Not sure if I'm flattered or offended.....

[maddy]

I get a phone call from an old friend today, and she had a request.
The conversation started with her saying did I want to make an "easy" $50?....then she said you probably won't want to  
She wants me to make her 40th Birthday cake, with actual 4-0 digits, covered in pink icing and flowers...o.k., not too hard, but then she said she asked around the bakeries first, and they said it will cost her at least $110 for what she explained.....now this is where I raised an eyebrow.....she said there was no way she was going to paying that much for the cake.
the more I thought about it, I will have the cost of the tin hire, a cake board, the board foil, all the ingredients for the large tins, marzipan for the flowers etc....and I'm thinking well I'm sure the cost of all this will exceed her "easy" $50!
I am guessing she knows I will probably say that this will be her present, but I can't help but feel that it was quite cheeky  

[judydawn]

Mmm, me too maddy.  Just depends on how good a friend she is whether you should do it or not.  Why hire a tin, cake board etc, can you just cut out your own 40 from pieces of cake, put it on a plainish tray and hey, here's your birthday present luv.  I know this is probably not to your usual standard but you can pretend you are me for the day and your standards have dropped    Or suggestion No. 2, get her to hire all the necessary equipment and you take over from there - now that's probably a better idea.  Good luck with your decision making on this one.

[dede]

Very cheeky I must admit. I think she should of asked you first weather you would be happy to do her cake and then asked you how much do you think it would be.
Now your in a dilemma
Do you make the cake at a loss cause she's your friend ?
Or do you tell her that it will cost you more than $50 to make?
I think I would be flattered that she asked but peeved that she expects you to cover the extra cost

[johnro]

Maddy I feel for you and do understand where you are coming from - between icing b'day cakes and making clothes for ppl I hear it all the time. DH is always chewing my ear with - 'you need to value your time far more'  The less skilled(for the want of a better term) a person is in a particular area, the greater the chance that they have no idea of actual cost of either ingredients/materials or time!!!!  Quite a frustrating situation!

[obbie]

Maddy, i would say NO.
She has shopped around,it will cost her at least $110
why should you cook,spend  hours doing it for her, hiring equipment for nothing.
 

Robyn

[fundj&e]

Very cheeky of her .

[Katiej]

I'd charge her $50 for your labour and she can pay for the cake tin hire, ingredients etc herself.
I don't think she has any idea really how much a quality cake costs or how long it would take to make.
I'd make sure to mention exactly how many hours of decorating it would take and if you do it, it's certainly not easy money but a gift to her.

[jakodai]

I would be cheeky about it - give her a list of everything you need her to buy for the cake, and ask her for the $50 up front... :-D

[Mezza39]

Very cheeky, Maddy.

I agree with Katiej
You could say to her:
"I'm so flattered, but I think you'd be better off buying one, by the time you give me the $50 plus the cost of ingredients and tin hire etc. I just cant do it as cheaply as the professional bakeries."

That way you avoid the question of losing money which is absolutely outrageous from your perspective. It's hardly as if she would take you into a shop and point out a gift that she wanted you to buy her . . .

Mind you, having just turned 40 last month, it does do weird things to your mind.

[snappy]

It is quite cheeky Maddy but honestly i dont think she knows how much quality cakes cost to make and decorate.  I think some people estimate $2-5 for ingredients and the rest is "profit".

Maybe just say to her that you have looked into the cost of ingredients/marzipan/tin hire etc and it would all cost more than $50 so it wouldnt be worthwhile taking the money but seeing as though she is good friend you would be happy to make the cake as her present.

[Halex]

Maddy, the scooby doo basic cake I made for ds birthday cost me more than $50.  Cake board, ingredients, colourings etc.

A friend does cakes for friends she charges a $100 & that is cheap. She says it covers her costs & gives her a little play money, she said her wage per hour its about $1.

I am sorry but I would say no & mutter to myself, how rude what a cheapskate.

H

[maddy]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one to think it was cheeky.
I have known her for a very long time, but she is very forward and not backwards in getting what she wants    that is one personality trait I'm not too fond of.
I did make one for her husband 2 years ago, but she hired the tins and bought the ingredients.
I think this will be her Birthday gift, but I just don't like the way I was asked    or wonder if it was just assumed I would do it.
I will keep an eye on the cost so it doesn't blow out    at least that saves me the hassle of trying to find a present for someone who has everything.

[nazar]

 l have a friend like that . all ways trying to get some thing for nothing or putting people out so she can get cheaper herself even thouh it cost the other people  either time, money and energy
l would ask myself is it worth the effort ? is she a good friend do you know her well . does she do this sort of stuff often to people .      is she fussy ?  does she have much money in life or does she struggle or  does she not want to pay  the $110 to pay for the cake as she thinks it too much . does she do much for other people . will she appercate it  or does she just want a cheap cake .
 l would tell her to hire the stuff and buy ingredients  and you can do the rest for name a price . generally when l point out how much things cost l put the ball in my friends court she decides that it to much effort and cost and  works something else out .

[nazar]

 we must of been typing at same time maddy

[Merlin]

Don't do it unless you are a really good friend! I did a castle cake for my niece with 3 tiers once. Of course it was my niece so I didn't mind but if I was costing it including the fondant, extra cake tins I needed to buy as well as the extras for decorating, it would have easily cost over $100 at a bakery. Sure, the flour, butter, eggs etc may be relatively cheap but when you add in all of the incidentals, there's a reason why she was quoted $110!!!