I am kinda real upset at the moment. I have this neighbor who lives down the street. She came to me and wanted me to do some mothers day cakes for her and her friends. So I did and only charged them $25.00. Because the cakes were small.

Then she came to me with her cousin who is getting married here soon. And she wanted to cut my price, as she said,"work with her". So against my better judgement I cut her wedding cake price in 1/2. And I didn't charge her the $25.00 for the fresh flowers "I" have to buy for this cake. Dummy me I was thinking of getting more referrals for cake orders.

So, just the other day, she comes back down to my house with her neighbor from across the street and while she was looking at my photo album, because she had a bridal shower coming up soon, my neighbor tells her, "oh don't worry about the price, she will "work" with you in fact she will cut her price for you". Now, this lady wanted a LARGE 11x15 OVAL cake. Of which I normally charge $70.00. It was going to feed approx 40-60.
When I spoke up and told her that unfortunately I cannot drop my price because that price includes my time to not only bake the cake, decorate it but to also make the buttercream roses by hand., she got mad and told me"well, I'm your neighbor and I thought you would do this for me". I told her "I'm sorry, but I cannot drop my prices", "this is my artist and my time doing these cakes". Well, she got mad and said, well lets go find someone else who WILL drop their prices and work with us. By this time, I was fuming and asked her,"What?? You want me to do your cakes for your friends for FREE"??? So, then I told her good luck and I hope she finds someone who will work with them.

I figured how much $$ I lost on this wedding cake, I lost about $250.00.
So I figured, live and learn in this business.

When I told my hubby about what just happened, he told me that if she comes back with me wanting to do another cake order for her, just tell her I can't do it. And if she asks why, then tell her that I am not in business to do cakes for free and it wouldn't be fair to others who DO order cakes from me.

She made me feel so upset, that I am seriously thinking of just not doing cake orders anymore..

So I just wanted to find out if anyone else out there ran into this same problem I just did. OH, one other thing, she mentioned to me that SHE was going to make sure that if any other neighbors asked her for my phone for a cake order that she was not going to give them mine. I told her, "yeah, ok, whatever" and then asked her to leave my house.
So now also I am afraid that after I get this wedding cake done for her cousin, that she will be the front person to get her cousin to "nit pick" about the wedding cake and try to get her money back. It has turned into a nightmare, I'm even having nightmares about this now...of all things.....

Ok I have kind of been in the same situation. It's hard especially when it is neighbors and they are doing the spills of but we are neighbors. WELL HELLO if she was a beautican does that mean that she is supposed to give your free haircuts? NO IT DOES NOT. Being Neighbors means nothing short of being curtious and friendly in passing and if Friendships become of it then GREAT...BUT when it comes to business they always want to play that friend/neighbor/family card. Now as far as the wedding cake...if they make one bad comment to you or ANYONE else you should say well Honey you get what you pay for...We are military and at our last base I had a neighbor that was like I'll buy you the supplies and you can do it. So I said sure...SHE gave me a cake mix and that was it! After that I have refused to do that. When we arrived at this base I have been like ok if you want my cakes you have to pay and pretty much everyone knows it. I have given away a few freebies but that was of my own choosing, wanting and not being asked. I have been suckered in 2 times by this one lady but after I returned from a vacation I became a total different business person. You only get free if I want you to get free no half off/discounts, etc...and I'm more at ease. As a matter of fact my business has quadruopled and my prices are about to be raised. So Good luck to you and you totally did the right thing!

hi crashdummy

I am sorry to hear what your going through.
I agree with what your husband said.
I am glad that you stood up for yourself
Unfornatelety in this bussiness or any other there people out there who take advantage of you if let them.
I think i said this in another post .One of my neighbor wanted me to do her daughters wedding cake. She basicly wanted me to give her a good price. The world doesn't work like that. They don't have a clue how long it takes us to put a cake together . You don't need a customer or a neighbor like her....so chidish!!
I am a cosmetologist and cut a friend hair 1 time. She said you are lucky you get to cut my hair. And i am thinking i am lucky.???....first of all i took 1500 hours of classes to get my license and xx amount of money...second i am not charging you at alll.....what is up with this??
Just do your job and try to put this behind
And please do not quit making cakes cause you wouldn't do this if you didn't love it...we alll wouldn't
Good luck with everything

Ashiana

Oh my goodness! Ok I put in about the beautician and cutting hair because that is what my Mom and Sister do for a living and have had so many people take advantage of them. And like you said, "i took 1500 hours of classes to get my license and xx amount of money...second i am not charging you at alll.....what is up with this??" I think that we 2 professions are the most taken advantage of!

Thank you so much for the reply..What military are you? My family came from a military base too.

I guess I just have to hold my ground if I am going to continue with my cakes. And if I mad some people mad, oh well.

That's why I am not too chummy with my neighbors because I always remembered what Ricky Ricardo told the Mertzes,,"Never do business with friends or relatives". My father use to tell me that too. And it's something I've stuck too, except I guess in this case, as I said, I cut my own throat.

But thank you anyway for that boost..I really needed it..



Ashiana,,thank you for the support also...I agree, I do love doing this, it for me seems to sorta relaxing when I am decorating it.
But, I'm going to really think long and hard about doing neighbors any favors......

We are Air Force and Stationed in England...maybe Germany or Italy for our next place...we hope! What about your family?

Do you have a contract and gotten any "up front" money for this wedding cake? If you haven't, it seems to me that you can and should ask for payment in advance and if they don't want to pay you, let them go somewhere else to get their cake made. The way this is going I'd be concerned about them finding a way not to pay you.

The neighbor is evidently going to trash you whether you bake the wedding cake or not.
I definitely think it is time for you to "cut your losses" with this neighbor and any of her friends who expect you to work for half price or less, that is just not reasonable! veejay

I'm with veejaytx. Make sure you get the $$$ up front for the wedding cake or don't do it. If you do you'll likely never see the $$$.

Luckily I haven't had that problem because I started charging for family and friends cakes right off - if they asked me to make it. I volunteer cakes sometimes but I don't expect payment for them if I volunteered them. They know going into it that it's not free. I made my niece's 7th birthday cake for her party last night - I was going to charge $25 for it and she gave me a check for $30 because that's what the previous two cakes cost that I made for her. I just said "Thank you" and accepted it! They love my cakes. I know they could go elsewhere and get a cake for less but they like what they're getting from me and are willing to pay for it.

You don't need customers like your neighbors. You need people that appreciate all of the hard work you put into the cake and enjoy the cake - not the cheap price.

Good Luck!
Debbie

crashdummy2- I am so sorry to hear about your neighbor, but if she is going to be mean to you about something so little, then she can go make the cakes herself.
Ok, now that I got that off my chest....I'm sure things will go much better for you, and you know, if she starts to gossip about it badly it might make people more curious about what you really do and order a cake from you just to see how "bad" you really are
Things will be fine

I haven't had anyone get rude with me; however, I've had my SIL order cakes from me for her grandchildren.. I made the mistake in giving the first cake for the first born grandchild's birthday .. then they thought that all of the others would be free; for the 4 year old, the 2 year old too... when she called me and asked for another cake, I said sure, but this one isn't free.. I'm sorry but I have to get paid for my cakes because I have to buy the ingredients.. she got rather quiet and I think somewhat offended... so I told her that if she went into WalMart to buy a cake, would she pay for one or would they give it to her free? She said, well I'd have to pay for it.. I told her, well then, I have to get paid too .. it may be a side hobby/business for me, but I still have a LOT (and I mean a LOT) of money invested in supplies ... she's ordered other cakes from me ... so crashdummy, if your neighber won't come to you for business, what did you lose?? you were losing money by doing her cakes for free anyway.. so really, you've lost nothing .. and if she trashes you, people you do cakes for will get the word around how good your cakes are ... she was WRONG to assume she'd get anything for free or you'd "work" with people on the prices .. How dare she do that!!! Shame on her!! Don't quit doing something you love because of this ... I have another miserable SIL who trashes my cakes to other family members .. has it stopped me making cakes, nope! has it hurt my hobby/business... nope!! so don't let it hurt yours either!! Chin up! this will pass

The neighbor reminds me of the customers I deal with at work. People are your friends until you tell them no. I can't begin to tell you how many people call us up wanting free parts. I thell them no, they get mad start ranting and raving and saying they are gonna take their business elsewhere. I hang up and usually about 10 to 15 minutes later they call back in hopes of getting someone else. They will keep trying to find someone who will say yes. BUT! I find those that say I will never buy your product again, they come back. (hopefully she won't)

Also, I find that if someone is a #$%^& to you, then he/she is a #$%^& to everyone else and they don't listen to him/her that much.

I hope my babbling makes sense. Basically, if she was mean to you, then she is mean to other people and they more then likely don't listen to her.

Joe

Hey Hey HEy...everyone...Thank you so very much for helping me in making my decision to keep on doing my cakes. I'm not going to let her run me out...Heck, even my hubby told me that sooner or later I was going to run into people who either want something for free or half price and when you tell them "no" of course, out comes the threats and the nasties...But let me tell you it sure felt good telling her to leave my house after I flatly told her I wouldn't cut my prices. She even had the audasity(did I spell that right)? to tell me that "she" could get me lots of cake orders. And I told her I didn't want them if she was going to be telling those orders that I would "cut my prices".

Tammy, dummy me I just noticed the RAF under your name,,we are USMC,we retired out of Camp Pendleton, CA.
Veejay and Debbie for this wedding cake yes I have a contract with her and also got the $$$ upfront when she signed the contract and her cake deposit.
Thats one thing I did learn that when dealing with a wedding cake order, get a contract, a signature, a initials, date and most of all the $$$$$. Because I have heard about too many ugly stories how other cake decorators (this was when I was in those Wilton classes) how they made wedding cakes and never saw the $$$. They said, the bride complained and so on and so on and gave ever excuse for not paying. So they took them to court and the decorator lost due to no contract etc..It broke my heart to hear stories like that.

But I thank you all so very very much for the support and I won't quit doing what I love doing!!!! As far as my neighbor, she can go fly a kite and find someone else for cakes..

THanks again....
Kathy(crashdummy)

i am glad your still going to do cakes and take orders.....i was thinking that if the lady is nasty, the other neighbors probably seen that too. i would ignore her. your business will grow without her!
good luck!
melody

I totally agree with how you handled this and what everyone else had to say.
You know for the most part, we decorators undercharge compared to what a bakery would charge for the custom work we do.
You learned a very good lesson and a good one to pass on to others. Once you cut your price once or undercharge from what you feel would be a fair price, even if you are doing this to start out and get customers, it will come back to haunt you. So if you take $10 off the price of your cake, the word gets around and everyone expects that price cut. So as soon as you try to charge what you will feel is a fair price, people will protest the price increase.
The best way to go is with a good fair price right from the start and let everyone you know, know that there are no special price cuts available for anyone. That way, should you decide to do a freebie, it is a freebie, should you decide to charge your going rate, nobody will argue.
And like what was said already, the freebies should be your choice, not something someone else feels they can dictate.
Last year I did two cakes for a relative of a friend and she gave me a sob story about not having much money. Anyway, I did them for cost, but I gave her an invoice that showed a breakdown of my costs and then a breakdown of the labour time involved in planning and designing, baking, decorating, the little extras I made for the cake, everything. I did this so she would understand that she was getting the cakes for cost. She will need these cakes on an ongoing basis for an organization. Anyway she said that the next time I would also be paid for my time. So she just placed another order only this time, she and the other leader of the organization submitted two drawings, simple drawings of what they want. I suspect she thinks that if they keep the design simple, they can pay me less because my work time will be less. So again I will submit my costs along with my labour time which really should be substantially less and we will see what they feel my time is worth.
I don't normally do business this way, but because of the connection, I am. I did another cake for her this year and again, the sob story and again, got paid cost only. So this is a test, I want to see what they think is a fair price for my time. I suspect it will not be anywhere near fair and if that is the case, I will be extremely busy any time she needs another cake.
I often do cakes for cost, but this is my choice. To be put into a position where the person thinks that they are doing me a favour by giving me their business and that they don't have to pay my going rates, well that is presumptious of them.
You will laugh, but really what made me upset about this is that I do not like the design of the cakes. To think that I will be spending my time doing cakes that I don't like, likely for cost and cleaning up afterwards, well the thought makes me a bit annoyed. I would not be annoyed if I was being paid fairly.
My daughter has a friend who cuts hair. Even before he became licensed to do so, I paid him a good price for cutting and highlighting my hair and I increase it every six months. I would never think to expect to receive this service free or for the cost of the product he uses.
Bakeries never have sales on special order cakes, so why should we?
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

yeah my family is good for that .......we are really close.....not so much my mom and brothers and sisters but aunts cousins they always want the job for free ........im a photographer and let me tell you those 15th birthdays are coming up.....I even had some aunts tell me they were gonna hire someone else with hopes that i would say no just let me do it for free......I havent yet and so far they have paid up 1000.00 for this......(wierd how they dont feel cheated when they pay a stranger) but either way i feel they will learn .

Ah Lasting Moments, well your call name fits your profession!
I have often heard of photographers having to deal with the freebies too. You are absolutely right, people don't complain about paying strangers, just friends and family members!
Hugs Squirrelly Cakes

Crashdummy2, thank you for your reply on my issue. You know, I felt the same way you did about just not doing cakes anymore but I realized, I can't let one person rain on my parade and make me forget that I have a passion for doing cakes. People are always going to try to get over and worst of all what I have found, people become envious if they find out you are good at something that they are not. Cake decorating is an art and a science and not everyone has the knack to do it. So I take my hat off and applaud all cake decorators out there, including myself because it is a tough job. We can never charge enough because our work is worth much more than what we actually charge. Folks take advantage of us, those that do cakes at home, because they know if they go to a bakery, they would not get away with as much.

Hi Crashdummy2

I too am sorry this happen to you. I know how you must have been feeling. I started something with my family that I had to put a stop to. My sister know I am crazy about my niece , 8 years old. She spends the night with me a lot. My sister wanted me to do a full sheet for free. I told her I did not have the supplies at that time. That she would have to at less buy the supplies. She had someone drop off ten dollars at my door and that was all. Silly me, I did the cake anyway, payed for the rest out of my pocket.. Three weeks later my much older niece ask me to do a full sheet cake for her baby shower and she would pay me at the shower. Trusting her, I did the cake(picture is in the photos). I have not been payed yet and that was over six weeks ago. I try to help my family out when I know they are low on money but this can kill your bussness. I told my next family member that they would have to pay up front and now they think am making deffer in family member. I just told her that no one gives me my supplies free, so I need the money up front. I have not hear back from her yet and that was just a week ago.

S_S_SweetTooth

I know how you all feel, I started doing cakes by practicing with my nephews. I would do their birthday cake as my "present" to them. Well, after I quit doing cakes for a while and then back to doing them I have been "charging" for them. My sister has a tanning bed and in exchange for a $20 birthday cake, she would give me $20 worth of tanning sessions. It's been like that for about 3 years. Well this year she started recommending me to some people helping me get my name out there, which I appreciate and I have told her that on many occasions. Well on the day of her oldest sons birthday (she had planned to have his "party" with family on Sunday) she called and said she was going to have a "surprise" party that evening with some of his friends and wanted a basketball cake. This was about 10am and wanted the cake by 6pm. I had to go to the store and get ingredients. When she asked me how much it would be, I told her $10. And she was like "After all the advertising I've done, don't I get a free cake!!" I said " well this is a $15 cake I'm giving for $10, besides just give me the tanning sessions." She said she can't do that anymore because she is going to need to buy new lights for it and needs to have money for it. Hello!!! I don't tan unless we have this deal because we don't have the money for it.
Okay so I go to the store, get everything I need. The cake is the round ball cakepan. By the time it was done it was 12pm I put it in the freezer, had to start on it by 3pm because we had a meeting at 6pm I had to get supper and get me and 3 kids ready for this meeting plus do this cake.
While I was getting everyone ready to leave, I turned around and the back half of the cake had fell!! I was so mad!! I did the best I could to fix it and had toothpicks in to hold it together. I delivered the cake before we went to the meeting and explained that since it was such short notice I couldn't get a good freeze on the cake and it fell, I did the best I could do. The son was thrilled he loved it. She said "Thanks" and that was it! By then we were running late and DH was honking outside. So I left and no money. Still to this day (4 months later) I still haven't seen the money. I know it was only $10 but still it's the point that family always seem to think they should get for free! I should be the one that determines what cakes I donate and what ones I don't.
This is the same sister that is ALWAYS called wanting me to donate cakes for this thing or that. I will donate some, but I can't donate to everything!!
Does anyone else donate to school functions to to funraisers?

Thanks for letting me ramble!

Missy

We all need to vent sometimes! I think this kind of thing happens to everyone..I know I've had my share of "...gosh, that ticks me off" moments!! My BIL just pulled stunt like that a couple of weeks ago! It will be the last time though!!

As far as donating...yep, I do a lot of that! Not only to get my name out but to help the local fire department and rescue squad. Other types of fundraisers that really get your name out are auctions. I make up a little sign, with my list of desserts and put it on a silver platter. It is for one dessert a month for twelve months and gets auctioned off to the highest bidder!

Crashdummy, I am also sorry you are having to deal with this and I agree about getting money up front for that wedding cake if you haven't already done so.

I wouldn't worry much because you don't need customers like her. Any thinking and rational adult will laugh in her face if she cried to them about not getting cakes at half price. This isn't a barter system or a flea market. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty...you did the right thing by asking her to remove her freeloading behind out of your house!

It is so very true that those closest to you will expect freebies if you don't set the standard from jump. The only freebies I do are for my immediate family, best friend and the cakes I donate monthly to the pet rescue shelter I volunteer at. Every now and then I bring in something to work but once it became a big investment for me, that slowed down tremendously! lol

At this point, I'd probably go as far as not doing the wedding cake at all (if it's not too close to the date) and advicing her to find someone else because I didn't feel comfortable.

What is it with people that think that just because we do this out of our home, it must not be a big deal for us? Like we just pop the cakes in the oven, sit back (pop a few chocolates in our mouths), take it out and slap some frosting on it? Any schmuck could do that. People like that are so frustrating to have to deal with. They think they have this "inside track" with you because they know you personally. And it's almost like they have the attitude: "Well, you do this out of your home. It's not like you're a professional or anything."

ARGH!!! Very presumptuous (spelling is bad) and rude. GOOD FOR YOU FOR ASKING HER TO LEAVE AND TAKE THAT ATTITUDE WITH HER. Has she tried to talk to you since?

i completely understand your situation...but i dont mind doin cakes for my family for free.. it gives me practice to try new things.. and when i tell them its the gift or dont worry bout it they always give me $$ anyway and it gets me more bussiness when their friends see it .. however for friends i make them pay. a woman i use to work with called me askin to make her cookies and a cake for 40 for this weekend.. i told her my price.. $1.75 per cookie and $2.00 a person for the cake.. its filled with chocolate mouse and has a fondant bow and fondant babies on it.. i normally charge an extra $20 for a bow, but im doin it for free... wouldnt u know it she called me today askin if i can lower the price on my cookies and mentioned that her daughter said my cake price is too high.. first off i thought the cake was for my friend.. not her daughter.. and i said that if she wants a cheap cake go to sams club.. shes gettin a deal with the mousse and the fondant ... of course im still doin the cake

I get frustrated, no I get mad.....at myself mostly.......when co-workers want to celebrate whatever with a pot luck and........."you'll bring the cake right"

lol one time i wasnt asked to bring a cake to my cousins birthday party.. so i didnt make one.... i get there... and they go.. "you didnt bring a cake???" nope i didnt .. you want one you got to at least ask.. dont expect it and no im not callin to to see if you need one

Hi everyone...I'm laughing now because it seems we are or have all been in the nightmare situation.

Calejo...No, she hasn't come down or called me since, but check this out, she will be the one returning my gear(pillars, cake plates to pillars,garland)etc..
So, this ought to be fun. But I will be my gracious self...

Well, my nightmare is just about over, today I baked one of the last of the bottom tiers, the 14x2 pans. I have one more layer to bake and I'm going to do that first thing in the AM. I just pulled the 14" out of the oven and it turned out beautifully..
I'm going to relax the rest of the evening now, because all day I have been building the topper tiers (8" rounds)x2, and the 12"rounds x2 and putting the icing on and the pearl dots.
And so far they turned out pretty.
So for the 14" I am going to let it cool overnite and flip it in the AM. I just love using that flower nail instead of the heating core.....

So, again I say THANKYOU so very very much for the support and having me get a chuckle reading the other situations you all have been in. I guess I can say that today I laugh at the situation because I do remember my neighbor mentioning that she was thinking of taking cake classes.
HMMMM......now what does that tell me?? Perhaps she is a shmuck...and is jealous.....???

I run my business on this slogan:
"MY BUSINESS DOES NOT RUN ON YOUR( the customer's) GOOD CREDIT"
"I DO NOT EAT ON YOUR GOOD CREDIT, NEITHER ARE THE ITEMS AND TIME I USE PAID FOR ON YOUR GOOD CREDIT"
" IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, THEN BEFORE YOU TAKE A SEAT, HEAD TO SAM'S OR WALMART."

You know it's really interesting to see the mindet of people because they think because you run your business from your home that you are some kind of novice at this profession.

I have to use that because yes when people sit down with you to place the order they immediately expect all these cuts, when they say cuts i say " honey i am not a landscaper and cutting is not my profession."

And it's also amazing at the attitudes of some, when they start talking to you and they have to mention what a good neighbor and friend that they are and what they have and have not done,Immediately you know what's coming when they say that and sometimes you can look at their facial expressions and tell what they're up to, when i see that I will price my cake a tad higher because i know the " negotiation" is coming and i will make them think they're getting a deal and I win in the end.

As for the neighbor's cousin who's having the wedding.. a WORD OF CAUTION
I hope you didn't accept a partial payment on the cake order,because the work you put into that 14" honey they might try to shaft you on that whole deal by saying some flaw has occured with the cake etc.
And I do agree with others that "curiosity will kill the cat", that others will hear of how" bad" you are and be drawn by curiosity to see what your cakes are like and how good your work is, Ive found that in the past when people said a person was " bad" and I've had that person do work for me , I'll say it was the best work that i've ever seen done.

And the so called orders she would get you, I can tell your the orders wouldn't be that much or even that often,it would only be for her.
So in this business you have to have a good sense about you and read people,because yes they'd try to get over.
Someone mentioned the 3rd party order where they said it was for something and it turned out to be for someone else,they did it because they thought if they mentioned that person's name they'd get a " deal"
But it's laughable to see how people are with you as opposed to dealing with a bakery.
And yes i've heard the old" well i guess i can take that class too" stuff.
Honey that lady was put in her place when you told her what you had to tell her in front of the other neighbor and they figured if they said sam's or walmart you'd drop your price.
Good for you, I bet the other neighbor is still talking about how you put her in her place boasting that you'd drop your price with her around? what is she your supplier?
Be Good....
Lemon

I know what you mean....
My husband and I did wedding video and photography....and boy, the people would try to get you to cut your prices..... well, I got sick of it and I told them..... we put alot of hours into your wedding.... and when the weddings over....we're still not done..because we have the photos to go over after we get them back...and put albums together.....Would they do it for nothing??????
We got ripped off a few times....but we had our butts covered because we required a deposit....
You're always going to have those kind of people out there....
We cut wayyyyy back on the photography...and I don't video any more....tooooo much on me.....and the cakes I do......well...needless to say...I'm the picky one now as to who I'll bake cakes for....
What gets me is one time we did this wedding....and the couple had rented a limo.....when they were dropped off at the reception hall I saw the dad of the bride slip the limo driver a $100 .....boy was I a little up set....the guy only worked for them 1 hr......and we had over 15hrs in their wedding...... I should have said to them when they picked up their album.....I accept tips too you know....LOL.....Oh well.....that's the business.... live and learn.....

I do have a suggestion.....double your price of your wedding cakes....then when they look at you....and gasp.....say....I'll do one better....I'll cut the price in half for you...because I know you're spending alot on the wedding and all....lol....and you'll be getting your regular price.....just a thought..

Oops...my timers going off....cake 2 is just about done...

Happy baking.
cakegal