To buy or not to buy!!

[dede]

Once you have the TM bug it's really hard to shake it away. I used all my savings as well to buy mine 15 months ago, but I have found that the TM has paid for it self in that time with savings from buying pre prepared foods, takeaways, packaged foods etc. I cook all my family's foods for school/work which on its own would save me around $60 a week (family of 7) that's about a $3000 savings in a year on its own. I make pizzas which we would probably have brought once a month costing around $50, making my own would save us around $300 a year, my Grocerie bill is down around $100 a f/night.
It's a big decision spending so much in one item but we all need food to survive and it's a big part of our life. I couldn't bare being without my TM now. The whole family eat much healthier and I know what is going in their mouth (lots of nasties in pre prepared foods)
Good luck with your decision
And welcome to the forum.

Keep asking questions until you have come to a decision your happy with

[judydawn]

Hi Ali, welcome to the forum.  As you can see with the responses already, our members are so supportive and they will continue to be as you go on your TMX journey.  If buying the machine takes all your savings, perhaps you can put back into that account all the money you save from your housekeeping each week.  To start with, you may spend a little more but once you have got everything in the pantry and are ready to go, it will be a very short time and you will notice your savings.  Pop those savings back into your account and as you watch them grow, you will know you have done the right thing.  Your children seem to eat 'normally' and don't appear to be too fussy so I'm sure you will find many recipes on here to satisfy them.  Get them involved in the cooking and they may even try things they aren't sure of.  Hopefully you will go ahead and order your TMX and I would be very surprised if you don't come to love it as we do.  I use mine for 99% of all my cooking.  It was bought for mains more than anything else as there is no way I would have bought it for just cakes and desserts but I find I am now making things I never dreamt of making and it is just one long love affair between the machine and me.

[obbie]

Hi welcome to the forum.
You will love tour TMX when you get it.

You can make so much, so easily, fuss free.

Robyn

[DizzyGirl]

Hello and welcome. Like everyone here, I absolutely love my thermomix. It saves you both time and money. The initial outlay was frightening, but the machine soon pays for it self. My family are now eating healthy, natural food which is good for us all. Since eliminating all the nasties in our diet, our medical bills have also gone down. If you were to purchase all the gadgets a thermomix replaces, it would cost a lot more.

[deedub]

Hi Ali, and welcome to the forum. Like you I have fussy eaters and I must admit there have been several meals I've prepared in the TMX which they didn't like. However - if I'd made the same meals the old way it would have taken me a lot more time and effort and they still wouldn't have liked it! To me, one of the great things about the TMX is that it encourages me to try new things on my family because it takes so little effort.... so I don't get upset about wasting my time slaving over a hot stove all day if they don't like it!
As to the money side - I agree with the others that you will spend more initially stocking up your pantry on ingredients you don't normally use. But once you're fully stocked, you will never need to buy biscuits/cakes/bread/dips/ice cream etc. again. So after a while you will notice your weekly shopping bill will be reduced. Plus I've noticed a lot less wastage of fresh foods - if I have an excess of something, I can usually find a recipe on here that will use it up. Which reminds me - must go and look at recipes using apples....

[cookie1]

Welcome Ali.
You do have a big decision to make and of course everyone here loves their machine so we will promote it. How old are your boys? Perhaps once they are used to the machine (or even before) they will love to help you 'cook' things in it. Sorbets will be a great source of fruit for them. As you have probably read vegies can be well hidden in lots of things. Green smoothies that are healthy can be called 'Shrek Smoothies"     etc.
Good luck in your thinking.

[Ali123]

Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words and support. I find every night I am going to bed thinking Shall I shan't I!! But I really can see so many advantages to having one. The list of recipes on here is just endless!! And as people have said, I will, hopefully in time be able to adapt things to our particular liking and develop recipes of my own. My boys are 12 and 14 now so easily old enough to help out with a bit of cooking themselves. I do so desperately want to go for it, it's just going to use the only savings I have, but as previously mentioned, I can save up again, with the money that I save from not having such a big shopping bill once my food store is well and truly established. I will let you all know how I get on!!!! Thank you once again.

[RosieB]

Ali..  It is a huge purchase for what a lot of non-believers will say is just another kitchen gadget.
I couldn't justify the expense due to our circumstances and had to opt for the cheaper ThermoChef.
But I love TC and he sits proudly on my bench and is used almost every day.  And is saving so many $$$'s has probably paid for itself since I bought him in November.
I think that is the main thing to remember.  If you get one..  Keep it on your kitchen bench and whenever you go to make something ask yourself...  Is there any part of the process the ThermoMix would make simpler/quicker/better.? 
They are sooo adaptable to so many tasks, in no time you will be using it for things you never expected.
I make the food for our dogs and chopping veg was always a chore.  Now I grab anything in the fridge that looks tired    and zap it in TC with hot water for a minute or so and add to the mince that is browning.  Soo much easier..     and no bits that he dogs pick out and leave next to their dishes.

[Bonsai]

I make the food for our dogs and chopping veg was always a chore.  Now I grab anything in the fridge that looks tired    and zap it in TC with hot water for a minute or so and add to the mince that is browning.  Soo much easier..     and no bits that the dogs pick out and leave next to their dishes.

Works with kids too....   

[MEP]

Hi, I'm a newbie too.

I too debated and researched over many, many months before purchasing my TM. My DH was totally against the idea and thought it was another gadget/fad that I would spend money on and forget. Well, I've had my machine for just under 2 months and thus far have no regrets.

I'm probably only using it once or twice a week at this stage and have had many disasters (made three rissottos and none of it any good to be honest) but it is a learning curve and it is a totally different way of cooking which will take some time to get used to. If you can get over the shock of the cost - though isn't the price in the UK much more reasonable than Australia? The cost here is AUS$1939. I can understand why everyone who's had one for some time rave about their TM's.

I don't believe the TM replaces 10 other kitchen appliances as claimed by the advertising slogan. It might replace the need for a food processor, rice cooker, blender and steamer but that's about it in my humble and limited experience. That said, I do think it is useful and can save you time in the kitchen.

Hope that helps. Good luck with your decision.

[Merlin]

All the best in making your decision. I was sickened by the purchase price initially and in fact paid it off in a couple of installments. Now, 18 months later I don't ever think about how much I paid for the TM as it has definitely paid itself off in terms of my reduced grocery bills, I feel healthier due to less reliance on  processed foods, I know what goes into the food I am giving my family and there isn't a day that goes by when I am not using it. Everyone makes decisions in their own way to justify an expensive purchase such as a TM and if you are going  to fell too stretched financially to buy one, then don't do it but if you are able in any way to get one, I think every single member on the forum would agree that we all love our TM and how it has completely changed the way we cook!

[dede]

I remember the first time I heard of a TM and the price I thought it was crazy how anyone would pay that much for a kitchen gadget. There was no way I would even think about buying one unless I was rich (which I'm far from )
But only about 8 months later from the first time I had heard of them my sister brought one. And 1 month later I had one sitting on my bench, 2 weeks after that my mum had one as well. We were hooked. I have never regretted my purchase not for 1 second at all.

[Halex]

I have had my TM for just over 1 year now.

I absolutely love cooking with my TM, couldnt be without.

I think once purchased & kitchen staples purchased, try & bank the money you save each week on food shopping & watch your savings grow. We would  all be interested in seeing how quick you recoup your money.

I have learnt so mch from being on here, have made great friends & have saved lots of money.

The time it takes you to go out and grab a takeaway you could  have whipped up a nice pasta, curry or risotto for a fraction of  the cost. Take aways are a thing of the past in this house, maybe 2 in a year, & they have been the night before we have an early flight to catch, house all clean & kitchen, so not wanting to wash dishes etc.

I now buy all my meat in bulk, so much cheaper, would never have attempted this pre TM.

We are all here to help you.

H

[Bubbles]

Once you have the TM bug it's really hard to shake it away. I used all my savings as well to buy mine 15 months ago, but I have found that the TM has paid for it self in that time with savings from buying pre prepared foods, takeaways, packaged foods etc. I cook all my family's foods for school/work which on its own would save me around $60 a week (family of 7) that's about a $3000 savings in a year on its own. I make pizzas which we would probably have brought once a month costing around $50, making my own would save us around $300 a year, my Grocerie bill is down around $100 a f/night.
It's a big decision spending so much in one item but we all need food to survive and it's a big part of our life. I couldn't bare being without my TM now. The whole family eat much healthier and I know what is going in their mouth (lots of nasties in pre prepared foods)
Good luck with your decision
And welcome to the forum.

Keep asking questions until you have come to a decision your happy with

Dede, can I ask what sorts of things do you make for lunches that saves you $60 wk? They are fantastic savings and I'm so impressed with $100 f/night grocery bill!

I have only started using my TMX in the past couple of weeks and am still definitely in the stocking up the cupboard stage, but we have our own business and things are quite slow at the moment, so I'm reluctant to spend more than I would usually at the moment (especially after the $2K outlay!) so am looking for tips/ideas on the most noticeable ways people saved money on meals? Once our business picks up again, then I will definitely start buying more ingredients for things I have never cooked before, but in the meantime, does anyone have any tips on the easiest/quickest way for saving money? I guess bread will be a big one, I haven't taken the plunge and attempted that, but in our family of 4, we only buy Bakers delight/brumbies wholemeal bread and spend a lot on that per week.

[fundj&e]

just to name a few 

jams
bread 
pasta
cakes
cookies
pizza
scrolls
jam
yogurt