How do you end up getting to the point of automation??

[Exmix]

So I've been playing this for a while, gotten almost all the achievements, I'm level 21, understand how the grabbers/conveyors, portioner, combiner, mixers, etc. work, I can get to some automation, usually in overtime.

I see some tutorials and pics of it but the amount of grabbers/conveyors and such they have is insane! I understand *how* it's setup but I don't get *how* they get to that. How do they get the money to be able to buy all them?

When In overtime, my fiance and I get to overtime, have some extra blueprint cabinets, research desk, copying desk, but even when doing most normal foods we don't get enough money to buy everything and re-roll as often to hopefully get what we need.

As well as some of the cards royally screwing us over sometimes, but that's not the point.

Is there a step I'm missing when trying to get to automation or the crazy amount of tables/grabbers/conveyors/etc. or are they just modding for things?

[Exmix]

I've found that people usually:
- Take side dishes and work at metal tables
- NOT unlocking the first research desk and putting it in the Blueprint Cabinet, then unlocking the second one to upgrade to a Copying Desk sooner with that method.
- Pies apparently give the best money and easy automation?