I have had two times in the last couple of weeks that have been very discouraging. I am in NO WAY trying to make a business out of cakes and will ONLY make them for friends and family (I have turned down things that are for a friend of a friend) , but refuse to do them totally for free. I have 3 kids, I homeschool and I turn into a mean mama when it's time to make a cake or do some cookies!
So....a couple of weeks ago, I was asked by a friend how much I would charge to do a castle cake. This lady has seen and tasted my cakes (she's been at my kids' birthday parties for the last year) so she knows the quality of my work. I figured my supplies were going to be around $25-$30, so I told her I would do it for $60. She said it was too much. Since it was 4 days before the party, I did not offer a cheaper alternative. It wasn't going to be worth the $30 or so I would make from the cake....I was just excited that someone wanted me to do something.
THEN...today....I talk to another friend who has asked me to donate a dozen or so of my little tae kwon do guys for a fundraiser this weekend. Then, she asked me how much I would charge her to do a dozen or so cookies for Valentine's like the ones I made last week (hearts in my photos). I told her $1/ cookie and that included bagging them. She said that she would have to think about it...that at $1/cookie she may only want to do them for "special people".
I don't NEED to make money from doing this stuff...it would just be nice (I also don't mean to sound snotty or anything). AND, I have been in a situation before where I did something at cost and that person expected that I would do that from then on....I quickly became resentful!
WHAT DO I DO.....shake it off? do stuff at cost and just say that it'll be fun (tried that and it stunk).....maybe I'm just need more practice before I expect people to pay for stuff?
april 
I know how you feel. I've had several orders that ended up getting canceled after I spent a lot of time planning on how to do the cake and some even after I bought supplies.
So I now won't even think about selling a cake. I will only do them for people I really like and as a gift from me. If they demand on paying me I tell them to pay me whatever they want to. Then no matter what I'm not mad as I was planning on giving the cake away for free.
It's not worth it to me to get so upset over trying to sell cakes. It would be nice to have some money but it's not worth the upset when I don't plan on ever doing this as a full time job.
If I was you I wouldn't worry if people don't want to pay you. If you set a price that makes it worth your time away from your kids and someone doesn't want it then forget it. You won't be out anything and won't get upset that people don't pay you what it's worth.
I think your friends are not honoring your talent by not offering to spend the money when they know your work. Your work is wonderful and you should be proud and they should understand that that kind of talent costs a little more than the average store bought stuff.
You could always do the work at the level they are willing to pay for, they will be sad though b.c the time involved will change the amount of detail
Just a thought or two. Don't lose faith. You are great at what you do and people will pay you what it is worth!
Your cakes and cookies are great!!! That is why they are coming to you. The downside is they want it basically free! DON'T DO IT!!!!
You are talented and your cakes and cookies are worth what you charge or should charge. Cakes are a luxury...keep repeating that to yourself. $1.00 a cookie bagged and she had to think about it? Uh..no!
Stick to your pricing. It is not STICK worth the TO hassle to YOUR do it for less because PRICING you won't be happy.
Stick to you pricing.
April,
Okay, girl, take a deep breath and say to yourself, "I am worthy, I am worthy!" People will always want to take advantage of you IF YOU LET THEM!! Don't undercut yourself!! Your time and talent are valuable; it may just take some time for your "friends" to recognize that this talent doesn't come free. Don't back down! As another CC'er said once, "good cakes aren't cheap and cheap cakes aren't good!" Same goes for cookies!!
I wouldn't budge one bit! You work is great and anybody that says that you are charging too much does not know what time goes into a cake.
I am having the same problem with my SIL. She wants me to do cakes for her kids, but will say, I'll buy the mixes (what about the other stuff?) or wants to give me $6 to cover it (she did that last year) She called me the other day wanting me to do one next month and she is getting charged the same amount I charge my brother, which is still discounted from what it would be normally, but enought to cover my supplies.
You just have to take a deep breath and stick to your guns. If they REALLY want it, they'll pay it.
Good Luck!
I do not do cakes for free or at cost. Do they think if they go to a bakery that they would get it any cheapier. No they have to pay what the bakeries charge. The same goes with you. I had a neighbor that was like that. I told her that it was taking a lot of my time to make her cake and then I had to get a chocolate mold to make the pieces for the cake. She didn't like it but she paid for it. She said she loved the cake and so did everybody else. A castle cake is time consuming and then the cookies. I guess people like to try to take advantage . Like you said the last time you did a favor they expected it all the time. Your time is worth money.
I do not do cakes for free or at cost. Do they think if they go to a bakery that they would get it any cheapier. No they have to pay what the bakeries charge. The same goes with you. I had a neighbor that was like that. I told her that it was taking a lot of my time to make her cake and then I had to get a chocolate mold to make the pieces for the cake. She didn't like it but she paid for it. She said she loved the cake and so did everybody else. A castle cake is time consuming and then the cookies. I guess people like to try to take advantage . Like you said the last time you did a favor they expected it all the time. Your time is worth money.
Great way to look at it April. YOu do way better than they could pay for too. I will have to remember this quote if I have the same problem moejoe!
I think you cookies and cakes are great and your pricing is very reasonable. Most charge 3x the ingredient cost for the cake. (don't know about the cookies, I don't have the patience). I wouldn't go any lower. If your not wanting to do it as a business then I say if they want it from you they'll pay, period.
It's times like that you want to say, See if you can find something like that at the grocer bakery and get back to me. 
Of course we never would. Though I think you can make that point to someone with better phrasing.
Like "I pride myself on making cakes you can't find just anywhere. "
Joanne...I've thought about just donating my time (don't think I could totally give away the supplies too....hubby might not go for that), but I have done that before and felt really bad about it. I did a doll cake and 2 dozen cupcakes for a "friend".....I told her it was only $10 in supplies and she paid me only $10....thought she would at least throw in an extra $10 or so. It's always nice to have extra "cake toy" and now "gumpaste toy" money.
Y'all are all sweet! Thank you so much! I know I just need to stick to my pricing. Honestly, what I'm quoting them is still not worth the time it takes me....but like I said, it's fun and I really do like it!
Oh well.....at least I get to make some tae kwon do guys for the fundraiser. And then on to the Austin cake show this weekend.....whoo hoo!
I would never do such thing to anyone, try to talk them into a cheap cake. Do people just assume since we enjoy making cakes they are doing us a favor by asking for them? I have made several cakes for a friend who kept asking for a cake, I no longer talk about what I'm working on at all cookies, cakes nothing. People are dumb thinking they can get a custom made cake at Wal Mart prices, no can do, I would just remind people about how time consuming cakes are and the fact that I have children, I had one friend already ask me to help her make a cake!!!!!!!!! is like me asking the mechanic to help change the oil on my car!!!! You should stand for yourself don't bend over backwards if it's not gonna be worth your while otherwise I think people will want the same prices for your cakes
I just don't feel the need to "justify" my prices unless someone directly asked me why it was so much. I guess I would feel like I was begging them or trying to convince them.
My guess is they really don't realize how much time goes into them. And of course, who can compete with walmart?
ape:
your absolutely right! People really have no idea what goes into a cake - it's more than just ingredients! Your creativity, thoughts for cake ideas, time of decorating, etc., etc., etc.!
I think it's best to just pride yourself in knowing that your cakes are beautiful and so much more than someone could buy at Walmart (for example). 
People just dont realize what time goes into making a cake. I wish there was a magical explanation about how time costs money. Im not sure even then they'll understand.
But i have to say im sooo glad im not the only one who turns into "mean mommy" when im decorating. I've explained to them over and over that im NOT trying to be mean, but I need to concentrate. But well... that's another thing i'll have to repeat over and over LOL
Hugs Ape,
I think that you shouldn't lower your pricing and I think your friends should not try to make you feel as though you are asking too much for your products. That's not very nice in my opinion.
I also don't think it's too nice to ask for a donation and in the next breath tell you your costs are too high. I think that the sale of a cookie for a buck is nothing... and if she thinks it is too high then tell her you have to make up the cost of the goods for all of these donations some how...
Peeves me, I am by no means good but I do try and I think that if they want to have a Walmart cake at their bash and pay that price so be it. But if they want something that shows they really care, what is better (or more worth) a cake that is made just for them by you with all of the love you put into it.
As I had said - I am playing with cakes and stuff now but people take advantage of me when it comes to catering... I get invited and next thing you know I am doing BBQ or Dinner planning for 50, just because they know I can... Rips me...
Take a deep breath, don't back down and know that your goods are worth more than any super centers mass produced, preservative filled, made by someone who doesn't know or give a rats tush about the recipient. There isn't a price on the love and talent you put into it.
Or tell them to call me, I am all riled up now... hehe
(changing my handle to what my staff call me... TheEvilOne...)
Hugs again
Okay, have you actually LOOKED at your work? It's well worth the money! Only 4 days notice? huh uh!! Not me!
I had a VERY NICE lady call me today and ask me if I could do a "High School Musical" or "American Idol" cake by this weekend! Yeah RIGHT!! First of all, (and I KNOW some will think I'm NUTZ) I didn't know what "High School Musical" was. I DO NOW!! But, I usually require no less than a 2 week notice for cakes like this to give stuff time to DRY!! I just explained to her that this was not enough time and that my job this week would more than likely be 40 hrs instead of 20 and I just couldn't. She was VERY NICE and said she would call me again for a birthday cake and next time would give me more notice!
I'm learning....slowly but surely.....to stick to MY guns so you must learn to stick to YOURS!!
Buck up!! You have a cake show to attend!! HAVE A BLAST!!
Beth in KY
I have learned one very important lesson since I started making cakes and that is you have to stand behind your pricing. If they don't like it they can try to find someone to do it cheaper. I have learned not to take it personally - if they don't like my price I tell them I understand and wish them luck. Personally I do this because I enjoy it - and the truth is unless you are related to me by blood or marriage I am not willing to take time away from my husband and children, turn on my oven and mess up my kitchen for 'free'.
OK...I just spent a little while in the kitchen making my donated cookies (why am I stressing out about them?)......y'all are so nice and definitely encouraging.
Bethola....you are cracking me (and my DH) up.....thanks for the laugh and encouragement!
lauramw...."mean mommy"...at least you try to explain to them! I don't even do that!
I am going to start finding out what people do for a living and ask them will you type some letters for me for $4 an hour or will you serve my family for $4 an hour, whatever they do for a living.
Why do people think your time is not worth something?
And shame on friends taking advantage.
Hi Ape, I'm in Houston, too. My castle cakes sell for $90. Don't let someone take advantage of you. Remember my saying "...well you better go to wal-mart"! I'd like to see what kind of castle cake you could get from wal-mart!
Sweet Confections....you're in Old Town Spring right? The next time I'm over there, I'll have to stop by. Are you going to make it to Austin for the cake show?
$90 wow!!!! Like I said, I'm so not trying to make money from this and if someone offered me $20 over supplies, I'd do most stuff b/c it's fun! Of course, I know you run a business and HAVE to make money to pay the bills.
Just would like to feel appreciated occasionally! Maybe the cake show will go well and I can feel appreciated that way! FINGERS CROSSED!
First of all, don't be discouraged! Since you are baking cakes as a hobby and not really a business then it's inderstandable to be bit off when it comes to pricing.
The next time someone asks how much a cake or cookie would be, don't give them an estimate right away. Tell them you'll get back to them and at least have a price list of your usual ingredients, include some additions for electricity, water and labor and then call them back. If they think its too high just smile and say that those are the real cake prices. I'd also look around at how much cakes are being sold around your area and try not to go under otr over that by too much.
I've seen your work and they are pretty good! I am not kidding since I don't give compliments lightly. No matter what you choose to do good luck and remember to let criticisms, negative ones, pass over your head. You are good at what you do and your family is very blessed to have such a talented mother!
Yes, I'm in OTS! Come by and see me! My hours are 10-3 Wednesday-Saturday. What cake show in Austin????
HOW DID YOU MISS THIS?
It's the Capital Confectioner's Show in Austin. This is their 3rd year i think!
http://www.allinonebakeshop.com/clubandevents.asp
Everything on Saturday is free.
Thanks to everyone for the good wishes for this weekend! I will post my cake on Monday.
april
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