Prices and Deposit policy

First of all thanks for checking out my blog and viewing my cakes. I have recently set my prices because at one point when food prices went up I did not calculate in that increase including an almost $5 increase in fondant prices. I recently made a cute cake that I added up all my products I had used to make it and I ended up only making about $10 for roughly 7 hours of work. That is only a dollar and some change an hour, granted it is out of my home but I feel that it is not fair for me walk away with that small of a pay for my time, which after delivery probably was a wash. Please understand when viewing my prices I am not here to "price gouge" but to be fair to myself. I also have been comparing my prices to some of the bakeries and other cake decorators online with similar experience I am still below many of their asking prices.

Small Breakdown

Board to support cake~ $3 to $15

Boxes for delivery~ $5 to $10
Cupcake wrappers and cake pops wrappers and sticks~ $2 to $15

Cake products~ small cakes it cost me about $25, larger cakes can cost me up to $60 in ingredients I recently did two large cakes and it was over $120 in products.

I am also starting to request a deposit on larger cakes, imagine being in my position: I buy the products and take the time to make the cake... then suddenly you decide you didn't want the cake. I am out a minimum of $40 and my time.

Thank you for your understanding!
Melissa