How much to charge?

[Chalet School Fan]

Our town is holding an Open Day on 24th April, where various individuals, businesses and charities put stalls in their gardens or at other locations to encourage people to get out around the town and buy things. Several people asked if I would be selling my cards - they seem to be famous locally - and as Covid has meant I have only been doing special commissions I thought that would be a good idea. So far I have made about 100 of all kinds - it's been a good way to use up those old Hunkydory and Kanban kits I have around and to try out lots of dies that I loved, but hadn't used yet! I'm having a stall in the churchyard, which is a more central location than the Vicarage on southern edge of the town.

The cards look great packaged up, but I am wondering what to charge. For recent commissions I just asked people to add a bit more to their church collections to save the hassle of handling money and left it to their discretion. I make cards to send and have no idea of current prices in shops. I thought £1.50 per card seems reasonable. That way I cover my costs and add a bit on for my labour.

I give all the money to church funds, which not only means supporting a medieval building but paying the only youth worker in the town and supporting the local food bank, which are important amenities for the whole community. So I want to make more money than I spend, but equally I need to sell my products so I have something to donate. Any idea gratefully received!

[pyjama princess]

What size cards do you make CSF? £1.50 is a bit low if you make large 8x8 cards.

[Chalet School Fan]

I only do 8x8 or 7x7 for special commissions, but I don't really know how to charge for those. The people who buy them from me have given between £2 and £20 as it is for a charity. With lots of pensioners at church I don't think I can charge too much, hence leaving it to people's discretion.
My stash to sell generally are 6x6 or 7x5. Not too many embellishments as most customers seem to worry about posting them. People who buy them say they are nicer than printed cards from shops, but I don't think they really appreciate the time involved in making them!

[pyjama princess]

It’s a difficult one as you want to raise as much money as possible but your customer base can’t afford to pay too much. With the lockdown being eased people will be more able to give cards in person rather than post. Why not price some at £1.50 and others a little more - £2? That way if they can afford it people would pay the extra. Also towards the end of the time lower prices to try and get as much as possible. Let us know how it all goes.

[Lioness]

This is always very difficult - I have made and sold various things to raise money for charities and it is hard to predict how sales will go. I have seen people paying over the odds for items which were cheap to produce and yet baulk at the price of other items which are better quality and have taken more time to make.
I think £1.50 isnt a lot, and would suggest maybe upping it to £2 with an option of paying less if they buy more, eg 3 for £5. You could also reduce the price for individuals as you go along if necessary.
I would also have a sign stating that the money from sales is going to the church.
Experience has also taught me that a cute young salesperson/assistant also helps :) (around 8-12 yrs old)

Good luck with your sales

[Chalet School Fan]

Thanks for that advice Lioness. I like the idea of 3 for £5 - might sell more that way. I often find people give me more than I charge because they like the cards and think they're underpriced. And I get a lot of requests for particular special occasion cards when people have seen the quality of my work. They are nothing special - mostly pick and stick - but good quality materials and an eye for placing things right on the card makes a difference.
Pity my grandson is up in Derbyshire - like his father he is great at charming middle-aged ladies!!

[Mitzi]

I think £1.50 is too cheap. I'd say at least £2 even for pick & stick and more (at least £3 but up to £5+)for cards that look more arty or have more embellishments.

Try the psychological trick of charging £1.99 instead of £2. I like Lioness's suggestion of 3 for £5. Even charging more doesn't really account for your time.

I like the sound of your cards. Can we persuade you to join in the swaps, perhaps once you retire?

[PurplePenny]

I agree with everyone else that £1.50 is too cheap. There use to be a woman in Oxford who made cards. They were not the kind that we all make - she drew some rather bad sketches of trees and birds (think primative art!) then photocopied them. Nothing else. Just a piece of card with a design photocopied on the front and an insert with part of the same design photocopied on it and her own sentiment/poetry. She was charging £2 - £5 back then!

An economist friend told me that people judge quality by the price, so never undersell. Charge more and you sell more because people think they are buying quality.

[Chalet School Fan]

Thanks for all your advice. I agree about people buying because a higher price means quality, so I might charge £2 for a standard card. I've just looked at the Moonpig site and their basic cards are £3.49 including postage, so on a par with their prices.
I know people buy my cards because they like them - I have had several unopened cards returned to me to resell when people have cleared the homes of parents. Their Mum had bought them and then thought they were too good to send and kept them for themselves!!!
I am thinking about selling stuff at Craft Fairs when I retire, so this is dipping my toe in the water beyond church events. Probably the same customer base because it's a small town, but maybe some new faces as well. And yes, I will be joining the swops Mitzi when I have more time on my hands.

[Little Jan]

I think it depends on what people in the area can afford
£1.99 for less adorned cards £2.50 up for more ornate seems a fair price but if people have more cash to spend where you are then up the price ,as mention £1.99 always seems better than £2 and three for ... can never be resisted

I supplied a shop where I used to live

I started of making 7x5
Then made A6
They were all hand cut decoupage they took ages to make
Shop said people would not buy them as they could get five for £1 in town but she would take them
I was on the ball though as I said I wanted money up front not sale and return incase they got damaged so I was happy that my hobby meant I could buy a few more bits with the money I got back
You can see I’m not a business women I did not check the going rate or negotiate a price
What she paid me just covered the cost plus a few pennies
It was a hobby more than a money making venture
I had made about 60 assorted cards 40 were Christmas
and said I could make any occasion
When I asked how they were selling and did she want more she replied
She hardly sold any but she would hold on to them
I sent similar cards to neighbours
One said oh you got yours from the village shop too
I said no I made them for the shop
She said she had purchased 20 of them as they had sold the rest
She paid £1.40 each
I got a call after Christmas
Asking if I could supply a batch of assorted occasion cards
But due to the slow sales of the Christmas cards she would pay up to 60p sale or return
I declined
I later went to craft fairs in my area and saw pick and stick cards selling
For way more

Good luck will the sales and I hope the sun shines and you raise a good amount for the Church

[Victoria]

I charge £3 for 8x8 and A5 cards that people ask me to make, mostly with names on them (which is dead easy with the Cameo), but most give me £5 and tell me to keep the change as every penny goes to Sightsavers.
For Christmas cards, I batch make about 15 of each design and they're smaller - 6x6 or 7x5. I sell them for £1 each or 6 for £5 and they always sell out. I used to put them all in cello bags, but I don't bother any longer as my colleagues just choose what they want from the boxes in staff rooms! But I don't use ready made toppers as sentiments are always in English and my cards are in Welsh! So I suppose I have a ready made market as there are very few nice Welsh cards in shops!! I send Sightsavers the money about three times a year and it's always around £100-£150, sometimes more after Christmas.

I think that selling 3 for £6 or whatever would be a good idea. My mother and a few of her friends ask me to make cards without sentiments so that they've always got a store at home. Some for children, boys, girls, men, women, get well etc.

Good luck!

[Lioness]

As LJ has suggested, and you have already mentioned some people can afford and are happy to pay more. So it may be worth making a batch of cards which you can offer at a higher price in addition to what you already have in mind. This will give you an idea whether people are prepared to pay more and might help for the future.

[RozMinis]

Must admit when I was selling cards it was like pulling teeth to get folks to part with their money. At one fair a lady was selling kits that cost more than I was charging. Don't think she sold many though. I used to charge £1.50 for 6x4, some of the card blanks cost me more, so I charged £2 for those. We are talking 1987 to 1990, and they were cross stitched.

The fluffit/woofit shop usually charge £1, though when the previous lady was there the manager, she charged £1.50. I don't sell them myself, so don't receive a penny for them. Mind you it is like that with the baby and other items I knit for Sheryll. She has supplied knitting yarn in the past, but I am more than happy to supply my own, especially as I seem to have a warehouse full of the stuff again!

I reckon for every ball I have bought, it has given birth to another one. For instance, the ball I am using now for a shawl for the dementia unit I do not remember buying. I remember buying the last one I used, but not this one. So where has it come from? I am positive I have far more of those 'cakes' than I bought, so they must be breeding. Found four of one shade in a bag the other day.

Roz

[Chalet School Fan]

Glad to hear it is not just my wool stash which seems to breed!

[RozMinis]

Glad to hear it is not just my wool stash which seems to breed!

It isn't just my wool stash either. All that card and paper I sent down to the fluffit/woofit shop last year. Well blow me, there was I looking for silver and gold card last night. What did I find? Another load of part kits left over from Hunkydory and such like.

Had my second Covid vaccine this morning, so nipped into Boyes and bought some card blanks. Was a wee bit miffed to discover they had some flat backed polystyrene rings for far cheaper than the one I bought on eBay. That was the cheapest I could find too, most were round about £7. I had to hold myself in check as Boyes have such lovely yarn, and at a reasonable price. I resisted manfully, but don't know for how long.

At least when I go to Hoyland tomorrow to have my eyes tested I won't be going into Boyes as I want to buy a few plants for the tubs. There is only so much I can carry home on the bus. :)

Roz

[sam]

I would definitely charge £2.00 per card. I don't think £1.99 sounds better than £2.00, I would prefer all shops to round up to the nearest pound rather than 99p or at least have a charity box on the counter for all of those spare one pences. As far as craft fairs are concerned it makes it easier for everyone to have rounded up prices rather than have stall owners faff about for 1p change.

Good luck, hope you get lots of sales!

[RozMinis]

Glad it isn't just me who hates these £1.99 things Sam. There was a shop we used to frequent in Longford (Ireland) many years ago. Tom had all his prices marked up at something and 99 pence, but when push came to shove, he rounded it up to the £1, or punt as it was in those days. Can't complain though as not only was the craic great, but we also had a free coffee. :) Whenever I have been to craft fairs I tell them to forget the odd pennies, or in some cases 5 pence. I reckon as they have had to pay a substantial amount for the stands, especially down at Elsecar, the odd few pence wouldn't go amiss.

Roz

[Mitzi]

If it didn't work, people wouldn't do it.

[RozMinis]

I don't think it does work really, I think it is just something that has gone on for years. Way back in pre decimal days we used to have something like £6.19.11, which was just as stupid. The thing I hated most was guineas. I used to think they were a great big con as many folks didn't realise just how much they were paying. For instance 20 guineas was in fact £21. So items, usually furniture/large electrical products, looked cheaper than they were, even worse if one was paying on the never never.

Roz

[Chalet School Fan]

Finding change is going to be an issue. I have barely touched money since the first lockdown and as we no longer have banks in the town it will be harder to get hold of bags of coins. That's why I like the suggestion of 3 cards for £5 as then I can deal in notes. When I do church events the treasurer sorts out things like floats of change, but this one will be down to me!

[Lioness]

Finding change is going to be an issue. I have barely touched money since the first lockdown and as we no longer have banks in the town it will be harder to get hold of bags of coins. That's why I like the suggestion of 3 cards for £5 as then I can deal in notes. When I do church events the treasurer sorts out things like floats of change, but this one will be down to me!

Gone are the days when you could go into a bank and ask for them to change up for example £40 of notes into £1 coins. These days you have to pay the £40 into your account and then withdraw the same amount which you can ask for in coins.
Why dont you ask your church treasurer if they have any coins from the collections that they could change up for you? They may appreciate not having to carry the coins down to the bank.

[Little Jan]

My mum always said when something is 1p shy of a pound the seller will hope you will say donÂ’t worry about the 1p which I have seen people do I have also seen seller close till without even offering the 1p change
My mum was a generous lady even when times were hard but she always held out hand for her 1p change
All went in a large whisky bottle along with 2pÂ’s and tiny 5p which she hated
I worked for a bank so brought home coin bags she would bag up the coins
which I had to lug to work I would then give her the notes
Was not till I was planing my wedding 10 years later
I found mum & dad had opened a building society account which the money went into
It paid for my wedding dress flowers bridesmaids and the reception
They stuck a 1p & 2p in our wedding card
With a note
Remember look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves
Up till then I thought it was a daft saying
So mum and dad if your looking down from your allotment in the sky
You gave given me some of the best advice
So Thank You xxxx

[Mitzi]

That's lovely, Jan.

[Lioness]

What lovely parents you had LJ!

[Chalet School Fan]

No joy with change there Lioness! Collections in church have hardly happened since the first lockdown - largely because most people go to church via Zoom and because of fear of contagion. It's mostly done by bank transfer these days or even by touching your card on a reader at the church door.
I agree with your parents advice LJ. When my kids were young I used to do the same with my copper change to pay for treats when we went on holiday.

[RozMinis]

In days of old when we used cash, as in pre March 2020, if I received 20 pence or less in my change I would put int in the charity box. A couple of years ago I bought a couple of slices of pork from one of the stalls in Barnsley market. It came to 51 pence, as I didn't have any change I gave her a pound coin, she gave me 50 pence back saying I could owe the penny. The following week I had the correct change, plus a two pence piece. I told the lady I owed them a penny from the week before, told her the extra penny was the interest owing. By heck that is a steep interest rate she said, but at least it made us both laugh. Anyway it went into their charity box. They keep it behind the counter as one can't trust some folks not to steal it. By the sounds of it most folks give them the odd penny or two.

I have several 'piggy banks' one for 1 and 2 pence pieces, another for 10's, plus a post box for 5's. I also have three other boxes that hold 20's, 50's, £1 coins. Kate gave me another piggy a couple of Christmas's ago which counts money that goes into it. I keep £2 coins in that. She also gave me one of those banks that have to be smashed a few years ago. I kept saving £1 coins in that, ended up with just over £300 one year, which just about covered the first class fare to the wedding in Scotland. Needless to say because I haven't used cash for ages, there is very little in any of them. I probably have more pre decimal coins than present day legal tender!

Roz

[Chalet School Fan]

It was a beautiful day for the town open day and people had over 50 stalls around the town We had 4 in the churchyard, so it was like a mini market. A friend is clearing her aunt's house, as she has had to go into a care home. She discovered stacks of unused greetings cards, which she was selling for 50p each. But people were happy to pay £2 for mine. The 3 for £5 meant I sold more than I expected (a great idea) and I made about £100. We styled the 2 stalls Primark and Gucci, and people were happy to buy from both.
Lots of people really like my cards, but didn't have an occasion to buy for. However, I had made some business cards and they took those, especially as I make cards to specific requirements. We are having a plant sale on 22nd May and I'll sell some more at that. Need to make more birthday cards as I only had a few left by close of play yesterday!7347 7348

[Lioness]

It was a beautiful day for the town open day and people had over 50 stalls around the town We had 4 in the churchyard, so it was like a mini market. A friend is clearing her aunt's house, as she has had to go into a care home. She discovered stacks of unused greetings cards, which she was selling for 50p each. But people were happy to pay £2 for mine. The 3 for £5 meant I sold more than I expected (a great idea) and I made about £100. We styled the 2 stalls Primark and Gucci, and people were happy to buy from both.
Lots of people really like my cards, but didn't have an occasion to buy for. However, I had made some business cards and they took those, especially as I make cards to specific requirements. We are having a plant sale on 22nd May and I'll sell some more at that. Need to make more birthday cards as I only had a few left by close of play yesterday!7347 7348

That sounds if you enjoyed the day CSF. Glad it all worked out and well done on making £100.
The weather helped but people wouldn't have bought if they didn't like your cards. Couldnt open your pictures but from what I could see your stand looks inviting

[Borderline]

Well done CSF!

[sam]

I can't open your photos either, but I'm glad that the day went well.

[Victoria]

Sound like a very successful event. Well done!

[Little Jan]

What lovely parents you had LJ!
Oh they were
They put everyone else 1st
Mum was 7th of 9 children , 6 girls 3 boys

But everyone came to mum and dad for help
3 of my cousins were as mum would say where “in the family way “before marriage
And they told mum 1st so she calm the waves
She was no means a softie rules were rules
My dad was not so bad and being his surprise little girl
8 years after my brother after mum was told after a difficult birth with my brother
She could not have any more children
Mum struggled with various illness’s
But carried on
She fractured her pelvis and refused to sleep downstairs with a commode
She would get my dad to carry her upstairs good job she was tiny ,sge would bum shuffle down stairs

I remember when mini skirts came in my
Mum would not let me wear them or make
up not even nail vanish
I was about 14-15 I was out with my mates
They wore very short skirts and make up
I had rolled my skirt up but still at a acceptable length
And had lipstick on
My dad saw me on the way home from work
Pulled over a said get in
I though oh no I’m for it now:eek3

He said you look like a clown with a rubber ring round your waist ( all the fabric rolled up)
He had a word with mum
And it was agreed I could have my skirts above the knee not down to my calf as mum had insisted

Dad painstakingly took up all my clothes and took them in so they were not shapeless sacks

Mum agreed I looked much better
But still said no makeup
and I stuck with that till I was 17 only wearing it going out in the evenings and later for work
My daughter will be 35 this year and only wore make up for her school prom and her wedding
She has beautiful skin and looks about 12 lol
Mum taught me house hold things and if you can’t afford to pay cash then you can’t afford it ,


Dad taught me gardening decorating and how to wire a plug
He taught my daughter too
He has been gone 22 years but when I am stuck with something I am doing I can still remember his voice saying don’t give up walk away for a while and try again


Don’t get me wrong I loved my mum to bits but I think the father daughter bond is totally different

Sorry gone totally off topic
One of those days

[Lioness]

Dont apologise for going off topic. Its nice to read these things.
Must say the clown with a rubber ring did make me laugh out loud
Lovely memories ...

[Little Jan]

I down have the rubber ring back lol

[Little Jan]

It was a beautiful day for the town open day and people had over 50 stalls around the town We had 4 in the churchyard, so it was like a mini market. A friend is clearing her aunt's house, as she has had to go into a care home. She discovered stacks of unused greetings cards, which she was selling for 50p each. But people were happy to pay £2 for mine. The 3 for £5 meant I sold more than I expected (a great idea) and I made about £100. We styled the 2 stalls Primark and Gucci, and people were happy to buy from both.
Lots of people really like my cards, but didn't have an occasion to buy for. However, I had made some business cards and they took those, especially as I make cards to specific requirements. We are having a plant sale on 22nd May and I'll sell some more at that. Need to make more birthday cards as I only had a few left by close of play yesterday!7347 7348

So pleased it went well and the weather stayed fine for you
Hopefully you will get plenty of private orders
Sadly I can’t see the pictures that well
Linking via the forum only gives a small image

[RozMinis]

Well done CSF, that is a goodly amount to make. Hopefully the plant sale will bring even more for your very worthy cause. :)

Must admit I haven't worn makeup since stopping work. Didn't wear much then either as I had to crawl out of bed so early to get to Leeds. Two hours each way tends to make one appreciate a few extra minutes in bed!

I agree with your mum about not being able to pay in cash, though I must admit I do use my bank/credit card a great deal as one can't pay for stuff online with cash. I used my credit card to pay for my glasses, but paid all but £155 off the card that night. Paid the rest of it on Friday evening. The money was available, but I didn't want to take it out of any of the other savings accounts.

I hadn't expected to have to part with quite so much money, but in the end it was worth it as all three pairs are perfect. Anywhoo, the card is now paid off, although at the moment I only have the magnificent sum of 71 pence in that particular savings account! Thankfully the others three and the current account are considerably healthier. I think I owe about £1.70 on the account I use for my Tesco groceries, but that will be cleared when I pay for this weeks shopping. :)

I have a saying similar to your dad. If at first you don't succeed, give up and try again later. It works nearly every time. My mother always told me it was rubbish, that practice makes perfect, so I should keep trying. Well I know which works for me, and I'm sticking to it.

Roz

[Mitzi]

Well done CSF, glad it went so well.

[Little Jan]

Well done CSF, that is a goodly amount to make. Hopefully the plant sale will bring even more for your very worthy cause. :)

Must admit I haven't worn makeup since stopping work. Didn't wear much then either as I had to crawl out of bed so early to get to Leeds. Two hours each way tends to make one appreciate a few extra minutes in bed!

I agree with your mum about not being able to pay in cash, though I must admit I do use my bank/credit card a great deal as one can't pay for stuff online with cash. I used my credit card to pay for my glasses, but paid all but £155 off the card that night. Paid the rest of it on Friday evening. The money was available, but I didn't want to take it out of any of the other savings accounts.

I hadn't expected to have to part with quite so much money, but in the end it was worth it as all three pairs are perfect. Anywhoo, the card is now paid off, although at the moment I only have the magnificent sum of 71 pence in that particular savings account! Thankfully the others three and the current account are considerably healthier. I think I owe about £1.70 on the account I use for my Tesco groceries, but that will be cleared when I pay for this weeks shopping. :)

I have a saying similar to your dad. If at first you don't succeed, give up and try again later. It works nearly every time. My mother always told me it was rubbish, that practice makes perfect, so I should keep trying. Well I know which works for me, and I'm sticking to it.

Roz

My hubby either doesn’t bother or makes a hash of it
Then I get the Janice (no one calls me that but him or my mum if I did something wrong) can you sort this out
But he is brilliant with finances and anything electrical bless him

[Chalet School Fan]

We are holding a plant and cake sale in the churchyard next Saturday and I am selling cards again. A lady who bought some from me last time suggested selling cards with packets of seeds in - so I've cross stitches a poppy and some sweet peas to make cards which are keepsakes and put in a packet of seeds. I'll charge £5 for those and see if they sell! TBH the time spent making them is worth much more, but I enjoyed it and I was using up odds and ends to make them.

[Little Jan]

Hope it all goes well

[sam]

Hope the weather is better next Saturday, it's been very rainy around here!

[Chalet School Fan]

Fingers crossed - but with the changes on Monday we can make more use of the building and we have gazebos for shelter as well. Hence the timing of the event.

[RozMinis]

We are holding a plant and cake sale in the churchyard next Saturday and I am selling cards again. A lady who bought some from me last time suggested selling cards with packets of seeds in - so I've cross stitches a poppy and some sweet peas to make cards which are keepsakes and put in a packet of seeds. I'll charge £5 for those and see if they sell! TBH the time spent making them is worth much more, but I enjoyed it and I was using up odds and ends to make them.

I used to really enjoy making cross stitch cards. Never got the financial reward they deserved of course, but I did enjoy the process of making them. The really hard part was working out which craft shows I could go to. 'Himself' had every alternate weekend off work, so I could only attend the shows when he was available, which was a bit of a pain.

The one and only time I booked a taxi to bring me home, it being a very local show. The taxi driver picked up another fare, so left me standing in the school grounds in the pouring rain for half an hour. In those days mobile phones didn't exist, so I couldn't ring another company, though I doubt there were many available on a Sunday afternoon anyway. Needless to say I didn't do that again.

Roz

[Chalet School Fan]

The other thing I used to make for fetes were cross stitched key rings. They used to sell well and didn't take as long to make as cards. I've just discovered a box full of blank keyrings, so I'll make some of those as well ready for our next sale. The cross stitched luggage tags I made for the girls in my tutor group were very well received. They must have shown them to other staff, because I've had lots of hints about making more for other people!! One of my tutor group is going on to train as an opera singer, so hers had a Wagnerian heroine on it with 'Diva' underneath. She loved it!
Made a stack of 'Thank you teacher' cards today as it seems the time of year to sell those.

[Chalet School Fan]

We held a plant and cake sale in the churchyard today and I had a stall with my cards. Most people were there for the plants, but I did sell about £50 worth of cards to add to the total of £1400. The embroidered cards with seeds proved popular, so I'll make some more for the next event. I've also got an order for personalised St Nicholas gift bags for a friends whose grandchildren live in Germany - easier to post than the Christmas Eve boxes I made for her other grandchildren.
Ended up buying lots of plants for my pots outside the front door, which are looking very sad. So off to buy some compost to put them in!!!

[Mitzi]

Well done CSF.

[Chalet School Fan]

We had an Open Day at church yesterday. To show off the newly decorated building and the medieval well paintings there was a small scale flower festival and the launch of the graveyard trail, which tells the history of the town through the lives of the ordinary people buried there.
There were refreshments, cake stall etc, so I thought I'd sell cards as I still had lots left. Made £65 and got several commissions as people wanted special orders, so it was worthwhile. Biggest order is for 30 personalised christening invitations for a child called Leonardo Athelstan! DH says it is going to be hard keeping a straight face during the service - like the time he had to baptize a baby called Chelsea Bunn!

[Victoria]

We had an Open Day at church yesterday. To show off the newly decorated building and the medieval well paintings there was a small scale flower festival and the launch of the graveyard trail, which tells the history of the town through the lives of the ordinary people buried there.
There were refreshments, cake stall etc, so I thought I'd sell cards as I still had lots left. Made £65 and got several commissions as people wanted special orders, so it was worthwhile. Biggest order is for 30 personalised christening invitations for a child called Leonardo Athelstan! DH says it is going to be hard keeping a straight face during the service - like the time he had to baptize a baby called Chelsea Bunn!

That's really good to hear. Sales are going well. I love that name. There's a family around here with several members called Athelstan or variations of the name such as Elstan. I have taught many of them, and it's a lovely solid name.

[Chalet School Fan]

I like both names - my father was called Stanley, which comes from the same root - but I personally I might temper a name with something less exotic in case the child didn't like my choice and wanted to use their second name!

[RozMinis]

Erm, one would have thought the parents of Chelsea would have given a wee bit of thought to the future. The poor child will have a horrendous time at school in future years, especially if said child happens to be a wee bit overweight. Quite like the other name, but I dare say the child will change it to something else in the future.

Kate was actually registered as Kathleen, though seldom used. When she was little we called her Katie, but there came a point when we felt a change to Kate was called for. Couldn't get my mother to understand that she was no longer Katie, but Kate. When she was at the high school one of the teachers called her Kath. Eh what, who is this Kath he is talking about. She has never been a Kath, and never will be.

Roz

[Victoria]

I've never understood why people give their children a lovely and then use a shortened version! I've never done it with my three and we don't do it as a family. That's why I understand the trend for naming children Archie or Reggie rather than Archibald or Reginald. That's then their proper name, no messing!

[Borderline]

Many of my great aunts and uncles were never called by their real names. Gordon became Chub, William became Dikel, Ena became Tods, another was Midge etc. My mother's family never called her by her given name - she was always Buddy. My name is one easily shortened but if anyone tries to do it I will correct them!

[Victoria]

Many of my great aunts and uncles were never called by their real names. Gordon became Chub, William became Dikel, Ena became Tods, another was Midge etc. My mother's family never called her by her given name - she was always Buddy. My name is one easily shortened but if anyone tries to do it I will correct them!

I can remember one great uncle who had a name that had stuck since childhood because his friends couldn't pronounce his real name. That probably happens a lot! I've also got a first name which could be easily shortened, but nobody has ever done that. One pet hate of mine is hyphenated names like Karly-Louise or Leanne-Marie etc. They sound so childish (IMO). I don't quite understand the trend for 'different' or 'outlandish' names either. Think of the children saddled with those names.

[Mitzi]

I've never understood why people give their children a lovely and then use a shortened version! I've never done it with my three and we don't do it as a family. That's why I understand the trend for naming children Archie or Reggie rather than Archibald or Reginald. That's then their proper name, no messing!

I'm the opposite. I think diminutives like Reggie etc are childish and fine as family names but the child should have the option of a grown up name as they get older. Nicknames and diminutives have been used for centuries e.g. Jack was used for John, Sally for Sarah etc. but now they are names in their own right.

I do agree about "younique" spellings, though. Often they just make me think the parent(s) can't spell. On TV I saw an Antwan. Presumably a literal spelling of Antoine.

[Chalet School Fan]

I agree with you Mitzi. I often used my children's full names, but my younger son is very dyslexic and struggled to spell 'Benjamin', but could cope with Ben!! In some cultures babies are given nicknames and their 'proper' name isn't given until they are older and their character has begun to emerge. That way the name is more likely to fit their personality.
My Mum would have agreed with Victoria - our names weren't shortened at home. My brother and husband have the same name, but brother is always Stephen, whereas husband is Steve.
The variety of name spellings is a nightmare when I am trying to write school reports. So many variants of Darcy, Isabel and Jasmine! And shortened versions are as bad - is it Katy/Nicky/Vicky with an 'i/ie' or a 'y' and with a double 'k' rather than 'ck'?

[RozMinis]

Kate became Katie because her brother has a short tongue, so struggled to say Kathleen. As it was he had a problem with Katie, but it wasn't too bad. As for me, well I get soooo fed up of folks not pronouncing my name correctly that Roz seems to be less effort. A friend of mine is Tasmania has always called me Rosie, but I don't have a problem with that as it is her pet name for me. My dad used to call me that when I was little, many moons ago now of course.

Roz

[Victoria]

The different views are all very interesting! I remember reading an article once about the 'behaviour' which often accompanies some names! I think they asked teachers what sort of a boy would a Shane or s Wayne be! Very stereotypical of course, but the Shanes and Waynes didn't come out of it very well. Around here, the majority of names are Welsh and in the past 20 years, there's a middle class Welsh trend of giving babies two names to use (NOT hyphenated thankfully) and dropping the surname alltogether. Until recently too, in rural areas of predominantly Welsh speaking Wales, boys would use their middle name. It happened with my Dad and brother, husband, cousins etc.

[Dax]

When I make cards for our three who are now grownup I still put their full name, not the shortened version they prefer to use these days.

When my only daughter was born the Welsh name I wanted my English husband disagreed with. We compromised at the last minutes on the day she had to be registered on. I found later when it was too late to change it that his interfering out spoken mother told him "you can't call her that" in a phone call on the day she was born. Her excuse was she thought he said Shannie. I wanted to call her Sian. Even his father told her off for interfering and saying it.

[RozMinis]

My mother lumbered me with two America names. Couldn't use the Irish version, Rosaleen, no it had to be Rosalene. As for my second name........... Who wants to have the same name as Mae West! :(

Roz or even Rosie as Penny calls me

[Mitzi]

My mother in law calls her children by their full names but they themselves use shortened versions, except my DH who prefers his full name but most of his friends call him a diminutive.

[RozMinis]

When Keith joined the army his friends called him KD, Derek being his second name. Kate has the same initials, the D being for Diane. It caused great fun, especially at the library where their library cards both had KD on them. More fun when folks would ring and ask for Mr Walters. Erm, which one? Mr Walters. Yes but which one, there are three of 'em. Invariably they couldn't even give me a clue due to Data Protection. OK then, who is calling. Sorry madam, but we can't tell you that either. Me...... puts phone down.

Roz

[Borderline]

A friend with 3 daughters all had the same initial as herself. I often wondered how they worked out who the post was for.