So Dh and I have had many discussions about how I see my cake business and what I should charge and such. I have read tons of advice here from all of you experts and am firm in the idea that I don't want to be the cheap bakery and want to start my prices at a price I feel comfortable with. I figure if it takes longer to get things going than that's how it will be but I want to give it a chance. I would rather be the small exculsive baker than the cheap lady!! Well being in a metro area of course there are people who are charging well over what I am, but I don't feel comfortable starting at $5 a slice either when I have to tell them I have been in business for 2 minutes. Well DH has been looking at these other people too and he knows that there are others that charge more, so he feels the need to tell people about my cake business and he tells them I am really good (he is my hubby after all) but then he adds "and she's cheap too" 
He told our neighbor this the other day who I had just given my card to because he is getting married in Nov. I waited until we were inside to remind him AGAIN that I don't want to say to people that I am cheap because that is just not the image I am looking for, he said it ju st slipped out. Ahhh, am I way off base here?? I try not to be too hard on him as I know he will be my best advertiser, he carries my business cards with him and is helping type all the stuff I need to turn in for my health inspection but still.... In our dreams I see myself as selling one cake a week for $2,000 (remember I said dreaming here) and he sees me as a vendor on the street corner selling hot dogs and wedding cakes 
Kristin
My DH underpriced me once, and he still apologizes. It was for my church, so I was giving a major discount anyway, but he inadvertantly cut that in half. I would normally have charged $100, but I was giving it to the church for $60. He thought I said $30. Well, at least that covered materials. He hasn't said anything about my prices since, and he never says cheap.
So, what corner do you work? I might stop by for some cake. 
That's so funny! Try to gently remind that's not the image your going for. Think custom, gourmet, detailed..... not cheap!
So, what corner do you work? I might stop by for some cake. [/quote]
I'll let you know!! I am not kidding when I say he has called me over to the computer to show me those big stainless steel metal trucks that people sell food out of, that he found on E-bay. Or I hear, "Kristin check this out" it usually is a little hot dog warmer thing, those aren't cheap by the way 
I am sure you wont miss us as I am sure DH will be walking around with a huge smile and a sandwich board on.
Kristin
LOL men are so funny sometimes. Tell your DH to be more discreet when he talks about prices. Maybe saying that your prices are reasonable rather than cheap is a better way of saying it. Goodluck on your new venture!
Totally agree, I was looking for the right word combon and could only think of innexpensive, I like "reasonable" a lot better.
It also gives the overall sense that you are reasonable and workable. It's a very powerful word! Especially these days where everything seems extreme and over the top.
Good Luck.
Husbands are our best friends and worst enemy all rolled into one sometimes! My husband just flubbed up over a cake pricing last week too. Hmm, if I remember right Melvira told me to demand diamonds as his apology gift! I'm still waiting for them BTW.
Ask him to say "her prices are reasonable" instead.
Men!!! If I had a penny for everytime my dh said 'sorry it just slipped out', I'd be rich!!!
NO!!! You know what they say....."men, you can't live with them...and you can't live without them"....!
... I know he will be my best advertiser, he carries my business cards with him and is helping ....
Kristin
You've just identified your situation quite well. My husband is my best advertising, too, followed closely by my oldest and youngest daughters (oldest did a speech in college: "Why you should have my mother make your wedding cake", complete with a 2-tier sample, brochures, business cards, etc. Got an "A" on it! 
)
My husband now tells people the following: "My wife is not the cheapest, nor is she the most expensive, but you will get excellent service, a lot of extras and the freshest cake from her." That one sentence tells the story rather succinctly, I think.
So don't be angry with him; just feed him another piece of cake and gently remind him that there are better, more "quality" words out there that he can use to describe your work, other than "cheap".
Good luck on your street corner,
Odessa
... I know he will be my best advertiser, he carries my business cards with him and is helping ....
Kristin
You've just identified your situation quite well. My husband is my best advertising, too, followed closely by my oldest and youngest daughters (oldest did a speech in college: "Why you should have my mother make your wedding cake", complete with a 2-tier sample, brochures, business cards, etc. Got an "A" on it! )
My husband now tells people the following: "My wife is not the cheapest, nor is she the most expensive, but you will get excellent service, a lot of extras and the freshest cake from her." That one sentence tells the story rather succinctly, I think.
So don't be angry with him; just feed him another piece of cake and gently remind him that there are better, more "quality" words out there that he can use to describe your work, other than "cheap".
Good luck on your street corner,
Odessa
... I know he will be my best advertiser, he carries my business cards with him and is helping ....
Kristin
You've just identified your situation quite well. My husband is my best advertising, too, followed closely by my oldest and youngest daughters (oldest did a speech in college: "Why you should have my mother make your wedding cake", complete with a 2-tier sample, brochures, business cards, etc. Got an "A" on it! )
My husband now tells people the following: "My wife is not the cheapest, nor is she the most expensive, but you will get excellent service, a lot of extras and the freshest cake from her." That one sentence tells the story rather succinctly, I think.
So don't be angry with him; just feed him another piece of cake and gently remind him that there are better, more "quality" words out there that he can use to describe your work, other than "cheap".
Good luck on your street corner,
Odessa
NO!!! You know what they say....."men, you can't live with them...and you can't live without them"....!
I thought it was you can't live with them you can't kill them
Odessa, I think I will print off what your hubby says and let him study it!!
Kristin
So, what corner do you work? I might stop by for some cake.
Sounds like your husband MIGHT be on to something - I'd stop by for cake.
We have a great county fair with lots of different (over priced) food vendors; but eating there is always one of the highlights of the day.
It would be great to get a decadent piece of cake - and you could charge wedding cake prices (or more) and no one would bat an eye!
Good luck in your business endeavors.
Aaah, Now I love my hubby to death but he has a problem with me knocking back orders if it's someone we know. Even if we only know them very remotely, he still thinks I HAVE to squeeze them in even if I am already fully booked.
We have had arguments over this topic 3 times now, and the last time I put my foot down and said NO! I am full, I don't care WHO it is or if you work with this lady, but if I could fit in another cake for ANYONE, then I would, but i am FULL!!
Well, he was really cross with me and eventually the lady herself rang me and I told her the same thing. You know what happened? She changed the party to the week later and I am doing the cake for her then, when I had a vacancy!!
I think sometimes we must define "supportive." When business is going strong, and I'm exhausted, I have sat down with my hubby to show him my monthly income & expense report. This has really helped us both to understand what support is required! I highly recommend it!
Hmmmm..... he calls you cheap and sees you working on a corner. Firmly sit him down and tell him your business is not called "Hooker Cakes".
Oh God Bless Him! They try so hard don't they?
And here I worked so hard to come up with my business name when the answer was right in front of me!!
he sounds like my DH!! hahahhaaha
wants me to get into corporate cakes and im just not into doing those on a regular basis..i mean i really dont want to do sheetcake after sheetcake.
then he says i should do gourmet cookies..NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO i dont want to do gourmet cookies...chocolates...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....he does roll out fondant pretty good though..so ill keep him hahaha
he sounds like my DH!! hahahhaaha
wants me to get into corporate cakes and im just not into doing those on a regular basis..i mean i really dont want to do sheetcake after sheetcake.
then he says i should do gourmet cookies..NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO i dont want to do gourmet cookies...chocolates...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....he does roll out fondant pretty good though..so ill keep him hahaha
OMG, they are one in the same. Oh he already has me doing the COL's retirement cake and really wants me to undercut the bakery at his work "so they will have a reason to go with me". AND I swear anything he sees that is sweet "You should sell that!!!"
Good news though!!!!!!! I just got an e-mail not 5 minutes ago from the neighbor's fiance, looks like she is interested in the cheap cake lady!!!! Ahh, I am literally shaking, I hope I wasn't scheduled to be on the corner that day 
I have got to get my paperwork done for my inspection!!!!!
Kristin
I love what Odessa's husband says and I am going to push my hubby to use it!
My husband is in the Army and he is my best advertisement. He never undersells and when he sees that I am hesitatnt with pricing he steps in quoting firm. My problem seems to be that I am a military wife and I know that the Army doesn't pay well. I know what it is to live on a budget. Maybe your husband has that in the back of his mind too. Trying to compete with the commissary is difficult.
In any case explaining to him that the use of "cheap" as opposed to affordable gives the wrong impression of your talent. Your work is quality that they will not find at the commissary and therefore so worth the price. And also you offer custom cakes which makes them even more valuable because they are so hard to find.
NO!!! You know what they say....."men, you can't live with them...and you can't live without them"....!I thought it was you can't live with them you can't kill them....
I like my sister's version:
Men. You can't live with 'em. Can't kill 'em. Well, you CAN .... but then you'd have to clean up after 'em ONE MORE TIME!!!
NO!!! You know what they say....."men, you can't live with them...and you can't live without them"....!I thought it was you can't live with them you can't kill them....
I like my sister's version:
Men. You can't live with 'em. Can't kill 'em. Well, you CAN .... but then you'd have to clean up after 'em ONE MORE TIME!!!
OMG, once again indydebi, you have me rolling on the floor laughing!! Must be the whole midwest/military related thing that makes me appreciate your humor. I thought your hubby was the standup comedian though
Kristin.
KRistin, after 18 years of marriage, I told him that qualified me as his Head Writer!
True Story, and this story made it onto the stage at a comedy club .... it was his biggest laugh of the night.....
A Victoria Secret commercial was on and I said, "Oh man I'd like to have one of those. And he said,...... I"m not kidding, he really said:
"Does Victoria Secret make stuff in your size!"
Good thing he's my best friend!
..... True Story, and this story made it onto the stage at a comedy club .... it was his biggest laugh of the night.....
A Victoria Secret commercial was on and I said, "Oh man I'd like to have one of those. And he said,...... I"m not kidding, he really said:
"Does Victoria Secret make stuff in your size!"
Good thing he's my best friend!
Debi,
Your comments really made me giggle. Reminds me of something that happened a couple months ago (when it's cold and snowy outside and we're all bundled up under 15 layers of clothing inside).
My husband and I were watching TV and one of those hateful VS commercials came on, you know the one, with the skinny tall girls wearing little more than a smile were happily trotting their goods down the runway? Hubby looked up from his book just at the precise moment they were showing a closeup of one of the bras, and he said "Wow. I'd like to have some of those." I told him I didn't think they made a "Man Bra" --- yet!
I think maybe those two just might be cut from the same cloth ... hopefully the bolt's empty by now ... I wouldn't want anyone else to have the fun we seem to be having!
Odessa
So, Debi... where is your husband buried? I'd like to send some flowers on Memorial day!
And Kristin, I think you should drill the term 'affordable' into DH's head. I'd just warn him that if he doesn't start using it, you'll tattoo it on your fanny so he can read it every time he has to spend the day kissing it because he used the other term!!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%