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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Cakes too cheap at school fair?

253 replies

Clary · 08/07/2011 22:38

It was our school fair this afternoon; I went to help as requested on refreshments, carrying cakes I had made (big chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate buttercream).

Got there only to see a notice advertising cakes on sale at 20p. Surely that's ridiculous? It wouldn't have covered the cost of the ingredients in the cakes I made. Now I know people donate the cakes, but surely no-one objects to paying 50p a cake at a school fair, do they, even if it's just for a glace-iced bun?

The cost of ingredients has risen hugely in the last couple of years (a dozen eggs is £3 up from £2 a year or two ago, the butter I use is now £1.40 where it was 90p two years ago, etc) and don't PTAs need to bear that in mind? Or AIBU?

(BTW I am on the PTA and will be putting some of this to the chair).

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:15

"Do I moan when a box of chocs I donate goes to someone with a 20p raffle ticket"

But it doesn't go for 20p - the idea is that for every 20p ticket that wins enough lose to make the stall profitable. It's like the lottery - do you think the only transactions are £1 for a ticket and then £5million in prize money? Would have folded fairly quickly if so.

joric · 09/07/2011 10:18

What I'm really trying to say is that yes, whilst a fair's main purpose is to make money- the 'enjoyment factor' is just as important- my DD loves making things for the cake stall and the fact that she has helped me is valuable in itself- sell them for whatever- I think the OP is disappointed because she had worked hard but I went to a cupcake stall at a farmers Market recently and the beautiful £2 cupcakes were still there at the end of the day :( better to sell them all cheaper I think.

joric · 09/07/2011 10:20

Stealth- exactly my point- it doesn't go for 20p but it looks like it does.

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:21

yes agree enjoyment is also a factor, which is why the organisers need to agree on the purpose from the beginning. If the main purpose is to make money then they need to think in economic terms. If it's to have a fun day for everyone, then there is nothing wrong with people donating cakes and them being sold at a loss. After all that is what you do when you have people round - you feed them :o and it takes soemone quite cheeky to demand payment, most people do it because they want to!

But if, say, you were fundraising to save a child's life and someone was willing to donate £10 - either in cakes which you'd then sell for £5, or in cold hard cash, which would you choose?

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:24

sorry x post and don't understand. Of course for the person who "wins" it appears they have spent 20p to get a£5 box of chocolates, but from the point of view of the PTA they have converted a £5 donation into (say) £10 of ticket sales.

The cake situation is not the same, if they are infact converting a 50p donation into 20p.

joric · 09/07/2011 10:35

IMO the best way to fundraise is to do sponsorship or £1 per head own clothes days. Quick, no overheads etc. Because a fair's purpose is a mixture if fun and profit, one cannot concentrate solely on profit. There will be gains and losses from different things.

joric · 09/07/2011 10:37

For example, what is the point of hiring the bouncy castle when the £ from bouncing on it only cover the cost? It's for the fun of it!

Glitterknickaz · 09/07/2011 10:45

What about face painting?
I do this for the PTA at our school. I feel £2.50 is reasonable to charge, as i've seen it for anything up to £4 when out and about, but the PTA won't put the price above £1.50.

I can't put in a claim for the cost of my materials as there would be nothing left at that price!

joric · 09/07/2011 10:47

If a cakemaker donating to a fair is concerned only with profit they should calculate cost of ingredients/ time and price cakes accordingly :( pretty miserable.
Guess what I'm doing btw?!! Making cakes for this afternoon's village carnival!! It's p*ing it down too!!!

joric · 09/07/2011 10:48

Glitter - that's the same as the bouncy castle example- costs = profit.
It's done for fun surely?

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:49

well I agree, the price should be set so the money bade from bouncing makes a profit, or the money made from face painting is more than the paints & materials if the aim is to make a profit.

As I said, if the aim is to raise money for life saving treatment for a child, which would you rather have?

joric · 09/07/2011 10:51

I wouldn't necessarily do a fair to raise funds for this example stealth.
A sponsored fun run or own clothes day @ £1 per head would be v profitable.

Glitterknickaz · 09/07/2011 10:51

Thing is though I physically can't get through all the queue because nobody else will do it.... I'm not actually worried about getting reimbursed for the materials if I'm honest, I rarely use more than about £5 worth of paint and I consider that a donation to the school. I just feel that they are way undercutting the average fee and losing out.

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:53

if it's done for fun then that is a completely different purpose.
There is a book on economics that says if you are a high earner, and wish to contribute to charity, rather than donating your time (e.g. helping build something) you are better off working the same overtime in your normal job (assuming this is feasible), using the money to pay for someone else to do the building and directly donating the remainder. Obviously, again, this assumes the only purpose is to raise money rather than try something different, foster a sense of community, exercise....etc.

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:54

well if you use £5 worth of paint and charge £1 per face you only have to paint 5 faces before your contribution as a volunteer exceeds what your contribution would have been as a monetary donor. You are converting the £5 worth of paints into more for the cause, and donating your time and expertise as well.

Glitterknickaz · 09/07/2011 10:56

True, I just feel it has potential to raise more.

joric · 09/07/2011 10:56

I agree, it's frustrating a lit if effort for little profit but profit will be made elsewhere- for example entrance fees etc.

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 10:58

form an economic pov the entrance fes would be factored in though - if the bouncy castle is attracting visitors, then it is attracting a portion of the entrance fees!

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 11:00

iswym glitter
Maybe suggest different designs then, with basic ones being £1 and more intricate ones being £2??

joric · 09/07/2011 11:00

I think the key is to not look at each item/ activity individually, the variety of fun things going on that gets people in through the door and it's the overall profit that counts.

joric · 09/07/2011 11:01

Stealth, we crossed posts- you've said it better than me. Cakes are also an attraction in my opinion!!!

Glitterknickaz · 09/07/2011 11:03

Yeah, I do stencils for £1, but they won't be moved on the full face price.
Ho hum, got me gripe out Smile

joric · 09/07/2011 11:03

Got to go.. Carnival time and it's stopped raining! Yey!

TapselteerieO · 09/07/2011 11:05

Anything a parent/child spends at a fair is not profit, no matter what they get in return,a 50p cake for 20p or a shot on the bouncy castle, they would not have spent that money at the school, so every parent whether they donate overly decorated cakes or just come along and spend money is making a donation of time and money to the school/PTA that profits from all parents.

StealthPolarBear · 09/07/2011 11:18

yes but the problem occurs when the profit isn't as much as could have been raised if the donor had just given the money in the first place.
e.g. in case of raising funds for life saving treatment

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