Don't bother patenting it.
The reality is, nobody is going to steal an un-patented invention these days. It's almost like the helicopter parent fears of their kids getting kidnapped off the street if they ever leave them alone for a moment. There aren't a bunch of people wringing their hands looking for something to make their own.
If it's a good invention, figure out a way to manufacture a number of samples that won't bankrupt you. Don't go crazy with things. There are a lot of local companies that can do one-off manufacturing, so don't ramp up to full production volumes just yet. Keep it small and manageable to start and shop it around and gauge peoples interest. Give some away as Xmas gifts and let people know where they can get more for themselves or friends and generate some word of mouth traffic.
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