Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 03:21
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Cleaning Wooden Chopping Boards; Covering School Books; Button Saver
3. Tip of the Week - A Frugal Foamy Shower for 60 Cents a Bottle
4. Share Your Tips
5. On the Menu - MOO Parmas
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Tracking the cost of groceries
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. The Weekly MOO Challenge - Yoghurt
10. 2021 Saving Revolution - Lesson 3
11. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
I have a question for you this week. What is a Cheapskate? I'm sure we'll share some of the same qualities for a Cheapskate, while others may be very different.
That's OK, we're all different, living different frugal lifestyles, with different reasons for living the Cheapskates way.
Here's what I think a Cheapskate is:
A Cheapskate is a saver, not a spender A Cheapskate is economical in the use of money, goods and consumable items and tries to not waste anything.
A Cheapskate avoids unnecessary expense of money or of anything else that is to be used or consumed.
A Cheapskate is sparing, not extravagant or lavish, but not mean or miserly either. A Cheapskate is generous because of the frugal lifestyle they live.
A Cheapskate lives by the creed "Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship". - Benjamin Franklin.
A Cheapskate always gets the most from every dollar.
As a Cheapskate, frugality is always virtue!
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
Cleaning Wooden Chopping Boards
I have a wooden butcher table and several large chopping boards that are difficult to wash under the tap. I keep a spray bottle full of vinegar for this purpose. I use it like a spray cleaner. The vinegar removes dirt, and sterilizes the boards. Simply spray (fairly heavily if very dirty) and wipe off. If the surface of the board is very dirty or you have cut meat or chicken....spray, clean with a scourer and wipe...then lightly spray and wipe again. It keeps the boards stain free and smelling fresh as well as safe.
Contributed by Silvia
Covering School Books
Every parent’s back to school nightmare, but it’s a good idea to help protect your kids’ schoolbooks from a year of abuse by making covers out of a durable material, such as brown paper or thick wrapping paper.
1. Measure the height of the book you want to cover. Then measure the distance from the front to back covers. Add 15cm to the two measurements (to create the inside flaps), and cut a piece of paper to this size.
2. Open the book, and place it face down in the centre of the paper. To accommodate the spine, make two vertical cuts on the excess paper at the top and bottom of the book, creating a flap. Fold the flap down and behind the spine, creating two notches. If this isn’t possible, carefully trim the flap level with the bottom of the spine.
3. Wrap the paper around the book, making sure the inside flaps are equal sizes. Fold top and bottom flaps over the side flaps and tape in place.
Button Savers
To save buttons on shirts (especially school shirts!) dab a little clear nail polish on the back of the button and across the centre front. This will help to stop the thread from coming undone and the buttons will stay on much, much
longer.
Contributed by Debra, Shepparton
Add a Tip
3. This Week's Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Denise Scotford. Denise has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
A Frugal Foamy Shower for 60 Cents a Bottle
If you have limited time or energy, or kids that use 17 pumps of shower wash instead of just three, this is for you. It is very similar to using the foaming hand wash for the sink, you just swap out the hand wash for watered down body wash. I personally use the ‘Simple’ brand foaming face wash (on sale normally around $6 down from about $12), and reuse the foam making bottle with watered down body wash. It means you don’t stand there wasting water trying to make the lather to wash with, and you use 1/10 of the product with maximum foam.
Congratulations Denise, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
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.
4. Share Your Tips
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!
Share Your Tip
5. On The Menu
MOO Parma
We love parmas, I think they've almost become the Australian national dish, next to a meat pie and sausage roll, but as we rarely go out to eat, I had to find a way to fix my family's parma craving. And so the MOO parma was created.
It's simple really, and frugal too. Well it has to be cheap to fit into my grocery budget, and it has to be simple, quick and easy or I just won't make it.
Ingredients:
3 chicken breast fillets, skin off and sliced in half through the centre
1/4 cup plain flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk or cream or sour cream or yoghurt - whatever you have
1 cup MOO KFC Mix
1 cup MOO breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
6 slices cheese
6 tbsp pizza sauce (MOO, bottled or jarred - whatever you have).
Method:
These are best prepared a couple of hours before cooking, to give the crumbs time to set, but it's not essential.
Beat the egg into the milk (or cream etc.).
Dip each piece of chicken into the plain flour, then the egg wash, then the KFC mix, then the egg wash, then the crumbs. Chill.
When you are ready to cook the, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper.
Heat just enough oil to cover the base of a frying pan. When it is hot, brown the chicken pieces. Cook until the crumbs are just golden. Remove from pan and place on cookie sheet. When all the chicken has been browned, put into oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread each piece of chicken with 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce, top with a slice of cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted and is golden. Serve immediately.
This gives you moist, tender chicken, and golden, crisp crumbs and you use very little oil.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: MOO Parma, salad
Tuesday: Spinach Canelloni
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, potato gems, coleslaw
Saturday: Meatball Subs
In the fruit bowl: bananas, watermelon, rock melon, strawberries, grapes
There are over 1,700 budget and family friendly recipes in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File, all contributed by your fellow Cheapskates, so you know they're good.
Add A Recipe
Recipe File Index
6. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
Tracking the Cost of Groceries
Hello Cheapskaters,
This week I'd like to chat with you about tracking your groceries. That means your spending and inventory.
Inventory is just another word for what you have in your pantry, fridge and freezer (including your stockpile).
I'm sure you all know the importance of tracking spending; how it helps to keep you on track and show you where you are perhaps over-spending, or perhaps not spending enough.
Your grocery tracking spreadsheet is like a mini grocery spending plan. You know how much you have allocated each week/fortnight/month or whatever. Using the tracking spreadsheet shows you how much you spend in each grocery category. https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/tip-sheets.html
I've been using the spreadsheet for years - twenty? Or pretty close to it. I love it. It shows me at a glance how much is going on fruit and veg, how much I'm spending on drinks or cleaning supplies. And it tallies up automatically - no need for me to rely on my brain or a calculator. The auto tally is really just convenient, but I love it.
If you haven't tracked your grocery spending in detail before, I suggest you give it a go. You may be surprised - at how much you spend on things you didn't think you spent a lot on, or where you could cut back to increase another category.
The spreadsheet is set up to mimic my panty. You can change the category names to work best with your pantry and shopping, it's flexible!
The categories are across the top of the sheet, the days of the month are down the side. Use a new sheet for each month, even if you shop weekly or fortnightly.
After shopping just enter the amounts in the relevant fields. For example, if I shopped today, I'd scroll down the date column to 12 and enter amounts in the right categories along that line. The amount in the Total column for that date should equal the amount on your docket/s.
At the end of the month, the totals along the bottom will show how much you've spent in each category, and the last total will be the total spend for the month. Easy!
When you're on a tight budget, knowing what you spend, where and on what is vital, for peace of mind and to ensure you don't go over budget.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Simple Things You Can Do To Reduce Your Cooling Costs
A Back-to-School Budget
Painless Ways to Build an Emergency Fund
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
What's In The Fridge?
Op Shop or New?
School Photographs - Do You Buy Them?
Latest Tips
Cheap Colourful Pots
Use a Bigger Bucket Under the Air Con
Thrifty Thirst Quencher
A Soft Drink Stockpile - No Need with these Prices
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Show Schedule:
Live shows will resume in February.
Tuesday: Around the Kitchen Table - join Cath and Hannah for a cuppa and a chat around the kitchen table as they talk about living the Cheapskates way.
Thursday: Cheapskates in the Kitchen - want to know how to cook delicious, healthy and cheap meals? Watch Cath and Hannah as they create cheapskates style cuisine and share their favourite recipes.
Popular Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Cleaning Wooden Chopping Boards; Covering School Books; Button Saver
3. Tip of the Week - A Frugal Foamy Shower for 60 Cents a Bottle
4. Share Your Tips
5. On the Menu - MOO Parmas
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Tracking the cost of groceries
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. The Weekly MOO Challenge - Yoghurt
10. 2021 Saving Revolution - Lesson 3
11. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
I have a question for you this week. What is a Cheapskate? I'm sure we'll share some of the same qualities for a Cheapskate, while others may be very different.
That's OK, we're all different, living different frugal lifestyles, with different reasons for living the Cheapskates way.
Here's what I think a Cheapskate is:
A Cheapskate is a saver, not a spender A Cheapskate is economical in the use of money, goods and consumable items and tries to not waste anything.
A Cheapskate avoids unnecessary expense of money or of anything else that is to be used or consumed.
A Cheapskate is sparing, not extravagant or lavish, but not mean or miserly either. A Cheapskate is generous because of the frugal lifestyle they live.
A Cheapskate lives by the creed "Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship". - Benjamin Franklin.
A Cheapskate always gets the most from every dollar.
As a Cheapskate, frugality is always virtue!
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
Cleaning Wooden Chopping Boards
I have a wooden butcher table and several large chopping boards that are difficult to wash under the tap. I keep a spray bottle full of vinegar for this purpose. I use it like a spray cleaner. The vinegar removes dirt, and sterilizes the boards. Simply spray (fairly heavily if very dirty) and wipe off. If the surface of the board is very dirty or you have cut meat or chicken....spray, clean with a scourer and wipe...then lightly spray and wipe again. It keeps the boards stain free and smelling fresh as well as safe.
Contributed by Silvia
Covering School Books
Every parent’s back to school nightmare, but it’s a good idea to help protect your kids’ schoolbooks from a year of abuse by making covers out of a durable material, such as brown paper or thick wrapping paper.
1. Measure the height of the book you want to cover. Then measure the distance from the front to back covers. Add 15cm to the two measurements (to create the inside flaps), and cut a piece of paper to this size.
2. Open the book, and place it face down in the centre of the paper. To accommodate the spine, make two vertical cuts on the excess paper at the top and bottom of the book, creating a flap. Fold the flap down and behind the spine, creating two notches. If this isn’t possible, carefully trim the flap level with the bottom of the spine.
3. Wrap the paper around the book, making sure the inside flaps are equal sizes. Fold top and bottom flaps over the side flaps and tape in place.
Button Savers
To save buttons on shirts (especially school shirts!) dab a little clear nail polish on the back of the button and across the centre front. This will help to stop the thread from coming undone and the buttons will stay on much, much
longer.
Contributed by Debra, Shepparton
Add a Tip
3. This Week's Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Denise Scotford. Denise has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
A Frugal Foamy Shower for 60 Cents a Bottle
If you have limited time or energy, or kids that use 17 pumps of shower wash instead of just three, this is for you. It is very similar to using the foaming hand wash for the sink, you just swap out the hand wash for watered down body wash. I personally use the ‘Simple’ brand foaming face wash (on sale normally around $6 down from about $12), and reuse the foam making bottle with watered down body wash. It means you don’t stand there wasting water trying to make the lather to wash with, and you use 1/10 of the product with maximum foam.
Congratulations Denise, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
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.
4. Share Your Tips
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!
Share Your Tip
5. On The Menu
MOO Parma
We love parmas, I think they've almost become the Australian national dish, next to a meat pie and sausage roll, but as we rarely go out to eat, I had to find a way to fix my family's parma craving. And so the MOO parma was created.
It's simple really, and frugal too. Well it has to be cheap to fit into my grocery budget, and it has to be simple, quick and easy or I just won't make it.
Ingredients:
3 chicken breast fillets, skin off and sliced in half through the centre
1/4 cup plain flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk or cream or sour cream or yoghurt - whatever you have
1 cup MOO KFC Mix
1 cup MOO breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
6 slices cheese
6 tbsp pizza sauce (MOO, bottled or jarred - whatever you have).
Method:
These are best prepared a couple of hours before cooking, to give the crumbs time to set, but it's not essential.
Beat the egg into the milk (or cream etc.).
Dip each piece of chicken into the plain flour, then the egg wash, then the KFC mix, then the egg wash, then the crumbs. Chill.
When you are ready to cook the, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper.
Heat just enough oil to cover the base of a frying pan. When it is hot, brown the chicken pieces. Cook until the crumbs are just golden. Remove from pan and place on cookie sheet. When all the chicken has been browned, put into oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Spread each piece of chicken with 1 tablespoon of pizza sauce, top with a slice of cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted and is golden. Serve immediately.
This gives you moist, tender chicken, and golden, crisp crumbs and you use very little oil.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: MOO Parma, salad
Tuesday: Spinach Canelloni
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, potato gems, coleslaw
Saturday: Meatball Subs
In the fruit bowl: bananas, watermelon, rock melon, strawberries, grapes
There are over 1,700 budget and family friendly recipes in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File, all contributed by your fellow Cheapskates, so you know they're good.
Add A Recipe
Recipe File Index
6. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
Tracking the Cost of Groceries
Hello Cheapskaters,
This week I'd like to chat with you about tracking your groceries. That means your spending and inventory.
Inventory is just another word for what you have in your pantry, fridge and freezer (including your stockpile).
I'm sure you all know the importance of tracking spending; how it helps to keep you on track and show you where you are perhaps over-spending, or perhaps not spending enough.
Your grocery tracking spreadsheet is like a mini grocery spending plan. You know how much you have allocated each week/fortnight/month or whatever. Using the tracking spreadsheet shows you how much you spend in each grocery category. https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/tip-sheets.html
I've been using the spreadsheet for years - twenty? Or pretty close to it. I love it. It shows me at a glance how much is going on fruit and veg, how much I'm spending on drinks or cleaning supplies. And it tallies up automatically - no need for me to rely on my brain or a calculator. The auto tally is really just convenient, but I love it.
If you haven't tracked your grocery spending in detail before, I suggest you give it a go. You may be surprised - at how much you spend on things you didn't think you spent a lot on, or where you could cut back to increase another category.
The spreadsheet is set up to mimic my panty. You can change the category names to work best with your pantry and shopping, it's flexible!
The categories are across the top of the sheet, the days of the month are down the side. Use a new sheet for each month, even if you shop weekly or fortnightly.
After shopping just enter the amounts in the relevant fields. For example, if I shopped today, I'd scroll down the date column to 12 and enter amounts in the right categories along that line. The amount in the Total column for that date should equal the amount on your docket/s.
At the end of the month, the totals along the bottom will show how much you've spent in each category, and the last total will be the total spend for the month. Easy!
When you're on a tight budget, knowing what you spend, where and on what is vital, for peace of mind and to ensure you don't go over budget.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Simple Things You Can Do To Reduce Your Cooling Costs
A Back-to-School Budget
Painless Ways to Build an Emergency Fund
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
What's In The Fridge?
Op Shop or New?
School Photographs - Do You Buy Them?
Latest Tips
Cheap Colourful Pots
Use a Bigger Bucket Under the Air Con
Thrifty Thirst Quencher
A Soft Drink Stockpile - No Need with these Prices
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Show Schedule:
Live shows will resume in February.
Tuesday: Around the Kitchen Table - join Cath and Hannah for a cuppa and a chat around the kitchen table as they talk about living the Cheapskates way.
Thursday: Cheapskates in the Kitchen - want to know how to cook delicious, healthy and cheap meals? Watch Cath and Hannah as they create cheapskates style cuisine and share their favourite recipes.
Popular Shows
9. The Weekly MOO Challenge
Yoghurt
I'm not sure why, but MOOing yoghurt seems to cause so much angst. It's very simple if you follow my recipe and instructions.
Oh, I get lots of questions asking if this can be substituted for that, or could something be left out. The answer is of course - but the recipe won't work, it won't turn out the way I say it does and you'll be disappointed.
When you MOO yoghurt you use three ingredients: a starter (fresh yoghurt), milk powder and water. You're not adding fillers and thickeners. You're not adding sweeteners or colours or flavours. You're making plain yoghurt.
Here's my tried and true recipe. It works. It always works if you follow the recipe. I've been making it for almost 30 years. I make at least one batch a week, every week. It works because I stick to the recipe.
To make 1 litre of yoghurt you will need:
A clean 1 litre jar with a screw top lid
A wide mouthed thermos that will hold the jar (Easiyo kits come on half price sale regularly and they have the jar and the thermos for around $14, Aldi often have yoghurt sets as a special buy for around the same price)
2 cups full cream milk powder*
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt (this is the starter)
Cool water (tap water is fine as long as it’s not really cold).
Half fill the jar with cool water, add the milk powder and the 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt. Put the lid on and shake well to combine. Make sure there are no lumps of milk powder left. Fill the jar to the top with more water, seal and shake well.
Place the jar in the thermos. Pour boiling water around the jar until it reaches approximately 2/3 of the way up the sides. Put the lid on the thermos, sealing it tight.
Set aside for 8—24 hours, depending on how thick you like your yoghurt. The longer you leave it, the thicker it will be. You can safely leave it in the thermos for up to 24 hours. Once it has reached the consistency you like, place the jar of yoghurt in the fridge to cool. This will stop it thickening.
*If you like thick yoghurt you will need to use full cream milk powder. It will be the fat content of the milk powder that helps with the thickening.
You can read more, and get some extra tips for MOOing yoghurt here
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
10. 2021 Saving Revolution
Lesson 3 came in two parts, all Revolutionist should have both parts by now. This revolution is getting serious. You are having to put some effort in and do some work by tracking your spending, and particularly your grocery spending.
Sounds boring, and it probably is for most of us. But if you don't know how much you spend, where you spend it and what you spend it on, you will never have control of your finances. And that's one of the goals of the 2021 Saving Revolution - to gain control of your finances.
It takes 21 days of repetitions to form a habit, so by the end of the month the habit of tracking your spending should be developed. Keep it up! Don't stop after 30 days, tempting though that may be. Make it a habit to record your spending every day and it doesn't become a huge chore, you won't be scrabbling to remember or find receipts and you will have a valuable record if it's ever needed.
And sometimes it is. We had a member a few years ago who went on holiday for three weeks. Unbeknown to her, one of her children had diligently gone around and turned off all the power points except for the fridge. One of the power points was for the freezer! You can imagine what she came home to. But because she had a record of exactly what was spent on freezer food, she had no issue getting her insurance claim processed and was praised for keeping such accurate records.
I can tell you the woman was my mother, I wasn't the diligent child, and Mum kept good records of her spending all her life.
So if you think it's a waste of time - think again, and get tracking!
Revolutionists who are active Cheapskates Club members can log into the 2021 Saving Revolution forum and join the discussions too. They're fun, keep you accountable, and over the course of the year will be an amazing source of valuable hints and tips for you too.
11. Ask A Question
We have lots of resources to help you as you live the Cheapskates way but if you didn't find the answer to your question in our extensive archives please just drop me a note with your question.
I read and answer all questions, either in an email to you, in my weekly newsletter, the monthly Journal or by creating blog posts and other resources to help you (and other Cheapskaters).
Ask Your Question
12. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $25 for the first year, 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!
13. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your 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.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
14. Contact Cheapskates
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
Contact Cheapskates
Yoghurt
I'm not sure why, but MOOing yoghurt seems to cause so much angst. It's very simple if you follow my recipe and instructions.
Oh, I get lots of questions asking if this can be substituted for that, or could something be left out. The answer is of course - but the recipe won't work, it won't turn out the way I say it does and you'll be disappointed.
When you MOO yoghurt you use three ingredients: a starter (fresh yoghurt), milk powder and water. You're not adding fillers and thickeners. You're not adding sweeteners or colours or flavours. You're making plain yoghurt.
Here's my tried and true recipe. It works. It always works if you follow the recipe. I've been making it for almost 30 years. I make at least one batch a week, every week. It works because I stick to the recipe.
To make 1 litre of yoghurt you will need:
A clean 1 litre jar with a screw top lid
A wide mouthed thermos that will hold the jar (Easiyo kits come on half price sale regularly and they have the jar and the thermos for around $14, Aldi often have yoghurt sets as a special buy for around the same price)
2 cups full cream milk powder*
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt (this is the starter)
Cool water (tap water is fine as long as it’s not really cold).
Half fill the jar with cool water, add the milk powder and the 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt. Put the lid on and shake well to combine. Make sure there are no lumps of milk powder left. Fill the jar to the top with more water, seal and shake well.
Place the jar in the thermos. Pour boiling water around the jar until it reaches approximately 2/3 of the way up the sides. Put the lid on the thermos, sealing it tight.
Set aside for 8—24 hours, depending on how thick you like your yoghurt. The longer you leave it, the thicker it will be. You can safely leave it in the thermos for up to 24 hours. Once it has reached the consistency you like, place the jar of yoghurt in the fridge to cool. This will stop it thickening.
*If you like thick yoghurt you will need to use full cream milk powder. It will be the fat content of the milk powder that helps with the thickening.
You can read more, and get some extra tips for MOOing yoghurt here
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
10. 2021 Saving Revolution
Lesson 3 came in two parts, all Revolutionist should have both parts by now. This revolution is getting serious. You are having to put some effort in and do some work by tracking your spending, and particularly your grocery spending.
Sounds boring, and it probably is for most of us. But if you don't know how much you spend, where you spend it and what you spend it on, you will never have control of your finances. And that's one of the goals of the 2021 Saving Revolution - to gain control of your finances.
It takes 21 days of repetitions to form a habit, so by the end of the month the habit of tracking your spending should be developed. Keep it up! Don't stop after 30 days, tempting though that may be. Make it a habit to record your spending every day and it doesn't become a huge chore, you won't be scrabbling to remember or find receipts and you will have a valuable record if it's ever needed.
And sometimes it is. We had a member a few years ago who went on holiday for three weeks. Unbeknown to her, one of her children had diligently gone around and turned off all the power points except for the fridge. One of the power points was for the freezer! You can imagine what she came home to. But because she had a record of exactly what was spent on freezer food, she had no issue getting her insurance claim processed and was praised for keeping such accurate records.
I can tell you the woman was my mother, I wasn't the diligent child, and Mum kept good records of her spending all her life.
So if you think it's a waste of time - think again, and get tracking!
Revolutionists who are active Cheapskates Club members can log into the 2021 Saving Revolution forum and join the discussions too. They're fun, keep you accountable, and over the course of the year will be an amazing source of valuable hints and tips for you too.
11. Ask A Question
We have lots of resources to help you as you live the Cheapskates way but if you didn't find the answer to your question in our extensive archives please just drop me a note with your question.
I read and answer all questions, either in an email to you, in my weekly newsletter, the monthly Journal or by creating blog posts and other resources to help you (and other Cheapskaters).
Ask Your Question
12. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $25 for the first year, 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!
13. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your 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.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
14. Contact Cheapskates
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
Contact Cheapskates