Vent time. Been doing this for a year now, need alot of practice but compared to any cakes I've seen around this area, I do a good job. To get
the practice, I have been making a cake a week and sending it to work with the hubby. Of course, the co-workers ooh and aah. I have gotten one order and was asked at 3 pm if I could do a b-day cake for the next morning. Sure I'll try. Took me 3 3/4 hours but got it done. 13X9 w/ bc,
fondant sparkle dust brushed ribbon that I punched design into. Fondant flowers & leaves. BC was not totally smooth but not bad. Was kinda proud of it. Hubby came home with a thank-you envelope w/ 20.00 in it!!!
He asked me how much and I said 35. since I was not totally happy with the frosting. They never asked, just paid. Now I get a note with another order and a 20.00 check. I don't think so. Am i wrong?????

This is the problem with sending practice cakes to spouses work..All of a sudden people want a cake for cheap and when they find out that so and so paid you $20.00 and you accepted it...Then I guess all your cakes are $20.00..I would stop sending cakes right away and tell hubby that you will determine how much the cake is worth not the customer.

always, always, always name your price when you take the order. Otherwise, you get what you asked for- nothing.

I am assuming you are able to sell cakes out of your home though....

Trying to figure out what you said...

So, you told them the (discounted, because the frosting was not up to your standards) price was $35, and they paid you only $20? Is that correct?

If that's the case, then I would absolutely not be making them another one until 1) they give you the rest of the $ they owe you for the first one (and for the record, you should have charged them a rush fee for such a last minute order, and I don't think you should've reduced the cost for the lesser frosting job, as that was also a result of the last minute rush); and 2) absolutely not for their dictated price of $20. You set the prices for your cakes, not your customers. From now on, do not hand over the cake until you have the entirety of the price in hand... either with a CLEARED check or cash.

You need to put a stop to it now! Tell hubby all future orders need to be made through you..........not him.

sagebrush....no, I never had the opportunity to tell them anything. Neither did the hubby. I simply told the hubby 35.00 because of the detail work. His boss simply put the money in the envelope with my name on it. We live in a small town and she just usually goes to the grocery store for their cakes. I'm sure they are at least 20.00. thanks everybody for listening and the advice.

Well you'll have to let this one go for now but I'd tell hubby to say, next time, "Why don't you call my wife and talk about the details and pricing with her."

That way he stays out of trouble and that way you can name your price.

I would be really careful how you handle this situation, since it is his boss. You never want to peeve the boss off. Maybe do this last one for twenty, and tell him the next cake will cost $35.00.

tiggerjo,

try writing the price on the top of the cake box when you send the cake in. Or when the ask for the cake, say ok one that size will be $35, which is very reasonable. You aren't exactly in the land of the cheap up there.

Since you already excepted the $20 you might want to start raising the price by $5 at a time, Just say yeah the grocery stores just keeps raising their prices.

BTW: Here a sheet at the grocery is going any where from $20 to $30 for looks to be a 11x15 about 1 to 1 1/2 inches high

I'm over by Albany

A DECORATED CAKE AROUND HERE IS CANDLES AND MAYBE SOME SPRINKLES OR PLASTIC CRAP DECORATIONS. I DID THE POPCORN CAKE AND THEY WENT CRAZY...CHEESEBURGER AND FRIES REALLY BLEW THEIR MINDS. I HAVE TO SUCK IT UP THIS TIME BUT NO MORE CHEAPOS!!!

So, what you really need to do is have a client consultation (can be on the phone) wherein you get all the details you need AND pass on the information you need to before you agree to make a cake. If you need an excuse for charging a reasonable price now, just tell them you finally got around to pricing your materials, and now you know that you can't do that size of cake for less than $$ w/o losing money. And I would recommend getting payment BEFORE you start making the cake.

Maybe do a pricing sheet and send to work with hubby to post on bulletin board or give it to "certain" people for future reference. And your number so they can call you direct.

Whew! I don't know how much it takes you to make a cake but normally for me it's over $20... did you lose money there? I agree, you should let your hubby know if anyone else wants a cake he needs to just hand over your number and have them call you for details and pricing. I get tons of orders from my hubbys work and although he may stand over me to make sure I'm not screwing anything up he doesn't take my orders for me.

boy, do I ever feel dumb now. the real story comes out....hubby told the boss that I was was not expecting pay. That is why she put the 20. in the sealed envelope to at least pay for the ingredients. turns out that that cake was for the girl who ordered one and gave me the 20. ahead of time for her husband's b-day cake. she asked and they said that there was no charge for "John's co-workers". So, i guess if they think the cake is free then as far as they know or think 20. is quite generous for a cake mix for 1.39 and a can of frosting for 1.69. they must think i got a great tip.

You need to have a serious talk with hubby!

When I was first taking the courses, I was sending my cakes to my DH's work, or taking them to my kids' school for the teachers. For the end of Course 2 (Wilton's of course), I sent my cake with DH again. One of his co-workers said she'd buy it, since she needed a cake for her DD's b'day that weekend. So, he told her $20. It appreciated that she loved the cake, but I told him next time to let ME decide the price (since it would have been at least $35 because of all of the handmade flowers).

Oh, and he lent her my cake carrier - which I needed that weekend! So, I had to take that $20 and buy another round carrier.

Now, if anyone at his work asks, he has them call me, or gets me to call them. He knows the value of a cake now ... and that I set the prices, not him!

ya know, he is the one that is always at me when I decide to quit. "you can do it, you should open a little shop, think of the money you could be making, everybody thinks you are so talented" with him as a mana ger, I would end up on public assistance. LOL

Cutiepie cakes...I now buy a carrier from walmart at 4.97 and add that to the price of the cake. They think they got an extra little freebie and I don't worry about a cake base or getting the carrier back.

I'd have a talk with my husband. Glad to know the "rest of the story".

Make up some pricing sheets to give to hubby. Next time somebody at work orders a cake he needs to hand them a sheet.

Always tell them a price up front. Stick to it. If they want super cheap, they will go to the grocery store...

Jen

WE have a different problem. I always price cakes higher than wife. I stand back and see all the work that goes into making an edible piece of art and she just keeps working on them till she thinks they are perfect,and has no idea how much time she has invested in it.
on average I can get an extra 25 or 50 cents a serving than she quotes !!

Part of the problem is you are "making a cake a week" and sending it in. You've got them trained to expect free cake. Why pay for it .... they get it free every week. And silly as this sounds, in the back of their minds they tend to start thinking, "Oh john's wife makes cakes for fun! it's something she likes to do!" ergo justifying their lack of payment expectation because gosh darn gee you do this for FUN!

Pass your freebies around a bit. Battered Women's shelters, Firestations, your local Chamber of Commerce office (your call on this one ... dont' know if you're licensed or not and we wouldnt' want a Chamber member baker getting all peeved or something! ). The folks at banks love getting cake.

thanks to all for the advice. I guess some of it is my own fault with the freebies. good idea to spread them around.

That's a reasonable question barbaranne! I live in a town of about 500 people, so if I drop something off anywhere, it's going to get eaten, but there aren't many places to take it. When I drop things off in 'the bigger city' I make sure to put my biz sticker on the package with all my contact info for two reasons. 1.) So they know how/where to get more when they love it and want to buy some, and 2.) So it doesn't go directly in the trash. In these times, it's really a toss up as to what people would do with it if they don't know you. I tend to take my freebies to places that know me. Even in the big city I take them to people I have previous relationships with. Take them to the place I get my oil changed, hair cut, my dentists office, etc. They all at least know me well enough to know there are no razors in it!! And those lovely people like cake too! And then, the next time they need one... you got it!!

I work on an Army Base and know a few of the firemen. What betterplace to take them. Soldier's are always looking for a little "mom"
cooking.