How Much Of A Discount Do You Give To Family....
Decorating By peacockplace Updated 26 Sep 2006 , 5:15am by butterflyjuju
For a wedding cake? This is for a cousin not a long lost relative or anything. Just curious what you all do. I'm trying to make a family policy that I can stick to. Immediate family is free. I'm not going to charge my little sister for her wedding cake or anything. 
I just want to set some rules before I get started with things.
I am one of 5 girls and 3 sisters got married within 6 months of each other and you guessed it....I did all three wedding cakes!! Since my husband and I and 3 kids were in all the weddings, I only had my sisters cover my expenses for the cake...the labor, etc. was my gift. If you figure in bridesmaids dresses, tuxedoes, several shower gifts, bachelorette parties...x3....it was really adding up!! 
As far as everyday cakes I do give a small discount, but family members usually insist on paying the full amount anyway! 
I typically gift cakes for weddings & wedding showers. I think it's a really nice sentiment. They'll remember it a lot longer than they will whatever was bought with the check you wrote them instead. 
I generally do 15-20% for family and reeeeeeally close friends. If it's a larger order like a wedding cake or sometihng more on the expensive end, i'll do 20%; everything else is 15%. Alot of times, I'll do it as my gift also.
For my closest friends, when they are buying a cake not for their own purposes I offer 50%. That way I know I will at least cover my expenses.
Don't know if this helps or clouds the issue...sorry
My grandmother had 22 kids so I have close to a 100 cousins easy, not to mention the 2nd cousins & even on 3rd cousins now. If they were close to me, I would charge only ingredients, however, if they are only cousins in name only, then I would charge them the same as any other customer. Just remember to treat them as any other customer and get a contract because it is much harder to forgive somebody when you see them more often than strangers. I learned that one the hard way 
My immediate family is free.
I have given cakes/other desserts as gifts to other family members. It's nicer than a registry gift - tastes better too!
My close friends I charge the ingredient cost for a big cake but if it's just a birthday cake I usually just give it to them.
Dh wants to reign in the madness, but I like giving cakes as gifts -plus I have total say over what the design will be in these cases, so I can do what I want!
Thank you all for your replies! I love to see all the different perspectives!
If a cake cost me 12 to make.. including board, foil and box.. Then I would charge 36.. If it's for cousins or friends.. I will charge 24. My cost, my time and basically no profit.. 1/3 goes to the cost, 1/3 goes back into cake stuff and 1/3 is really my profit..
I charge very much like Duff. I will do a cake for free for a family or friends wedding, but then I get to pick everything but the flavor. If they want to choose ( as in be a pain in the butt) then I charge full price. I consider it a great way to work on my more elaborate techniques.
The only cakes that I give free are to SOME members of my immediate family but not all. There are too many. I can't afford it because of university payments, SUV payments, etc. Part of my family won't even order a cake from me, not even with a discount. If it's not free, they would rather buy it from someone else!
I do like that idea about a free cake, given free reign! Something to think about for a niece who will soon be 15.
Marie
I charged my uncle for ingredients and anything else I had to buy to make the cake. Which wasn't much as I had most of it but he said to buy whatever just so they had a cake.
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