I'm sure this has happened to lots of you, but this is the first time that it has happened to me, so I would like so advice.
One of my neighbors/friends asked me to make a cake for a baby shower, and I agreed. Went out, bought a lot of the supplies, and left several messages to discuss the design. I sent her several photos of designs through email and I told her it would be around $50.
Well, two weeks later of course, there was no response, so I emailed her last night to check in and she said she couldn't afford that much and was going to make a diaper cake! I have already bought the fondant, the most expensive part. And this is a woman who I have bought TONS of stuff from-Pampered Chef things, magazine subscriptions for her daughter's school, way more than $50 worth (more like $200 in total). She is also one of those people that buys anything and everything from door to door salesmen (like $75 for a gallon of cleaning liquid, or $1600 for a vacuum) so I am mad that when it comes to me, she is being cheap.
What should I say to her?

I don't mean to upset you, but I think it would have been better to have discussed design and price with her before you went out and bought supplies.

I know that you were probably excited about it and had no reason to think she wouldn't have had you make the cake but I have just found that it is better to nail down the details and especially price before you go ahead an incur costs of your own.

Hopefully the supplies are either things that you'll be able to use in the future on other cakes or maybe you could take some of them back.

Yeah, I'd be upset, especially because for her, it seems like price isn't an issue with a lot of other things so I completely understand your feelings on that. But sometimes there isn't an explanation for what people do.

I don't think I would say anything to her but in the future, (especially with her!), I'd either get a signed contract or if you aren't "legal", definitely have an in depth conversation about the design and final cost. HTH!

Sometimes it sucks, but we have to bend over and grab our ankles.

I don't EVER buy supplies until I have money in hand. Ever.

Rachel

I wouldn't say anything either. so sorry

I get that way too. I anticipate that someone I briefly talk to will definetly get a cake cause I know them so well and sometimes they just fall through. She probably wasn't thinking about all those other things you have purchased through her and only thinking of herself. People don't think that little things like that can hurt someone's feelings.

Maybe now with the supplies you have you can either return them or make a practice cake! Do something different than what you would've made her. Let's just put this in the Lessons Learned column.

There's nothing you can say. Just remember that you have no extra money to spend during the next fundraiser or Pampered Chef Party.

Actually, I could just die right now.
I sent the email to my DH, or I thought it was my DH, and said something snarky about how I thought that it was rude she didn't give me notice. But I hit reply, instead of forward and I sent it to her! Now I have to figure out how to damage control. I've already apologized, but I am pretty sure it is a little too late. I seriously do not know how I could have been so stupid.

start looking for a new house.

Well a diper cake is just tacky and maybe you can hack into her email!

Oh man... I'm dying too! My day started out with a kitchen fire, and I still think your day is worse! I'm so sorry!

Bite hard...this is going to hurt...but, you asked for opinions. Your neigbhor is not in the wrong here. She did not respond to your email... that should have sent up flags. Going forward and purchasing supplies w/o a price negotiated was your decision. It isn't the end of the world as you can either return the products or use for future orders. In my opinion, it is irrelevant how your neighbor spends her money. No one knows her expenses, but her. It is unfair to comment on how she spends money on other things. Everyone has their own set of financial priorities. Chalk this one up to lesson learned with not purchasing until you have confirmation and perhaps take a second to proofread before hitting send. It is what it is...you've apologized. Now it's time to move on. But, if you have a pet rabbit in the backyard you may want to move him...

soooo....what did she say????

Wanna make ammends??? Well, now that you already bought the cake supplies...

Can you afford to make her that cake for free? Maybe she really couldn't afford a real edible cake right now.

Yeah, I think in this case you ought to just suck it up and take the blame...since it was a bit of a faux paux (spelling?) Even though IMO it would have been nice of her to let you know! but you are neighbors and it might just be easier to "take it like a man" as the above poster suggested. Sometimes you just have to cut your losses! Maybe you could take her a little cake and apologize. Just say something to the effect that you were disappointed that you didnt have the opportunity to make the cake and that you shouldnt have spent time researching/designing/shopping for the cake when she hadnt given the go ahead. So sorry for you!!

Thanks for all the support! I will let you all know how it goes.

If she was a friend before all of this started, she will probably stay a friend once it all settles down. I'd offer her an "I'm sorry cake" or find out if she still needed to have a cake for her shower.