Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 05:23
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Skip the Specials and Save Big for No Spending Month; Save More - Track Your Food Costs;
Saving for Slush Fund or Other Emergencies
3. Share Your Tips -
4. Join The Cheapskates Club
5. On the Menu - Elephant Ears
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - No Spending Month
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Marmalade for One
8. Cheapskates Buzz
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
10. Handmade Christmas Challenge
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to our new Cheapskates Club members, we are so glad you are here! We're a friendly bunch, and we'd love to encourage you on your way to living life debt free, cashed up and laughing, so please remember to pop over to the Member's Forum and introduce yourself, and feel free to ask questions and share your favourite ways to save money, time and energy.
I think all the kids are back to school this week. It's a bit of a happy/sad time of year. I always missed the kids when they went back to school, but I was happy they had that structure back in their days and had regular contact with their friends after a long summer of being on holiday.
But of course that means it's the start of February and that of course means it's No Spending Month. This year we're tackling this spending freeze with a bit of a difference and I hope you join in, it will be worth it. You can login to find out how to get started on this no spending challenge with a bit of a difference.
It's raining! And I have washing on the line, so have a great week everyone and remember: no spending. I'm off to get that washing in before it gets too wet!
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
Skip the Specials and Save Big for No Spending Month
No Spending month has boosted our savings by almost $100 already, and simply because I've not bought the specials. I love a bargain, and our stockpile is slowly, slowly growing with the basic grocery items we need. Where I come a cropper is those too good to resist but really not essential specials. The catalogues have been full of them lately, things like Tim Tams and Mint Slice on sale for half price, chips half price, Prima juice boxes half price at Coles, 500g bags of chips - all things we love and would happily enjoy, but even on half-price sale we don't need them and they're not really included in the grocery budget. On top of that, I don't need the extra kilojoules (My Darling doesn't either but don't tell him, he'll deny it). The juice boxes are convenient to grab and put in My Baby's bag for when we're out, but he is just as happy with water. This week alone I've skipped the specials and not spent $22.30 on things that weren't on my list, even if they were on sale. Don't get me wrong, I could have easily bought the Tim Tams, Mint Slice, juice boxes and chips but it is No Spending month and I'd rather use that $22.30 to boost our Emergency Fund. And if I stick to not spending on specials we don't really need, I figure our EF will be around $500 (or more) healthier at the end of the year and my thighs won't be a few thousand kilojoules bigger.
Contributed by Sarah
Save More - Track Your Food Costs!
We all know that tracking our spending helps us save money. So have you ever considered tracking your food spending? Food is the next biggest expense for most of us, next to rent or mortgage payments! If your budget seems to just keep blowing out, start to record every cent you spend on food. Every day for a month write down all the money you spend on food. Not just your weekly groceries, but that latte with the girls, the canteen money for the kids, the fish'n'chips on Friday night. I'm not saying you can't have these things. Just be aware that they are food costs and do have a huge impact on your Spending Plan. If you are trying to keep your food bill and your Spending Plan under control, you may decide that the $35 fish'n'chip takeaway each week just isn't worth it and can be a $15 homemade fish'n'chip dinner instead, instantly keeping $1,040 a year in your bank account!
Saving for Slush Fund or Other Emergencies
I am a zero-based budgeter, I give every dollar a job (Income - Expenses = $0). When I have money left over in an important category (e.g. food, fuel, medical) that money is ALWAYS designated for that category, grocery money is always grocery money, fuel money is always fuel money, even if I only have 5 cent left. I separate this money into an ‘Emergency ...’ jar or small coin purse and take it to the bank and exchange coins for notes when I have enough. This money adds up faster than you think. Emergency grocery money can be used to buy in bulk, to feed unexpected guests without blowing out your budget, or to get extra groceries ahead of a natural disaster. Emergency fuel money can help cover those weeks when the budget is tight, to get extra fuel when prices are cheap, or an emergency trip to visit a sick or injured relative, at the end of the year you could also use this fund to pay for a road trip. My rule of thumb is grocery/fuel/medical money is ALWAYS grocery/fuel/medical money and anything left over in these categories is saved as an emergency fund in that category. You could use this approach towards any essential budget category. As well as saving any unused money I also add to my emergency categories any found money, rebates, bonuses, and unexpected money or gifts. You weren’t counting on this money in your budget anyway, you might as well use it to prepare for a rainy day, because as we all know sooner or later it’s going to rain!
Contributed by Kelly
There are more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
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; 1,800 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.
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
4. Join The Cheapskates Club today!
Did you know that Cheapskates Club members have full access to the Member's Centre every day for a full year? They can login as many times as they like and read the over 12,000 tips in the Tip Store or try the more than 1,800 tried and true frugal recipes in the Recipe File, or print one or all of the over 150 Tip Sheets or join all the fun in the Member's Forum.
There's so much happening in the Member's Centre, with new things being added Every. Single. Day. That's a lot of new information every week! And Cheapskates Club members have full access to all that information for just $20 a year!
So what are you waiting for?
If you want to beat the battle of the bills, and live life debt free, cashed up and laughing, you need the Cheapskates Club.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today and start living the Cheapskates way, debt free, cashed up and laughing!
5. On The Menu
Elephant Ears
My kids loved Elephant Ears when they were younger, they are a great quick treat snack, and they still do. They're a quick and inexpensive treat, and you control the sugar content.
Ingredients:
Tortillas or wraps
Oil
Cinnamon sugar
Method:
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan - usually just use a pastry brush to brush some oil over the bottom of the pan. Add a tortilla, cook for 1 minute. The tortilla will puff up - when this happens, turn. Cook a further minute. Watch, they burn quickly and easily. Turn the heat down if necessary. Remove from the pan and drop into cinnamon sugar immediately. Toss a few times to coat. Cut into wedges and serve. Can be eaten as is or with a yoghurt dip.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Fish, wedges, coleslaw
Tuesday: Spag Bol, garlic bread
Wednesday: Cottage pie, veggies
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Grilled chicken, salad
Saturday: Hamburgers
There are over 1,800 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
Its No Spending Month
This is no spending month, and if you've been following along you'll know that this year, the 22nd year we have done this, we're doing it with a twist.
We're not spending on the usual unnecessary stuff, but we will be spending on other things, by using the money we're not spending on those things. Oh, they're necessary, we all need them. They are groceries!
We are going to be actively building our slush fund during No Spending month, filling that purse or envelope or pencil case or ziplock bag as full as we can with the money don't spend on forbidden things.
Why?
Because there is a plan for this money, and you will need it if you want a really successful No Spending Month.
Login to read the details here
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Marmalade for One
This small batch marmalade is so easy, anyone can make it and it's perfect if you have just one or two oranges to use up, or are a small household or just a household where only one person loves marmalade, like our home. It's so quick and easy you can make a batch while you are getting dinner!
I use my food processor to chop the orange, but you can do it with a knife if you have the patience. Just make the pieces small and even sized so they will cook evenly.
This recipe makes one jar of orange marmalade and it's quick and easy, and done in the microwave, so an easy clean-up too.
Ingredients
1 orange
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice*
1/2 cup sugar
Method:
Wash the orange thoroughly and dry. Cut the orange into quarters and place it into a blender or food processor with the water. Pour the mixture into a large microwave safe bowl. Cook on HIGH for three - five minutes until the orange peel is soft (time will depend on power of your microwave). Add the sugar and stir through. Cook on HIGH for four -five minutes ) again, time will depend on power of your microwave oven). Stir. Test for setting point. If the marmalade isn't setting, cook a further five minutes on HIGH and test again. Setting point for marmalade is between 102C -105C (217F - 222F) depending on how thick and syrupy you like your marmalade. Be careful not to overcook it because it will be very thick and paste-like and the peel will become very, very tough.
When setting point has been reached, pour into a clean, hot, sterilised jar and seal immediately.
*The lemon juice is optional, but it helps to reach setting point and achieve a better set when the marmalade is done.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
8. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
No Spending Month - With a Difference
A Simple Grocery Shopping Challenge
We Call It Zen Spending
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Waist Watchers 2023
Prepaid Master Cards
Week 4: A Workable Home Office
2023 $300 a Month Food Challenge
Latest Tips
RACV for Extra Petrol Savings
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Latest Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Skip the Specials and Save Big for No Spending Month; Save More - Track Your Food Costs;
Saving for Slush Fund or Other Emergencies
3. Share Your Tips -
4. Join The Cheapskates Club
5. On the Menu - Elephant Ears
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - No Spending Month
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Marmalade for One
8. Cheapskates Buzz
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
10. Handmade Christmas Challenge
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to our new Cheapskates Club members, we are so glad you are here! We're a friendly bunch, and we'd love to encourage you on your way to living life debt free, cashed up and laughing, so please remember to pop over to the Member's Forum and introduce yourself, and feel free to ask questions and share your favourite ways to save money, time and energy.
I think all the kids are back to school this week. It's a bit of a happy/sad time of year. I always missed the kids when they went back to school, but I was happy they had that structure back in their days and had regular contact with their friends after a long summer of being on holiday.
But of course that means it's the start of February and that of course means it's No Spending Month. This year we're tackling this spending freeze with a bit of a difference and I hope you join in, it will be worth it. You can login to find out how to get started on this no spending challenge with a bit of a difference.
It's raining! And I have washing on the line, so have a great week everyone and remember: no spending. I'm off to get that washing in before it gets too wet!
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
Skip the Specials and Save Big for No Spending Month
No Spending month has boosted our savings by almost $100 already, and simply because I've not bought the specials. I love a bargain, and our stockpile is slowly, slowly growing with the basic grocery items we need. Where I come a cropper is those too good to resist but really not essential specials. The catalogues have been full of them lately, things like Tim Tams and Mint Slice on sale for half price, chips half price, Prima juice boxes half price at Coles, 500g bags of chips - all things we love and would happily enjoy, but even on half-price sale we don't need them and they're not really included in the grocery budget. On top of that, I don't need the extra kilojoules (My Darling doesn't either but don't tell him, he'll deny it). The juice boxes are convenient to grab and put in My Baby's bag for when we're out, but he is just as happy with water. This week alone I've skipped the specials and not spent $22.30 on things that weren't on my list, even if they were on sale. Don't get me wrong, I could have easily bought the Tim Tams, Mint Slice, juice boxes and chips but it is No Spending month and I'd rather use that $22.30 to boost our Emergency Fund. And if I stick to not spending on specials we don't really need, I figure our EF will be around $500 (or more) healthier at the end of the year and my thighs won't be a few thousand kilojoules bigger.
Contributed by Sarah
Save More - Track Your Food Costs!
We all know that tracking our spending helps us save money. So have you ever considered tracking your food spending? Food is the next biggest expense for most of us, next to rent or mortgage payments! If your budget seems to just keep blowing out, start to record every cent you spend on food. Every day for a month write down all the money you spend on food. Not just your weekly groceries, but that latte with the girls, the canteen money for the kids, the fish'n'chips on Friday night. I'm not saying you can't have these things. Just be aware that they are food costs and do have a huge impact on your Spending Plan. If you are trying to keep your food bill and your Spending Plan under control, you may decide that the $35 fish'n'chip takeaway each week just isn't worth it and can be a $15 homemade fish'n'chip dinner instead, instantly keeping $1,040 a year in your bank account!
Saving for Slush Fund or Other Emergencies
I am a zero-based budgeter, I give every dollar a job (Income - Expenses = $0). When I have money left over in an important category (e.g. food, fuel, medical) that money is ALWAYS designated for that category, grocery money is always grocery money, fuel money is always fuel money, even if I only have 5 cent left. I separate this money into an ‘Emergency ...’ jar or small coin purse and take it to the bank and exchange coins for notes when I have enough. This money adds up faster than you think. Emergency grocery money can be used to buy in bulk, to feed unexpected guests without blowing out your budget, or to get extra groceries ahead of a natural disaster. Emergency fuel money can help cover those weeks when the budget is tight, to get extra fuel when prices are cheap, or an emergency trip to visit a sick or injured relative, at the end of the year you could also use this fund to pay for a road trip. My rule of thumb is grocery/fuel/medical money is ALWAYS grocery/fuel/medical money and anything left over in these categories is saved as an emergency fund in that category. You could use this approach towards any essential budget category. As well as saving any unused money I also add to my emergency categories any found money, rebates, bonuses, and unexpected money or gifts. You weren’t counting on this money in your budget anyway, you might as well use it to prepare for a rainy day, because as we all know sooner or later it’s going to rain!
Contributed by Kelly
There are more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
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; 1,800 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.
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
4. Join The Cheapskates Club today!
Did you know that Cheapskates Club members have full access to the Member's Centre every day for a full year? They can login as many times as they like and read the over 12,000 tips in the Tip Store or try the more than 1,800 tried and true frugal recipes in the Recipe File, or print one or all of the over 150 Tip Sheets or join all the fun in the Member's Forum.
There's so much happening in the Member's Centre, with new things being added Every. Single. Day. That's a lot of new information every week! And Cheapskates Club members have full access to all that information for just $20 a year!
So what are you waiting for?
If you want to beat the battle of the bills, and live life debt free, cashed up and laughing, you need the Cheapskates Club.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today and start living the Cheapskates way, debt free, cashed up and laughing!
5. On The Menu
Elephant Ears
My kids loved Elephant Ears when they were younger, they are a great quick treat snack, and they still do. They're a quick and inexpensive treat, and you control the sugar content.
Ingredients:
Tortillas or wraps
Oil
Cinnamon sugar
Method:
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan - usually just use a pastry brush to brush some oil over the bottom of the pan. Add a tortilla, cook for 1 minute. The tortilla will puff up - when this happens, turn. Cook a further minute. Watch, they burn quickly and easily. Turn the heat down if necessary. Remove from the pan and drop into cinnamon sugar immediately. Toss a few times to coat. Cut into wedges and serve. Can be eaten as is or with a yoghurt dip.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Fish, wedges, coleslaw
Tuesday: Spag Bol, garlic bread
Wednesday: Cottage pie, veggies
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Grilled chicken, salad
Saturday: Hamburgers
There are over 1,800 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
Its No Spending Month
This is no spending month, and if you've been following along you'll know that this year, the 22nd year we have done this, we're doing it with a twist.
We're not spending on the usual unnecessary stuff, but we will be spending on other things, by using the money we're not spending on those things. Oh, they're necessary, we all need them. They are groceries!
We are going to be actively building our slush fund during No Spending month, filling that purse or envelope or pencil case or ziplock bag as full as we can with the money don't spend on forbidden things.
Why?
Because there is a plan for this money, and you will need it if you want a really successful No Spending Month.
Login to read the details here
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Marmalade for One
This small batch marmalade is so easy, anyone can make it and it's perfect if you have just one or two oranges to use up, or are a small household or just a household where only one person loves marmalade, like our home. It's so quick and easy you can make a batch while you are getting dinner!
I use my food processor to chop the orange, but you can do it with a knife if you have the patience. Just make the pieces small and even sized so they will cook evenly.
This recipe makes one jar of orange marmalade and it's quick and easy, and done in the microwave, so an easy clean-up too.
Ingredients
1 orange
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice*
1/2 cup sugar
Method:
Wash the orange thoroughly and dry. Cut the orange into quarters and place it into a blender or food processor with the water. Pour the mixture into a large microwave safe bowl. Cook on HIGH for three - five minutes until the orange peel is soft (time will depend on power of your microwave). Add the sugar and stir through. Cook on HIGH for four -five minutes ) again, time will depend on power of your microwave oven). Stir. Test for setting point. If the marmalade isn't setting, cook a further five minutes on HIGH and test again. Setting point for marmalade is between 102C -105C (217F - 222F) depending on how thick and syrupy you like your marmalade. Be careful not to overcook it because it will be very thick and paste-like and the peel will become very, very tough.
When setting point has been reached, pour into a clean, hot, sterilised jar and seal immediately.
*The lemon juice is optional, but it helps to reach setting point and achieve a better set when the marmalade is done.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
8. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
No Spending Month - With a Difference
A Simple Grocery Shopping Challenge
We Call It Zen Spending
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Waist Watchers 2023
Prepaid Master Cards
Week 4: A Workable Home Office
2023 $300 a Month Food Challenge
Latest Tips
RACV for Extra Petrol Savings
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Latest Shows
10. Handmade Christmas Challenge
Week 4
Did you get much done last week?
I was able to add a few things to the present box before the dreaded lurgy hit.
I played around with etching on jars. I am thrilled with the results so far. I've etched "jam" onto some jars of the blueberry jam; "orange marmalade" onto some jars of marmalade I made using up oranges this week; "pickles" went onto the jars of pickled cucumbers and burger pickles I made. I did a bit of a show and tell on Tuesday night.
I'm running a bit behind with photos, I really need to remember to keep my phone nearby, but it's not something I keep next to me all the time, so it may take a few weeks.
I did some sewing and planned what to make during February. It's No Spending Month so everything I make, bake, sew or grow will have to use materials and ingredients from my stash. Perhaps this could be sub-titled Stash Buster Month.
And as always I worked on some cards.
Don't forget to check in for our Make It Monday show and tell over at Cheapskates Chatter, we'd love to see what you've made.
Handmade Christmas Central
The Handmade Christmas Forum
11. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $20 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 for a full year.
That's unlimited 24/7 access to EVERYTHING in the Member's Centre!
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
12. 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 either signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
13. 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
www.cheapskatesclub.net
Week 4
Did you get much done last week?
I was able to add a few things to the present box before the dreaded lurgy hit.
I played around with etching on jars. I am thrilled with the results so far. I've etched "jam" onto some jars of the blueberry jam; "orange marmalade" onto some jars of marmalade I made using up oranges this week; "pickles" went onto the jars of pickled cucumbers and burger pickles I made. I did a bit of a show and tell on Tuesday night.
I'm running a bit behind with photos, I really need to remember to keep my phone nearby, but it's not something I keep next to me all the time, so it may take a few weeks.
I did some sewing and planned what to make during February. It's No Spending Month so everything I make, bake, sew or grow will have to use materials and ingredients from my stash. Perhaps this could be sub-titled Stash Buster Month.
And as always I worked on some cards.
Don't forget to check in for our Make It Monday show and tell over at Cheapskates Chatter, we'd love to see what you've made.
Handmade Christmas Central
The Handmade Christmas Forum
11. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $20 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 for a full year.
That's unlimited 24/7 access to EVERYTHING in the Member's Centre!
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
12. 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 either signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
13. 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
www.cheapskatesclub.net