I just wanted to say something and repeat what a very good friend told me. If you have any plans of going into business with cakes, you have to start as you mean to go. Getting cheap customers now means you'll always have cheap customers who have cheap friends who they'll spread the word to. But they will all drop you like a hot potato the minute you raise your prices to what they should be. And at some point you WILL need to raise those prices to make it worthwhile for you. So if you mess around with that kind of puddle you're going to end up back at starting point with no regular customers anyway, might as well put in the work and earn points with the right crowd to begin with.
A very good point MyDiwa, I can see those big girl panties in my drawer calling my name! Why is it we (some of us) have such a hard time valuing ourselves? I see that happening in many aspects of my life. I think that because it's something I can do then it's not worth anything and anyone else could do it as well or better. Methinks a major attitude adjustment is in order.
A very good point MyDiwa, I can see those big girl panties in my drawer calling my name! Why is it we (some of us) have such a hard time valuing ourselves? I see that happening in many aspects of my life. I think that because it's something I can do then it's not worth anything and anyone else could do it as well or better. Methinks a major attitude adjustment is in order.
Look, I'm not a Gloria Steinham student, and I'm not a burn-your-bra
feminist. But come on ladies .......!
As little girls, we are taught to be NICE and not to hurt anyone's FEEEEEEELINGS and not to call attention to ourselves. We are taught that people should like us and we should be everyone's friend .... so if we price our time for what it's worth, then someone might get upset and they won't (gasp!) LIKE us very much!
We are told we should act like little ladies, while our brothers were taught to hang upside down from a tree limb shouting "Look at me!! Look at me!!" We are taught we are 2nd class ... the symbolism is everywhere. On wedding day, the bride is hidden under a veil with the crowd straining to try to see her while the groom is standing on the platform at the front of the church, front and center. It's "Mr. and Mrs." not "Mrs. and Mr." Look at your utility bills .... whose name is on the envelope? Most likely it's his. We don't exist. We're just "the wife".
How many threads are on here seeking support because no one takes them serious as a business? I've actually heard the conversations: A young man likes to bake and "...he's going to be a great chef someday!" A woman likes to bake and "....she's going to be a great wife!" A young man carves wood and "....he's a craftsman!" A young woman carves cake and "...she has a nice little hobby!"
Sorry to get on a rant, but until this stuff is recognized and stood up to, we 're going to have thread after thread after thread like this.
This is not a reprimand by any means. I've suffered thru the same syndrome(s). It's just sharing some insights and hopefully will get many thinking. 
Indydebi, if I thought I loved you before, it's even more now!!
It's hard to tell someone your price, I know. It's harder, though, for me to tell my nephew I can't go to his piano recital because I'm making a cake. And when I think about missing that for NO money...you've gotta be kidding.
I work (at my real job) with almost all men. And they're great people. But I will not even bring any baked goods into work, because I feel like I have to overcome the whole "she's a girl" thing.
We are strong, and we are worth full price...but no one is going to insist on it. Only you can do that for yourself. So be honest, and if he decides he doesn't want it, well...maybe he's doing you a favor.
No, indydebi, you're exactly right. and the same stuff was going thru my head as I was mentioning an attitude adjustment. We've gotta learn to give ourselves some credit. And I have a funny feeling that it gets easier with practice. Kind of like that first run. Get the shoes on and get out the door. Then the running gets easier over time. 
Thanks ladies for your support. 
I work (at my real job) with almost all men. And they're great people. But I will not even bring any baked goods into work, because I feel like I have to overcome the whole "she's a girl" thing.
A woman I worked with, who was a wonderful mentor, once told me, "Never volunteer to take notes in a meeting. Because that's what secretaries do, and if you start taking the notes, you'll never be more than a secretary to those guys." I worked in a 99% male industry, so I took her advice and she was right. Even in the various organizations I belong to, I will not accept the position of secretary. I'm a business owner just like all the GUYS in the group (and in one group, I quickly noticed that only WOMEN were ever the secretary! Not this chic, babe!)
I think it's time to completely stop offering to do cakes for cost.
Warning - as soon as people hear you do cakes, they come out of the woodwork, thinking they're going to get one on the cheap. We read this all the time "A friend/relative of a friend/relative wants a cake at the friend's/relative's price." Pretty soon you find yourself making cakes for half the town, because a cousin has a big family on the other side.
It's time to find out who your friends really are, and start charging everyone. Not just for supplies. You've got gas for the car to shop for the supplies, utilities to make the batter/bake/clean up afterward, boards, boxes, and your time.
Do you live in a cottage industry area? If so, find out about getting licensed to bake from home.
Theresa
Hey there... Sooo I finally handed him an invoice for $86.00 (delivery $20 extra)... and I told him that I am giving him a discount since he is a friend and it was his first ordere, but that after this no more discounts... He looked shocked and said "since when did you start charging?", to which I replied "always have". and he then started going through the invoice asking how I came up with the figure and I said "well, I entered the order into my cake program [matrix] and it gave me a quote." and he went on to ask if I have checked other places to make sure my rates are "fair"... and I said "well, no because these are my cakes, and that is what they cost... feel free to shop around" so he said that he can get a rum cake the same size for $40 from cake designs... to which I replied, "oh really? I would have never thought they charged so cheap. well let me know what you decide" and I left...
When I got to my desk I started to wonder how much other people around here charge (just out of curiousity more than anything else... is it really possible to get an 11"x15" THAT CHEAP?!?!?!?!?!?) and called Cake designs AND Cakes by Lucile (both of the places HE said he could get the same cake for $40) and got 2 quotes... I nearly peed in my pants... a plain white BC frosted, 2 layer vanilla cake that serves 40 starts at $129... second quote same thing but serving 60 starts at $149...
I just had to call him and let him know. So he asked, "have you checked publix or Sedanos?" and I told him, "I would never compare my cakes to publix or sedanos because my cakes are unique and custom designed to each customer. I bake my products using quality ingrediants and they are fresh. So you know, publix cakes are not freshly made... they are made months in advance, decorated in bulk , flash frozen and shipped off to the stores, where you can go and pick it up if that is what you are looking for... I am giving you a very good deal so let me know tomorrow after your wife tastes the samples I am sending and I will let you know if I can do them".....
Ughhh I am laughing so much thinking of how nervous I was to tell him $86 for a cake that I KNOW should be priced A LOT higher! OMG thank you all for trying to smack some sense into me!!! well, this was my first experience with a REAL paying customer (before this it was always "ok I will do it for $20... sure")... I'm SOOO glad it is over!!! haha!
THANKS AGAIN!!!!!
Way to step up! I'm so proud of you! I don't offer to make cakes for my friends at work for this exact reason. I feel like if I offer to make the cake, then it should be for close to free. But if I let them approach me about the cake, then I feel like I have a little more control in the situation in deciding how much to charge them.
As little girls, we are taught to be NICE and not to hurt anyone's FEEEEEEELINGS and not to call attention to ourselves.
We are told we should act like little ladies
We are taught we are 2nd class ...
On wedding day, the bride is hidden under a veil with the crowd straining to try to see her while the groom is standing on the platform at the front of the church, front and center. It's "Mr. and Mrs." not "Mrs. and Mr." Look at your utility bills .... whose name is on the envelope? Most likely it's his. We don't exist. We're just "the wife"
okay, another fan added to your 'fan club' Indy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You just about summarized my life up there!!! because I was taught to be a nice lady and not hurt anyone's feelings I stayed in an abusive, violent, destructive, unhappy marriage for 15 long years of my life 
Ahhhh, but guess what??? one day I got those 'big girl panties' out of the drawer and divorced that SOB so now my utility bill reads: Miss Lopez, wohoooo
Sorry, got off the subject but Indy got me going 
Annieluz, forget about being nice and send your co-worker to Wal Mart!! 
BTW-- those 'big girl panties'? I don't take them off..ever, not even to wash them!! LOL
Way to go! So proud of you!
Time to raise your prices!
Theresa
indydebi you always have good advice both in caking and for life.
I have a "friend" who I have done stuff for cheap, at cost only, as I live in TEXAS with no home business. Anyway, she always calls at last minute and wants stuff. She almost knows the recipes and brings the ingredients to me to make stuff. (She pays for that cost, I pay for electric, clean up and my time) Now that I am looking at getting a kitchen, she is spreading the word about the "cheapest" place to get stuff, not cakes and cookies, STUFF. Like they say, you get the cheapies to begin with they come in by the herds for the cheap stuff.
I think I am going to start an indydebi fan club.
Know any guys who want to sign up to be the club secretary?
you all are HILARIOUS! I'm so glad I found CC because none of my friends are interested in my hobbies (they are all still in party mode and here I am married with a baby girl, working FT, and trying to start a business)... i am getting the feeling that everytime I speak they hear something reminicent to Charlie Brown's teacher wah wah wah wahh wah! LOL!! indydebi, you have GREAT advice!
THANKS!!!!!!
I only bake as a hobby (My kids' & dh's b-days, and certain other occasions that I offer for, I let them know what I'm in the mood of baking), but if I ever do this for $, noone gets a discount. My brother is an accountant and only my parents and his in-laws get a small discount. I only get very quick family service, but same price! He has to do it, cause where do you draw the line? When it comes to discounts, everyone is your best friend, closest cousin, almost like a sister, etc.
annieluz, I am SO PROUD of you! You did GREAT! Seems that you have learned a good lesson here!
There was another thread in the past couple of days which also had excellent thoughts about discounts...have a look:
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-636553.html
Thanks SugarFrosted! I did take a look at it last night and was WISHING I had seen it before this who drama began...
I did see him again this morning but he has not even mentioned the cake... he is keeping it strictly office related... I think he could at least have the decency to tell me "hey we are going with someone else"... but even if he did say something to me I am going to say that I cant do it... I have too much going on to stop everything for a CHEAPO!!! had a good laugh about it with my intern tho!
THANKS!
I only provide tastings for wedding cakes and orders over $100.
Tell him you need to know the dimensions no later than tomorrow so that you can give him a price. Then make sure you get a non-refundable deposit (mine is 50%).
And if he complains tell him "I understand if you want to order a cake from somewhere else."
End of discussion.
Do not get into a conversation about why the price is what it is.
Cathy, perfect, perfect perfect.... A++++ advise!!!
Thanks SugarFrosted! I did take a look at it last night and was WISHING I had seen it before this who drama began...
I did see him again this morning but he has not even mentioned the cake... he is keeping it strictly office related... I think he could at least have the decency to tell me "hey we are going with someone else"... but even if he did say something to me I am going to say that I cant do it... I have too much going on to stop everything for a CHEAPO!!! had a good laugh about it with my intern tho!
THANKS!
I'm so glad it worked out for you. You really handled this perfectly and chose not to even consider comparing your prices to the grocery store. Awesome job!
PS- did you know the average grocery story cake, between baking and being consumed has been frozen and de-frosted 7 times??????? 
I've gotten caught up in the baking cakes for friends at a discount and it's my own fault. A friend had a good opening line for me when someone asks me to make a cake for them. My first question should be "What's your budget?"
Know any guys who want to sign up to be the club secretary?
Hubby even yelled in and wanted to know what was on CC that was so funny!
Sounds like he just signed up as secretary - good for him! Tell him to show some leg while he's taking notes for us! 
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