Real-life MMD: Am I baking up the wrong tree?

simple answer for me would be to make cupcakes.

Birthday person is free and the rest of office can have on provision of a donation to your charity (less costs of baking if you wish)

either way if you feel you are being taken advantage of with your cakes, what else are you letting slide in your workplace?

Firstly, I would say that in all the offices I've worked in it is the person with the birthday who buys the cakes!

You have taken on the mantle of birthday cake maker and yes some colleagues will have started to expect it. Others may just see it as a kind generous act from one colleague to another on their birthday. and not thought there is a cost involved, both in terms of money and time.

If you want to carry on baking, but the cost is getting too much, speak to your colleagues, explain the situation, and ask if they would be willing to make a contribution in future. You can then continue (or not) depending on the outcome.

With respect, they may feel you chose to bake everyone a birthday cake, no-one actually asked you to, so may not be willing to cough up any cash!

I'd send out an e-mail stating that you can no longer afford to bake for everyones birthday. You could tell them that you like baking so you will continue to bring them in occasionally as a treat or, if they would like, they can donate the money for you to make them on their birthday. Offer a list of cakes and the cost to make them.

Who knows, they could be paying you to make cakes for them to take home and eat or for family birthdays

I had this Dilemma myself last year after taking up baking a few years ago and my sister was terrible for it, she expected cakes and asked when i would be baking again etc... but she never contributed to anything.

What i would suggest is putting a message up on the notice board at work stating that you do not mind baking cakes etc... in advance just as long as people contribute towards the cost or make some kind of donation or perhaps make a list of ingredients of which will be gratefully needed for future baking.

State at the moment money is tight and that baking costs still go up inline with other food costs they are also paying for your labour cost in time, preparation plus the use of your gas/electric oven as well.

Or you could ask if possible for a cash tin to be placed in the coffee/break room for colleagues to put their spare change in to, just a suggestion, as the saying goes 'if you do not ask, you do not get'.

If any one objects then it's their loss, let them purchase cakes and bring them in or even bake some themselves, then they will realise the time,effort and money of which goes in to your products.

I like baking cakes too for work but I usually take mine in ad hoc, but it is expensive. I'd suggest that when you take the last cake in tell them that this is the last lot as it's getting too expensive and say sorry they now won't have a treat. They might think you are joking but when they expect the next one and it doesn't appear you can say "I'm sorry but I did tell you I wouldn't be doing anymore."

You could say it's a shame as you enjoy the baking, but the cost of ingredients is getting too much and laugh/joke that if they want to contribute you'll carry on. This way you've planted a seed in their mind about cost again without holding them to ransom.