I did the 3 month payment thing. Could have bought it outright but it seemed less painful with the 3 month option even with the extra $50 fee. Definitely agree with everyone else who says they save on groceries. The ability to buy less processed foods and more fresh produce has made a significant saving on our grocery bills and I am enjoying tasting 'real' food again and the best thing of all is that you know exactly what is going into your food. I spend my entire day thinking about food and what I can create with my Thermomix when I get home from work. It Is beyond an obsession!! By the way, we' re not a whacky group, just converts to the wonders of cooking with the Thermomix.