Update on the bread maker: Kilos and profits.
By katerina
@thea09 (18305)
Greece
December 20, 2009 12:02pm CST
Some may remember my dithering over to buy a bread maker or not and posting on here for advice. I was swayed by the unknown ability that they can produce not just bread but jam. The bread was great and I've not bought any since, but it has added some kilos to my weight. That's absolutely fine actually as it's the first time I've reached 50 kilos, but it needs to stop now before my clothes get too tight.
I would never have bothered making homemade marmalade though without the bread maker and I have to say it is the best I've ever tasted, oranges and lemons straight from the trees, with fresh ginger. So I decided to go ahead and make it to sell, the expenditure was just jars, sugar and ginger, and my time. The fruit is all free. So now I've not only covered all the production costs with sales, they've also now paid for the dithered over bread maker. And I've still got a case full of marmalade sat in the car boot to sell this week which will all be profit. There is now a worrying trend locally of people eating marmalade with a spoon straight from the jar as it's so good they can't wait until the bread is toasted.
So have you turned any small thing into profit, or turned out something you'd never have bothered with before. I just love it that my breadmaker paid for itself.
7 people like this
21 responses
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
20 Dec 09
Hello, Thea. Glad the breadmaker has proved its worth. I never actually made jam with mine, but I did make jams, chutneys, pickled onions and mixed pickles when we lived in England. I have a lovely big preserving pan I inherited from my mother in law, and it's quite easy to make jam the traditional way.
Most of the fruit came from our garden, and friends would give me marrows for chutneys, and save their jars for me in return for a jar of something nice. I used to make loads of stuff around Christmas, and sell it at car boot sales for some extra cash towards the rest of the Christmas food, and I did quite well with it.
3 people like this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi Sandra, is that possibly another spookey Sandra / Thea moment do you think? Now help me out here, I've been finishing the marmalade off in a big pan and only left it a minute the other day and burnt the bottom of the pan black. I've left it soaking with washing up liquid and scrubbed it with steel wool, then someone told me bicarb with hot water. What do I do to remove burnt sugar?
I'll probably do other things in mine to sell depending on what mass of surplus I get from my friends. I put off the whole idea when my artichoke hearts turned mouldy after a couple of days. They used to be only ten cents each on the market but were such hard work to peel, even with rubber gloves on. I lacked the special knack of the Greek grannies who have about ten done in a minute.
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
20 Dec 09
I'd boil up the pan with some washing up liquid - that should do the trick. Have you got a nice thick bottom? No, not you, silly girl, the jam pan, because if not, that's why your sugar burned so quickly. Can't say I'd bother with artichoke hearts - too much effort for too little reward.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
So actually boil it up on the hob, thanks, I'll try that one, when the water comes back. The pan was fine when I finished off the other batches in it, I think I just forgot to stir it enough as I was too busy calculating the exact cost of each jar and working out how much I could realistically get for it. I made one stupid basic mistake yesterday and told one Greek woman it was 45 evros a jar instead of 4.50. Still she came back to buy some when her friend told her she'd paid 4.50. 
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
20 Dec 09
I haven't done anything like that... yet. I've planted a small orchard of apple, plum, peach and cherry trees, plus grapes, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. To date, I have not produced enough of any of them to be able to can anything, although I'm very excited about making my own jams and jellies. When my bushes and trees finally produce enough, want to trade? I'd love some of your marmalade for some of my jams. 
I'm very impressed with your sales ability! Wow! To have paid for your overhead plus the bread maker with your first attempt at homemade marmalade is really something to be proud of! Plus, you have all you can eat yourself. That's just totally awesome!
My son is working on his own brand of barbeque sauce, trying different ingredients until he has something unique enough to bottle and sell. I'll let you know how he does. I'll also tell him of your success story in the hopes that it may inspire him to keep trying.
Way to go, thea!!!
I'm very impressed with your sales ability! Wow! To have paid for your overhead plus the bread maker with your first attempt at homemade marmalade is really something to be proud of! Plus, you have all you can eat yourself. That's just totally awesome!
My son is working on his own brand of barbeque sauce, trying different ingredients until he has something unique enough to bottle and sell. I'll let you know how he does. I'll also tell him of your success story in the hopes that it may inspire him to keep trying.
Way to go, thea!!! 
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
20 Dec 09
Hi Thea. Be sure to let me know when your marmalade business has grown to the extent that you are exporting to Australia. I'll be one of your first customers. Have you printed a nice label for the jars?
I've created lots of things and been thrilled with the results, but I've never turned anything into a profit.
I've often thought I'd like a breadmaker, but if I had one I'd have to make all new clothes. I seldom eat bread now but would eats lots if I had a breadmaker. Great that you've turned it to profit. What's next on the list?
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
20 Dec 09
I have meant to ask this before Thea - what is your "usual work"?
You evidently have degrees because you said something about pursuing your PhD in a previous discussion.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi Cloud, no fancy labels I'm afraid but the jars had nice gingham lids. I just put sticky labels with marmalalatha in Greek in a gold pen. To be honest I'd rather be earning from my usual work but don't see the economy turning round yet. I'm sure your efforts go to more charitable things than your own pockets but needs must at the moment. I hardly ate bread before either but I do like toast and marmalade in winter.
Next on the list, fingers crossed for the Russians arriving.
2 people like this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi jillhill, I've never been crafty so never thought of making anything from home to sell before. I toyed with the idea of cakes but realised there really wouldn't be enough profit in it. Good for you with the crafts though, a friend of mine back in the UK makes beaded jewellry to sell as a hobby.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
21 Dec 09
No I haven't but you have given me the idea of doing exactly the same thing that you are doing. Plenty of citrus on farm to make jam. Haven't made bread yet - no time but daughter is very sensible, so we plan to do it together based on he principle that two heads are better than one
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
22 Dec 09
I was so very proud of myself as after much prayer and fasting, coupled with divine intervention I did find the instructions online of the exact model. and I did not have to pay a fee either. So I downloaded all 47 pages. We were going to look at it today but we have yet another family crisis to contend with.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
22 Dec 09
47 pages, that's a lot. Presumably no more than six are in English so it probably isn't that daunting. A full page of my instructions told me how to safely dispose of the packing, not really necessary. Just remember to follow the recipe it tells you, when I've veered away I had a disaster of rock hard inedible rock. I am eagerly awaiting my new bread maker cookery book.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
21 Dec 09
Hi cynthiann, haven't you found any instructions yet? I was thinking of you before. I've had to finish the marmalade off in a pan to make it set properly. Oranges, lemons and grated ginger has been my combination, but it only occured to me on the last batch to use the mini food processor for the peel. Children are good for peeling oranges.
If you can't find instructions we can see if your buttons on the front match mine. I haven't worked out how to use the timer yet though. Good luck.
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
20 Dec 09
Hi Thea
This is great. I bet if someone told you do this a year ago you would have probably thought no way. I havent been so lucky on this but wanted to say hi and a good job.
Keep smiling.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi rose, is that you in the new avatar? I didn't recognise you the first time I saw you. If someone had said a year ago that normal earnings would be on hold for a year I'd have worried a lot. I'm just glad that the profit here alleviated my guilt on spending so much on something which could have turned out to be a back of the cupboard item. It was good to make something for the first time ever though and have others agree it was the best ever. I think people eating it with spoons from the jars proves it was a success.
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
20 Dec 09
Yep that is me. I decided to change it because someone thought that my grandson was actually me. I thought that maybe that was why I wasn't getting any new responses..LOL
Im glad that you are now ready to make some profit. Really a good job dear. Keep up the good work.
Have a nice day.
Keep smiling.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
21 Dec 09
When in Germany on My language course,there were quite a number of the group who never got around to buying a camera,so With mine,I became something like the unofficial group photographer..I sold prints of my photos to those who wanted them.I didn't make much profit from it,just covering the reprint costs,but I was better off than if I'd been giving the prints away!
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
21 Dec 09
The place was touristy,(Radofzell am Bodensee),but I reckon the "real" tourists would have come equipped for the photography! Maybe My bunch felt it was more work than Play,but for Me,it was my first time out of the UK,and in another Language environment..I don't remember how many rolls of film I snapped off..I was a regular in the nearby photography shops!
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
21 Dec 09
Not a result with an end product to show for it,but the Ebike I bought a couple of Years ago now has more than repaid it's cost in commute runs to my work against taking the car in for every shift! I've slacked off with it of late,as it's been horribly wet all Autumn here,and Now We have snow!
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
22 Dec 09
fresh bread is awesome tho.
nothing i love more than the just made.
um..i make choker necklaces sometimes to sell..i don't always have the time to do it tho.good for summer craft fairs however.
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
22 Dec 09
i try to make a lil' me time when she sleeps..like now..
i should get off my butt and try to get a manual for the machine i was given.
maybe the company itself has one.
i should get off my butt and try to get a manual for the machine i was given.
maybe the company itself has one.@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
22 Dec 09
Hi scarlet, bravo if you've got the time to make anything with the biddy and the slobs to see to. I'm hoping we get some craft fairs up in town so there will be plenty of new marmalade victims, sorry customers.
The fresh bread is a huge improvement on the bought stuff and I haven't spent a cent on bread since I bought it, it's quicker to get ready than a cup of coffee.
1 person likes this
@kimbers867 (2539)
• United States
22 Dec 09
This year I made apple butter and blackberry preserves from our fruit. I am planning to give some away for Christmas gifts this year.
I have never tried to sell them for profit.
I have not made bread in my breadmaker in about 3 years maybe I will pull it out and make some during the holidays.
@kimbers867 (2539)
• United States
22 Dec 09
My breadmaker does have a preserve cycle, thanks for the reminder!!!!
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
22 Dec 09
Hi Kimbers, oh I miss blackberries. We used to have plenty in England and pick bags full but they just don't grow around here. I think the kind of preserves you are making are much nicer gifts than bought ones as you've put your time into them. Maybe your breadmaker will let you make the preserves in it, it certainly makes easy work of them. Enjoy your bread.
1 person likes this
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
4 Jan 10
Wow I never knew a bread maker can be used as a marmalade machine! I've been dithering over whether I should get a bread maker or not. Seeing how happy you are with your I guess I'll be getting one soon. However, it won't be paying for itself as I don't have any fruit tree. I'm not letting that stop me though. The idea of getting freshly baked bread and home made marmalade is enough persuasion. 
@applefreak (3130)
• Singapore
4 Jan 10
i'll be sure to look out for one that does. however that's not on the top of my list. the fruits in my country are all imported from other countries. so it may actually be cheaper to buy marmalade off the shelf.
still, thanks for sharing the possibility of having a bread maker that makes marmalade too.
still, thanks for sharing the possibility of having a bread maker that makes marmalade too.@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
4 Jan 10
Hi applefreak, they don't all have that facility so look for one that does. I also find that it doesn't set enough in the machine so I need to finish it off in a pan for about 5 minutes quick boiling (and stirring) at the end. Today I have a whole mass of mandarinis we picked yesterday so I'm going to make mandarini marmalade, it should be wonderful I think.
There's another discussion of mine floating round about breadmakers so you can see what other people thought of the pros and cons, but they persuaded me.
There's another discussion of mine floating round about breadmakers so you can see what other people thought of the pros and cons, but they persuaded me.1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
21 Dec 09
I agree with the others, Thea. You are a smart one, and every little something always helps. Definitely2x. And that's a good idea. If I were you, I'd probably do the same thing; like selling something as long as the price is reasonable to sell; should be alright. Good one, Thea..
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
23 Dec 09
The truth is Zed I'm not really sure what a blog is and presume it's technical. Can you earn money from them? The situation is dire today as I failed to go to the cash point before paying the car tax, which left me with 3 euros in cash. Then I discovered the cash point is gone, disappeared, and the nearest machine is over the mountain an hour away, but the petrol is on empty. Luckily someone phoned and came round to collect 2 jars of marmalade for christmas gifts so I now have enough money to put enough petrol in the car to go to the bank. So I must look for ways to increase my income.
I'm in no mood to drive to town after olive picking all morning but no doubt tomorrow there will be nowhere to park. NOW I see what you mean by me rambling on.
1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
21 Dec 09
Hi Zed, well the price was about double the shop price as there was no point doing it without anticipating a good profit margin, but the stuff in the shops is pretty dire, like runny jelly with flavouring in. Now I really should get my son painting pebbles, tourists buy that kind of thing. He takes after me though and can't draw or paint.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
20 Dec 09
I would love to do that with crocheting. If I could get good at crocheting and possibly quilting I could sell items on the side, and if nothing else it would pay for Christmas presents. Alas, I've tried but not had the patience to get down to the knitty gritty and REALLY TRY!
There's plenty of people I could see buying a ghan from me if I did make one, and of course there's always putting fliers up and through our local paper... lol
I'm glad your business kicked off the ground, and that it's so popular people can't wait for the bread to be toasted before they eat the marmalade!
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
20 Dec 09
Oh it's an afghan, I think I've heard people calling it a ghan before, but I'm not sure why. AF is only two more letters to type and / or sound out.
Well It's sad that people have an aversion to Marmalade, lol, and too bad that you can't hold them down and have them eat it. Maybe if you just trick them and say it tastes like something else, lol.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi amber, well if you haven't got the patience to settle down to crocheting for profit you should just crochet all your christmas presents instead for the personal touch. What on earth is a ghan? I've never heard of that before.
There's really too many people out here with an aversion to marmalade, just presuming its sweet, if I could hold them down and force a spoon in I'm sure I'd sell much more.
1 person likes this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
20 Dec 09
Oh yes the chores I need do could be first done and then I'd get to crocheting, the fact that my GG used to crochet would make for interesting conversations if she's so inclined to talk, lol.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
20 Dec 09
YASSOU NIECE, Aren't u the smart one. i'm proud of you. I have always done everything i could to help my income. That goes w/being a single mom i guess. Don't do anything now but i use to do whatever it took to make ends meet.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
20 Dec 09
Who in the devil called u spineless?? They don't know u well at all. HERE'S U & HUGO A BIG OL' HUG FROM YOUR AUNTY. Rest well.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
21 Dec 09
Morning Aunty, thanks for the hugs there. I was really too tired to sort out the petty name callers myself but it did seem a particualarly out of place one for me. Lamby pulversied her whilst I slept.
Today I am getting seriously hindered and hampered by the lack of water - day 5- and may break out into strong Greek language on the telephone if it's not back in the next 45 minutes.
Today I am getting seriously hindered and hampered by the lack of water - day 5- and may break out into strong Greek language on the telephone if it's not back in the next 45 minutes.1 person likes this
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi Aunty, thanks for your kind words. I'll take them with a hug is you don't mind as I've just been called spineless, me, but I need to sleep instead of mincing them up. I think the marmalade suprised me by turning out so well on the first attempt but people really can't get chunky and sour in the shops here, it's all sweet and jelly like. Hugs.
1 person likes this
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
13 Jan 10
That is awesome Thea, I am so glad that it is working well for you and that you are moving into profit with it.The jam making is obviously something that you enjoy doing and that will help you to profit from it.
I have played around in my garage in the past with making wooden dolls houses and selling them for profit, but they were very time consuming to make and did not sell as fast as I thought they would. I have now turned my garage into an office and packing/storage area for our business, so I do not have the space to make things anymore. I also do not have the time either.
I have played around in my garage in the past with making wooden dolls houses and selling them for profit, but they were very time consuming to make and did not sell as fast as I thought they would. I have now turned my garage into an office and packing/storage area for our business, so I do not have the space to make things anymore. I also do not have the time either.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
14 Jan 10
Hi Bill, well when you're looking at your 400 th orange the enjoy certainly wares off, but I have enough stored up to sell when there's another opportunity. I did make a batch of mandarini which personally I thought was completely disgusting as so sweet, but hopefully the jam lovers will go for it.
No need to resort to time making toys now Bill if the business is doing well, I'm sure one day you'll be able to expand back out of your garage.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
15 Jan 10
$00 oranges! Wow, that would get a little tiring after that amount, but you have to take advantage of free fruit whenever possible. We have mangoes falling from the trees everywhere here at the moment. Everywhere you go, they are lying on the ground underneath trees. It is the best mango season in years! 
We were down south a few weeks ago where mangos do not grow and they were selling small ones for $2.50 each there, $4 for the large ones and people are paying it as it is acceptable there! It seems ridiculous when they are so easy to get for free here. The ones that are in our yard, we are picking and eating, then cutting up the excess ones and freezing for later use in smoothies and such! YUM!!!
We were down south a few weeks ago where mangos do not grow and they were selling small ones for $2.50 each there, $4 for the large ones and people are paying it as it is acceptable there! It seems ridiculous when they are so easy to get for free here. The ones that are in our yard, we are picking and eating, then cutting up the excess ones and freezing for later use in smoothies and such! YUM!!! 
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
21 Dec 09
You really have made a success of your bread maker. As I told you before, I had never heard of bread making machines that make jam. So I'm amazed that it turns out so well.
It all becomes more exciting because you have made a profit, and now that the bread maker is paid for, every sale you make is profit.
Where do you sell the bread and jam? At a market?
I know homemade bread is fattening, and its something I cant afford to gain weight. I still have my bread making flour ready to do a loaf, as yiu did motivate me.
What flavours of bread are you makinbg? White? Wholemeal? Multigrain? Fancy things inside it?
PS. Did you get my PM with my email address in it?
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
21 Dec 09
Oh, I forgot to reply to the other part. I dont make or sell anything for profit.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
21 Dec 09
Hi Jenny, yes I got your email thanks, been busy playing catch up on here. So far I've only done white bread, chocolate bread, fruit loaf and brown bread. I'm waiting for a bread maker cook book at the moment. I was going to do the potato bread this weekend but anything extra that involves washing up is out of the question without water. I wouldn't sell bread though as there wouldn't be enough profit it in. I sold some marmalade at a local food fayre and mentioned it to a few others who bought. The ones who bought first are spreading the word.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
27 Dec 09
Hey...good on you thea. That's great news...not the bit about the kilos though.
You have totally let me decide for good now not to get one. I was hesitant at first because I live alone and freeze my bread, taking slices as required. The fact that a whole, home made loaf would be unsliced made me think twice...now that you've mentioned the weight gain...I'm over it. I don't need to gain any more weight
...not the bit about the kilos though.
You have totally let me decide for good now not to get one. I was hesitant at first because I live alone and freeze my bread, taking slices as required. The fact that a whole, home made loaf would be unsliced made me think twice...now that you've mentioned the weight gain...I'm over it. I don't need to gain any more weight@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
27 Dec 09
Hi Ms Tickle, well I'm glad it has helped you reach a decision as I was undecided to when I first posted a discussion on here trying to make my mind up on the merits of buying one. The jam making part swayed me to buy, just as the kilo adding part has swayed you to not. Frankly though I was in need of some kilos, and don't actally blame the bread. As I don't normally eat much bread I don't normally eat much butter, which is very expensive over here. I have free olive oil instead. But toasted bread with marmalade requires butter and I blame the butter for the kilos.
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
20 Dec 09
$$$$$$$$$$$$.....Congratulation$..........WHO COULD A$K FOR ANYTHING MORE!!!! What a ble$$ing....whom would have thot that a Bread-maker could put you among$t the entrepreneur$....the like$ of Paul Newman, and his famou$ $alad Dre$$ings$!! Way to go...girl...I can $ee a Water Back-up Tank in the very near future! Have fun..and enjoy. Happy Holiday$...HUG$ and Cheer$!
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi Shirley, I'm not planning on expanding you know. I've done the entrepreneur stuff before. Very complicated out here though getting permits and things. The water tank will have to wait until the car repair are done. I was so tempted to try and get into next doors back up tank tonight, they'll be gone for a couple of months and the car was screaming all the way to the water tap but it can't be done on foot because of the mud lake. Nice touch with the dollar signs. Hugs
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
20 Dec 09
hi thea does mylotting count there, I mean its sort of a small thing but each month I make between 30 and 32 dollars and that pays for almost every penny of my internet bill. when I was in myteens mymom and I teamed up and sold all the apples we picked from our orchards and made about five hundred dollars which was a huge profit back in those years. wow thinking about that delicious marmalade and toast makes me drool all over my keyboard.
@thea09 (18305)
• Greece
20 Dec 09
Hi Hatley, well mylotting counts towards overall income but your dollar is worth a lot more over there. I started on here with the intention of paying my car tax which I'll actually be paying in the morning but am glad to say it did cover it a couple of months ago.
That must have been a huge amount of profit then and very good apples. I hope I don't end up having to sell all my surplus free oranges, I'd rather get some more marmalade sold instead. Every time you hear the word marmalade it sets you drooling Hatley.
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
22 Dec 09
That sounds really cool, you must have a lot of time on your hands
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
21 Dec 09
That is absolutely wonderful, Thea. Kudos to you :))
The things I love that I've turned into income: my artwork and my writing, now, and for five years, I had my own desktop publishing co. which I ran from my home. Another thing I've done is computer research for pay for those who have no time to do their own!
It's the best when you finally reach the "it's all profit" mark.
Karen