Has anyone else had issues with members of their faith wanting cut rate or freebies???? Blowing steam!
In the last two weeks, I have had two different people that I used to go to church with, one of them 25 years ago, and the other about 15 years ago, from two different churches, and both of these people were asking me to make cakes for them for almost nothing. One wanted a wedding cake for her daughter for when they come back to my state (their original state which is where they came from) for her wedding and flat out told me that they were looking for a dirt cheap cut rate deal, and that neither her daughter nor she had any money to spend on this wedding. She told me she wanted the wedding cake as cheap as sheet cakes if that were possible, only in tiers. I ended up steering her towards Walmart, Sam's, and another grocery store that is a cut rate type store. I don't charge grocery store prices, nor do I want to get started now. I get the impression that since I am just a home baker and a church acquaintance, that these people may think I am going to give them a 'real deal'. As a home baker, I don't get discounts for any of my mixes or other ingredients or any of my tools, but I do believe that I put a lot of love and time into my cakes because I don't have cakes to do on a daily or even weekly basis, so I don't feel bad charging close to normal prices of most bakeries (not grocery stores) in my area for my cakes.
The other one was yesterday and this lady wanted a cake for this Sunday, 12" round for a tea party she was putting on for her daughters, and also she wanted a 3 tier fondant covered graduation cake all done in animal printsfor another daughter coming up in May, and a birthday cake coming up in March. She informed me that they just lost their car, and had to move into a rental because they were behind in their house payments and lost that too! I quoted my prices to her just as they stand without making any offers of a cut rate deal, and she gave me a 'chilly' No Thank You. Does anyone else run into this?? It absolutely appalls me when fellow members of a faith try to take advantage of another member in that same faith. Am I all alone out here on this? Has anyone anywhere had this same thing happen to them? It does not make sense to me. In my thinking, I want to bless those that are of the same faith as me-above and beyond! I do not know what motivates some people to take advantage so badly! Forgive me for my rant......I just had to blow some steam to some fellow cakers, who may understand what I am feeling here.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Laney Cowan on
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I get it all the time. Friends want free cakes. I get that. I usually give the cake as the gift. My husband made me promise no more free cakes this year! He flat out said..."would you buy a $175 gift for a baby shower? then why are you giving her a cake worth that?" That really put it in perspective.
Last night, a friend of a friend asked for a cake. She saw he friends cake listed on my facebook page along with the cost! The two tier cake is priced at $135. She asked for a chuggington cake. I took the time to draw 3 sketches. Something told me she was going to be cheap, so I offered the two tier as well as two single tier options ($155, $95, & $85 respectively). She wrote me back & said her budget was $50-60. REALLY?!!!! Are you serious?!! You want a two tier cake with sculpted Wilson & decorated 5 other trains on the sides for $50? GOOD LUCK! I told her I could leave off the sculpted #2 on the $85 cake making it $75. Haven't heard a word. Good riddance.
My husband summed it for me "You want customers who can afford your cakes. People who can't will always want you to discount the cake for them. You are not Publix and you don't want people who can only pay Publix prices."
It's been said many times here, don't devalue your work or your customers will do the same.
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Permalink Reply by Linda Wolff on
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Very well put, Deah. You are right as far as we do all have our own struggles in one way or another. I think my own struggle is feeling the 'pressure' coming from someone that I thought respected and appreciated my trade, only to find that maybe I was blindsided, and that I had put more faith into the friendship than I should have when something pops up like an attempt to get a discount or freebie. Then, I do feel guilt if I haven't complied. I examine as to whether my own selfishness has gotten in the way by feeling the resentment that it created. I agree that each one of us is in control of how we deal with the anger, frustration and guilt, but when it creeps up on me, then I find myself sorting it all out and trying to over analyze it to see how much is my own selfishness on my part. Believe me, I am full aware of my own shortcomings, (which are many). Part of my original post was to see how fellow people of any faith handle the frustration that they may have come up against, or maybe it is just me that has that kind of struggle.
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Permalink Reply by Diane Lockwood on
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I have been through this as well, and like some of the above, caved in and let the cakes go. But I have had to toughen up, and now I ask for the amount the ingredients will cost. I have printed out a sort of letter that explains that the 'deposit' is nonrefundable, and if there is no money on collection the cake is not handed over. That way they know exactly what they are up for. The bible says 'a labourer is worthy of his hire' so I now feel no guilt at taking the hard line.
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Permalink Reply by Deah on
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One thing to keep in mind is that those who aren't artists in any form can't truly appreciate what it takes to create our art. They honestly think we can whip out their masterpiece as quick as it takes them to order a pizza. I used to be the same way.
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Permalink Reply by T. Myers on
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OMG...I know what your talking about. Heck, I'm still waiting to get paid $25 for a cake that I did almost 2yrs ago now for someone from my church. You know, I used to bake for the church for FREE. I did all the functions, baked for the Pastor and family and also guests as well as for any member who asked me too, without even blinking. It wasn't until I asked the permission to start selling my desserts instead of giving them away, is when i noticed that people changed there tunes because now the cakes were no longer FREE. Everything changed then, once there was a price on it, noone came to ask me for a cake....smh....I even gave out my flyers in hopes of support but all they wanted was FREE CAKES. After awhile, some started to see that i wouldn't budge on giving any more FREE cakes, then very few started to come around asking me to bake. Some even wanted cakes for lil to nothing, just like what your experiencing. Its terrible absolutely terrible but i refused to bake for free unless, I wanted too and when i wanted too. Some ppl have alot of nerve and will take advantage whenever they get a chance.
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Permalink Reply by June Kowalczyk on
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Unfortunately T. Myers...you teach people how to treat you. You unknowingly created a president by giving away cakes for free for so long. You didn't have to ask for "permission" to charge. It is unfortunate that you may not get business from your congregation now.
I agree with your statement Deah. Until you start cake decorating, you have NO appreciation for the art & difficulty of it. I was the same way. I have a friend that is a water colour artist. When I actually watched the painstaking process of her creating her paintings, seeing how she through out paintings cause she considered them "inferior"....well it blew me away. Then I had a appreciation for the art, the expense & time, etc., etc.
You know what you say...."Walk a mile in my shoes"
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Permalink Reply by Sandra I. Vazquez Lossiseroni on
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This is a novel, that I do not want to miss, but I have to fix dinner, so I'll look forward to read allo f this, and YES it happens.
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Permalink Reply by Theresa Happe on
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Linda, I think you should just tell them what your minimum order amount is and see if they are still interested after you tell them. They should get the point.
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I have done that Theresa...there is still that little edge where a select few believe they are entitled. Of course, I do know that we live in a society now where there are a lot of individuals that believe they are entitled. Our government and societal system has taught people that they are entitled, and there is no need for people to be hard workers or have to put forth effort on their own part in order to achieve any furthering of themselves, or to be appreciative of what has been given to them. It's kind of the mindset of humanity in this era of time to believe they are 'owed'. I know I am probably of the minority in the old way of thinking, working hard for what you get, because of my age bracket, being from the 'older' generation. (gees! never thought I would be including myself in that bracket!) It's just kind of sad to see how self absorbed people have become, especially when it is people of my own faith. It's a 'give-me give-me' mindset.
Theresa Happe said:Linda, I think you should just tell them what your minimum order amount is and see if they are still interested after you tell them. They should get the point.
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Yes Linda
I concur!!!! SOoooo true. I have seen some of this in my own children. Although, now that they are grown, I am proud to say they both have a strong work ethic, and know you don't anything "for free". There were a lot of people that thought we were "tough" on our children because we expected them to do chores and NOT get paid. I told them we are all a family, we all have to work together to make things run. They couldn't go out to the working world and say....nay, ...don't feel like doing that today. I said....Ahhh, they wil say...."your fired!!"
I do believe in the government helping there citizens, especially for some that dispite all their efforts, have not been able to survive. But there are many who believe, like you said Linda,...hey you "owe" me cause I was "born"!!!! This comes from parents, tv, movies, friends, EVEN the pulpit, etc. Me..Me...Me
My Mom use to say to us all the time. 1. No one owes you anything 2. Gimme, gimme, never gets, don't you know your manners yet. So funny. That little ditty still runs in my head!!!
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