This Made Me Think Of Everyone Here...
Decorating By CristyInMiami Updated 13 Apr 2009 , 5:17pm by CristyInMiami
Part of the email I received today for a fondant cake for 125 people
"Please get back to me as soon as possible because she wants to have a nice cake but its just that she doesnt wanna pay an arm and a leg for it."
She's going to be in for a rude awakening. I feel like they write this so that you say, oh well maybe I should give them a cheaper price, with the economy and all the way it is! 
LMAO @ one arm, no leg!! 
I kept thinking of everyone who always says "tell them to go to walmart then"!!
I really wanted to say it too!!!
pouchet82, 1 finger, lol, even funnier than my 1 arm no leg
Part of the email I received today for a fondant cake for 125 people
"Please get back to me as soon as possible because she wants to have a nice cake but its just that she doesnt wanna pay an arm and a leg for it."
She's going to be in for a rude awakening. I feel like they write this so that you say, oh well maybe I should give them a cheaper price, with the economy and all the way it is!
I just don't think they get how much it costs for those of us who do not get wholesale ingredients/supplies.
I just charged $350 for a wedding cake this weekend and I spent at least $90 on supplies/ingredients. Then, since I didn't have two of the pan sizes yet, I needed to get those. Then, I had never worked much with any of this, so I bought DVDs for teaching me some more skills. In the end, I think I 'earned" about $50 on this cake.
I think people forget that when you are paying for a cake, you SHOULD also be paying for: education, supplies, ingredients as well as LABOR. I think most home bakers TOTALLY don't figure in the costs they've sunk into mixers, pans, tools, etc.
I guess for me, I only do this for fun, but it's not very fun when it destroys my kitchen, takes away HOURS and what do I get from it? Not much except for some satisfaction that I can do it!
I just don't think they get how much it costs for those of us who do not get wholesale ingredients/supplies.
I just charged $350 for a wedding cake this weekend and I spent at least $90 on supplies/ingredients. Then, since I didn't have two of the pan sizes yet, I needed to get those. Then, I had never worked much with any of this, so I bought DVDs for teaching me some more skills. In the end, I think I 'earned" about $50 on this cake.
I think people forget that when you are paying for a cake, you SHOULD also be paying for: education, supplies, ingredients as well as LABOR. I think most home bakers TOTALLY don't figure in the costs they've sunk into mixers, pans, tools, etc.
I guess for me, I only do this for fun, but it's not very fun when it destroys my kitchen, takes away HOURS and what do I get from it? Not much except for some satisfaction that I can do it!
Plus then,at least for me, the cleaning up is another story! It takes me a long time to clean everything,wipe everything down, and put everything back in its place. Thats a job itself!!
Tell me about the cleaning - I spent two days making that cake. Day one was making the flowers and baking and making icing and torting, filling and icing the cakes. Day two was rolling the fodant, putting the flowers together, getting the fondant on and smoothing it then decorating partway. Delivery, then stacking and putting on the final touches. THen, I came home to the mess which took me two hours to clean up and put away.
Oh, of course, since I was busy Friday night and exhausted and unable to find my kitchen, we ordered pizza for dinner - another expense.
I'm not complaining as I wanted to do it and I loved making the cake, but... there's no real profit in it for most of us. If I were to try to make 2 wedding level cakes a week, I would burn out fast I think... not with kids at home at least. My hats are off to all you big time bakers!
Oh, of course, since I was busy Friday night and exhausted and unable to find my kitchen, we ordered pizza for dinner - another expense.
OMG - I have never thought of that. I always make my husband buy lunch on my busy baking days and then I buy dinner for me (he works nights)!!
Yeah, definitely no discounts. My cakes are fairly priced for my area.
I just think its rude of someone to say that in an e-mail. Do you know them? Because if not its insulting, are they asking you because they think you're cheap or because you'll feel like giving them a discount for saying they dont want to pay an arm and a leg????
I just don't think they get how much it costs for those of us who do not get wholesale ingredients/supplies.
I just charged $350 for a wedding cake this weekend and I spent at least $90 on supplies/ingredients. Then, since I didn't have two of the pan sizes yet, I needed to get those. Then, I had never worked much with any of this, so I bought DVDs for teaching me some more skills. In the end, I think I 'earned" about $50 on this cake.
I think people forget that when you are paying for a cake, you SHOULD also be paying for: education, supplies, ingredients as well as LABOR. I think most home bakers TOTALLY don't figure in the costs they've sunk into mixers, pans, tools, etc.
I guess for me, I only do this for fun, but it's not very fun when it destroys my kitchen, takes away HOURS and what do I get from it? Not much except for some satisfaction that I can do it!
Plus then,at least for me, the cleaning up is another story! It takes me a long time to clean everything,wipe everything down, and put everything back in its place. Thats a job itself!!
If I did not have a dishwasher...I would faint dead away. The cleaning job is a bear!
I get 2 kinds of people...those that think I charge too much and they can't afford it but REALLY want it. OR, I get those that say I don't charge enough and that I deserve so much more. Grrr.
I have had one person that says ok, and just writes me a check for every cake I do for her...I just love her.
I can't stand it when people want a designer cake at a TJ Maxx price. And then when you factor in all the time spent baking and decorating a cake, it's not like you are coming out with so much money!
It's more like dollar store prices! like someone else suggested, let her go to walmart.
Everybody is paying an "arm and a leg" for everything we need these days, why should it be different for a cake?
That is insulting, they put you in an unfriendly frame of mind at the get go! Seems like saying thanks, but no thanks would be a good response. They will probably never be satisfied, no matter what you do!
I just don't think they get how much it costs for those of us who do not get wholesale ingredients/supplies.
I just charged $350 for a wedding cake this weekend and I spent at least $90 on supplies/ingredients. Then, since I didn't have two of the pan sizes yet, I needed to get those. Then, I had never worked much with any of this, so I bought DVDs for teaching me some more skills. In the end, I think I 'earned" about $50 on this cake.
I think people forget that when you are paying for a cake, you SHOULD also be paying for: education, supplies, ingredients as well as LABOR. I think most home bakers TOTALLY don't figure in the costs they've sunk into mixers, pans, tools, etc.
I guess for me, I only do this for fun, but it's not very fun when it destroys my kitchen, takes away HOURS and what do I get from it? Not much except for some satisfaction that I can do it!
Plus then,at least for me, the cleaning up is another story! It takes me a long time to clean everything,wipe everything down, and put everything back in its place. Thats a job itself!!
If I did not have a dishwasher...I would faint dead away. The cleaning job is a bear!
I get 2 kinds of people...those that think I charge too much and they can't afford it but REALLY want it. OR, I get those that say I don't charge enough and that I deserve so much more. Grrr.
I have had one person that says ok, and just writes me a check for every cake I do for her...I just love her.
I dont have a dishwasher and it sucks!!!
I usually just give out a price and if its good then they order. If not they just don't place the order.
I did however have this one lady order a cake and I told her it was $210. She asked if I can leave it at $200. STupid me to not lose $200 told her ok. SHe then pulls up in her BMW SUV, ironed out nails, fresh mani and pedi, designer everything and she was stingy with $10?!?! I was beyond pissed!
OR, I get those that say I don't charge enough and that I deserve so much more. Grrr.
I have had one person that says ok, and just writes me a check for every cake I do for her...I just love her.
I demand to know who these people are and why they don't live near me!!!
It's not a problem, just refer her to our dear friends at costco
CristyInMiami said
"I did however have this one lady order a cake and I told her it was $210. She asked if I can leave it at $200. STupid me to not lose $200 told her ok. SHe then pulls up in her BMW SUV, ironed out nails, fresh mani and pedi, designer everything and she was stingy with $10?!?! I was beyond pissed!"
You should have asked her what $10 worth of supplies she wanted you to leave out of her cake... the fillings, the flavorings, icing colors perhaps? How about the cake board and box? I mean, maybe you could cut her cost by decorating her cake on a piece of old cardboard and putting it in a toilet paper box you got from the Dollar Store dumpster. 
Juleebug,I'm sure you are just venting and would not say that to a customer whatever the case might be. Anyway I feel you but its all just in a day's work, there are worse customers out there, we just have to keep cool, be firm and stand by whatever prices our cakes are fair for.
How many of you have actually given a smart a** answer like that to one of your customers? What has been their reaction?
Tell her to go to Costco....only costs a finger
I just want to know which finger you give them
Tell her to go to Costco....only costs a finger
I just want to know which finger you give them
ZING!
I always try & be fair, but if I give a price & the customer does not like it then I am quite happy not to get the business because I know I am not asking too much. I love cake decorating, it is one of my great pleasures to make things & do something special & I do a lot of cakes for free because I want to give them as a gift, but if someone orders a cake then I charge what I think it is worth...take it or leave it.
Juleebug,I'm sure you are just venting and would not say that to a customer whatever the case might be. Anyway I feel you but its all just in a day's work, there are worse customers out there, we just have to keep cool, be firm and stand by whatever prices our cakes are fair for.
No Tee-Y, I've never actually said anything like that no matter how ridiculous the request is. I am a firm believer in what it says in your signature.
I do my best to be a good girl... like with the woman who wanted a Noah's Ark shower cake to feed 20 for $20. I simply said, "Honey, you can't even buy a cake to feed 20 for $20 at the grocery store." I "stood firm," like you said, and she got her cake somewhere else.
Her loss... because I make really good cake.
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