Costing, supplies and quotes for people who sell what they make
By the Brainfy Studio editorial team · Updated
If you sell what you make — at markets, online or to friends of friends — you don't need an accounting system to start. You need to know what one item really costs, what you have in the cupboard before you buy more, and how to quote a custom order clearly.
This page works through those steps with a fictional batch of 24 candles. The figures are invented and recalculated by our tests.
1. Cost a batch, then price one item
Cost the whole batch — every material plus your time at the hourly rate you want to earn — and divide by the number of sellable items. Then set a price that leaves the margin you want. Costing a batch is more accurate than guessing one item, because offcuts, test pours and spoilage are included.
Materials and time for one batch:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wax | $38.40 |
| Wicks | $3.60 |
| Jars | $33.60 |
| Fragrance oil | $22.80 |
| Labels | $4.80 |
| Materials | $103.20 |
| Your time: 2.5 h × $20.00/h | $50.00 |
| Batch cost | $153.20 |
| Cost per candle (÷ 24) | $6.38 |
| Price for a 40% margin ($6.38 ÷ 0.60) | $10.63 |
A 40% margin is the same as a 66.67% markup on cost. Round the price to something sensible, and add fees before you decide.
Free online tool
Files
- Handmade Product Cost Calculator (Paid — $14.00)
See inside: Handmade Product Cost Calculator v1.0.4
Renders of pages from the current files (XLSX). Select a thumbnail to enlarge it.
Use the left and right arrow keys to move between preview images.
2. Check supplies before you buy
Before ordering, compare what is on the shelf with what the next batch needs. Buying only the shortfall keeps cash out of the cupboard.
What the next batch needs against what is on hand:
| Supply | Needed | On hand | To buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jars | 24 | 30 | 0 |
| Wicks | 24 | 10 | 14 |
| Wax (0.2 kg per candle) | 4.8 kg | 2 kg | 2.8 kg |
| Labels | 24 | 60 | 0 |
Files
- Craft Inventory Tracker (Paid — $9.00)
See inside: Craft Inventory Tracker v1.0.4
Renders of pages from the current files (XLSX). Select a thumbnail to enlarge it.
Use the left and right arrow keys to move between preview images.
3. Quote and invoice a custom order
For a custom order, send a quote first, take a deposit, then invoice the balance. In the example: 12 candles at $12.00 and 12 personalised labels at $1.50 come to $162.00; after a 50% deposit of $81.00, the invoice balance is $81.00 (tax left at 0%; enter your own rate if it applies).
Free online tool
Files
- Invoice and Quotation Templates (Paid — $19.00)
4. Keep hobby spending separate
Not everything you buy is for selling. Tracking hobby spending separately from selling costs keeps your item costs honest and shows what the hobby itself costs each month.
Files
- Hobby Budget Planner (Paid — $7.00)
Files mentioned on this page
Facts below are checked against the files customers download. Prices are current catalogue prices in USD.
Handmade Product Cost Calculator (Paid — $14.00)
XLSX · 1 file · sheets: Start Here, Settings, Products
Your labour rate, overhead, wholesale and retail multipliers and fees in Settings; per product it calculates total cost, wholesale and suggested retail prices and profit per sale after fees.
Craft Inventory Tracker (Paid — $9.00)
XLSX · 1 file · sheets: Start Here, Supplies, Lists
Supplies with quantity, unit, cost per unit and a reorder level; anything at or below it is flagged, and the summary totals the value of your stash.
Invoice and Quotation Templates (Paid — $19.00)
DOCX + XLSX · 5 files · sheets: Start Here, Invoice, Quote
A workbook that calculates quote and invoice totals, plus Word templates in US Letter and A4 (the Word files don't calculate).
Hobby Budget Planner (Paid — $7.00)
XLSX · 1 file · sheets: Start Here, Summary, Setup, Transactions
A monthly hobby budget in six categories with a purchase log and budget, spent and remaining.
Limits and honest notes
- The example leaves out marketplace, payment and shipping fees; the handmade pricing guide shows how to add them. Fee rates vary by platform and change, so use the current rates you actually pay.
- Tax and business registration rules depend on where you live; check with your tax authority.
- These products are spreadsheets, so there is no printable sample page. The see-inside previews below are renders of the current files. Formulas are checked in LibreOffice Calc only.
Read what we test for each file format and the licence. All free samples are on the samples page.
