Thermomix - saving money by cooking from scratch?

[peanutter]

Yo - we're *considering* a thermomix, but a significant factor is cost.

At the end of the day, I reckon that we'd save a fair bit of cash from making things from absolute scratch - butter, coconut cream, bread, curries, etc.

Have you considered to any degree how much money you've saved by *not* buying jars of sauce, peanut butter, casserole bases, stocks, pre-packaged meals, dressings, etc?

I want to get an idea of when the TMX will have effectively paid for itself.

[Phteven]

Would you really make butter from scratch?

[peanutter]

Only if I can make the cow from scratch.


A friend was saying it's much nicer, easier to spread, and doesn't take long. Just cream and salt and a little while in the machine.

[Phteven]

You know only a cow can make a cow right?

[Hetty]

I only just got mine, so I can't help much. Our bread is costing about 50-60 cents a loaf (we were buying Burgen before for $4.50) and hommus about a dollar for a fair bit. Just made a big batch of curry cauliflower soup for about $5, but that would normally cost that much to make (but gosh, it's so much smoother than the soup I made before!)

I think it will take quite a while to pay itself off but I'm not looking to do everything from scratch, I don't think I will make my own butter.

[nothing2lose]

I make all that stuff from scratch without a thermomix. Except butter. I can get grassfed butter for $1.99 from the supermarket. Why in hell would I make it?

I contemplated a TMX. I have nothing against them (but then again I have never used one). My DP bought me a whizz bang food processor for my birthday and so I didn't pursue the TMX idea any further. I love cooking and spend lots of time thinking about it, doing it, talking about it, etc. I make everything from scratch. Would I use it if I had one? Yes. Do I miss out not having one? Nope.

[Livinthedream]

I am with N2L.
I love cooking, and if I had one, would probably use it.
But I don't see the value in it, mostly cause I love hiding in the kitchen at 6.30 at night with a voddy and soda.

[Rouge]

You know I'm going to tell you we save heaps of money right? But is it due to the TMX alone? No. We don't buy much outside the staples or should I say ingredients. I also have an upright freezer which I think also saves us money. And I don't waste anything. I can tell you that yes you will save money. How much and whether or not it's too hard depends on you we buy our meat in bulk. And are happy to travel to do so. I also use cooking methods that allow me to use mostly cheap, albeit tasty cuts. We buy a lot of fresh fruit and veg and then all that's left is cupboard staples and dairy. That's it.

I know plenty of people who weren't necessarily "from scratch" people prior to buying a TMX and now save lots of money. And then there are those that actually spend more everyone is different.

[peanutter]

You know only a cow can make a cow right?

Like I said

[BlackRose]

I've had my thermie since april and I've now replaced all of my jar stuff with tmx made stuff. I make bread and buy the bulk bakers flour at costco. I make porridge every second morning the boys just love it. Works out to be around 20c a serve and it is so so so much better than the packet instant stuff. Biscuits and cakes I make from scratch now too. Reckon my shopping bill has come down around $80/week for the 4 of us.

The only thing I dont make is butter. The home brand unsalted butter is just milk solids and is cheaper than buying pure cream and churning it.

Well worth the money I spent. ?. Hope you get one!

[peanutter]

Yeah - we do exceptionally little from scratch at the moment.

I love cooking, but just don't have time these days. There's no way I'm going to get home when I get home, and then cook. Let alone cooking in the mornings before I go!

But I used to cook several large batches of things on the weekend, and tub them up and freeze them for lunches/dinners during the week. So I'd do a huge lasagne, chilli con carne, casserole, pastabake, stirfries, soups, curries, etc. Some from scratch, some not.

So I'd be ok getting into the habit of doing that again - but from scratch.

And probably breads and a slice or teacake or something for sweets.

Then I'd want to get into the habit of making out own curries, peanut butter, yoghurt, hot chocolate powder ... anything that we can make ourself and avoid preservatives and chemicals and stuff (says she who loves her sugarfree Red Bulls ... ). Not from the perspective of swearing off such things for life, just to heavily improve the status quo.

The appeal of the thermomix is that it is so quick and doable, and doesn't involve standing over the stove ... and naturally, if we save money from not buying so mcuh prepackaged crap, then ace.

Whether the whole thing is unrealistic time wise is another question.

[nothing2lose]

I look at it the same way as gym gear. If you want to exercise you'll do it regardless of whether you are decked out in the latest black milk stuff. If you are waiting for sexy new Lycra gear before hitting the gym, maybe exercise isnt your priority.

If you said you spend at least half your weekend - or more - cooking that stuff now, I'd say buy some time saving devices (TMX, bread maker, food processor, whatever). But if you spend little to no time cooking but doing other stuff, are you going to suddenly spend half your time cooking/baking?? Maybe the answer is yes. Maybe no. But making all that stuff - TMX or no - is going to take time, which, if you don't like to spend cooking/baking anyway, you aren't likely to do no matter what appliances you have.

[Rouge]

Yeah she's right. Don't get one lol.

(Just in case... I'm kidding!)

[Astrid]

Just to throw a curve ball. Do you have a pressure cooker?

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I'm a person who can say I don't believe I've saved. Time nor money. Because like N2L said I just didn't have the motivation to do enough: as in I thought I would but I didn't. But I still love my thermomix. Even if I do use it as a glorified steamer and food processor more than anything else, I love it. Because when i do get into the swing with it I feel like it was worth every cent.

[Olive]

PN how much is your weekly shopping bill?

[OceanPrincess]

I made peanut butter the other day in about twenty seconds

[wysiwyg]

But if you spend little to no time cooking but doing other stuff, are you going to suddenly spend half your time cooking/baking?? Maybe the answer is yes. Maybe no. But making all that stuff - TMX or no - is going to take time, which, if you don't like to spend cooking/baking anyway, you aren't likely to do no matter what appliances you have.

I was that person, didnt do more cooking than necessary and DH did half, had never made bread, never made cakes apart from two for birthdays had no interest in cooking but since getting my TMX I feel have made great use of it and saved money. I have made alot of bread, made muffins, wraps, pizza dough, scrolls, lemon butter, (I have made butter but TBH I wouldnt bother again unless doing a flavored one as cost benefit isnt there), risotto, pasta sauce - none of these had made before in life. I have a seriously tiny kitchen with little bench space and no dishwasher, so stuff where only have to clean TMX bowl is a big advantage. Maybe it is because is a gadget or maybe is because I find recipes so easy to follow, and also is an element of challenge in seeing how much of a meal can do in it but it really motivates me.

I use it alot to stock up freezer and am a make a few things in a row type person rather than every day.

I think the consultant OceanPrincess and I got ours from has a money saving info sheet will see if can find. When I was weighing up cost (in the end I got from parents as present) I figured if didnt use I could sell and would only lose about 300 dollars max so the cost of the cheaper alternative. The thought of having to sell it is big motivation to use it as much as possible too :-)