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HELP! I dont want to be known as the cheap cake lady! - Page 4

post #46 of 66
8/14/12 at 11:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFloGuy

The lady claims she can't afford a Walmart cake, seems like there are few options for her.

Oh please tell me that wasn't actually said somewhere. Come on!!!
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post #47 of 66
8/14/12 at 12:06pm
^^^^^^
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

ok great than she actually started crying saying that she had called around alot of stores trying to get the cake she wanted and she couldn't afford any of them




not even walmarts prices.




this
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post #48 of 66
8/14/12 at 12:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZCouture

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFloGuy

The lady claims she can't afford a Walmart cake, seems like there are few options for her.

Oh please tell me that wasn't actually said somewhere. Come on!!!



It was said in the first post, I quoted it above because I don't think this forum has multiquotes.
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post #49 of 66
8/14/12 at 1:29pm
Wow. Guess I missed that one.
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post #50 of 66
8/14/12 at 3:07pm
Please, get off the "Drama Train", step away from the tracks, re-group, develop a pricing strategy, and start fresh.

If this cake is due in 2 DAYS and she still hasn't paid, I wouldn't have yet turned on my oven, so I wouldn't even be able to complete the cake--and I tell her that. It would be my reason for cancelling.

At this point, if you're really losing money on the deal, I'd cut my losses, go with her to WalMart and pay for the cake that she wants icon_eek.gif

and, NO, I'm not kidding. Better to give her a gift than to continue to kick yourself over YOUR OWN MISTAKES.

You can only get swept away with the tide if YOU step into the ocean.

Rae
I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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I love you, but your emergency is not my crisis!

They say that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it is not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance.--Terry Pratchett (b.194
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post #51 of 66
8/14/12 at 11:43pm
This thread has been most entertaining. I saw this coming OP. I hope you make it okay through this debacle.
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post #52 of 66
8/15/12 at 1:57am
I'm not so sure this thread is actually real as there have been other very strange wind up wacky posts on here (clearly people have waaaaay too much time on their hands).

But if it is true, I truly hope the OP isn't making that cake right now. I really hope you told the lady "sorry, can't do it". Who needs customers like that? Surely, that is one of the reasons you work for yourself- to have the option to say "no thank you" to someone.

So, you're losing money, the lady hasn't even paid for it yet, she was going to keep it in a camper (!?), she lives in a campground in the middle of nowhere (!?!) and she has crocodile tears to get sympathy on how broke she is (then don't throw a party you cannot afford. duh!). What a train wreck.

But really go back to number one- why would you make a cake for someone and lose money and continue to go along with their up costs?

She's taking advantage of you (if this is for reals).
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post #53 of 66
8/15/12 at 7:08am
Thread Starter 
No this is not a FAKE post, i was at my wits end and needed some input from people. That really upsets me that you wouls think that i would do such a thing. Anyways enough of that im not going to waste my time be angry about that comment made. I have talked thus woman into a smaller cake by showing her a cake stand that i have, yes there will be a deposit for the cake stand until its returned in the shape that its in now. I never said that this woman LIVED in this campground , thats where shes having the party at. I am fairly new here but have posted on here like 60 or more times ( as some of you can see im angry about the comment that this might be a fake post) she has until tomorrow to pay me for this order, i did bake and freeze the 3 smaller cakes last night, so if i get no money no cake or cupcakes. Do some of you want to know how this all turns out? The ones that think this is not fake post. And to reply to the i must have alot of time on my hands is a completely an untrue statment, i work 40 hours a week and take care if things around my house because my husband works 500 miles from our home and only can come home on the weekends man am i angery at that post

icon_mad.gif
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post #54 of 66
8/15/12 at 7:24am
Dear OP- I hope you're not angry at my post. I certainly didn't mean to offend you if so, nor do I think that I wrote anything offending in my post above. It seems that you have misconstrued what I meant. I did not mean YOU, the OP, had a lot of time on your hands, but the people who have been posting fake posts on here lately...there have been a few.

Anyway, I believe an earlier post mentioned it could be fake and I believe there have been some similar ones like that lately- stranger things have happened.

Good luck with you cake!
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post #55 of 66
8/15/12 at 7:26am
Sorry you are angry at my post - but honestly - the whole saga just wasn't making no sense from where i sit.
Surely if someone hasn't paid you for an order - and you are unsure if you will get paid - then why would you continue...
In reality - if we put ourselves in this situation then we only have our selves to blame.
Sure i sound Harsh - then again i would never accept being known as the cheap cake lady down the road.
Perhaps the hardest thing for you is to stand by your set price.... if this is the case then you will find yourself in this situation again and again.
No one - not one CCer can help you if you don't change your mind set.

Many take pride in what they do - sadly they don't take pride in themselves... thus allowing many to walk all over them.

Set your price - stand by it - then you won't be creating for the likes of that women.

Your husband working away has nothing to do with this situation... many of our DH's work away - travel for many months at a time - doesn't mean we lower our prices for some *crying poor* customer.
All the more reason to stand strong....and be proud of yourself

Bluehue
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post #56 of 66
8/15/12 at 8:32am
Thread Starter 
Bluehue, it was the other post that upset me saying that i was fake posting and that i must have alot of time on my hands . I have now sat down figured out all what goes into making just one cake, much less 3 and cupcakes. I am going to give this woman an invoice stating how much the cake and cupcakes actually cost and show her that i lost money on the deal so if she thinks she will be calling me again for a cheap cake she will be wrong. I do have a question, how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home . I have seen post on here that state that the cake takes twice as long as you think it will, i agree with that statement. Oh and this lady posted on facebook for all to see that they would be eating at 1 and having cake at 2 , really she didnt even tell me to be there until 2:30 .i perfer to not set up the cake in front of everyone so i guessing ill be out there way early
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post #57 of 66
8/15/12 at 8:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

I do have a question, how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home


It really depends on the cost of living in your area, you can look up salary surveys to see how much cake decorators typically make, usually it's in the $10-20/hour range. Also don't forget to include the market value of your kitchen space, in order to avoid undercutting the market you should assume that you are paying "rent" to your business for your kitchen space ($10-30/hour, again depending on area), and include that rent in your cost.

So if your wage is $15/hour and the market value of your kitchen space is also $15/hour, and the order takes 6 hours to complete including prep and cleanup, the labor cost alone would be $180. You would then add the cost of ingredients and allocated overhead (insurance, utilities, license fees, etc.) plus a profit margin (usually 10-30%) depending on market rates in your area.
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post #58 of 66
8/15/12 at 8:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home .



I don't think WI has a cottage food law. Legally, you can't sell cakes made at home.

I homeschool because I've seen the village and I don't want it raising my children.

 

http://whynotethiopia.blogspot.com/

 

 

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I homeschool because I've seen the village and I don't want it raising my children.

 

http://whynotethiopia.blogspot.com/

 

 

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post #59 of 66
8/15/12 at 9:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jess155

I don't think WI has a cottage food law. Legally, you can't sell cakes made at home.


Wisconsin does have a cottage food law, but unfortunately it only covers canned goods, so you're right that OP would need to pass a health inspection in her home kitchen or find a commercial kitchen to rent before she can legally accept money for cakes.
http://fyi.uwex.edu/news/2010/05/05/wisconsin%E2%80%99s-new-pickle-bill-bringing-product-to-market/

There is a petition to add bakery items as an exemption here:
http://www.cakeswebake.com/forum/topics/wisconsin-home-bakers-cottage-food-law
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post #60 of 66
8/15/12 at 9:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jess155

Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home .



I don't think WI has a cottage food law. Legally, you can't sell cakes made at home.



It took us 4 pages to bring this up? This stuff usually gets knocked out in the first page or so. CCers come on, you folks are becoming soft! icon_twisted.gif

*Runs off to go find Jason icon_twisted.gificon_twisted.gif *
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