she lost her $200.00 retainer....
We meet all kinds in this Caking world.... but as long as we are clear as to our contract details - we should all be covered for this situation....or any other situation that may arise.
Bluehue
The ability to pay someone via ACH to an email or mobile phone is very new. Wells Fargo offers it too. I got real excited when they started it, I though I'd be able to pay my rent that way. No luck - it has a $900 maximum and you can only do one a day. The person receiving it also has to wait 3-5 days for the deposit "to clear". It's basically writing an electronic check that is electronically deposited. I also think it has the same limitations as a paper check - you can stop payment or claim fraud on it.
I don't think Blue has that problem - I think she gets her money right away. If so, the only way to do that is via the Federal Reserve's wire transfer system.
It's not widely used, expensive, and you have to do it in-branch because a wire in the US is one way and permanent. If you send the money you can't get it back unless the receiving bank and the account holder that it was sent to sends it back. You can't claim fraud and you can't stop payment. It's a done deal.
But I could be wrong - although I've used the US wire system more then probably anyone else you've ever met, I don't know OZ's banking systems.
The ability to pay someone via ACH to an email or mobile phone is very new. Wells Fargo offers it too. I got real excited when they started it, I though I'd be able to pay my rent that way. No luck - it has a $900 maximum and you can only do one a day. The person receiving it also has to wait 3-5 days for the deposit "to clear". How restrictive - having a maximum - and a 3-5 day clearance time... I can transfer $2.00 if i wish up to whatever is available in my bank account. It's basically writing an electronic check that is electronically deposited. I also think it has the same limitations as a paper check - you can stop payment or claim fraud on it.
I don't think Blue has that problem - I think she gets her money right away.
Yes, thats correct - i can transfer what ever funds i have in my bank account...
Actually this is how i pay myself...
I take from my Caking account and transfer my wage into my Personnel account. its done in 2 minutes - and available to me as a wage within a matter of hours. Then if i wish i can transfer those funds to anyone in the world as long as i have thier banking account details.
This is one of our banks - and the link gives you an insight as to on line banking
http://www.boq.com.au/online.htm
The only way i can get the money back into my account is if it is transfered back - i cannot cancel the transaction once it has been done.
So once i have paid someone - thats it - my money has gone -
If so, the only way to do that is via the Federal Reserve's wire transfer system.
It's not widely used, expensive, and you have to do it in-branch because a wire in the US is one way and permanent. If you send the money you can't get it back unless the receiving bank and the account holder that it was sent to sends it back. You can't claim fraud and you can't stop payment. It's a done deal.
But I could be wrong - although I've used the US wire system more then probably anyone else you've ever met, I don't know OZ's banking systems.
Not relevant to the original topic but the Australian system described by Blue for online banking transfers sounds the same as the UK and Ireland's systems. It's very straightforward.
Not relevant to the original topic but the Australian system described by Blue for online banking transfers sounds the same as the UK and Ireland's systems. It's very straightforward.
Yes it is the same as the British Isles use - and makes life very easy and simplifies things...imo
Bluehue
Of course us Americans had to go break it 
Sure, not 100% relevant to the original topic, but it explains why us Yanks are running around trying to get paid all the time.
It's also funny... people are WEIRD about giving out their bank account number. For some reason they think it's like asking for their social security number or something- people seem to forget that their bank account number is printed at the bottom of their checks and has been that way since checks were invented here😜
Don't assume that people have the money for the balance just because they paid the deposit. I had one bride who was scrambling to pay for her cake the Tuesday before the wedding (and I only let it go that long because I was working with her planner, who I'd worked with before.) when I told her that there would be no cake the balance started rolling in in bits and pieces from different credit cards. it was clear that she was getting grandma to pay part of it, mom to pay part of it, etc etc. Turns out that the groom had gambled away the wedding money that he was supposed to have paid to the vendors. The wedding was cancelled after the rehearsal dinner. Plus, the florist never got paid and lost $3000 on that one, the planner never got paid, etc etc. Those were the people who said "oh, it's okay, you can pay me later" to try to be nice.
That goes to SCP's point of being professional and consistent, stand by your contract, etc.
I also had one bride who bought a huge cake from me because that was all that was important to her at the wedding. That was over a year ago, and she still hasn't paid the photographer or the venue. Poeple are shifty and just because they book something doesn't mean they have the money to pay for it.
Of course us Americans had to go break it
Sure, not 100% relevant to the original topic, but it explains why us Yanks are running around trying to get paid all the time.
It's also funny... people are WEIRD about giving out their bank account number. For some reason they think it's like asking for their social security number or something- people seem to forget that their bank account number is printed at the bottom of their checks and has been that way since checks were invented here
I work in banking in the Fraud Dept. I would NEVER give out my account number to ANYONE!! If I pay a bill by check, I bring the mail to the Post Office. I don't leave mail in the mail box. People around here have had their mail taken & their account numbers compromised.
My husband is from Australia and we still have bank accounts there. Bluehue is right, paying people there is a breeze. I can also transfer money from our Aussie accounts to accounts in the US without much hassle. I wish we had that capability here.
Can you imagine how easy it would be to go out to dinner with a friend and one of you pays and you just quickly transfer the amount you owe to their account with your phone.
*sigh*
Of course us Americans had to go break it
Sure, not 100% relevant to the original topic, but it explains why us Yanks are running around trying to get paid all the time.
It's also funny... people are WEIRD about giving out their bank account number. For some reason they think it's like asking for their social security number or something- people seem to forget that their bank account number is printed at the bottom of their checks and has been that way since checks were invented here��
I work in banking in the Fraud Dept. I would NEVER give out my account number to ANYONE!! If I pay a bill by check, I bring the mail to the Post Office. I don't leave mail in the mail box. People around here have had their mail taken & their account numbers compromised.
But what can someone actually DO with your account number other than deposit money into it? Drawing it out or making online/phone changes will still require ID/password/whatever. When you send your check off, it's still processed at final location XYZ by a lower level accounting-type person who could totally take the number off if they wanted it. That can also happen by clerks at stores that you write them to. I would love to hear if there's something that I'm missing here, but as far as I know a simple account number means squat.
LaLady -
Fraud??? - because we do electronic transfers - 
Hardly petal - i don't think you fully grasp the concept of online banking - and if you did - you would condem it so fast.
Fraud can happen in all aspects of todays electronic world - more so because of people having thier mail boxes raided -
Utility bills have more personnel information on them than just emailing someone ones account number and branch number.
Unless you have the capability to hack into ones pc it is as safe as houses to do online banking.
I see more CCers willing to accept orders because of a spam email which is frightening as they are prepared to give out more than thier account number and branch number.
Nope - sorry - one needs my login details to access my bank account before they can rip me off.
Online banking has been available in this country for years -
Actually i don't know of anyone who doesn't use it.
Its safer than writing and posting a cheque.
(yes we spell CHEQUE differently to in the States).
Lolll - come to think of it i don't know anyone who has a cheque book or cheque account any more. All our banks have been phasing them out over the last 3 years...within 12 months they will be obsolete in this country.
crushed
EXACTELY - thank you - a voice of reason.
KoryAK
And thank you - another voice of reason and someone who actually understands the online banking process.
Many may think we are a small country (even tho the state i live in is 5 times larger than Texas - true story) but we are leaps and bounds ahead of many other countries.
What makes me laugh is half of the worlds population haven't a clue where we are anyway...lolllllllllllllllll
It may surprise some of you but we here in Australia have flung open our door to all Americans who are willing to come work within our Minning and Mineral Sector.
We require thousands of people - both male and female to work for the huge minning companies (Rio Tinto - BHP - etc etc) as our population is small in comparrison to other countries.
Not only that but due to the falling economy in America - it is agreed between our Federal Goverment and your Goverment that we do this to help you.
Your Navy and Air Force come here so often (as they have over the last 20+ years) for R&R and many of those servicemen and women are now wanting to call Australia home.
Yes - we may seem small - we may seem far away - but by god we are leading the way in so many things - that many only dream of.
Give Australia a thought - we are a land of plenty - we are a land of beauty - and we are a land that sells our cakes at 10 times dearer than what many Americans are selling thier cakes for...that i can assure you.
I nearly fall off my chair when i read that many on here are charging $2.00 a head for cakes - TWO DOLLARS!!!!!!!.
Good grief - i won't walk into my kitchen for $8.00 a guest.
I don't know how you survive - honestly - how do you?
I shudder when i see the prices you ask - yes, i know your economy isn't the strongest at the moment - but truely - how do you survive charging between $1.50 and $2.00 per guest?
For every one american dollar on todays world exchange rate - we would get .94 cents.
Yesterday we would have gotten $1.06 - arghhhh, wish i had of been quicker off the mark to the bank - lollll
I guess in September when i arrive in America - i will see for myself how you do survive - because sitting way over here - it beggers belief that your prices are sadly so low.
I try and figure out what your profit margins would be - it saddens me to think tha many of you work so hard - create cakes of beauty - only to recieve $2.00 per serve... it just seems so wrong..... to me
Yes - we may be far away (only 18 hours flying time for me - lollll - from my West Coast to your West Coast) - we may seem small to Americans - but we are indeed the lucky country.
Bluehue
I don't think anyone was putting down or even talking about online banking, they where just talking about paper checks. I don't even get paper statements anymore since it is eaiser and faster to go online to check it. I can send money to my checking account and savings account super easy, fast and free and back again. Wellsfargo, which is my bank, is now doing transfers between wellsfargo and bank of america using just the other persons mobile number or email address and you can send to another bank as long as you set up the account but it takes several days to verify that account and it is just a hassle. You can also do bill pay with your bank and any bills you need to pay. Paypal is probably the closest to your banking system. You can send payments and receive payments to anyone with just their email address or phone number and it is fairly inexpensive. Credit cards are still the easiest though. If I buy something online I can just make my payment right when I am making the order and in fact you have to pay for the order before it is placed. I don't use many paper checks since I have my bank card but for things like rent I have to send a check. I am like lalady as are many people where I don't like giving out my account number to many people. I will do it when either making a payment online or paying for something online but it is an issue of safety for your account. If someone gets your check, if it is blank then of course they can write a check and use it, alot of places don't check ID's which sucks. But they can do damage with just the account by being able to use the account number online and as many times as they like. They also can steal your identity using your account number and name and I have even know a case of someone buying a house that way. You will be surprised what people can do using just a little bit of information. Why do you think people sending scammer emails want your bank account number? They know exactly what they can do with it.
But what can someone actually DO with your account number other than deposit money into it? Drawing it out or making online/phone changes will still require ID/password/whatever.
An ID and password is required if a scammer wants to originate transfers from your account, but if an unscrupulous individual has your account number and routing number it would not be difficult to take money from your account via an ACH pull originating from an account they control (ACH transactions do not require authentication). Other possible attacks would be paying for goods and services using your account info, or using social engineering to steal your identity.
FWIW I very rarely write checks, I average maybe 2-3 per year. Everything is paid with my credit card or debited directly from my checking account.
Yes Blue, I would say more than the majority of decorators here work for less than minimum wage on their creations, and in some cases for pennies, and in too many cases, in the red all together.
Not this one!
This is definitely not a country issue, I'm sure there are plenty of bakers in every country who are not charging enough for their products.
Wow - interesting read - another Aussie here who can't believe that the same country that put a man on the Moon over 40 years ago (they did - didn't they?? LOL) and has a little dune buggy rolling around Mars at the moment can have such an antiquated banking system.
We have used online banking for ... sheesh at least 15 years?? I rarely walk into a bank these days - only required to, when some dinosaur presents me with a cheque. My closest bank branch is a 50kms round trip and approx an hour of my day - so you can see this additional advantage of money transfer
It is SAFE & SECURE - the banks have to make it that way .... or why would we use it ?
There is more chance of somebody skimming your card details from a credit card transaction. All of my bills are paid this way. I also have the added protection of an SMS pin for NEW transactions - so if I want to transfer funds to somebody 'new' that hasn't got their details already in my 'Transfer to' folder it is unable to be processed without the Security Number that is sent to the nominated mobile phone attached to my account in the form of an SMS. Within the same bank the funds are available immediately - great for those times when your son has filled up his car with petrol and gets to the register to pay and realises his bank account is empty .....Muuummmmm - can you put money in my account? - Jump on the compuer and it is done in a matter of secs!
I would say 99% of my cake business is run using the Direct Deposit system - I rarely have to chase money and if I do I can say it needs to be in my account by end of trade today and it is EASY for them to do that.
Tradesmen here will have their account details on their invoice to ENCOURAGE you to pay this way - also saves THEM time have to go to the bank to present cheques.
As for rent - Real Estate offices here will only accept Direct Debit - whereby the bank AUTOMATICALLY transfers a nominated amount from your account to the RE account on a certain day of the month - no cheques allowed
It would seem that American banks are run a lot different to ours - in more ways than one!
Can't remember the exact details but I remember a conversation I had with some Americans about your mortgage system - lets just say .... you lot have been SPOILT!
We would think we were living the high life if we could secure an interest rate for the life of the entire mortgage! (Apologies if this info is incorrect)
As for the way your cakes are priced - so much harder for us to sit and judge - I know the price of your groceries is SO CHEAP compared to ours - but I agree with not being able to understand that people are prepared to pay people to make their cakes .... ie work for LESS than what is costs them !
The Aussies couldn't have said it better. That's why fraud isn't as big as it is in the USA. What a beaut country!
The USA has many great things, I love the USA but living is much better in Australia.
Jason - I think it is country standards to charge rock bottom dollar per serving and tge reason is because of your economic hardships, but some have the courage to are will to take chances and charge more, like fromscratch!
Jason - I think it is country standards to charge rock bottom dollar per serving and tge reason is because of your economic hardships, but some have the courage to are will to take chances and charge more, like fromscratch!
Incorrect. First of all, the definition of "rock bottom dollar per serving" varies widely depending on what your target market is and where you are. If the cost of living in a certain area in the US (or Australia) is very low, the market price of baked goods will be low, as will the wage you can earn as a baker. Generalizing an entire country and assigning "standards" just doesn't make sense.
Regarding your comment about charging more, it has little to do with "courage", charging higher prices comes from putting together a business plan with competitive advantages and targeting the right customers.
Firstly I've learned a lot from reading all the forum posts on what to do and what not to do, in regards to everything about cakes and running a home business, but I've also noticed that some people (Bluehue in particular) are quite rude when comes to comments on other people's posts. I am an American who proudly calls Australia home, I'm married to an Australian and our kids are all Queenslanders. I've lived here for twelve years and will be here for the remainder of my days. But Blue to tell people to settle petal is rude and condescending, not everyone in America understands the Aussie slang but I do, it makes you sound very arrogant. That might not be your intention but that's how you sound. I get very protective when people start slamming America, yes they are having major problems at the moment but what country isn't not even Australia has escaped from the GFC, and to say its the lucky country we pay 3x the amount for fuel, power, groceries, rent, cars, everything. Yes we do get somethings like Medicare, and dental if you can't afford it. But when someone waits seven years to get cataracts removed or do their own dental surgery because you have to wait six weeks to get a tooth fixed that's not lucky thats cruel. And coming from Queensland yourself Blue you would know how bad the Bruce Highway is. It's like a two lane death trap. Back roads in the states are in better condition than one of the major highways in Australia. So Australia does have the sun and the surf but to say its lucky is true but it doesn't share it luck with everyone. I'm sorry to hijack this post and I might get in trouble but I couldn't sit back and read anymore without saying something.
Well to avoid an international incident and get back on topic, I'm going to address the OP's situation. First of all I totally agree with your very business- like email. If I had received something like that I wouldn't be thinking 'How dare she question my motives! I think I'll go to Walmart...I'll show HER!'
No...I'd be thinking...'Holy sh*t! I need to get this thing paid or I'm not going to have a cake!"
But then I wouldn't be expecting to scam the baker either...and I think she may have been.
NO ONE needs to apologize or bend over backwards to people who are not willing to play by the rules you set for YOUR business!
People learn how to treat you by how you respond to them. If you're a push-over, guess how you'll be treated ? If you are business- like, polite and stand by your policies, people will respect you and follow the rules or learn to go elsewhere. If you've had trouble with this person's relatives, then consider yourself lucky...you might get rid of the whole fam-damily. 
Jason - compared to Australia it is very low almost rock bottom and like you said it is because of your low wages. I agree you targeting the right customers and putting in a good plan. Hard work and that requires courage. I wasnt being negative Jason, but you seem to take it that way! - must be what you said earlier about the way one reads an email vs phone calls!
Jalex- both Australia and USA have things to be proud of! The USA have had the worst of the GFC and I feel for all of them who have to suffers with it! But I don't think you can complain about the health system in Australia, there are plenty of options for any health issue. Australia is ranked right up there for the medical system.
As for 3x the cost of living, that's a little exaggerated. It's definately cheaper. Maybe around 30-40% cheaper but so are wages. So it's all relative!
This thread can go on and on regarding the debate between Australia and USA - take it from soneone who has an American SIL - but it's not worth it. Each country has its beauty and appreciate that we have it easier then others!
I am completely lost as to how a thread about a non-paying bride turned into "Australia is better than America"
She never mailed the check, she didn't have the money, and was looking for an excuse to bail. Your email was not unprofessional, although a phone call might have saved the sale, as she would likely not have popped off like that in person - rather, she would have been embarrassed.
She never mailed the check, she didn't have the money, and was looking for an excuse to bail. Your email was not unprofessional, although a phone call might have saved the sale, as she would likely not have popped off like that in person - rather, she would have been embarrassed.
Couldn't have said it any better!
Jason - compared to Australia it is very low almost rock bottom and like you said it is because of your low wages.
That's not what I said at all, please reread my post...some areas in both countries have lower wages (which means that other areas in both countries have higher wages).
The latest data I could find in a quick search for median household income was US$43960 for Australia (2007-8 and US$44389 for the US (2004). If you have more recent data that shows median wages in Australia are significantly higher I would love to see it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_household_income_in_Australia_and_New_Zealand
If you read my post at the bottom, you will notice that I said this topic can go on and on! Im not willing to go on and on - at least not on CC - a forum I love to learn about the art of caking- not countries!
But since you are wanting info, try looking at 2012 results! Not half a decade ago!
Let's all just remember that no country goes around saying "We're number TWO!" and waving those foam fingers with two fingers held up.
And I've used online banking for years. And I'm half Canadian. And my grandparents were from England. I've never been to Australia, but I love Crowded House.
I just wanted to offer a suggestion. I have a section, on my contract, which shows the cost of the cake ( servings x $4 etc.) At the end of that list is the total. Right underneath the Total Due is the DATE DUE in RED. There is no guessing when the total is due.
Also, in my Policies & Procedures contract, I outline that all balances are due 30 days before the event. If extreme circumstances arise, payment will only be accepted in Cash after that date. If the final balance is not paid 14 days before the wedding, the order is cancelled & all payments to date are forfeited.
Every time you give your credit card to a waitress who knows you live in town, your account is compromised. It's that simple. It's easy to guess a zip by just asking a few questions. Online banking is a lot harder to bust into than a credit or debit card.
Personally, my husband and I use bank accounts online that carry low balances. Another set of accounts, never accessed online and not linked, hold larger sums. Both of us just keep a working account we don't want to lose, but the loss, if it ever happens, is not a damaging amount. I have known businessmen who have lost everything to online banking. It is not covered by FDIC. It is just a police report and a "good luck" from a police officer. Most of that kind of theft is carried out in other countries and is hard to recover.
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