I make and decorate cakes as a hobby and have no interest in selling or doing them as a business, I don't want to get burned out and then end up hating what I love to do. OK so here is the story--I always show up to my friends houses with my cakes and have even done several of their little girl's birthday cakes so lots of theirs friends have seen my cakes. they see them and want to hire me to do them, i say no because i dont want random people at my house and i dont want the pressure of dealing with money (see-they gave me a check but it bounce or they never payed me and now i have to sew them threads) but somebody asked me if i would barter with them. whats the info on that. I never responded because i don't even know what it was that they wanted me to barter for, anyhow, just wanted to know if that's cool since no moneys are going to be exchanged.

Well, the first step would be establishing a legal enterprise in the state of TX--one of the toughest states for home bakers, as I recall.

Barter is a form of payment and is taxable. Even accepting money for the cost of ingredients is considered payment. Basically, if you are personally given anything for making a cake, you've been paid--and the
government(s) will expect something from the transaction.

Rae