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Discount Coffee Makers

Some coffee makers can be pretty expensive depending on the brand name and what features it has. There are many models that cost over $200.00 and don’t seem to do much more than a normal coffee maker. If you are on a budget or just like to live frugally, you might consider a discount coffee maker. A discount coffee maker usually doesn’t have many bells and whistles but for someone who just wants a regular cup of coffee, could be a very cheap option.

Discount coffee makers are usually of the automatic drip variety. You pour your water in, add a coffee filter, then dump in some ground coffee. All that’s left to do is turn it on and walk away. Discount coffee makers sometimes come with a timer but sometimes not. A discount coffee maker won’t make you espresso or cappuccino and usually have little or no options when it comes to changing the flavor or strength of your coffee. The only way to change the taste is to put in more or less ground coffee.

Just because you decide to buy a discount coffee maker doesn’t mean you can’t have a good cup of coffee however. If you go to your supermarket, there is usually an aisle dedicated to coffee. In this aisle, you can find all types of different coffee flavors that might appeal to you. Sometimes they will have a large machine where you can pick the type of coffee you want and have it ground to your specifications. By using this fresh ground coffee, it can make even a discount coffee maker produce a very nice and flavorful cup of coffee.

You can find discount coffee makers in a number of places. A large retail store is usually a good bet as they start as low as $15.00 a lot of the time. Supermarkets and coffee specialty stores usually carry coffee makers but not the cheap kind. A great place to find a discount coffee maker is at a thrift store. You can usually find one for $5.00 or so and they work just fine. If the idea of using a second hand coffee maker isn’t your thing, you could always try a website. There are many websites that sell coffee makers and often offer you free coffee or other deals. With websites you will need to check around as there are thousands of them.

Before you search for a discount coffee maker, you should know exactly what you are going to use it for as there are many types available. If you are looking to buy one for the workplace, it might be a good idea to get your employees opinion. If they want something fancy, have them all pitch in a few bucks and get something good. If nobody really cares, you might just bring an old one you have in your garage. It is hard to destroy a coffee maker so even the ugliest, dirtiest one can easily be cleaned up and used again and again.

The Cake Decorating Business

Most people don’t think of going into business when they start cake decorating. Usually it is a hobby or because they want to make wonderful cakes for family events. Most people start a home cake decorating business because when they made these great cakes for family occasions, and those who saw the cake wanted them to make cakes for their special occasions.

There is also the appeal of working at home, you have the freedom to work when you want, as long as you get the cake to the customer on time. Many of these artistic cake decorators have children at home and want to stay at home with them, and be able to make a living too.

Maybe you have been thinking of starting a cake decorating business in your home. Think about why you would like to start a cake decorating business. If you have a good business plan and are good at time management, this can be a lucrative business. Even though your main reason to start a home business is to stay at home with the kids, or to save cash on a daily commute. Your main reason for wanting to start a cake decorating business at home should be that you are getting so many cake orders that it is taking a lot of your time and you feel you can go into business and make a go of it.

The cake decorating business can be fun, but it is also a lot of work, and you will need to have enough money to get your business off the ground. There are certain items you will need to start. You will need a few icing tips (the ones you use most often), a heavy duty mixer, mixing bowls, food coloring, spatulas, the right cake pans, enough room to work without being cramped, and an oven. The cake decorating business is time consuming, but it is very rewarding and enjoyable.

You will need to remember that family and friends are customers, and you will need to charge them for the cakes they want you to make. You have expenses and it will cost you to make a cake and you are in the business to make money. You may want to give them a discount, but you will definitely need to charge them for your time and the money you put into making the cake. You will need to check nearby bakeries and stores to find out what they charge for cake decorating.

Don’t put your prices lower than the bakeries, try to charge around the same price and let your talent show the quality of your cakes. You will never be able to charge for your time, after all is said and done, you will probably be making about $1.00 an hour. That is why you charge by the cake. Although, the more cakes you make, the faster you will become, and you will be making a bit more for your time.

While bakeries make good cakes, you can make cakes that taste as good or better. You can also offer different options such as, a variety of cake flavors, a willingness to offer unique decorating options, and discounts or specials from time to time. At first, it is a good idea to charge around the same as the bakeries, when you become more experienced you can evaluate your prices. Once you become more popular and have made a name for yourself, you can charge more.

The advantages of operating a legal cake decorating business from your home are:

1. You can work when you want and take a break when you need one.

2. You won’t have the overhead expenses that you would if you opened a shop.

3. You can be home to care for your family.

4. You will be able to make appointments to see customers. They would not be able to drop in unannounced.

5. You can set your own hours and even work in the middle of the night if you choose.

You need to be an organized, disciplined person, and have a bit of business sense.

While it would be great if the business was all fun, it does require a commitment. The question is, will your family go along with the long hours you will need to put in? You will need the support of your family if you are going to make the cake decorating business succeed. Some areas to consider are:

1. Weekends are usually tied up with baking cakes, as most events are held on the weekend. Will your family be understanding when you need to work every weekend? You will need to plan your cake decorating in advance and keep good records.

2. You are going to need extra storage for all of the equipment you need for your business.

3. You may find expenses for special equipment and classes to improve your art, can run a bit high.

4. You may need a separate kitchen to use for your business because of health requirements for the state.

Coffee Vending Machines

As early as the 1960’s coffee vending machines started to show up at airports, hotels, and many industrial plants around the world especially in the USA. The first coffee vending machines used all freeze dried ingredients and mixed them with water then added your selected amount of cream and sugar. There wasn’t a whole lot of selection. Today, fancy coffee vending machines can make you espresso, cappuccino, hot chocolate, soup, tea, and many variations of coffee.

Coffee vending machines are very useful for many reasons. You don’t need an employee to run them, you can put them anywhere, the ingredients aren’t too expensive, and they make quite a bit of money in a good location. Coffee vending machines can make from 100 to 600 cups of coffee before you are required to refill the cup dropper. This is what drops the cup down before the coffee or beverage of your choice is dispensed into it. The coffee vending machines usually use one size cup that is around 8 ounces. The cups are recyclable and quality made to simulate a cup you would receive at a coffee shop.

Many new coffee vending machines have a very stylish look as opposed to the big square boxes of the 80’s and 90’s. They don’t take up very much room, produce a high quality product, and can make the owner a nice amount of money every month.

Espresso and cappuccino are becoming more and more popular and thanks to places like Starbucks, more people like them and know what they want to order. Many of the newer coffee vending machines let you pick and choose what type of espresso and cappuccino you want. You can also get lattes and mochas of many varieties.

There are many ways you can purchase a coffee vending machine. Most machines will have a phone number or other information so you can call the manufacturer. The easiest way is to use the Internet. There are tons of companies that sell coffee vending machines and will offer you low payment plans and many other deals that you mind find appealing.

Coffee vending machines are a great way for someone who wants to make a little extra income without doing much work. When used in conjunction with pastry and soda machines, if you have a large amount of coverage, you might not need a full time job at all! This is also great for retired people who want a little extra money each month. Some of the newer machines cost about $1.00 for the ingredients per cup and will make you about $2.50. Of course, wherever you place them will demand a percentage but that can be easy to work out.

Coffee vending machines have been around for over 50 years and chances are they will continue to be refined and upgraded. This ensures the busy employee or traveler that they will always be able to grab a cup of coffee even if there aren’t people there to make it.

Coffee Makers in the Workplace

Many people have a coffee maker at work. This is a great idea because it lets employees and managers alike have something in common and lets everyone have a short break from work while they refresh their coffee mugs. Coffee makers are used in office buildings, manufacturing plants, and almost every type of business there is from fast food to convenience stores. The office coffee maker is a place everyone can go and chit chat for a few minutes similar to a water cooler.

The usual office coffee maker is of the automatic drip variety and makes about 12 cups at a time. The funny thing is, 12 cups from a coffee maker means about 5 ounces per cup. Nobody drinks that little so you might as well assume one pot will serve 6 people. For a busy workplace you may need a larger coffee maker to accommodate everyone and might even decide to use a coffee vending machine. If this is owned and operated by the company, they may lower the prices so they don’t make much profit. This will be made up with employee morale and productivity so it evens out.

Many people feel better and more alert after drinking coffee so naturally, a coffee maker in the workplace helps everyone. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant and should help them feel that way. If your employee is alert, there is less chance of incomplete work and injuries as they should be paying more attention to the job at hand.

The type of coffee maker for the workplace will need to be discussed among all the coffee drinkers and if a fancy one is needed, everyone should help pay for it. A normal coffee maker costs between 10 to 40 dollars but fancy ones can be 60-90 dollars depending on the features. These higher priced coffee makers usually come with a foamer, grinder, or some other special feature that would cause the price to be so high. You may want to just get two cheaper ones as there is always someone who wants decaffeinated coffee and doesn’t like to mix the two types of coffee in one pot.

If you work in a large manufacturing plant or industrial building, chances are you will have to walk a long way to get a cup of coffee. Many of these workplaces use strategically placed break rooms that will have an assortment of vending machines. One of those may be a coffee vending machine or there might be a coffee maker on the counter for employees in your area to use. Make sure you have someone clean it before you clock out or management may take it away. I have seen this happen before.

With espresso and cappuccino becoming very popular, you might have one of these machines in your workplace. They cater to certain people usually but many come with a normal coffee pot on one side. This can help balance out two distinct tastes and make more employees happy.