I'm not ashamed to admit that the majority of the cakes I do are standard white or chocolate, two non-torted layers filled with a basic buttercream, and placed on cardboard cake rounds covered with white freezer paper. I rarely cover in fondant, and have never learned to do gumpaste flowers other than the very basics in a Wilton class. .......
Most of the cakes I do are white or chocolate, 2 layer, NOT torted, filled with BC, on cardboard rounds covered in decoratie foil. They are $3.50/serving. And DON'T give me that baloney about "big city"..... minimum wage in any city is the same as minimum wage in any small town. I get a lot of business from the surrounding small towns. As a matter of fact, my biggest wedding ever was a bride from a town where all the factories have shut down and the demographics show a very low median income.
...but I do NOT buy that! I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details.
In my ever so never humble opinion, you don't understand the very lesson you are giving. If you truly understand the costs involved in this BUSINESS, then you'd appreciate what everyone was trying to convey to you. If you were running a business and had to pay someone $10/hour to make the cake .... everything from buying the supplies to delivering the cake, how much would your payroll be?
Assuming it takes 4 hours to make an 8" cake from start to finish ... it serves 24 x $2 = $48 in sales minus $40 in payroll. Tell me how you make money again? 
Sorry Blue...I think you're getting a little bent out of shape here. I really think you may have taken it harder than she meant...I don't think you should be offended at all....
Also...it seems to me that this thread is being turned into a pricing debate on an unfair playing field. This OP is not doing this as a business so for us "business folks" to start jumping on her case for not charging enough is a little off base in my opinion. She clearly stated in the beginning that she was doing this for fun mostly with a little extra cash to buy some tools on the side...I think we all started there at some point and worked our way up to charging more.
A few people have said that she doesn't truly understand what overhead costs are and I agree...but why would she? She's not running a business...
It's a little disheartening to see the business folks jump all over the "home bakers" about not running their businesses the same way we do when it is in fact, not the same...
Tammi
BlueHue - Absolutely! I did in fact read between the lines:
in⋅sin⋅u⋅ate /ɪnˈsɪnyuˌeɪt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation (in-sin-yoo-eyt) Show IPA verb, -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing.
verb (used with object) 1. to suggest or hint slyly: He insinuated that they were lying.
and when someone puts a thread up and says *your thoughts?* - well i type what i think - simple as that
I have also included my own thoughts in this forum, as have so many others! That's the great thing about forums, and it's why I read them - to get an idea of how others feel about topics that are of interest to me! If I didn't value others opinions, there would really be no reason for me to spend time reading these forums!
don't slam those of us who have set our prices for the work that we do
Wow! I sure didn't feel that I was slamming you, or anyone else, for their pricing. What I did say regarding others pricing was:
You - and so many others on this site - would be crazy NOT to charge $5, or more, per serving for the premium flavors and fillings you offer, plus you cover most (all?) of your cakes in fondant and do amazing gumpaste floral work.
When I start doing intricate, fancy flavors and fillings that require pricey supplies, cover only in fondant, custom decorate beautifully detailed cake boards, and can make life-like gumpaste flowers like Jeanne (and believe me - I'd love to do all those things someday!), I will absolutely charge $5 per serving for an 8" cake! At this point, though, I am selling to a different market - hence my different pricing!
I absolutely believe the people making $5, $8, and $10 a serving are totally justified, and I am glad they are able to get that price.
I apologize if any of my above statements were construed as "slamming".
Sheeezzzzzz - who knew that having ones own thoughts and airing them would be so damming - misconstruded and apparently difficult.
I couldn't agree more!!! 
what ever fluffs your skirt
Cake. Cake fluffs my skirt.
Its a subject on a cake forum - not a competition into cake heaven.
A competition? INTO CAKE HEAVEN? Does anyone know where I can find the entry form for that? 
I think I'll join you for that coffee, 'kay?
I just knew someone was gonna get upset 
I will go back to lurking now....Ho Hum..... 
I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details. My cake is a DIFFERENT PRODUCT than the one Jeanne can offer. (Sorry Jeanne! I just used you as an example of the type of cakes I'm referring to as high-end / upscale...I hope you take it as the compliment it's intended to be!)
I don't want to see talented decoraters underprice themselves - but please remember that we all offer DIFFERENT products to DIFFERENT markets.
Man. Now I'm going to have to add a "Messing Around On Cake Central Fee" to all my cake orders that I SHOULD be working on right now!
It's hypothetical example time!
Say you and Jeanne live in the same area and y'all decide to work side by side. You each make the same cake, using the same ingredients and decor in the same time frame. Do you think that Jeanne's cake is worth more than yours?
Nope!
BlueHue - Absolutely! I did in fact read between the lines:
in⋅sin⋅u⋅ate /ɪnˈsɪnyuˌeɪt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation (in-sin-yoo-eyt) Show IPA verb, -at⋅ed, -at⋅ing.
verb (used with object) 1. to suggest or hint slyly: He insinuated that they were lying.
and when someone puts a thread up and says *your thoughts?* - well i type what i think - simple as that
I have also included my own thoughts in this forum, as have so many others! That's the great thing about forums, and it's why I read them - to get an idea of how others feel about topics that are of interest to me! If I didn't value others opinions, there would really be no reason for me to spend time reading these forums!
don't slam those of us who have set our prices for the work that we do
Wow! I sure didn't feel that I was slamming you, or anyone else, for their pricing. What I did say regarding others pricing was:
You - and so many others on this site - would be crazy NOT to charge $5, or more, per serving for the premium flavors and fillings you offer, plus you cover most (all?) of your cakes in fondant and do amazing gumpaste floral work.
When I start doing intricate, fancy flavors and fillings that require pricey supplies, cover only in fondant, custom decorate beautifully detailed cake boards, and can make life-like gumpaste flowers like Jeanne (and believe me - I'd love to do all those things someday!), I will absolutely charge $5 per serving for an 8" cake! At this point, though, I am selling to a different market - hence my different pricing!
I absolutely believe the people making $5, $8, and $10 a serving are totally justified, and I am glad they are able to get that price.
I apologize if any of my above statements were construed as "slamming".
Sheeezzzzzz - who knew that having ones own thoughts and airing them would be so damming - misconstruded and apparently difficult.
I couldn't agree more!!!
what ever fluffs your skirt
Cake. Cake fluffs my skirt.
Its a subject on a cake forum - not a competition into cake heaven.
A competition? INTO CAKE HEAVEN? Does anyone know where I can find the entry form for that?
I think I'll join you for that coffee, 'kay?
I don't think you slammed anyone Stacey! Sometimes...people just can't help but get their panties in a bunch!!!
I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details. My cake is a DIFFERENT PRODUCT than the one Jeanne can offer. (Sorry Jeanne! I just used you as an example of the type of cakes I'm referring to as high-end / upscale...I hope you take it as the compliment it's intended to be!)
I don't want to see talented decoraters underprice themselves - but please remember that we all offer DIFFERENT products to DIFFERENT markets.
Man. Now I'm going to have to add a "Messing Around On Cake Central Fee" to all my cake orders that I SHOULD be working on right now!
It's hypothetical example time!
Say you and Jeanne live in the same area and y'all decide to work side by side. You each make the same cake, using the same ingredients and decor in the same time frame. Do you think that Jeanne's cake is worth more than yours?
Nope!
Now I'm really confused.
What I got out of your quoted comment is that you're cool with charging $2/serving because you don't consider your cakes to be "upscale", but someone like Jeanne can get away with charging more because she is "upscale". Am I straight?
So if Jeanne charged $5/serving for this hypothetical cake, does your "Nope!" mean that you too would charge $5/serving instead of $2?
Say wha?
I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details. My cake is a DIFFERENT PRODUCT than the one Jeanne can offer. (Sorry Jeanne! I just used you as an example of the type of cakes I'm referring to as high-end / upscale...I hope you take it as the compliment it's intended to be!)
I don't want to see talented decoraters underprice themselves - but please remember that we all offer DIFFERENT products to DIFFERENT markets.
Man. Now I'm going to have to add a "Messing Around On Cake Central Fee" to all my cake orders that I SHOULD be working on right now!
It's hypothetical example time!
Say you and Jeanne live in the same area and y'all decide to work side by side. You each make the same cake, using the same ingredients and decor in the same time frame. Do you think that Jeanne's cake is worth more than yours?
That is dangerously close to price fixing...
I can totally see what you are saying Stacey... a simpler BC cake is different than what I offer and I think that there is room in the market for both. I do offer a more budget version of cake... vanilla or chocolate filled with only BC, not torted and VERY simply decorated (read not really at all) starting at $3.75/serving. For those who want the taste but can't afford the outfit so to speak... . The minute you want something different... fillings or a different type of cake... you get charged full price which is $5/serving.
I certainly don't think that everyone should charge what I do, but it does kill me to hear that people are giving their work away. Our time is worth so much more than most give credit for. 
I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details. My cake is a DIFFERENT PRODUCT than the one Jeanne can offer. (Sorry Jeanne! I just used you as an example of the type of cakes I'm referring to as high-end / upscale...I hope you take it as the compliment it's intended to be!)
I don't want to see talented decoraters underprice themselves - but please remember that we all offer DIFFERENT products to DIFFERENT markets.
Man. Now I'm going to have to add a "Messing Around On Cake Central Fee" to all my cake orders that I SHOULD be working on right now!
It's hypothetical example time!
Say you and Jeanne live in the same area and y'all decide to work side by side. You each make the same cake, using the same ingredients and decor in the same time frame. Do you think that Jeanne's cake is worth more than yours?
That is dangerously close to price fixing...
Oy to the vey!
Sorry Blue...I think you're getting a little bent out of shape here. I really think you may have taken it harder than she meant...I don't think you should be offended at all....
Also...it seems to me that this thread is being turned into a pricing debate on an unfair playing field. This OP is not doing this as a business so for us "business folks" to start jumping on her case for not charging enough is a little off base in my opinion. She clearly stated in the beginning that she was doing this for fun mostly with a little extra cash to buy some tools on the side...I think we all started there at some point and worked our way up to charging more.
A few people have said that she doesn't truly understand what overhead costs are and I agree...but why would she? She's not running a business...
It's a little disheartening to see the business folks jump all over the "home bakers" about not running their businesses the same way we do when it is in fact, not the same...
Tammi
The minute you accept money for a product you are acting as a business. So either be a business and conduct yourself as such by charging a fair industry price, or stop selling your product. If she is a true hobbiest cake decorator then do it as a hobby. If you want to be reimbursed for ingredients for cakes to friends & family then fine, have them buy you the ingredients and you make the cake, but don't come on a cake forum trying to imply (which she blatently did) that others charging more are just gouging the public. Granted those weren't her words, but the implication of her post definitely states that she thinks it is unethical to charge more than she is charging.
It is mentality like that, that fuels the cake muggles ignorance!
The minute you accept money for a product you are acting as a business. So either be a business and conduct yourself as such by charging a fair industry price, or stop selling your product.
Yep! Agree! And the IRS and the Health Dept think the same way.
Good grief! I don't think she was saying that at all. She is saying that she has a hard time charging that much. Some of the posts get so out of hand. It makes some afraid to post their thoughts!
I'm with Cakesdivine. The OP's point of this forum was to ask why people would charge $2.00 or more per serving on any cake. Shes just trying to cover cost & get an extra tool. People who answered her question are in it as their form of income & broke dowm their cost as to why they charge the way they do. If you want an honest answer, don't get upset when you get one.
How about from now on, if we KNOW we are underpricing for a cake, let's keep it to ourselves. It's nothing to be proud of. It just gets eveyone riled up, upset and gets threads locked.
If you are running an illegal buisness, that is your buisness, maybe not the smartest thing to advertise this on the site? While most people here only want to help, I am sure there are some who will try to turn you in.
I am not trying to be rude, or mean. All I am trying to say is maybe we can try to stay away from those topics that seem to be so controversial here?
Let's just be friend, eat cake and be happy
I have a hard time justifying pricing cakes at $2.00 per serving, because I wouldn't pay that.
I had an "ah-ha" moment about this a month or so ago. I called around to see how much it would cost to shave our long-haired cat, since her fur had gotten so matted I couldn't comb it. Most places quoted somewhere between $55-65. After I hung up, my first thought was, "You've got to be kidding me! Sixty bucks to shave a cat??" Then, I got to thinking and compared it to cakes. Those who have no experience with cakes may think your price is high, but those who know realize you can't do it for less. The same is probably true for any other profession - I may have initially thought $60 was a lot to pay, but I'll be those groomers say to each other, "I can NOT shave a cat for a penny less than $60, and I should charge MORE!"
Also, I think it's repulsive to compare anyone's homemade cakes to those hunks of drywall that Wal-Mart calls cake. Gross. There's no way your cake can be as bad. Should a restaurant charge less for a pot roast dinner because they fear you could go buy a can of SPAM for less? (Exactly. They're not even close.)
Good grief! I don't think she was saying that at all. She is saying that she has a hard time charging that much. Some of the posts get so out of hand. It makes some afraid to post their thoughts!
Agreed...That's exactly what I've been trying to say. She has no intention of making a business out of this and was speaking to the "morality" of charging so much when you're not in it to make a profit. Everyone has their opinion and I respect that but I don't respect it when people are offended because you disagree with their opinion or because you don't do it their way.... It's so hard to voice an opinion these days if you don't agree with the masses....geez....
The minute you accept money for a product you are acting as a business. So either be a business and conduct yourself as such by charging a fair industry price, or stop selling your product. If she is a true hobbiest cake decorator then do it as a hobby. If you want to be reimbursed for ingredients for cakes to friends & family then fine, have them buy you the ingredients and you make the cake, but don't come on a cake forum trying to imply (which she blatently did) that others charging more are just gouging the public. Granted those weren't her words, but the implication of her post definitely states that she thinks it is unethical to charge more than she is charging.
It is mentality like that, that fuels the cake muggles ignorance!
Very well said!
You know what's interesting? Lately I find that I'm defending my price per serving more here (on a cake site filled with cake decorators), then I am to the general public that are my clients.
My clients don't have a problem paying it, why do some of you here have a problem with me charging it?
You'd think the cake decorators would get it! Go figure
I'm not ashamed to admit that the majority of the cakes I do are standard white or chocolate, two non-torted layers filled with a basic buttercream, and placed on cardboard cake rounds covered with white freezer paper. I rarely cover in fondant, and have never learned to do gumpaste flowers other than the very basics in a Wilton class. .......
Most of the cakes I do are white or chocolate, 2 layer, NOT torted, filled with BC, on cardboard rounds covered in decoratie foil. They are $3.50/serving. And DON'T give me that baloney about "big city"..... minimum wage in any city is the same as minimum wage in any small town. I get a lot of business from the surrounding small towns. As a matter of fact, my biggest wedding ever was a bride from a town where all the factories have shut down and the demographics show a very low median income.
...but I do NOT buy that! I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details.
In my ever so never humble opinion, you don't understand the very lesson you are giving. If you truly understand the costs involved in this BUSINESS, then you'd appreciate what everyone was trying to convey to you. If you were running a business and had to pay someone $10/hour to make the cake .... everything from buying the supplies to delivering the cake, how much would your payroll be?
Assuming it takes 4 hours to make an 8" cake from start to finish ... it serves 24 x $2 = $48 in sales minus $40 in payroll. Tell me how you make money again?
Indy, you're my cake idol - in fact, I use your BC recipe and round cutting method, and I've pm'd you before for advice! I do NOT want to be on your bad side! I'm feeling a little sick at my stomach now just reading your reply.
I think I'll just say my pricing is very wrong, and apologize to all the Business Owners I've offended. I concede - I'm young, naive, and have much to learn! But I AM glad that I can supplement our income with part-time work that I enjoy and still be home with my three small children. I am blessed to not be the sole income in our house (And thank goodness!!! We'd be eating ramen noodles if we had to survive on the pittance I'm charging for cakes!)
I cleared as much in cakes last year as I did when I taught school part time (after leaving my full time position). It is also interesting to me that the two busiest cake shops in my area (which both make beautiful and delicious cakes) have been in business for years and and are currently thriving at $2 and less per serving.
My last thought is that if I someday - with more experience, training, and the wisdom and guidance of my Cake Elders here at CC - am making *insert the most amazing cake artist you can think of here* style cakes, that I will be able to adjust my prices accordingly. I love knowing that I have the opportunity to someday create a higher-end cake, and earn the well-deserved price that comes with it.
When I was teaching school, my salary was higher than that of new teachers - because of my years of experience. The teachers with master's degrees made a higher salary than those without - because of their higher-level training. Why shouldn't I leave myself room to grow?
An individual pack of twinkies is almost $2.00 and it doesn't even have any icing on the outside and not a single decoration.
My motto is "If you don't really want other peoples opinions don't ask for them". People post questions or ask for advice then when they don't get the answers they want they get their panties in a bunch and things get ugly. Pricing has always been a sore subject and always will be so don't play with fire if you don't want to get burned!
Stacy...the reason those big bakeries can charge that low of a price is sheer volume! They have a staff, they crank out lots of product in a day, they probably make in one day on volume enought to cover the overhead for the week so of course their prices will be lower, and because they sell more they can order wholesale in larger quantities, thus driving down their overhead costs. Hence my McDonald's statement earlier. The OP was comparing apples to oranges. A big bakery is NOT the same as a custom cake artist studio/shop, yes they may offer custom cakes but generally those cakes are whipped out just like a grocery store bakery cake. It just isn't even the same.
Good grief! I don't think she was saying that at all. She is saying that she has a hard time charging that much. Some of the posts get so out of hand. It makes some afraid to post their thoughts!
Agreed...That's exactly what I've been trying to say. She has no intention of making a business out of this and was speaking to the "morality" of charging so much when you're not in it to make a profit. Everyone has their opinion and I respect that but I don't respect it when people are offended because you disagree with their opinion or because you don't do it their way.... It's so hard to voice an opinion these days if you don't agree with the masses....geez....
So why charge anything at all then? If business is not the OP's intent, then isn't it charity?
You know very well that when money is exchanged then it is a business. We can't have it both ways............legally at least.
Am I wrong?
P.S. I disagree that this post is getting out of hand. It's a very civil debate
Ditto what dkelly said, this has not become nasty at all. But has anyone wondered why the OP has yet to comment further? Do I smell a pot stirring troll?
I absolutely do not feel abused by charging $2 a serving! I've given many a "lesson" to non-cake-people about why it's NOT "just cake", and just how much time and effort goes into a cake - from planning to shopping to piping the final details. My cake is a DIFFERENT PRODUCT than the one Jeanne can offer. (Sorry Jeanne! I just used you as an example of the type of cakes I'm referring to as high-end / upscale...I hope you take it as the compliment it's intended to be!)
I don't want to see talented decoraters underprice themselves - but please remember that we all offer DIFFERENT products to DIFFERENT markets.
Man. Now I'm going to have to add a "Messing Around On Cake Central Fee" to all my cake orders that I SHOULD be working on right now!
It's hypothetical example time!
Say you and Jeanne live in the same area and y'all decide to work side by side. You each make the same cake, using the same ingredients and decor in the same time frame. Do you think that Jeanne's cake is worth more than yours?
Nope!
Now I'm really confused.What I got out of your quoted comment is that you're cool with charging $2/serving because you don't consider your cakes to be "upscale", but someone like Jeanne can get away with charging more because she is "upscale". Am I straight?
So if Jeanne charged $5/serving for this hypothetical cake, does your "Nope!" mean that you too would charge $5/serving instead of $2?
Say wha?
Yes - if I was making the exact same cake as her, with the same supplies, same flavor, same fillings, torted, decorated board, the works, that took the same amount of time - I would also charge $5/serving...not only for the skill and time required for an intricate cake, but for the increased cost of the supplies for the amazing flavor / filling combo (one of Jkalman's most delicious sounding combos - sour cream pound cake with coconut custard, covered with swiss meringue BC and fondant is surely more expensive to purchase supplies for than my usual DH mix and Crisco BC!)
However, I don't make cakes like that - I hope to continue learning new techniques and recipes in order to reach a higher level of cake decorating someday - but for now, I feel that I serve a different client base, and I make a different style of cake. And there's room for us all, at all different prices. It's all good!
I originally just wanted the OP to know that she wasn't alone. Less talking, more reading would've been the better choice, I think! Oh well. Live and learn, right? I've sure learned a big lesson today.
No way would i be selling myself short -
I believe in the *get what you pay for* addage -
BlueHue, I believe that adage also. However, I also understand what is being insinuated by your comment - that people selling cakes at "cheap" prices are also selling "cheap", crappy cakes, and people selling cakes at higher prices must be selling a much nicer product.
I have attached a few examples of just what people "get" when they "pay for" my product - at $2.00 a serving for tiered / wedding cakes.
I enjoy my work, and I value my art as much as any other decorater here on CC. We all must price based on so many factors...scratch or mix, shop or home, sole income or second income, and most importantly, LOCATION.
Personally, I bake from a mix, work from home, provide the secondary income in our home, and I live in a small midwestern town. According to my expenditure spreadsheets, a 1/2 sheet cake costs me just over $11.00 in supplies, from eggs right down to the board and the box, and I charge $45.00.
My tiered cakes go for $2 per svg and up, carved and mad hatter for $4 a svg and up, and I choose to keep my basic party cakes (sheets, rounds, squares) at a flat price each ($25 for an 8" round, for example) - and most of them come out to around $1.25-$1.50 per serving.
I choose to keep my prices the same as the two major cake shops / bakeries in the city located near my small town, as their product and mine are comparable.
So luv2cook - I totally understand where you're coming from. I've been on CC for quite a while now and have always been too afraid to speak out on any of the pricing forums. But just know you are NOT the only one who feels this way!
I absolutely believe the people making $5, $8, and $10 a serving are totally justified, and I am glad they are able to get that price. But I also understand people who charge less; trying to compare pricing on a worldwide forum is comparing apples to oranges - so I try to remember to take all of our wildly different circumstances into account instead of chastising people who may price on the lower end.
Actually i just went back and re-read your thread -
And now i understnad why you won't charge $2.00
Because you won't pay it yourself
*phew* - that shouldn't of been so difficult for me to fathom
By the way, BlueHue...
Where I live, the vast majority of people will NOT pay premium prices - hell, I WOULDN'T EITHER! (That's part of the reason I learned to make 'em myself!)
I haven't read through the entire post yet, but i just wanted to know what you use to figure out your costs?
o.k. I admit I haven't read the whole thread but hear is what I've been thinking:
I just made three, single, 7"x5" wedding cakes for a gal.
Ingredients:
-3 boxes cake------------------------3.75
-1 doz. eggs--------------------------1.25
-3 sm. boxes instant pudding------3.00
-3 cups oil----------------------------1.00
-9 large fresh lemons---------------3.00
-3 8oz. packages cream cheese---3.00
-7 lbs. pd. sugar---------------------9.00
- 3 T. vanilla---------------------------.50
-1 lb. butter---------------------------2.00
-made 100 white chocolate leaves--???
-cake boxes 1.00x3-------------------3.00
-3 10" cake drums--------------------6.00
-wrapping paper for drum------------1.00
-ribbon for edge of drum-------------1.00
-gas for picking up all supplies-------???
-electricity------------------------------???
-set up time----------------------------???
-baking time---------------------------???
-I had 3 7"x2" pans (had to bake twice to get 6)--???
-cooling time, wrapping, freezing,etc supplies...
-decorating time (I'm must be slow) AT LEAST 12 hours
-clean-up time--------------------------???
-let her use a three tiered stand------free
I'm sure I missed something. Anyway forgot to tell friend that I don't make any cake less than 50.00. Result she gets 3-7"x5" wedding cakes for a total of 108.00. I really told her I would make 6" cakes but they looked so small I made 7" cakes priced at 6" cakes. Bottom line-- 3.00 a serving (party serving) for original 6" cakes that serve 12 ea. Thats 36.00 a cake. I told her.
Never again will I forget the minimum I charge of 50.00 per cake!!! No mater the size.
-live and learn...
-I used to charge 1.50 per serving 1 year ago. 3.00 is sounding crazy now to, when I look at the itemized list, and think of my huge messes and time I spent. 
Sorry sooo long!
Good grief! I don't think she was saying that at all. She is saying that she has a hard time charging that much. Some of the posts get so out of hand. It makes some afraid to post their thoughts!
Agreed...That's exactly what I've been trying to say. She has no intention of making a business out of this and was speaking to the "morality" of charging so much when you're not in it to make a profit. Everyone has their opinion and I respect that but I don't respect it when people are offended because you disagree with their opinion or because you don't do it their way.... It's so hard to voice an opinion these days if you don't agree with the masses....geez....
So why charge anything at all then? If business is not the OP's intent, then isn't it charity?
You know very well that when money is exchanged then it is a business. We can't have it both ways............legally at least.
Am I wrong?
P.S. I disagree that this post is getting out of hand. It's a very civil debate
You're certainly not wrong when it comes to the legalities at all! But I've been trying to put that aside in my answers because clearly, the OP is not a licensed business and only does it on the side for friends & family. It's just that being legal and calling yourself a business is not really what this thread was about in the first place.
The OP simply stated that she would never pay that much for a cake and knows plenty of people in her area that feel the same way so if she makes cakes and gets a little cash from the cakes to buy herself a fun cake tool, she's happy. I just don't see why we should be trying to picture her as the bad guy for trying to help out some friends & family in her same situation. Clearly, if those people never have the means or intention of buying an "expensive" cake then she is not taking away from our business or stealing clients. Why take it any further than that?
Ditto what dkelly said, this has not become nasty at all. But has anyone wondered why the OP has yet to comment further? Do I smell a pot stirring troll?
Agreed that it has not become nasty at all (and I truly hope it stays that way)
Still can't figure out why this comment was added though, the answer seems pretty obvious to me.
.... Also home bakeries are not allowed in this state, so if I charge at all am I violating that reg?
Taking the "legal or not legal" factor out, you're still going to have these costs when you do a cake:
Ingredients, electricity, gas to go shopping for ingredients, wear and tear on your car for shopping and delivery, water and materials for cleaning. (I'm not including the cost of advertising, insurance, etc. but those are there too if you're running a legal business.)
Okay, now add in all of the stuff that people don't think about. YOUR TIME FOR: shopping, baking, cleaning (everyone's favorite), answering emails and phone calls from customers, delivering, decorating, prep work, paperwork and other miscellaneous stuff that I've probably forgotten about. This is time that you could have been spending with your family, going on field trips with your kids' classes (I'm missing one this week because I'll be decorating), reading a book, cleaning your house (I don't mind missing this one so much!) or just having a day off.
When you're adding up your expenses keep in mind that your time is a commodity. Car mechanics and plumbers know this, they charge a service fee just to come out and look at your pipes. Why shouldn't you charge a fair price that compensates you for your time and skill? There will be people who can't afford it, but there will be people who can, too. Don't set your prices based on other people's budgets, set them based on what your time and skills are worth.
...Still reading through , but i think this advice is golden!!!!
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