Ok so i have been asked by a co-worker to make a baby shower cake for her cousin. She has never had my cakes before. She wants a Zebra/Leoperd print cake to look like the invite. With standing giraffes. She wants a full sheet cake. Which is simple. She hands me $20 and says this should cover it, right? I only make scratch cakes and that will barely cover supplies let alone my time. Agggghhhhh. Im too nice and i dont want to offend her because i know she doesnt have that much money. What should i do?
I would be honest and tell her its not even enough to cover expenses and let her know what the price really would be. I know its hard since she's a co worker, but why should you go in the hole for her cousin baby shower? Gosh I charge $80 for a plain double layer buttercream sheet cake with no decorations other than just a quick border. Good luck...
I agree with JSK, if you do this for her this time, she might try to come back in the future or even tell others, and they will expect the same thing. You don't want that to happen at all. People just don't understand who's never done it. I don't mind making a cake for a work celebration for free or a friend's birthday for free if that is my "gift" to them, but that's not even your case.
Return her money and tell her that you're sorry but it is not enough. Tell her your price and if she doesn't want to pay it she can go to Walmart and get a cake. I think she is trying to take advantage of you.
WOW!!! That is some cakeballs right there! I would never dream of taking advantage like that, I am with doramoreno62 that she knows what she did. She doesn't think you are going to say anything. Regular people who are paying for a product don't do that, they ask how much it will be before money changes hands.
If you want to play like she is, just go to her and tell her that you appreciate the deposit, but you need the final payment of $XXXX by Friday before you can start baking.
AAre you a legal business? If so, print up an invoice with the actual cost (it would probably be at least in the $150-200 range) and discuss it with her. If she can't afford it, you may be able to scale down the cake, although obviously not down to $20.
I work for a bakery, that does not do cakes. So i have my license to do them from home. Ive only had a handful of people actually order from me. I know its a good way to get my name out there, but still. I really do like the idea about the "deposit". Thank you all so much for letting me vent. I dont know many people in my area. So CC really helps.
I work for a bakery, that does not do cakes. So i have my license to do them from home. Ive only had a handful of people actually order from me. I know its a good way to get my name out there, but still. I really do like the idea about the "deposit". Thank you all so much for letting me vent. I dont know many people in my area. So CC really helps.
Glad I can help!
Make sure she knows what size a full sheet cake is and how many it serves... she might mean a 1/4 sheet, so ask what her serving goal is.
That is true, too! I get all kinds of people calling and asking for pricing on a "sheet cake" or a "full sheet" so I ask how many they need to serve, and it is rarely more than 25.
Yes, but Walmart are the PROFESSIONALS! If they can sell for $42 they must be making a large profit... The op is just an amateur, the $20 ought to MORE than cover the cost and allow her to "play" at making a cake. 
(For those of you who do not know me yet, that is laden with HEAVY SARCASM!!! Please don't send me nasty messages!)
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Original message sent by Annabakescakes
Yes, but Walmart are the PROFESSIONALS! If they can sell for $42 they must be making a large profit... The op is just an amateur, the $20 ought to MORE than cover the cost and allow her to "play" at making a cake. :roll:
(For those of you who do not know me yet, that is laden with HEAVY SARCASM!!! Please don't send me nasty messages!)
Stop the train while you can! When someone gets a cheap cake, they literally open the flood gates for other people looking for a "cheap" cake lady. It will be hard getting rid of them afterwards. Believe me, I know and it took me about a year to erase "cheap" cake lady from my business. I'd hand her an invoice of just how much the ingredients cost and how much labor is involved. Or she can always go buy everything that you need to make this cake and then realize that $20 will not cover it. I avoid doing business with people that are acquaintances (like co-workers, my mother's friends) but not close enough to be REALLY CLOSE friends/family because of situations like this. What happens if she doesn't want the cake after all? It will be kind of awkward seeing her at work. Best of luck!
she knows what she did. She doesn't think you are going to say anything. Regular people who are paying for a product don't do that, they ask how much it will be before money changes hands.
completely agree here!
Without any doubt at all, I would hand her back that $20 and explain what it would cost. Why would you make a cake for free for someone you don't even know- unless it's for charity?
You say, I can go to Costco and get a cake to feed everyone and you'll come back with change. Seriously.
Oh, hells to the no...You wouldn't even be able to go to Walmart and get a cake that size for $20, not to mention one that's decorated like she wants. This is why I have a minimum...it eliminates a lot of sheet cake/bargain pricing requests.
I remembered buying one of them from Costco for $15. But that was in no way a full sheet!
WOW!!! That is some cakeballs right there! I would never dream of taking advantage like that, I am with doramoreno62 that she knows what she did. She doesn't think you are going to say anything. Regular people who are paying for a product don't do that, they ask how much it will be before money changes hands.
If you want to play like she is, just go to her and tell her that you appreciate the deposit, but you need the final payment of $XXXX by Friday before you can start baking.
I like this!
Yes, but Walmart are the PROFESSIONALS! If they can sell for $42 they must be making a large profit... The op is just an amateur, the $20 ought to MORE than cover the cost and allow her to "play" at making a cake.
(For those of you who do not know me yet, that is laden with HEAVY SARCASM!!! Please don't send me nasty messages!)
I've been lurking in the forums for a few weeks...already noted...LOL...and I love your sarcasm! 
Stop the train while you can! When someone gets a cheap cake, they literally open the flood gates for other people looking for a "cheap" cake lady. It will be hard getting rid of them afterwards. Believe me, I know and it took me about a year to erase "cheap" cake lady from my business. I'd hand her an invoice of just how much the ingredients cost and how much labor is involved. Or she can always go buy everything that you need to make this cake and then realize that $20 will not cover it. I avoid doing business with people that are acquaintances (like co-workers, my mother's friends) but not close enough to be REALLY CLOSE friends/family because of situations like this. What happens if she doesn't want the cake after all? It will be kind of awkward seeing her at work. Best of luck!
I defintely would avoid future orders from co-workers. I hate awkward situations and this would be something that would be awkward for me. Besides, most companies have a "unwritten" rule about doing outside business while at work...I'm not sure if this was done on a lunch break or something, but here at my job people get into trouble from selling Avon and such...so I try not to advertise my cake making abilities when I'm at work...but that is me...
It may be your part time business, but it is a BUSINESS. You don't need to explain your costs to her. Give her an invoice listing what she wants on the cake and your price (non negotiable). Or, better yet, save the invoices for other customers, and don't do cakes for co-workers. That has too a high potential for problems.
Occasionally I will do a cheap cake but I must at least have enough to cover costs! But when I give a friend or family member a bargain they have to have my business cards on the table by the cake and place gushing feedback on my page. I let them know that this is a special favor and ask they don't tell anyone what they paid. They feel special and the couple of people I have done it for do what I ask. I make it clear this is a 1 time event...
I find it hard to give parents i know through school my costs because they assume it will be cheap as i have a home business. Not so! I work really hard to make a superior product and i expect to get paid for it, but unless people know the quality they are getting, they expect to pay supermarket prices. I did a community event recently showcasing my skills so that seems to have helped explain things pricing wise. You must explain and ask for a proper price or you will resnt the baking which is the last thing you want. Good luck from sunny scotland!
Co-Workers? My Uncles wife, no I don't refer to her as an Aunt, "forgot" how much the cake was and brought $20.00 bucks with her to pay for a 90.00 cake that I did for 40! It isn't just coworkers
Anyone who hands you money without asking " how much " clearly doesn't respect what you do. They already decided how much THEY wanted to pay for your services. Go back and tell her that you need to know how many servings the cake needs to have so that you can finalize the price with her 20$ DEPOSIT.
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