I just checked Craigslist in my area, and there is an ad from a home baker that said she will make wedding cakes for FREE. The only catch is you have to pay for the ingredients. The gal apparently is enrolled in a Wilton course and wants to start a portfolio. So I'm sure this lady would jump all over the ad Indydebi posted.

Reminds me of a recent experience with a bride. I did a recent consultation with a bride that was bargain shopping for her wedding cake...150 guests...fondant covered with an overlayed fabric look...gumpaste rose border on each tier (approximately 50 total), and gumpaste rose topper. The quotes she received ranged from $750 - $1000+. Keep in mind she has a $20,000 budget, and her reception is being held at a yacht club. She wanted to skimp on the cake, and of course $750 wasn't low enough for her so she continued her search. She found a licensed baker that offered to do the entire thing for $350. I told her to go for it because she wasn't getting that price from me and keep in mind that you get what you pay for.

"VALENTINES DAY IS AROUND THE CONNER"

Sigh. I don't look at craigslist much around it just offends my proof-reading, AP-style-loving, journalistic soul.

I don't see any on the Buffalo craigslist. I guess we tend more to diaper cakes.

I do understand the mentality of these people. When I was first, first starting, I was dying to make cakes. Any cake. For just about nothing. Mostly because I looooooved it and it was all I could think about, but also because I too wanted to expand my portfolio.
Really the only thing that helped was making dummies, and then a few special clients who took chances on me. And also having a DH who made me an awesome website didn't hurt. So I do understand the whole I will make you a beautiful cake for nothing thing.
But on the other hand, it does seem like every bored woman out there thinks she can be Collette Peters (and really, what is wrong with dreaming? We all started out dreaming). I think the problem is when they have NO idea how to make a cake and they open a cake business anyway. Like a lot of the people on Craigs List. I do think that is how cake wrecks happen...

Family (very close family) are the only ones that I do a cake for in which they only pay ingredients my time is their gift. Friends get a bit of a discount but do have to pay me for my time. Everyone else has to pay a normal fee.

I'd be scared to accept a craiglist cake order. Good grief you know they'd be a bridezilla and a half.

You would hope that most people think twice before they buy something that they are actually going to eat!! No matter how cheap it is. JMO

Hi again, when I posted the link in my area, I honestly didn't think the spelling would cause such "turmoil",(for a lack of a better word). It was not my intention to make fun of her or her spelling. To be honest, being a Hispanic myself and being used to hear people speaking tex/mex all the time, I did not notice the misspelled words until I started reading the subsequent posts. I feel so bad for that lady. This subject brings back bad memories for me because when I came here from Mexico (25 years ago), people would make fun of my accent. I studied the English language in Mexico and my teachers had a worst accent than I. I still do, but speak more fluently now. My intention for posting such link was merely for us to confirm that there are people that under price their work so much that I think they have no profit at all. Obviously she has to have some kind of profit, and maybe she rather work a lot for a little instead of abusing the system like a LOT of people in my area does.
I understand that when we move to another country we should try to learn the language and obey the laws of the land.
If anybody knows how to erase a post, please let me know.
TO THE LADY IN THE LINK: If by any chance you see this thread, I apologize. I am so sorry to have started all this comments.
Elda

Maybe it's a sting to get home bakers to call and them bam!!! BUSTED! for baking illegally!

Elda, you are a very kind hearted person.

Elda, when I read that listing, the LAST thing on my mind was "maybe this person speaks English as a second language". I saw the misspelling and jumped on it because I, like many people, get really bugged by misspelled words, especially when they are in print or anywhere public.

It was NOT my intention to poke fun at anyone's nationality, and if you or anyone else took it that way, then I am very sorry!

oh I wasn't making fun of her nationality (if that is the issue). I am taking spanish and mess up all the time, I get that.

BUT like Chutzpah said, she could of at least repeated the same misspelling...

I misspell many things, but if i was "advertising" I would make sure it was correct.

I also did not mean to offend anyone, My Grandmother moved here (California) from Mexico in the 70's.. we are a blended Bilingual family so I completely understand about grammar mistakes due to language barriers.

But like Bakerbear and RocketGirl said when placing a public ad I think I would at least use spell check . My personal opinion is that if you are taking the time to advertise, and that is the first impression your potential clients are going to have of you it would be worth the extra time to make sure your ad is spelled correctly.

I am not anyone special , I only have a 9th grade education. I am by far not trying to give the impression of superior intellect. I guess I just think people should try a little harder.

But when you are only charging $25 and $35 for a custom cake, spelling doesn't really matter...

Huh. I really don't think anyone was trying to insult anyone's nationality, not at all. But if you're going to make a public post like that, making so many errors just makes you look like you just don't care. And what does that say about your cakes? ($25 and $35 price tags aside ...)

If I was going to make a post on, say, a French-speaking forum, I guarantee that my first effort would be ... pretty bad. (Honestly, I'm not sure I'd even do as well as that poster did.) But I'd edit it and make sure it was as correct as possible before I posted it, especially if it was supposed to be something professional.

Otherwise: Sloppy. Not good in any language.

OMG. I was walking in to work this morning and this lady stops me (a co-worker) and said her daughter was on Craigs list here in the Detroit area and that there were a lot of people advertising for someone to make their wedding cakes. I nearly busted up laughing. I guess it is more common than we think. Or a new trend. I'll have to look some up just to see what they want and how much they want to pay...hysterical!!!

Kinda sad that in this economy people only care about the price and not whether the baker they choose has the faintest clue of what they are doing. On the most important day of my life, you can bet I'm going to go with a reputable, experienced baker that will stand behind their work!

Yeah I checked in my area. There is a woman advertising baking cakes and cookies (starting from $5) from her home. It is illegal in this state. I sent her a message warning her.

JaimeAnn your in California right? I thought it was illegal to have a home bakery...your licensed and everything? That is awesome! I've never really looked into it because someone once told me it was illegal, can you give me any tips on getting started here?
Thanks