So I hosted a baby shower a few weeks ago. This woman really loved my cupcakes, even though I didn't think it was my best display, and she offered to pay me to make them for her job. My sister in law was there and suggested I charge $10/dozen because it takes so long to make cupcakes. So the woman agreed on this price.
Cut to this morning... we meet at a Starbucks by my job. I put the cupcakes in nice boxes and made a sticker with my name and little logo thing that I made up and gave her exactly what she wanted. 8 dozen cupcakes, 4 dozen s'mores, 1 dozen vanilla with cream cheese frosting, 1 dozen lemon, 1 dozen vanilla with maple frosting, and 1 dozen triple coconut. She is so excited about it and I had some extra cupcakes so I let her sample the one she'd been super excited about, the triple coconut so that she didn't have to open her order to get them out. We walk into Starbucks, she buys me a coffee, and hands me cash. I didn't count it because I could already tell that it was short and I didn't know how to deal with it. I'm SUPER bad at asking people for money.. but making cupcakes takes a lot of time and money...
I get to work and tell my coworkers about it.. I had already text H. They all said I needed to contact her. The number I had called her house, she is at work. So I emailed her.
I feel super awkward asking for the rest of the money. Do you think I should have or just let it go? (especially since this is my first paying customer and i guess i could take a loss since i'm not a professional?)
Re: awkward money situation... WWYD?
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Yes, you should have asked for the rest of the money. You missed that opportunity, but I still think you can ask for it. You can say something like, "Oh, I was preparing the deposit slip at the bank and realized that you accidentally only gave me x instead of y."
Doesn't matter that you're not a "professional." You both agreed on a price, you came through with the goods, she needs to come through with the money.
ditto, although I wouldn't know what to say either! ugh, I hate when people make things awkward with money. Although, like pp said, if the difference wasn't that much (basically I guess the cost of the coffee? although that's not how I may my bills, lol "here's a cup of coffee about equal to what I didn't pay") I'd let it go. How much did she give you?
Either way, even though you aren't a business, she still owes you what you agreed on. And maybe she made a mistake?
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We agreed on $10/dozen. I made 8 dozen. She paid me $40. She handed me the cash, I knew it felt short.. but I was scared.
F/U: I emailed her... and I felt soooo weird, but she said she is so sorry and it was an honest mistake. Her original order was just 4 dozen but she doubled it and didn't even think about doubling the price... She's meeting me this afternoon to give me the remainder.. either way the situation is awkward and i can't wait until it's all over. lesson learned for sure!
actually, that sounds like a really great ending! I mean, it's all logical that it could be a mistake and she's going to pay, so yay
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yes, it was a great ending. probably the best possible outcome. i'm not even sure what i would have said/done if she said no. but i completely understand misunderstandings.
This! I'm so glad it worked out
me too. i don't think i'll be making cupcakes for order ever again. lol. unless someone really wants it. lol.
was it really time consuming?
yes, they take a long time, but when the people have 5 different types of cupcakes they want for 8 dozen, you have to figure out how to half/fourth recipes so you're not making too many.. plus figuring out how much i'm worth is hard too. it was just a lot of work. if some one wanted like 8 dozen of the same kind that would be EASY! probably would take like 2 hours MAX. But i made 5 different, had to figure out how to decorate them specifically, and i wasted a lot of frosting... which equals butter and butter is expensive. or even 2 kinds would have been fine but 5 different kinds was too much. i took me like 5 hours.. mix batter, do dishes, bake cupcakes, keep refilling and making different batters then to do more dishes to make frosting... and then decorate.. took a long time.
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
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The cupcake place down the street from me charges $17 for 6 cupcakes. I think you should charge at least $20 a dozen for the next dozen.
She got a steal, and could have had more of one if you hadn't caught her on it. If you want this as part of a business, you'll need to treat everyone with that same firmness and price.
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