The Cheapskates Club Newsletter 03:16
In this newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Dishwasher Tablet Savings, Save Time and Money with a "Removable" Sunscreen, School Stationery Supplies Stocked
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - Saving with the Kids
4. Submit Your Tip - Share your favourite money saving tip here
5. On the Menu - MOO Banana Paddle Pops
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - From the Archives: Know what you have
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - Savings Revolution 2016 - NERVOUS
9. Last Week's Question - How do I clean vertical drapes?
10. This Week's Question - How can I get the plastic coating off glass doors?
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Gift Memberships
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
A little housekeeping before we get into this week's newsletter. There are still some folk trying to log in to the old Member's Centre - you won't find much in there, please go to our new Member's Centre. www.cheapskatesclub.net And there are still some folk trying to send messages via the old website - again, please go to the Contact Us http://www.cheapskatesclub.net/contact.html on our new website. The old website no longer collects messages so I'm not getting your questions and you're not getting answers. If you do find yourself on the old website, click on the link to come straight over to our new home.
Housekeeping done and dusted, it's time to get excited about this week's newsletter. Full of great ideas as always, it is a great read.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
2. From The Tip Store
Dishwasher Tablet Savings
Approximate $ Savings: 10c per was
I buy a box of Aldi Logix Platinum dishwasher tablets and cut them in half. I do them in batches, simply remove the tablet from the dissolvable wrapper and score with a serrated edge knife, they will snap easily, and cleaning in half. I cut pieces of Aldi alfoil into 10cm squares and wrap the tablet. I place the tablets in moisture proof plastic container and place under the sink for use. Instead of 20 cents per wash, it's 10 cents. I am very fussy about cleaning and I have not had one failure using this money saving trick.
Contributed by Helen Steadman
Save Time and Money with a "Removable" Sunscreen
Approximate $ Savings: $40
I was given a loose cuff less, pure cotton, long sleeved shirt a few years ago and hit on the idea to use it as my "sunscreen" when hanging out my washing. I hung the shirt on a hook behind my laundry door and throw the shirt on as I go outside. It saves time, mess and money as well as my skin especially when I am in a hurry to hang clothes on my line before getting the kids to school.
Contributed by Jo Deller
School Stationery Supplies Stocked
Total saving: $23.28 and encouraging upcycling and craft
It's back to school prep time, so to save some money and the environment I've gone through all my children's school exercise books from 2015 and torn out pages that can be reused again. It's great being able to put some crafty skills to use and upcycle these loose pages into new books for 2016. It's also handy when year level exercise books can be used by two year levels. By making new books I've been able to save by not having to purchase 3 x 96 page books ($1.65 each on booklist). I've also got some unused exercise books which were returned from school, so for one child it's no exercise books to be purchased -a saving of $13.20. The eldest child will now be writing on everyday lined paper (8mm) in a recommended 128-page book, with a ruled red margin ($1.68 each on booklist). A number of years ago I purchased packs of 3 x 64-page exercise books for between 50c and $1.00 (can't remember the exact price). It must have been around the time Cath is referring to the 1c exercise books that people have bought and not used (I missed out on these - they were so popular). Anyway, these books have certainly come in handy as I'll glue two books together and won't need to purchase any for my child - a saving of $10.08). My child will actually have to rule the red margin, as these books don't come with one, but this is what the children have been doing for the past number of years, so it won't be a challenge.
To make the loose sheets into a book, I've counted the pages into bundles of 24 and have trimmed the edges with a scrapbooking trimmer. I've then used some pegs to hold the pages together while I've brushed PVA glue along the edge to seal a spine. I have quite a number of unused pages from the children's school scrapbooks in younger years, so have taken a double page and brushed PVA glue along the centre and lined up the exercise book spine to meet this. The blank scrapbook paper acts as a cover, which I'll trim to size when dry. I'll then glue two of the upcycled books together to make the recommended size for school. The children will have fun decorating their blank paper canvas as a cover for their school work, and it's a great holiday activity.
Contributed by D. Morrish
There are currently more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Lauren Lowe. Lauren has won a one-year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
Saving with the Kids
Approximate $ Savings: $20-30 per week
I have been steadily teaching my two young children about saving money and earning pocket money. It has helped us save and stopped the constant asking for toys, lollies etc.
1. I made up a chore list. For each item on the list the kids can earn 50c. There are 6 chores on the list which are age appropriate and the kids can choose which chores they want to do.
2. When we are out grocery shopping I am teaching them about specials, mark downs and unit pricing. My daughter knows if fruit and veg are more than $3 per kilo we don't buy it.
3. Food waste has become a thing of the past. I have explained that throwing out leftovers and letting food spoil is costing us money. We have leftovers once or twice a week.
4. They have begun to appreciate their things more because they know we will not run out and replace items because of mistreatment.
5. My daughter has begun to save half her pocket money and birthday money for bigger items that she wants.
6. We also have a coin jar. All coins we find whilst out and about or at home go into it. The kids pop in their 20,10 and 5c pieces. At the end of the year we will count it up and reward ourselves with a weekend away.
I no longer feel I am the only one on the savings wagon and the kids are having fun learning about saving.
Congratulations Lauren, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
4. Submit your tip
The Cheapskate's Club website is over 3,000 pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club. We publish a Winning Tip each Thursday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Submit your tip
5. On the Menu
Barney Bananas were a summer treat when I was growing up. I loved them! So when my friend Meryl gave me this recipe about, oh 35 years ago (I wasn't even married!) I was ecstatic. Of course in my spendthrift ignorance I found a Tupperware lady and ordered 3 sets of the icy pole moulds. I still have them, and I still use them to make Barney Bananas.
These days I MOO the evaporated milk and I use low-fat milk instead of full cream. I often use bananas from the freezer too, this is yet another way to use up those older, squishy bananas.
MOO Paddle Pops/Barney Bananas
Ingredients:
600ml milk
1 can evaporated milk (MOO is fine)
3 - 4 mashed bananas
Method:
Mix all ingredients together. Freeze in icy pole moulds. Makes 18.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Beef & Broccoli stir-fry
Saturday: Tacos
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Chicken Cacciatore over steamed rice
Tuesday: Australia Day Barbecue
Wednesday: BBQ drumsticks with mango salsa
Thursday: MOO Pizza
In the fruit bowl: lemons, mandarins, bananas, grapes
In the cake tin: fruit cake, Cranberry Hootycreeks, shortbread
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Wendy is having a much deserved and well-earned break so this week's food challenge post is from the Archives.
From the Archives: Know what you have
One of the best ways to keep your grocery spending under control is to know exactly what you have in your house. By house, I mean pantry, fridge, freezer, under the kitchen sink, in the laundry, in the bathroom cupboard and anywhere else you store your food, cleaning and toiletry supplies. If you are like Cath, you might keep supplies in your dryer or under the bed. HeHeHe!!!
An inventory of your supplies can be done a few ways. I have mine on a A5 piece of paper written in pen (done many years ago). You could type it up on the computer and print it out, or have it in a book or folder. Whatever works for you and whatever is easy to access.
Pick an area of your house and write down all your supplies. If might be easy for you to write things in categories like tinned foods, baking supplies, herbs and spices. As you write things down, put a star beside surprise items you find. These are the things you bought but never used, no one likes any more or you'd forgotten about. Either donate or use these items up ASAP. When they are used up cross them off your inventory list and take a moment to think about the value of this unwanted item. Make a pact with yourself and your family that you will never buy them again.
As you write your inventory, clean and sort as you go. If you find items near or just past their best before date, place them at the front and use them as soon as possible. Write them into your menu plan (next week's topic) to use them up before you forget them again.
Make a note of quantities of your stock. If you know how many you have, you might not need to buy some items for a while. An example of this is my MIL. Many years ago she went away on a holiday. My SIL lives at home and wanted me to help clean out the pantry. As I sorted, I put some tinned items in neat rows. We soon discovered that my MIL had about 7 or 8 tins of beetroot. My SIL informed me that MIL thought she had run out. MMMMMM, no inventory and no organization. I found some items 9 years past their best before date. Money wasted.
This week's task is to write out your inventory lists. If you already have them done, maybe you'd like to take the time to go over them and update if needed. This week I'll get mine typed up on the computer and printed out. My old ones are looking very ratty.
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!
Grocery greatness RULES!!!!
Click here to read the post that started it all
7. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
The 2106 Chronicles
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3161-The-2106-chronicles
Colouring-in for Adults
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3020-Colouring-in-for-adults
Savings Tins
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3158-Savings-tins.
Most popular blog posts this week
How to Cover School Books
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/how-to-cover-school-books.html
Used v New
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/used-versus-new.html
How One Person with a Small Voice can change the World
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/11/how-one-person-with-small-voice-can.html
8. Members Featured Blog
Platinum Cheapskates Club members have their very own Cheapskating blogs, and they are wonderful and inspirational and encouraging and even funny. This week's featured blog is written by mish012.
Savings Revolution 2016 - NERVOUS
This is my first blog EVER. I hardly even post on Facebook but if I’m going to get the most from the 2016 Savings Revolution I need to follow ALL the suggestions (not just the ones I think will be easy). I’m a single parent and have my two boys (young adults) living with me. I don’t feel like I am doing too badly with my finances (no debt except for the mortgage) but there is definitely a lot of room for improvement. I have slowly been implementing changes to our shopping and bills and I am trying to only do a monthly shop (except for bread, milk etc.). This year I want to concentrate on getting a decent amount of savings ‘stashed away’ for any in case things that might happen and make a couple of extra payments on the mortgage. My main area to work on is our grocery bill. There are only three of us (although we eat like there’s four) and I still can’t see that I will ever be able to get anywhere near the $320 a month that some of you stick to. My grocery budget is about double that but I will continue to work at it until I get it down as much as I can. My fridge broke two days into 2016 but luckily I hadn’t done this month’s shopping and therefore didn’t have to throw too much food away. Upside to it was I paid cash for the fridge so I don’t have to worry about paying it off and therefore costing more – phew.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Joan who wrote
"I need to clean my vertical drapes and was wondering if anyone has any tips for this job?"
Lynda Phillips answered
After unsuccessful washing machine trials due to knotting, and back breaking 'over the bath' scrubbing, I found a pressure cleaner such as a Karcher the quickest and best way for cleaning vertical drapes. I lay the drape strips down on my verandah and blast away, then hang the strips over my clothes line. They are spotless and almost dry as pressure cleaners use air to clean and minimal water. Once dry, I hang them back up inside. If you have the older drapes with chain weights, I simply soak these in a jug of warm water with a little washing up detergent and swish around. They also come up good as new!
Brenda Conolon answered
I did mine last year. I took off the bottom chain and actually threw the chain out as I find they are always coming undone, but you could soak the chain in some soapy water for a few hours or so, then rub lightly and hang to dry. The blinds: I unhooked them and laid 5 or 6 long ways along the dining table, (mine are plastic) gave them a good wipe with soapy water and a soft scourer and whala, dirt gone. Wipe dry with a towel and turn over and do other side, then rehang, I found the dining table a good length to work on, and you're not bending too much. You could put a plastic tablecloth on the table first if you desire.
There are more answers to this question in the Tip Store
Do you have a question that needs an answer?
Send us your question and receive the combined knowledge of your fellow Cheapskates to solve your problem!
Ask Your Question
10. This Week's Question
Joan writes
A friend of mine has a problem removing melted plastic from the glass panels on her French doors. The plastic is put on the glass panels presumably to protect them from paint or stain. My friend unfortunately did not remove the plastic quickly enough and now can't get it off, could anybody help!!!
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Joan's friend let us know. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize too.
Send your answer
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
For just 10 cents a day you can join the Cheapskates Club and get exclusive access to the Cheapskate Journal, the monthly e-journal that shows you how to cut the costs of everyday living and still have fun.
Joining the Cheapskates Club gives you 24/7 access to the Members Centre with 1000's of money saving tips and articles.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
12. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. Members can update their email address or any other details by clicking on their profile after they have logged in to the Member's Centre. Subscribers to our free newsletter can use the link at the bottom of every newsletter (manage preferences) to update their email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
When you login you can go to your profile to see your membership expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
13. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Dishwasher Tablet Savings, Save Time and Money with a "Removable" Sunscreen, School Stationery Supplies Stocked
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - Saving with the Kids
4. Submit Your Tip - Share your favourite money saving tip here
5. On the Menu - MOO Banana Paddle Pops
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - From the Archives: Know what you have
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - Savings Revolution 2016 - NERVOUS
9. Last Week's Question - How do I clean vertical drapes?
10. This Week's Question - How can I get the plastic coating off glass doors?
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Gift Memberships
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
A little housekeeping before we get into this week's newsletter. There are still some folk trying to log in to the old Member's Centre - you won't find much in there, please go to our new Member's Centre. www.cheapskatesclub.net And there are still some folk trying to send messages via the old website - again, please go to the Contact Us http://www.cheapskatesclub.net/contact.html on our new website. The old website no longer collects messages so I'm not getting your questions and you're not getting answers. If you do find yourself on the old website, click on the link to come straight over to our new home.
Housekeeping done and dusted, it's time to get excited about this week's newsletter. Full of great ideas as always, it is a great read.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
2. From The Tip Store
Dishwasher Tablet Savings
Approximate $ Savings: 10c per was
I buy a box of Aldi Logix Platinum dishwasher tablets and cut them in half. I do them in batches, simply remove the tablet from the dissolvable wrapper and score with a serrated edge knife, they will snap easily, and cleaning in half. I cut pieces of Aldi alfoil into 10cm squares and wrap the tablet. I place the tablets in moisture proof plastic container and place under the sink for use. Instead of 20 cents per wash, it's 10 cents. I am very fussy about cleaning and I have not had one failure using this money saving trick.
Contributed by Helen Steadman
Save Time and Money with a "Removable" Sunscreen
Approximate $ Savings: $40
I was given a loose cuff less, pure cotton, long sleeved shirt a few years ago and hit on the idea to use it as my "sunscreen" when hanging out my washing. I hung the shirt on a hook behind my laundry door and throw the shirt on as I go outside. It saves time, mess and money as well as my skin especially when I am in a hurry to hang clothes on my line before getting the kids to school.
Contributed by Jo Deller
School Stationery Supplies Stocked
Total saving: $23.28 and encouraging upcycling and craft
It's back to school prep time, so to save some money and the environment I've gone through all my children's school exercise books from 2015 and torn out pages that can be reused again. It's great being able to put some crafty skills to use and upcycle these loose pages into new books for 2016. It's also handy when year level exercise books can be used by two year levels. By making new books I've been able to save by not having to purchase 3 x 96 page books ($1.65 each on booklist). I've also got some unused exercise books which were returned from school, so for one child it's no exercise books to be purchased -a saving of $13.20. The eldest child will now be writing on everyday lined paper (8mm) in a recommended 128-page book, with a ruled red margin ($1.68 each on booklist). A number of years ago I purchased packs of 3 x 64-page exercise books for between 50c and $1.00 (can't remember the exact price). It must have been around the time Cath is referring to the 1c exercise books that people have bought and not used (I missed out on these - they were so popular). Anyway, these books have certainly come in handy as I'll glue two books together and won't need to purchase any for my child - a saving of $10.08). My child will actually have to rule the red margin, as these books don't come with one, but this is what the children have been doing for the past number of years, so it won't be a challenge.
To make the loose sheets into a book, I've counted the pages into bundles of 24 and have trimmed the edges with a scrapbooking trimmer. I've then used some pegs to hold the pages together while I've brushed PVA glue along the edge to seal a spine. I have quite a number of unused pages from the children's school scrapbooks in younger years, so have taken a double page and brushed PVA glue along the centre and lined up the exercise book spine to meet this. The blank scrapbook paper acts as a cover, which I'll trim to size when dry. I'll then glue two of the upcycled books together to make the recommended size for school. The children will have fun decorating their blank paper canvas as a cover for their school work, and it's a great holiday activity.
Contributed by D. Morrish
There are currently more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Lauren Lowe. Lauren has won a one-year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
Saving with the Kids
Approximate $ Savings: $20-30 per week
I have been steadily teaching my two young children about saving money and earning pocket money. It has helped us save and stopped the constant asking for toys, lollies etc.
1. I made up a chore list. For each item on the list the kids can earn 50c. There are 6 chores on the list which are age appropriate and the kids can choose which chores they want to do.
2. When we are out grocery shopping I am teaching them about specials, mark downs and unit pricing. My daughter knows if fruit and veg are more than $3 per kilo we don't buy it.
3. Food waste has become a thing of the past. I have explained that throwing out leftovers and letting food spoil is costing us money. We have leftovers once or twice a week.
4. They have begun to appreciate their things more because they know we will not run out and replace items because of mistreatment.
5. My daughter has begun to save half her pocket money and birthday money for bigger items that she wants.
6. We also have a coin jar. All coins we find whilst out and about or at home go into it. The kids pop in their 20,10 and 5c pieces. At the end of the year we will count it up and reward ourselves with a weekend away.
I no longer feel I am the only one on the savings wagon and the kids are having fun learning about saving.
Congratulations Lauren, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
4. Submit your tip
The Cheapskate's Club website is over 3,000 pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club. We publish a Winning Tip each Thursday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Submit your tip
5. On the Menu
Barney Bananas were a summer treat when I was growing up. I loved them! So when my friend Meryl gave me this recipe about, oh 35 years ago (I wasn't even married!) I was ecstatic. Of course in my spendthrift ignorance I found a Tupperware lady and ordered 3 sets of the icy pole moulds. I still have them, and I still use them to make Barney Bananas.
These days I MOO the evaporated milk and I use low-fat milk instead of full cream. I often use bananas from the freezer too, this is yet another way to use up those older, squishy bananas.
MOO Paddle Pops/Barney Bananas
Ingredients:
600ml milk
1 can evaporated milk (MOO is fine)
3 - 4 mashed bananas
Method:
Mix all ingredients together. Freeze in icy pole moulds. Makes 18.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Beef & Broccoli stir-fry
Saturday: Tacos
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Chicken Cacciatore over steamed rice
Tuesday: Australia Day Barbecue
Wednesday: BBQ drumsticks with mango salsa
Thursday: MOO Pizza
In the fruit bowl: lemons, mandarins, bananas, grapes
In the cake tin: fruit cake, Cranberry Hootycreeks, shortbread
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Wendy is having a much deserved and well-earned break so this week's food challenge post is from the Archives.
From the Archives: Know what you have
One of the best ways to keep your grocery spending under control is to know exactly what you have in your house. By house, I mean pantry, fridge, freezer, under the kitchen sink, in the laundry, in the bathroom cupboard and anywhere else you store your food, cleaning and toiletry supplies. If you are like Cath, you might keep supplies in your dryer or under the bed. HeHeHe!!!
An inventory of your supplies can be done a few ways. I have mine on a A5 piece of paper written in pen (done many years ago). You could type it up on the computer and print it out, or have it in a book or folder. Whatever works for you and whatever is easy to access.
Pick an area of your house and write down all your supplies. If might be easy for you to write things in categories like tinned foods, baking supplies, herbs and spices. As you write things down, put a star beside surprise items you find. These are the things you bought but never used, no one likes any more or you'd forgotten about. Either donate or use these items up ASAP. When they are used up cross them off your inventory list and take a moment to think about the value of this unwanted item. Make a pact with yourself and your family that you will never buy them again.
As you write your inventory, clean and sort as you go. If you find items near or just past their best before date, place them at the front and use them as soon as possible. Write them into your menu plan (next week's topic) to use them up before you forget them again.
Make a note of quantities of your stock. If you know how many you have, you might not need to buy some items for a while. An example of this is my MIL. Many years ago she went away on a holiday. My SIL lives at home and wanted me to help clean out the pantry. As I sorted, I put some tinned items in neat rows. We soon discovered that my MIL had about 7 or 8 tins of beetroot. My SIL informed me that MIL thought she had run out. MMMMMM, no inventory and no organization. I found some items 9 years past their best before date. Money wasted.
This week's task is to write out your inventory lists. If you already have them done, maybe you'd like to take the time to go over them and update if needed. This week I'll get mine typed up on the computer and printed out. My old ones are looking very ratty.
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!
Grocery greatness RULES!!!!
Click here to read the post that started it all
7. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
The 2106 Chronicles
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3161-The-2106-chronicles
Colouring-in for Adults
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3020-Colouring-in-for-adults
Savings Tins
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3158-Savings-tins.
Most popular blog posts this week
How to Cover School Books
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/how-to-cover-school-books.html
Used v New
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/used-versus-new.html
How One Person with a Small Voice can change the World
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/11/how-one-person-with-small-voice-can.html
8. Members Featured Blog
Platinum Cheapskates Club members have their very own Cheapskating blogs, and they are wonderful and inspirational and encouraging and even funny. This week's featured blog is written by mish012.
Savings Revolution 2016 - NERVOUS
This is my first blog EVER. I hardly even post on Facebook but if I’m going to get the most from the 2016 Savings Revolution I need to follow ALL the suggestions (not just the ones I think will be easy). I’m a single parent and have my two boys (young adults) living with me. I don’t feel like I am doing too badly with my finances (no debt except for the mortgage) but there is definitely a lot of room for improvement. I have slowly been implementing changes to our shopping and bills and I am trying to only do a monthly shop (except for bread, milk etc.). This year I want to concentrate on getting a decent amount of savings ‘stashed away’ for any in case things that might happen and make a couple of extra payments on the mortgage. My main area to work on is our grocery bill. There are only three of us (although we eat like there’s four) and I still can’t see that I will ever be able to get anywhere near the $320 a month that some of you stick to. My grocery budget is about double that but I will continue to work at it until I get it down as much as I can. My fridge broke two days into 2016 but luckily I hadn’t done this month’s shopping and therefore didn’t have to throw too much food away. Upside to it was I paid cash for the fridge so I don’t have to worry about paying it off and therefore costing more – phew.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Joan who wrote
"I need to clean my vertical drapes and was wondering if anyone has any tips for this job?"
Lynda Phillips answered
After unsuccessful washing machine trials due to knotting, and back breaking 'over the bath' scrubbing, I found a pressure cleaner such as a Karcher the quickest and best way for cleaning vertical drapes. I lay the drape strips down on my verandah and blast away, then hang the strips over my clothes line. They are spotless and almost dry as pressure cleaners use air to clean and minimal water. Once dry, I hang them back up inside. If you have the older drapes with chain weights, I simply soak these in a jug of warm water with a little washing up detergent and swish around. They also come up good as new!
Brenda Conolon answered
I did mine last year. I took off the bottom chain and actually threw the chain out as I find they are always coming undone, but you could soak the chain in some soapy water for a few hours or so, then rub lightly and hang to dry. The blinds: I unhooked them and laid 5 or 6 long ways along the dining table, (mine are plastic) gave them a good wipe with soapy water and a soft scourer and whala, dirt gone. Wipe dry with a towel and turn over and do other side, then rehang, I found the dining table a good length to work on, and you're not bending too much. You could put a plastic tablecloth on the table first if you desire.
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