We will get this debt down & the savings up

EssexHebridean

We're bread-makers too - and we do use a machine (I think Foxgloves makes all hers by hand). We've used various different machines over the years - and when we last needed to replace we decided to take a deep breath and pay more for a P@n@sonic branded one as we'd heard such good things about them. So far absolutely zero regrets - it gets used several times a week - usually at least once for dough - and MrEH them makes rolls to use for workday lunches - and once for a loaf for weekend toast. Every single one of our machines has more than paid for it's cost back in savings on bought bread over its lifespan - the current one probably isn't quite there yet but can't be far off.  

foxgloves

Yes, @EssexHebridean is quite right - I do make all our bread by hand. This hasn't always been the case as we used to have a breadmaker - same brand as mentioned. It did make good bread, but after a while, it stopped mixing properly so that loaves were ruined if I didn't notice this before the baking part of the programme. So I was basically fishing the half-mixed dough out every time & kneading it by hand before putting it back for the proving & baking part of the programme, which negated having a machine in the first place. We replaced the machine with the upgraded model, but after a couple of years, exactly the same problem (using the recipes supplied with the machine). Haven't bothered buying another one, I just make it by hand now. It doesn't take long as the mixing is done in my Kitchenaid with the dough hook & it sits proving in the same bowl. I only do a bit of kneading 2nd time around before shaping it into rolls or putting it into its tin for 2nd proving. Trouble-shooting guides failed to offer anything of use. With hindsight, I should have raised a complaint over the 2nd machine, but I was just so fed up with it, I marched out & dumped it in the bin. I know it is a well-thought of brand of machine & that very many people are perfectly happy with them, but our experience was that two of them presented the exact same fail where we were concerned so we must have been unlucky. While they worked, they did make good bread.
F

EssexHebridean

Ours is just coming up to 2 years old now and I certainly hope we get a fair few more years from it before it presents any problems. The cheaper ones have varied in lifespan, although the last one was a bit like "Trigger's broom"  - after a couple of years of owning it we chanced to spot a nearly identical one in a charity shop for £5 - and bought it on a "just in case" basis. That proved to be a good decision when the bread plan buckled out of shape on the original (as they always seem to after so long) and we were able to "harvest" the plan from the 2nd hand one for use (A good savings as the pan alone replaced from a spares shop would have been around £20). Another few years and the motor failed on the old one, meaning that the body of the CS one got put into use! We got good value from that £5 spend! 

Makingabobor2

Thanks for all the replies, I still haven't got round to borrowing DD's bread maker, but I will. I always seem to be so busy, I never have time for these things.

Well today I was browsing online for some jeggings, I bought a pair from M&S a few weeks ago and they are so comfy I thought I'd get another couple of pairs as I'm a bit desperate for clothes TBH. So it pops up asking about applying for a Sparks card, then like an idiot I decide to read about it.....goodness knows why. It says I can get 20% off my first purchase. Ooh, that's a £9 saving I think. Maybe I should get one, pay it all off straight away, so its not like credit, which we would never, ever use again. So I start the application and don't even get down the first page, when I just feel like I can't do it. Even though I know I'm not going to max out the card and I would pay it off straight away and probably never even use it again as I hardly ever shop there. I can't bring myself to apply, even for a £9 saving.  Am I mad? Or is this the right thing to do? I could save myself £9 and I am confident I wouldn't use it to get in any sort of debt.   I'm pretty sure I would have been accepted as our defaults have all fallen off now.  Mmm still thinking about it...

LittleMissDetermined

If you can be confident you’ll pay it off and not use it again then it makes sense to get the saving

Makingabobor2

LittleMissDetermined said:

If you can be confident you’ll pay it off and not use it again then it makes sense to get the saving

Yes, that was what I thought and I am confident. But starting to fill in the application made me feel very strange...lol.  Like I was doing something illegal or very wrong or something..

Sun_Addict

I have Sparks and Tesco credit cards, use them to my advantage. The Sparks one gets paid in full once a month by direct debit, the Tesco one I pay off every Monday. I trust myself now and I know I won’t start racking up debt on them.

However if you think you’d never use the Sparks card again or rarely, it’s not worth making yourself feel uncomfortable for just to save a few quid. 

Makingabobor2

Well told DH my dilema and he says apply for it as it is a saving. He is confident that I won't get in debt again and says he won't ever want a card again unless we were ever lucky enough to go to USA or something on holiday again and needed it in case of emergencies...like having to spend ou whilst waiting for insurance to pay out. 
So I'm contemplating it.  

ladyholly

You could get thecard and once you hve used it put it somewhere thats really inconvenient to get to so that you have to be very keen to getit.

Tescodealqueen

Makingabobor2 said:

Thanks for all the replies, I still haven't got round to borrowing DD's bread maker, but I will. I always seem to be so busy, I never have time for these things.

Well today I was browsing online for some jeggings, I bought a pair from M&S a few weeks ago and they are so comfy I thought I'd get another couple of pairs as I'm a bit desperate for clothes TBH. So it pops up asking about applying for a Sparks card, then like an idiot I decide to read about it.....goodness knows why. It says I can get 20% off my first purchase. Ooh, that's a £9 saving I think. Maybe I should get one, pay it all off straight away, so it’s not like credit, which we would never, ever use again. So I start the application and don't even get down the first page, when I just feel like I can't do it. Even though I know I'm not going to max out the card and I would pay it off straight away and probably never even use it again as I hardly ever shop there. I can't bring myself to apply, even for a £9 saving.  Am I mad? Or is this the right thing to do? I could save myself £9 and I am confident I wouldn't use it to get in any sort of debt.   I'm pretty sure I would have been accepted as our defaults have all fallen off now.  Mmm still thinking about it...

Does it say Sparks card or m and s credit card. We have both but if it’s a Sparks card it is just a loyalty card that you get offers on and my current offer is 20% of leggings and joggers which made me wonder if you are confusing the two. If it is a Sparks card you can choose what you pay with so no need to worry. Sorry Makingabobor2 if I am talking rubbish