Hi!! Im addicted I just got started Ive only done 1 cake. Well I have to teach my self stores to far. Ive already gotten the 101 piece caddy, and the ball pan, a sheet pan 11x15 and the round set plus some. And Im going to the store tommorrow Hobby Lobby the sale. And before the 50% off Im looking ate $480 so $240 after. Thats for some pans, alot of fondant supplies and some more stuff. Do I need to slow down?? Hubby wont say anything because his hobby is Saltwater aquarium enough said. LOL

Any advice,
Melanie

I think we can all relate to having the spending frenzies when we first started decorating.

My only advice would be, if this is the half price sale, buy consumables like cake boards and foils and meringue powder and stuff like that you will use a lot of. Buy the cake pans you *know* you'll use, and leave the ones you aren't sure about until you have a use for them. Cake pans take up a ton of room, so I stick to the basic shapes and sculpt most anything else. I have multiples of the smaller round sizes because I use them so often. I bought the round, square, oval, heart and rectangle pan sets. I also use my lamb pan and my 2-mix book pan. I have the teddy bear pan that's never been out of the box and my mini bear pan that I've used only a few times.

Just ask yourself if you'll use it up or if you'll need it often.

Then go have fun!!! Woooohooooooo, a sale on cake stuff!! Meet ya there!

Hi Melanie,

Welcome to CC.

That is a hard question to answer how can you tell someone how to spend their own money

Also, try shopping the Thrift, Salvation Army and Goodwill stores for cake supply items; you can find some great cheap things there.

My opinion is that you are putting the cart before the horse. Ease into this. If you buy things you don't need right away, as TMC above stated, then you'll have to figure out where to store them, and may not use them right away, or at all.

Hobby Lobby and Michael's have coupons for 40-50% off at least once or twice a month. So there's plenty of time to accumulate pans and whatever is not neccesary now.

Just because you can save half off, doens't mean you need it all. People say that with 1/2 off coupons, the more you spend, the more you save. But the reality of it is, that the more you spend, the more you SPEND. If you don't have money problems then spend what you like, get in as deep as you feel you want to, but what if you get bored in a few months?

Also go shop on ebay - they have a million pans on there if you want something specific and don't want to pay full price. I just got 5 pans for $5.95 plus shipping which was only $7. Just remember to look at the shipping cost - some people like to profit on the shipping!!

Good Luck!

My first thought is, If you have to ask if you're spending too much, well, then you probably are! Sounds like you might be feeling a little guilty!

You will spend quite a bit on the items that TMC mentioned, so you are much better off stocking up on those. I buy cake pans as needed, or as ordered. You might think you want a pan, but then never have a use for it.

Just smart shop! But have fun!

I am not the one to advise anyone not to spend on cake decorating supplies,but I agree that if you must buy a pan the basic shape pans are the best. I've got a few good deals on ebay as well, and that could be a good source for the pans
However, I have some cartoon pans and other novelty pans that I've only used once or twice. On the other hand, you can always use cake boards, cake boxes, icing, basic tools/equipment.

You can build skills just as well on an 8" cake as you can on any fancy shape.

Don't go buying everything you think you might use. I did that when I first got started. BIG MISTAKE! I bought a lot of character pans, well they were a waste of money and space. Most of them are like fads, they go out fast. Sounds like you have a good start. The larger sheet pans will probably be useful, but I would ageee with the others, buy cake boards, boxes, and such things that you know you will use.

I agree with TooMuchCake. Only because I thought I'd really like scrapbooking. But I didn't. And now my craft bench is full of really cool supplies I'll never use. Go slow! There'll be other sales!

To me a good investment when I have a 50% off coupon is the box of 100 throw away bags, unless you buy the reuseable ones. I seem to use a lot of them, happy shopping

I do the same thing on the disposable bags. I hate washing bags! LOL. Of course, I'm not one to talk. I wen to IKEA and got two floor to ceiling cabnets to put in my dining room to hold all my cake supplies (and only half of them fit in there!). I've gotten better though, so I feel it's a valid investment, but, I don't use most of the character pans I've purchased, and since I've learned to do the FBCT's, I probably wont' use most of them again (except the car cake which I end up doing a lot).

I am doing the same thing right now. I just got started with cakes and I am so consumed with what to make for who and how to make it more extravagant than the last. I think I probably look on ebay and wilton.com several times a day just waiting for an excuse to buy more supplies! Some things I feel I can never have enough of are... disposable piping bags, toothpicks, different icing tips... and something I could not live without is a kitchenaid mixer. I have basic round pans and a HUGE measuring cup-like baking dish from pampered chef. I've used that to 'carve' dome shaped cakes like spongebobs pineapple house, a barbie cake (dress), a xmas tree. I think the dome shaped baking dish is PRICELESS. It can be shaped into so many things!

I think you ought to get some of the round pans. I use those a lot.

You might also get some decorating yearbooks and see what designs interest you. Then buy your supplies.

I would get bags and useful tips before I would get all the fondant stuff. You might want to get really comfortable with just icing first. And when you do experiment with fondant...I would most definitely stay AWAY from Wilton fondant! I find that Satin Ice fondant is much easier to work with!

Have fun...and happy shopping!