is it cheaper to make your own bread rather than buy it?

[milkgoddessmakesthefinestmilk]

if so where do i begin!

Cheapest is to make it from scratch but we cheat as we were bought a Panasonic bread maker at xmas. It's fab. Turns out a loaf in under 2 hours - and a lovely loaf at that. Large and much nicer than any I have bought at a Bakers. Now all I need is a really good bread knife so that I can cut thinner slices.

try anelectric knife - you might be able to get one second hand, they cut thin slices

Great idea - thanks

If you make a basic white dough roll it out flat sprinkle with sugar and raisins and roll it up again lengthways, cut into slices, lay on a baking tray and bake. Cool, glaze with icing and a cherry really cheap, ever so easy, large tray of chelsea buns. Great for school fairs, look like they take loads of effort but are fairly fail safe.

according to todays Guardian if you buy a Panasonic SD254 breadmaker it will pay for itself in 6 months. It also says the best online price this week is £78.99 at householduk.co.uk.

Since getting mine (secondhand from a lovely MNer who was leaving the country) about 3 months ago I've bought 2 loaves of bread.

Ask around your friends, see if any have one they don't use and borrow it to see how you go.

Oh, and Lidl breadflour is about 50p a bag and is better than Sainsburys

Good point about the slicing! If I sliced the bread, it would be much more expensive- I get DH to slice the whole loaf then we bag it, keeps really well.
I used to make big batches, bake and freeze before mum bought us the breadmaker.
We do a supermarket shop once a month, so buy flour etc. in bulk.