I just wanted to add this as it fits somewhat...I bake for fun for family and friends. You can not legally bake and sell out of your house in NJ, bummer. But that is
another story for another day.
Anyway, I had someone ask me for a cake (9x13) sheet in fondant to look like a football field with a NY logo on it. I gave her a price (basically ingredients). For fun I called a high end bakery in our area and asked them to quote me on the cake. Let me just say, their minimum for ANY cake (6in round or whatever) is $300. They told me $300 for the cake, without delivery....I told the girl...she almost fell off her chair. She did not complain about the price I am charging her at all but I just wanted to know for myself how much I could get. And she is a friend of my cousins so I told her. Do you know what she said, I almost had a heart attack..."I am so glad I know you now, when you get your bakery I will get great prices" HAHAHA!

Ravnsmommy...what happened? I am sitting in great anticipation of her response!

What ever happened? I keep checking in out of curiosity but the post seems to have a cliffhanger, or did I miss it in the previous pages?

I would give her detailed invoice:
time for making flowers.....x hours
Time to bake; smooth cake; make fondant; roll out...etc And she will be surprised how much time is to involve to make a cake. Maybe she will than appreciate your time. I would not give her the receipt. But I would give her how much cost to make batter, icing and fondant at VONS cost

I just fell out.

$2.00 per serving for a fondant cake with gumpaste flowers?

I would have charged about 1700 for that cake with simple decorations. Gumpaste work extra.

To the OP, I would make copies of all receipts, all water, trash, electric, gas bills, all gas receipts from that week of working on the cake and delivering, and any copies of bilss, receipts otherwise necessary when making a cake. I would also use Excel to create a 'timesheet' of the hours you worked and include a total amount at the bottom of said timesheet (this alone should be about $400.) Then present all information to the bride just to let her know exactly what kind of deal she got.

But then, I'm a smarta$$ like that!

I am happy to read all of these responses. I just had a customer who was interested in purchasing a birthday cake for her daughter ask me why I charge more for certain cake flavors, and why every time she made the cake more complicated the price increased. After over several dozen emails and over three hours of work, I finally told her that my pricing is none of her business and I didn't think it was appropriate for her to ask. I asked her if anyone ever asked her to justify what she charges per child at her daycare. I also told her she was welcome to take her business elsewhere knowing she would not get the deal she was getting with me. She told me I didn't have to be so rude and I told her I wasn't being rude, just stating a fact that we were not in a binding contract at this point, and she was welcome to walk away. Needless to say she was "definately" getting the cake and when the deposit didn't arrive by the date she had promised, she emailed me telling me something had come up. I have recently adopted a new philosophy... I would rather not have a cake to do than make a cake that I end up making no money on.

How did the meeting with bridezilla turn out? did we lose the OP?

I think you should download the price matrix on the starting the business forum it includes the cost of all equipment, accessories,time etc. I find that she is very out of place to request receipt "TO SEE IF EVERY THING IS FAIR" She is definitely discussing the price with someone and they are not pleased with it. I would tell her that I'm sorry but I find that you requesting the receipt is very offensive. because you are running a business not a favor.

I have not read all the posts, I should be shot for posting, but, IS SHE OUT OF HER MIND? What you charge is what you charge. To sit down and give her a receipt for everything will take more time than it will to do her cake. If she has a problem with you being "fair" now you have a long road down the trail of doom. Have her price her cake elsewhere and ask for receipts to be fair. See what happens. Best of luck.

Sounds like the beginning of a bridezilla. She may want to re-think the design of her cake if she is not comfortable with the price. Maybe discuss a price range with you and the two of you can decide on a design that's FAIR to both of you, within that price range. This request is a little much, right up there with a person wanting to purchase all the ingredients, thinking they are going to get a price cut (and your recipe). That's something I would NOT agree to and stand firm, for all of us.

When I was a teenager I would give people receipts for cakes or sewing projects, and not take into account that my time was worth something. I didn't think that i should even make minimum wage (4.75) because that was for "real work" and this was "just cake".
But i'm all grown up now and think that is just stupid! If you want me to mix and bake and throw icing on it from across the room, your still gonna pay! And if you want it to look good, then that's gonna take quite a bit of time and Time is Money!
A skilled position pays at least $15 to $25 an hour around here and my cakes are worth every penny, ingredients be darned!

I didn't read the whole eight pages of this thread, but I'd have to resort to the indydebi response. Tilt your head and say "why would I do that?" and watch her trip over her words trying to come up with a way to explain that she's a cheap without having to say she's cheap.

Or you could show her that pic I saw someone post on here a while ago. It's called "made from the same ingredients" and shows the Statue of David and a rock, then a kid's fingerpainting and a Picasso, then an ugly cake wreck and a gorgeous five tier creation with gumpaste flowers. They're all made from the same ingredients, so they should all cost the same, right?????

where are you ravnmommy? we all want to know what happened?!

I just checked the OP's profile and this is the only thread she ever posted on..............I guess she didn't get as addicted to CC as the rest of us are We may never know the outcome

Just by reading this I can see why there are 8 pages of responses for this question. I really think she is out of line here...I have not read past the first page of responses so please forgive me if I am repeating what has already been said....I have to say, there is absolutely not one reason you should need to go there with her. If she is truely a friend she should already know what a great deal you have given her and be so thankful for the price that you have given her as well...I hope the was just kidding...

This was her only post and she just recently joined....hmmmm......
Hope this in't another one of those postings to get us all riled up in a fake drama while the OP sits back and laughs...

I will give it the benefit of doubt that ravenmommy just wanted to vent, and is too busy to respond...

I've also seen people create a new account with a different name so they can remain somewhat anonymous. A lot of potential customers search this site for pics and ideas, you don't want to get caught bad mouthing them. I think maybe she hasnt had time to respond.
However we do get our fair share of trolls around here?

Just needing to have some drama going on without all the backlash in their personal life. Maybe the ecnomy is prevent them from seeking professional counseling and they need to be the center of attention someplace and CC was the chosen place? Sad for those of us that get taken in by then but I guess we allowed it. Most CCers hare decent helpful people.