Cookies

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WufWuf
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Cookies

Post by WufWuf »

So I've been making cookies for Honey for a while now and I give a few away to other dog folk from time to time. Lots of people have said to me that I should sell some but I've always said no as I didn't think I'd be able to make any kind of money off them as I use good ingredients. Well I've done a bit of maths and I reckon that I could possibly make a little profit and TBH I'm really broke and could do with it.

So my question is do you think that people would pay 5EUR for 100g of grain free cookies?

My other question is now that I've said that I wasn't going to sell them how would I go about approaching people to see if they want to buy some, baring in mind that I'm a little shy :oops:.

Here's a picture of some of the cookies I make

Image
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Nettle
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Re: Cookies

Post by Nettle »

First you need to check if any laws cover what you are doing - you might have to prove that your kitchen premises are suitably hygienic etc. Sounds like overkill but once money changes hands, regulatory bodies aren't far behind.

Then you need to consider tax. You might end up paying more than it's worth in terms of cost/benefit. I don't know if you currently use an accountant or if you do your own returns.

Sadly, even if all you do is sell tiny amounts to friends and relations, someone will shop you to the authorities eventually, and quite possibly accidentally, through Facebook or something similar.

Sorry to rain on the parade :(

If you are happy with all the above, I'd suggest a table at the church fete or village hall events. Anything else costs too much. You might get some milage from dog training/flyball/agility events - worth a try.
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WufWuf
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Re: Cookies

Post by WufWuf »

I guess that's out then :( , I was only looking to sell them to maybe 6 people I know through their dogs.
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JudyN
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Re: Cookies

Post by JudyN »

They look delicious! :D

I wouldn't rule it out just yet - loads of people sell food they make. Think school fetes, Women's Institute fairs, that sort of thing. I've had a look around for some info on legislation and haven't found anything concrete, but one site did say 'Legislation says that all food businesses must register their kitchens with their local authority unless they operate on a “casual and limited” basis only'. NI will have its own legislation, of course, but it could be worth having a hunt on the internet or emailing your local council. In fact if you get a reply from the council, that should cover you in case anyone should question the legitimacy in the future.

As it's dog food, I'm wondering whether DEFRA might have anything to say on the subject. But then I know what they say about giving chickens food that has been anywhere near your kitchen :evil:
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Suzette
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Re: Cookies

Post by Suzette »

If you can get past all the legalities (taxes and the hygienic stuff if necessary) you might want to take some to your local pet boutique's to see if they will sell them for you. They take a cut of the profits of course, but folks will pay more at these types of pet stores since they are upscale, so in the end you might make as much money as if you had sold them outright yourself. Just a thought. I have seen this done at pet boutiques around here, but I am in the US. I don't know if this is in any way a possibility for you.

Either way, I hope you don't give up just yet. Give it some research and lots of thought. You might just have a money maker on your hands! :D
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WufWuf
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Re: Cookies

Post by WufWuf »

Thank you ladies. My health is just not so great so I wouldn't be up for producing them on any kind of large scale (it usually takes me 2 days to make one batch as I make the dough one day, then cut and cook the cookies the next) but I do enjoy making them as it gives me something productive to do that doesn't require much brain or physical effort. Although I do have some days when I'm not so bad it's not consistant enough to be trying to plan to make them on a larger scale.
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Nettle
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Re: Cookies

Post by Nettle »

They do look super, Wuf. Such a shame there are all these frustrating regulations.
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Re: Cookies

Post by emmabeth »

They look super - could you make them as tiny little niblets as well as the cool shapes then they could be training rewards too.

I know nothing about the legalities but I suspect you could do it - I nkow a fair number of trainers who make and sell livercake at classes and to clients..
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minkee
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Re: Cookies

Post by minkee »

According to this: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/guidance/selling/examples.htm what you describe would be 100% fine legally. That's UK though and I don't really know what to google for Ireland (sorry!) Unless anything is drastically different, I think while you keep it local as a hobby it's fine, if you start setting up stalls or online shops then you need to register.

However, registering as a business is pretty trouble free, and keeping books is simple too. If you ever feel up to it it would be relatively easy to set up as a proper business and do it for profit.
WufWuf
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Re: Cookies

Post by WufWuf »

Nettle wrote:They do look super, Wuf
emmabeth wrote:They look super
Thank you :D
emmabeth wrote:could you make them as tiny little niblets as well as the cool shapes then they could be training rewards too.
I make a very dense dry dough and then roll them out quite thin, but thick enough to stay together in a pocket, so they are snap-able not crumbly cookies. I use them as a high value easy to handle reward. They stay fresh for ages as I dry them out so they can live happily in the open without going mouldy or soft (infact they get drier and even more snap-able!) they are everywhere in my flat as the cats have no interest so I can leave them out for an easy to reach reward. Lots of legless teddies and pointless stars :lol: .

Thanks Minkee
minkee wrote:that's UK though and I don't really know what to google for Ireland (sorry!)
Me neither :roll: :lol: I'll look into though :D
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ClareMarsh
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Re: Cookies

Post by ClareMarsh »

I don't know anything about tax in your next of the woods but here you'd not be taxed until you hit £9.5/£10k income (including any other income you may have obviously). Now, now offence to your cookies but I'd be surprised if you ended up making so much money that you were taxed on it!
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Sanna
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Re: Cookies

Post by Sanna »

I honestly don't think it'd be a problem doing it on a small scale?
I work with a lady who bakes the most amazing cakes and sells to friends and family on request, in fact most of us orders cakes from her regularly. A lady at dog training sells homemade tuna fudge, and a friend sells eggs from her chickens and vegetables from her garden to neighbours and co-workers. So if you just want to sell to friends and family I really don't think you need to worry/ register/ declare :?:
Oh and if you were near me I'd totally have some, they look amazing! :D
Last edited by Sanna on Sat Aug 23, 2014 8:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Nettle
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Re: Cookies

Post by Nettle »

It isn't about earning so much that you have to pay tax - it's about declaring income. It's for HMRC to decide whether or not we owe tax, and our entire income counts, no matter what the sources. It seems to be that the small trader and/or the person with income from several minor sources gets hit first, before big businesses, but that may or may not be so.

Hobby selling e.g. a few embroidered this or that, a painting or two, some cookies, is not necessarily taxed but still has to be declared - it's for the tax authorities to decide when a hobby slips over into business.

Does seem OTT but I would hate Wuf to end up paying out money she can ill afford because of this kind of thing.
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Sanna
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Re: Cookies

Post by Sanna »

Nettle wrote: Does seem OTT but I would hate Wuf to end up paying out money she can ill afford because of this kind of thing.
Yes that would suck bigtime :( I certainly wouldn't want that neither!

But still, if it was me (disclaimer this is not advise just personal opinion ;) ) and it's a question of making cookies for 5-6 friends only (like Wuf said) I would probably just do it..
If it eventually makes a decent profit of course it should be declared; but would I be declaring it if I made an extra £10-20 this month selling cookies? Would I heck :twisted: (Disclaimer still applies!) Then I'd probably either get bored with making extra cookies... Or decide it was more effort than it is worth.. Or realise I quite enjoy it, and I could make some money on it- in which case I'd have a good idea of how many I could make and sell, what my profit margins would be and whether or not it would be worth doing on a regular basis. And if that's case, then yes I'd register as a sole trader, make sure I was familiar with legal and local regulations and declare the extra income etc etc.
Just my opinion ;)
WufWuf
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Re: Cookies

Post by WufWuf »

Thank you all, I may just have to put this on the back burner for now.
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