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How much do people think a cake costs to make??? - Page 8

post #106 of 191
2/10/11 at 9:55am
Thread Starter 
If you're already having the $1000 bday party, why not add the $250 cake? It gives you something more to brag about. You can say, "look how much better my one year old's party was!! Not only did I rent out an entire horse farm and petting zoo complete with pony rides and clowns, but I also bought this awesome cake. Your child had a pavilion at a public park with a store bought cake. Your party only cost $150 total. Mine was obviously more awesome!"
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post #107 of 191
2/10/11 at 10:04am
I don't judge anyone on if they want to spend $1000 on party or only spend $100....to each his own, but do not give me a bunch of crap b/c you think my cake is too expensive for what you wanted to pay for it. Spend as little or as much as you want but don't expect to get a $1000 look for $100. If you want to spend your money on something big and extravagant - go for it! It's your money and it's not my place to say what you spend it on....but I charge what I charge and my price is my price you can take it or leave it and it won't hurt my feelings, just don't insult me by telling me you're not willing to pay that much for my product and expect me to say ok, what would you like to pay for it and I'll give it to you for that price!

If you can't afford it you can't afford it....just be polite to me when you tell me no THANK YOU! Not, OMG - that's way too much, I would never spend that much on a cake, can't you do better then that???
"He who passes on dessert drives home with a stomach full of regret."
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"He who passes on dessert drives home with a stomach full of regret."
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post #108 of 191
2/10/11 at 6:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bturpin

I don't judge anyone on if they want to spend $1000 on party or only spend $100....to each his own, but do not give me a bunch of crap b/c you think my cake is too expensive for what you wanted to pay for it. Spend as little or as much as you want but don't expect to get a $1000 look for $100. If you want to spend your money on something big and extravagant - go for it! It's your money and it's not my place to say what you spend it on....but I charge what I charge and my price is my price you can take it or leave it and it won't hurt my feelings, just don't insult me by telling me you're not willing to pay that much for my product and expect me to say ok, what would you like to pay for it and I'll give it to you for that price!

If you can't afford it you can't afford it....just be polite to me when you tell me no THANK YOU! Not, OMG - that's way too much, I would never spend that much on a cake, can't you do better then that???



very well said!
an architect makes a building look pretty, an architectural engineer makes sure the pretty building works

look for my billowing tutorial on my website: thejoyofcake.shutterfly.com
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an architect makes a building look pretty, an architectural engineer makes sure the pretty building works

look for my billowing tutorial on my website: thejoyofcake.shutterfly.com
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post #109 of 191
2/13/11 at 10:32am
I live in a small town where, for the past 10 yrs (at least), home bakers have been selling buttercream icing cakes (wilton 1-cake mix pans) for $20-25. Seriously?? It costs me about that much just for the ingredients (assuming I have nothing)! People expect me to be able to make a 2 tier fondant cake, with decorations, for about $30! It's crazy! If they show any discomfort with my pricing I try to explain exactly where their money is going and I compare it to when I worked in a bakery. If they still have a problem I will give them the option of buying the ingredients for me and just charging for my time. Once I give them the list... well, that usually changes their mind and they become pretty happy with the price I quoted icon_lol.gif

If, in the end, they still don't like my price... they are more than welcome to find some other sucker to do it cheaper icon_wink.gif
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post #110 of 191
2/14/11 at 7:01am
Thread Starter 
Maybe I should start passing out grocery lists too. It would be great if I could get someone to purchase the stuff and do the shopping for me. Just think about how much time I could save while making a point.
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post #111 of 191
2/14/11 at 9:05am
So update on my customer....As I grumbled the whole time making her cake icon_smile.gif she was as pleasant as punch when she came to pick up the cake and said it was going to be the hit of the party and was so happy that she had went ahead with the order and it was money well spent!!! I still did a little grumble to my BF after she left!! LOL icon_smile.gif I'm happy that it turned out in the end and she took some of my cards and I was told she couldn't say enough nice things about me or my cake at the party!!!! icon_smile.gif
"He who passes on dessert drives home with a stomach full of regret."
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"He who passes on dessert drives home with a stomach full of regret."
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post #112 of 191
2/14/11 at 9:33am
On a related note: most people in this thread try to charge what they "should" so it seems you are all finished the low-balling phase. That's where I am.

I am new. My photos will show you I am very very new. I am self-taught, I literally bought my first cake pan (ever) and pastry bag/etc December 10th 2010...literally. Two months ago. I just one day realized I was depressed staying at home and needed a hobby. I started making cakes for family at bare minimum cost (aka walmart prices) and then decided to advertise and take orders, making practice cakes of my order prior-to just to get a bit of money to practice. Practicing at home for free is expensive!

So. How did you make the transition to upping your price?
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post #113 of 191
2/14/11 at 9:44am
Thread Starter 
What made it easy for me was that I owed $1000 on my credit card from cake decorating supplies. My husband and I would like to take a trip to Europe this summer, so I need to pay that off. I have been dabbling cake decorating for years, but got serious about it 2 years ago. I just had to realize that people found me by word of mouth which means that someone liked my product. If someone liked it, then maybe it's better than I give myself credit for. And it's certainly good enough to charge enough to cover the supplies.
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post #114 of 191
2/14/11 at 11:07am
WoW!! All the prices quoted on here is in U.S. If I were to convert these to my currency I'd be rich!! Where i'm from few people spend XCD$120/U.S$45 on an 8 inch round cake. And groceries ain't cheap.
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post #115 of 191
2/14/11 at 1:35pm
One of my coworker's boyfriend asked her to make him a red velvet cake for valentine's day. He had a specific one that he wanted. So she made it from scratch. She came up to me and said that was an eye-opener for her. From how much it costs to all the work she had to put into into it. She now has a new apprecitation for cakers.
icon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gificon_biggrin.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gifthumbs_up.gif
Wish more people would do the same.
They say great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ.
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They say great minds think alike, but fools seldom differ.
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post #116 of 191
2/14/11 at 1:42pm
I'm always getting requests from friends and have come up with a general script for the conversation:

Friend: I'm having a xxx party and was wondering if you could do the cake for me?
Me: what did you have in mind?
Friend: bells and whistles
Me: what's your budget?
Friend: around $xx
Me: Gee I'm sorry - that's WAY below my minimum charge (don't even tell them what it is)
Friend: Really? I was thinking $xx would be more than enough.
Me: No, not at all.

No explanations, no bargaining or adjustments, just click my teeth and keep saying "No, sorry".

I don't sell cakes and do it as a hobby, but my friends think "Cake - oh, I know who can do a really nice one for me...." I'm not apologetic, or shy anymore because it's just gotten to the point where my nerves are rubbed raw by this that i don't care anymore! I simply decided to do cakes that I want to do when I want to do them and if it's free you have no say. So far, no-one's offered me anything worth what they're asking for so they get no cake from me!
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post #117 of 191
2/14/11 at 2:07pm
Thread Starter 
MyDIWA~~~ I'm going to start asking the budget question myself.
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post #118 of 191
2/14/11 at 2:25pm
I'm always amused at what they end up getting when I go to said party!
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post #119 of 191
2/14/11 at 2:49pm
I would like to say thanks for this conversation it was an eye opener. I will use the budget questions. good job MyDiwa
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post #120 of 191
2/14/11 at 3:00pm
sugardugar - Making that jump with the prices... when I first started making cakes, I would make them for friends or family (those I could depend on) at just above cost price... ummm ingredient cost alone that is. In order to get the cake at the mentioned price, they had to promise to tell anyone asking, to give them the price I would like to charge! In other words... they had to lie icon_biggrin.gif but it worked! They were more than willing to tell a teeny tiny little lie for the first couple of cakes I made for them. lol
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