To feel like my friend is taking advantage - wedding rant

[Bromz]

Getting married in a few weeks and I wanted to get a few gifts for my bridesmaids etc. Love the idea of homemade things so my colleague who is also a good friend offered to make some bracelets and necklaces for me....when I say "make", I mean thread on some beads etc.

I happily agreed to it as I know she's trying to start up a little business and I'm busy enough as it is. Last night she messaged me with the cost for 5 bead bracelets and 3 necklaces. Baring in mind that there is no real making, just putting some beads on some elastic and putting some small pendants on cheap chains (we even looked at the bits and pieces on ebay so I know they were all dirt cheap!) she was overly sickeningly nice in her message and said she could do everything for a mere £130!!!!!! AIBU to think that she is really taking the p*ss? How do I backtrack and tell her to not bother without offending her?!

[The80sweregreat]

'Thanks for the quote, but its out of my budget im afraid. ' She is running a business so should be used to this response!

[haveabreakhaveakitkat]

These are gorgeous. My dd has one. They do lovely gift boxes for £2. m.claires.co.uk/live-love-laugh-charm-bracelet/shop/fcp-product/28757

[haveabreakhaveakitkat]

m.claires.co.uk/pws/ProductDetails.ice?ProductID=43011

[jdhforjc]

If this is her business she needs to buy product, pay for shipping, charge for hourly rates, and pay taxes for her business. I have people tell me all the time., "I can get socks at Walmart for $2.00." The going rate for handcrafted items is 3x's the supplies plus hourly. When I knit items for others the yarn alone is $20 to $85. Plus, the needles, markers and cost of the pattern. Socks take around 30 hours for a cable pair. I also owned a business at an amusement park. The rent was 35%-50% off of the top before our other expenses.
This is her job not a "hobby." She needs to make the items and have enough to replenish her stock to make more. The amount she charged is not extravagant. Just business. It is a custom order with custom prices, not made in a production line over seas somewhere by children or impoverished people.
And, the "sickeningly sweet" comment that she supposedly sent? There is nothing wrong with being sweet or nice. Sounds a bit "bridezilla" to me. Just say, "no thank you" I expected to pay less. You can go to a store and buy something, or you can purchase the product, pay for shipping and do it yourself! I hope this doesn't sound harsh. It is just the way it is for businesses now. It is hard to make a living with hand made custom items now-a-days.

[Primafacie]

JD does it really take 30 hours to knit a par of socks?

[eddielizzard]

yes - cabled socks do take a significant amount of work.

[eddielizzard]

and expertise.

[Theas18]

Oh yes prima 30hrs if you are good at it!

I made plain socks to raise funds for a choir tour after someone offered. she got the yarn ( so it was meh!) and gave me £20 a pair. Takes a week of knitting time to make them ( evenings /weekends) as it wasn't a " business" I thougt OK but when te 3rd pair were size 10 I closed my books!

[chewymeringue]

Knitting socks is considerably more involved than threading a few beads and a clasp. My friend makes jewellery like you describe op and sells it at craft fairs. It's gorgeous but the costs range from £2 to £8. That includes earrings, bracelets and necklaces. They absolutely do not take a long time to make, she's told me so! She sells absolutely loads.

[RB68]

At that price not suprised. She is not costing it to true costs - ask her how much profit her business makes (for profit read salary for herself). We have our very own sweat shops here in the UK and its in all the homes of handmakers that undercharge for their makes but cause at least then it sells and funds their "hobby" business (read pays for the next lot of materials). Ask yourself how much you want to be paid for a days work and do some sums about how to fund a business that pays you that - don't forget insurance, stall costs, packaging etc. Then just go and get some nice ones from accessorize....and don't forget to read the price labels

[Mumoftwinsandanother]

What did you do in the end OP?