Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter: 06:14 Bright ideas to save you money
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Fake Double Glazing, Oh So Easy Jewellery Storage, Super Cheap and Effective Head Lice Treatment
3. Submit Your Tip - Share your favourite tip for a chance to win
4. Living Green in 2014 - Setting Up a Recycling System that Works
5. On the Menu with Anne - Cool Treats to Enjoy When it's Hot
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Menu Planning
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - Trudging On by Laurab
9. Last Week's Question - My citrus trees are sick!
10. This Week's Question - How to keep the cat tray fresh?
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Gift Memberships
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
How are you going with the No Spend challenge? I'm hearing great things from many of you, well done. I laughed at Lou's idea of just locking the doors and tossing the keys outside. I'm not sure it's safe, though it could be a good way to stay out of the shops.
The only money I've spent this week was on a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread (it's been too hot to bake bread) and today I'll be buying eggs. Hannah was going to buy some fabric to make a cover for her sewing machine but a look through the stash and she's happy. Now we just need to get the cover made. She was also looking for vintage dress patterns at the op shop until I reminded her that between my pattern collection and Grandma's pattern collection she'd have a huge choice of "vintage" patterns. Vintage! That sure made me feel old.
So what are you going to do with the money you save? Maureen is aiming for $500 to put towards a backyard renovation. Sounds like a great goal Maureen, don't forget to send us some photos when it's all done.
As we go into week two you might start to feel withdrawals. Spending is addictive so remember the less you give in to it, the less you want to spend. If you think you might forget the challenge, stay away from the shops. If you need something send someone else, with a list and the exact money (you can easily get the price for most things online). And stay off the likes of eBay, Gumtree and other shopping websites!
Good luck, stay strong and remember: no spending
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!
PPS: You can read this newsletter and past copies on the website in the Newsletter Archive.
2. From The Tip Store
Fake Double Glazing
Approximate $ Savings: $10
I have put bubble wrap on the western windows of our unit. Bubble side facing the window and taped all around the edges on the glass so it won't peel the paint when we move out. This has cut the afternoon heat by at least half; especially good considering it is our bedroom and a big window.
Contributed by Jodie Crowe
Oh So Easy Jewellery Storage
Approximate $ Savings: Time is money : $100 p.a.
Enforced time indoors due to the heat. Time to tidy? What? Jewellery! The ear rings, after the girls have been into them, can never find the matching one quickly. Found a small canvas, saved because? Had a plastic skirt hanger. Used my favourite tool: cheap shop glue that is highly recommended as it glues most things to each other. 10/10 Pierced canvas for pierced ear rings. Glued a loop across the bottom of the canvas for the clip ons. Then, and this is the best bit, used a generous amount of glue along the ridge at the base of the hanger, same on canvas, waited the going off time of around 30 minutes, pushed it together and it is there for the life of the equipment used.
Contributed by Carol Ryan
Super Cheap and Effective Head Lice Treatment
Approximate $ Savings: $10 - 15 per treatment
Now that the children are heading back to school, for some this will mean dealing with head lice and nits. Over the counter shampoos are very expensive, smell horrible and caused rashes in my children. I found the easy and cheap way of killing the nits was to get a cup of super cheap hair conditioner and adding 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of tea tree oil and lavender oil (all available from supermarkets). Cover the hair liberally with the conditioner mix and leave for 15 minutes. Comb with a lice comb as usual and wash out. Repeat after 7 days as with the bought brands. This mixture actually seems to kill the eggs as well as the adult lice. It also smells nice and is safe for more sensitive skins. The main thing was that it cost us pennies to treat the whole family.
Contributed by Sara Hewitt
There are more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. 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
4. Living Green in 2014
Setting Up a Recycling System that Works
Setting up a recycling system will also help the planet and the house stay in tip top shape. Help your children get to grips with the system by clearly labelling everything and showing them where things go.
In the kitchen have a bucket, bowl or bin for food scraps, dust bunnies and other compostable stuff. Label it "compost" so everyone knows what it's for. You could include a list of things to go in the bucket to remind the family just what to put in the bucket.
Have a bin for papers, tins, bottles and other plastics. On this bin you could put a list of plastics that can go in it - not all plastics are accepted for recycling. By culling the ones that aren't accepted you are helping keep recycling costs down. If you're not sure what your council accepts, give them a call and ask. They can tell you over the phone and most councils will send you a leaflet unique to their recycling program. Or look it up on their website.
Before you recycle paper, make sure it can't be use again. Envelopes can be turned inside out and used for notes, shopping lists, phone messages and so on. Check the backs of flyers and bills; if they are blank use them as notepaper.
Did you know that recycling just one aluminium can saves enough electricity to power a television set for three hours? Wow! They can also be returned for a refund in some states. South Australia and the Northern Territory have a container deposit scheme where cans can be returned for a refund of the deposit. Collecting cans is a great way for kids to earn a little pocket money so you may like to have a separate bin or box just for aluminium cans if you live in South Australia or the Northern Territory.
Having a set-up recycling station means the whole family can get on board. It's easy, doesn't cost you anything and doesn't take any more time. There really are no excuses for not recycling.
5. On the Menu with Anne
Cool Treats to Enjoy While its Hot
February is our hottest month - wow! If the past week is early February, I can only hope it doesn't get any hotter! The heat takes appetites away, so here are some easy, reasonably healthful cool treats everyone can enjoy on a hot summer day.
This is a recipe I've been making since I found it in the Recipe File. We love it, especially as I buy apples by the box. It was contributed by Linda Swift and oh boy is it good.
Apple Ice Cream
Want guilt free ice-cream with no fat cane sugar or salt? Cheap as an apple and the family will love it. Get an apple and put it in the freezer, skin and all for 8 hours. Next peel and slice and dice. Take out the core. Put it through the food processor or vitamiser. It will fluff up like light, soft snow. Drizzle with passion fruit and enjoy. It tastes like a cross between sorbet and ice-cream and is as sweet as the apple you buy. One apple serves 2. The family will be amazed and your waistline will not suffer either. You can do the same with banana (if you can afford it) and kiwi fruit.
Choc Coated Nougat Ice-cream Balls
I found this recipe on a piece of paper stashed in one of my recipe books, so I don't know who gave it to me, but it sounds divine. I buy all the ingredients for this dessert from Aldi. You'll find the nougat at the checkout.
Ingredients:
2 litres vanilla ice cream
2 large nougat bars, chopped into small pieces
200g good quality milk chocolate
Method:
Soften the ice cream and mix the chopped nougat through. Refreeze until hard. Use a melon baller to scoop ice cream into balls. Open freeze until they are very hard. Melt the chocolate and cool slightly. Put another baking sheet into the freezer to get cold. Very quickly dip the ice cream balls into the chocolate and put onto the icy cold tray to help the chocolate set and the ice cream from melting. Put them back into the freezer to set.
Ice Cream Slice
Ingredients:
1 tin condensed milk
1 600 ml cream
2 pkts malt biscuits
250g pkt of choc coated honeycomb
Method:
Beat cream, fold in condensed milk and crushed choc- honeycomb. Layer one packet of biscuits in bottom of lamington tray (lined with paper). Place cream and chocolate mixture on top, then put another layer of biscuits on top of that. Cover with cling wrap, (loosely). Place in freezer to set. Cut and serve.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Corn fritters and salad
Saturday: Greek salad with sliced lamb
Sunday: Roast chicken, baked vegetables
Monday: Mushroom quiche, wedges, salad
Tuesday: Pasta carbonara, tossed salad
Wednesday: Barbecue Meatloaf, tossed salad
Thursday: Curried tuna slice, tossed salad
In the fruit bowl: Oranges, lemons, grapes, peaches
In the cake tin: Lemon Ginger Slice, Fantasy Slice, Gingersnaps
There are over 1,300 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Welcome to another week of learning about the $300 food challenge.
This week's topic is menu plans. To begin with, write out a list of everything you can cook that can be eaten as a main meal (of sorts). The list can include elaborate meals or very simple ones like fish fingers or toasted sandwiches. They all count. This is where you can get your family involved. It can be a bit hard to remember every meal you have cooked, so ask your family for their favourites Then go through your recipe books to see if you have cooked (or could cook) any meals from them.
Your list might start off small. Don't be alarmed. I started off with a very small a list of meals many years ago. Every now and then I remember one from long ago and add it on. My personal aim is to add one new meal a year to the list. I'm now up to forty five main meals (including fish fingers).
Once you have a list of sorts going, pick a time frame for the menu you write. I do a menu plan for the month as I shop once a month. If you shop weekly, then a weekly plan could work for you. Then work out how often you want to eat certain types of meats. For example my menu might be mince x2, chicken x1, fish x1, sausages x1, chops / lamb x1. We don't eat meat or main meals on Sundays because we are quite often busy with church or family functions that involve big meals. I also see Sunday as my day off from the kitchen after cooking every other night of the week. Maybe you could include a lazy meal into your plan. Lazy meals for us are toasted sandwiches, pasta and tomato sauce, homemade soup and toast, tinned spag and baked beans etc. etc.
You could write your menu on paper, in a book or type it on the computer, whatever works for you. I write mine on paper and put it on the side of the fridge for the family to see. When they ask "what's for dinner? ", I tell them to look on the fridge. With my monthly menu plan, I can slot in 26+ different types of meals. I also make sure I don't have the same type of meat two nights running. With this type of plan, my family looks forward to every meal I cook. Long gone are the days of standing in front of the pantry with no idea of what to cook. In those early days I would resort to spag bol or chop suey at least once a week. Now I'm lucky if I can fit those meals in once a month. Variety really does keep the family interested.
Here are some handy tips for successful menu planning -
* Write a different menu for Summer and Winter
* Keep old menus if they worked well and reuse them
* Write a menu with your calendar close by.
* Plan time consuming meals on days that you have more time
* Be flexible. Something comes up from time to time
* Defrost your meat in the fridge. If you need to change you menu around, the meat should be safe for another day
* If you have a veg garden, write the menu around the vegies you are picking
* Write in a night for having takeaway. When the family can see it coming up, they'll be excited
* Include items you already have on hand
Having a menu plan will save you so much time. No more standing in front of the pantry wondering what to have. You'll save lots of money by not wasting what you already have on hand. You'll eat healthier too as takeaway will be limited to allotted dates. Stress is eased as the meal is already planned.
Do you menu plan? How do you plan what to eat each night?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!!!
Download our free What's for Dinner? weekly meal planner
Members can log in to read:
Menu Planning 101
Dinner Planning & Grocery Shopping
Mindful Menus on a Budget
Why Meal Planning Makes Sense
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2344-300-a-month-food-challenge-3-02-14&p=38074
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
7.Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Kale
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2339-Kale
Getting Back on Track
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2342-Getting-Back-on-Track
Reduce Reuse Recycle
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2314-Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
Most popular blog posts this week
The Perfect Roast Potato
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/12/perfect-roast-potato.html
Gardener's Soap
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/12/gardeners-soap.html
What Survived, What Thrived and What Died During the Heat Wave
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/what-survived-what-thrived-and-what.html
8. Member's 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 Laurab.
Trudging On
I leave for Vegas tomorrow! Off to see my darling boy who has been working in the US for the past 2 weeks and will be there until March. Going for his birthday on the 31st and definitely have to say this is the MOST money I've EVER spent on a birthday present. It's going to be great though. My savings can handle it so I've decided to let go of worry for the duration. It's only 7 days and once I get back I have students moving back in and uni starts again for the first time in nearly a decade (cripes I feel old). So I deserve a worry free break.
I've been a bit spendy this past week and have gone out a bit more than I should have, financially. But the excuse of "let's do lunch" to go out and see people is very hard lure to ignore when you're not used to living alone. I discussed that with friend who's also back to uni this year and we're going to bring our own lunch each day and will meet up with that on any days that mesh well. I'm going to dust off my old bento box and reacquaint myself with the blogs I used to read. Not for the cute bento stuff, just for interesting ideas of what to bring.
Knitting was restarted after all that heat last week. I have cast on a sock! I haven't had much luck with socks in the past. I've made one (too big) and another sits lonely in my craft drawer as I don't like it. Hopefully this one will work. I'm taking it with me on the plane so hopefully that will inspire me to just get it done. There is only so many scarves and things one can have!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Marg who wrote "My citrus trees need help. They have a black powdery fungus looking coating on trunk and some branches spreading to the leaves. Can any one tell me what I can make/use to clear it up? Thank you in anticipation of lots of useful tips."
Coral Coulton answered
Sooty mould forms on leaves and stems and is a fungal problem but it doesn’t need to be treated with fungicide. Sooty mould actually indicates there is an insect pest, such as white fly. These are sap sucking insects, often found on the undersides of leaves, especially during the cooler weather. These suck sap from the leaves and secrete a sweet honeydew which drips onto the foliage and the sooty mould grows in the secretion. To treat white fly use an oil based spray. Commercial products are available but Peter Cundall’s recipe works well. Use about a cup of ordinary cooking oil, a half a cup of water and a tiny amount of ordinary washing-up detergent. This is known as white oil. Put it in water, so it's about 40 parts water to one of this mixture. Stir it up and spray it on.
Robyne Neal answered
My Mum years ago only used to throw a bucket of soapy washing water from the washing machine over her fruit trees. She had beautiful fruit and no problems with her citrus trees. Dad used to dig in shavings from a drill once a year.
Denise Whiting answered
Triforine diluted in water to the recommended rate, as stated on the back of the bottle, should help the mildew problem, on the citrus tree.
Do you have a question that needs an answer?
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Ask Your Question
10. This Week's Question
Scott writes
"Can anyone tell me what I can add to Kitty Litter to reduce or get rid of the ammonia smell from the cats urine. Also does anyone make their own Kitty Litter. If so how?"
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Scott 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
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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!
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12. Gift Memberships
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Click here to order a gift membership right now!
13. Frequently Asked Questions
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14. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
www.cheapskates.com.au
[email protected]
2. In the Tip Store - Fake Double Glazing, Oh So Easy Jewellery Storage, Super Cheap and Effective Head Lice Treatment
3. Submit Your Tip - Share your favourite tip for a chance to win
4. Living Green in 2014 - Setting Up a Recycling System that Works
5. On the Menu with Anne - Cool Treats to Enjoy When it's Hot
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Menu Planning
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - Trudging On by Laurab
9. Last Week's Question - My citrus trees are sick!
10. This Week's Question - How to keep the cat tray fresh?
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Gift Memberships
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
How are you going with the No Spend challenge? I'm hearing great things from many of you, well done. I laughed at Lou's idea of just locking the doors and tossing the keys outside. I'm not sure it's safe, though it could be a good way to stay out of the shops.
The only money I've spent this week was on a bottle of milk, a loaf of bread (it's been too hot to bake bread) and today I'll be buying eggs. Hannah was going to buy some fabric to make a cover for her sewing machine but a look through the stash and she's happy. Now we just need to get the cover made. She was also looking for vintage dress patterns at the op shop until I reminded her that between my pattern collection and Grandma's pattern collection she'd have a huge choice of "vintage" patterns. Vintage! That sure made me feel old.
So what are you going to do with the money you save? Maureen is aiming for $500 to put towards a backyard renovation. Sounds like a great goal Maureen, don't forget to send us some photos when it's all done.
As we go into week two you might start to feel withdrawals. Spending is addictive so remember the less you give in to it, the less you want to spend. If you think you might forget the challenge, stay away from the shops. If you need something send someone else, with a list and the exact money (you can easily get the price for most things online). And stay off the likes of eBay, Gumtree and other shopping websites!
Good luck, stay strong and remember: no spending
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!
PPS: You can read this newsletter and past copies on the website in the Newsletter Archive.
2. From The Tip Store
Fake Double Glazing
Approximate $ Savings: $10
I have put bubble wrap on the western windows of our unit. Bubble side facing the window and taped all around the edges on the glass so it won't peel the paint when we move out. This has cut the afternoon heat by at least half; especially good considering it is our bedroom and a big window.
Contributed by Jodie Crowe
Oh So Easy Jewellery Storage
Approximate $ Savings: Time is money : $100 p.a.
Enforced time indoors due to the heat. Time to tidy? What? Jewellery! The ear rings, after the girls have been into them, can never find the matching one quickly. Found a small canvas, saved because? Had a plastic skirt hanger. Used my favourite tool: cheap shop glue that is highly recommended as it glues most things to each other. 10/10 Pierced canvas for pierced ear rings. Glued a loop across the bottom of the canvas for the clip ons. Then, and this is the best bit, used a generous amount of glue along the ridge at the base of the hanger, same on canvas, waited the going off time of around 30 minutes, pushed it together and it is there for the life of the equipment used.
Contributed by Carol Ryan
Super Cheap and Effective Head Lice Treatment
Approximate $ Savings: $10 - 15 per treatment
Now that the children are heading back to school, for some this will mean dealing with head lice and nits. Over the counter shampoos are very expensive, smell horrible and caused rashes in my children. I found the easy and cheap way of killing the nits was to get a cup of super cheap hair conditioner and adding 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of tea tree oil and lavender oil (all available from supermarkets). Cover the hair liberally with the conditioner mix and leave for 15 minutes. Comb with a lice comb as usual and wash out. Repeat after 7 days as with the bought brands. This mixture actually seems to kill the eggs as well as the adult lice. It also smells nice and is safe for more sensitive skins. The main thing was that it cost us pennies to treat the whole family.
Contributed by Sara Hewitt
There are more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. 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
4. Living Green in 2014
Setting Up a Recycling System that Works
Setting up a recycling system will also help the planet and the house stay in tip top shape. Help your children get to grips with the system by clearly labelling everything and showing them where things go.
In the kitchen have a bucket, bowl or bin for food scraps, dust bunnies and other compostable stuff. Label it "compost" so everyone knows what it's for. You could include a list of things to go in the bucket to remind the family just what to put in the bucket.
Have a bin for papers, tins, bottles and other plastics. On this bin you could put a list of plastics that can go in it - not all plastics are accepted for recycling. By culling the ones that aren't accepted you are helping keep recycling costs down. If you're not sure what your council accepts, give them a call and ask. They can tell you over the phone and most councils will send you a leaflet unique to their recycling program. Or look it up on their website.
Before you recycle paper, make sure it can't be use again. Envelopes can be turned inside out and used for notes, shopping lists, phone messages and so on. Check the backs of flyers and bills; if they are blank use them as notepaper.
Did you know that recycling just one aluminium can saves enough electricity to power a television set for three hours? Wow! They can also be returned for a refund in some states. South Australia and the Northern Territory have a container deposit scheme where cans can be returned for a refund of the deposit. Collecting cans is a great way for kids to earn a little pocket money so you may like to have a separate bin or box just for aluminium cans if you live in South Australia or the Northern Territory.
Having a set-up recycling station means the whole family can get on board. It's easy, doesn't cost you anything and doesn't take any more time. There really are no excuses for not recycling.
5. On the Menu with Anne
Cool Treats to Enjoy While its Hot
February is our hottest month - wow! If the past week is early February, I can only hope it doesn't get any hotter! The heat takes appetites away, so here are some easy, reasonably healthful cool treats everyone can enjoy on a hot summer day.
This is a recipe I've been making since I found it in the Recipe File. We love it, especially as I buy apples by the box. It was contributed by Linda Swift and oh boy is it good.
Apple Ice Cream
Want guilt free ice-cream with no fat cane sugar or salt? Cheap as an apple and the family will love it. Get an apple and put it in the freezer, skin and all for 8 hours. Next peel and slice and dice. Take out the core. Put it through the food processor or vitamiser. It will fluff up like light, soft snow. Drizzle with passion fruit and enjoy. It tastes like a cross between sorbet and ice-cream and is as sweet as the apple you buy. One apple serves 2. The family will be amazed and your waistline will not suffer either. You can do the same with banana (if you can afford it) and kiwi fruit.
Choc Coated Nougat Ice-cream Balls
I found this recipe on a piece of paper stashed in one of my recipe books, so I don't know who gave it to me, but it sounds divine. I buy all the ingredients for this dessert from Aldi. You'll find the nougat at the checkout.
Ingredients:
2 litres vanilla ice cream
2 large nougat bars, chopped into small pieces
200g good quality milk chocolate
Method:
Soften the ice cream and mix the chopped nougat through. Refreeze until hard. Use a melon baller to scoop ice cream into balls. Open freeze until they are very hard. Melt the chocolate and cool slightly. Put another baking sheet into the freezer to get cold. Very quickly dip the ice cream balls into the chocolate and put onto the icy cold tray to help the chocolate set and the ice cream from melting. Put them back into the freezer to set.
Ice Cream Slice
Ingredients:
1 tin condensed milk
1 600 ml cream
2 pkts malt biscuits
250g pkt of choc coated honeycomb
Method:
Beat cream, fold in condensed milk and crushed choc- honeycomb. Layer one packet of biscuits in bottom of lamington tray (lined with paper). Place cream and chocolate mixture on top, then put another layer of biscuits on top of that. Cover with cling wrap, (loosely). Place in freezer to set. Cut and serve.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Corn fritters and salad
Saturday: Greek salad with sliced lamb
Sunday: Roast chicken, baked vegetables
Monday: Mushroom quiche, wedges, salad
Tuesday: Pasta carbonara, tossed salad
Wednesday: Barbecue Meatloaf, tossed salad
Thursday: Curried tuna slice, tossed salad
In the fruit bowl: Oranges, lemons, grapes, peaches
In the cake tin: Lemon Ginger Slice, Fantasy Slice, Gingersnaps
There are over 1,300 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Welcome to another week of learning about the $300 food challenge.
This week's topic is menu plans. To begin with, write out a list of everything you can cook that can be eaten as a main meal (of sorts). The list can include elaborate meals or very simple ones like fish fingers or toasted sandwiches. They all count. This is where you can get your family involved. It can be a bit hard to remember every meal you have cooked, so ask your family for their favourites Then go through your recipe books to see if you have cooked (or could cook) any meals from them.
Your list might start off small. Don't be alarmed. I started off with a very small a list of meals many years ago. Every now and then I remember one from long ago and add it on. My personal aim is to add one new meal a year to the list. I'm now up to forty five main meals (including fish fingers).
Once you have a list of sorts going, pick a time frame for the menu you write. I do a menu plan for the month as I shop once a month. If you shop weekly, then a weekly plan could work for you. Then work out how often you want to eat certain types of meats. For example my menu might be mince x2, chicken x1, fish x1, sausages x1, chops / lamb x1. We don't eat meat or main meals on Sundays because we are quite often busy with church or family functions that involve big meals. I also see Sunday as my day off from the kitchen after cooking every other night of the week. Maybe you could include a lazy meal into your plan. Lazy meals for us are toasted sandwiches, pasta and tomato sauce, homemade soup and toast, tinned spag and baked beans etc. etc.
You could write your menu on paper, in a book or type it on the computer, whatever works for you. I write mine on paper and put it on the side of the fridge for the family to see. When they ask "what's for dinner? ", I tell them to look on the fridge. With my monthly menu plan, I can slot in 26+ different types of meals. I also make sure I don't have the same type of meat two nights running. With this type of plan, my family looks forward to every meal I cook. Long gone are the days of standing in front of the pantry with no idea of what to cook. In those early days I would resort to spag bol or chop suey at least once a week. Now I'm lucky if I can fit those meals in once a month. Variety really does keep the family interested.
Here are some handy tips for successful menu planning -
* Write a different menu for Summer and Winter
* Keep old menus if they worked well and reuse them
* Write a menu with your calendar close by.
* Plan time consuming meals on days that you have more time
* Be flexible. Something comes up from time to time
* Defrost your meat in the fridge. If you need to change you menu around, the meat should be safe for another day
* If you have a veg garden, write the menu around the vegies you are picking
* Write in a night for having takeaway. When the family can see it coming up, they'll be excited
* Include items you already have on hand
Having a menu plan will save you so much time. No more standing in front of the pantry wondering what to have. You'll save lots of money by not wasting what you already have on hand. You'll eat healthier too as takeaway will be limited to allotted dates. Stress is eased as the meal is already planned.
Do you menu plan? How do you plan what to eat each night?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!!!
Download our free What's for Dinner? weekly meal planner
Members can log in to read:
Menu Planning 101
Dinner Planning & Grocery Shopping
Mindful Menus on a Budget
Why Meal Planning Makes Sense
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2344-300-a-month-food-challenge-3-02-14&p=38074
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
7.Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Kale
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2339-Kale
Getting Back on Track
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2342-Getting-Back-on-Track
Reduce Reuse Recycle
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2314-Reduce-Reuse-Recycle
Most popular blog posts this week
The Perfect Roast Potato
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/12/perfect-roast-potato.html
Gardener's Soap
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/12/gardeners-soap.html
What Survived, What Thrived and What Died During the Heat Wave
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/what-survived-what-thrived-and-what.html
8. Member's 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 Laurab.
Trudging On
I leave for Vegas tomorrow! Off to see my darling boy who has been working in the US for the past 2 weeks and will be there until March. Going for his birthday on the 31st and definitely have to say this is the MOST money I've EVER spent on a birthday present. It's going to be great though. My savings can handle it so I've decided to let go of worry for the duration. It's only 7 days and once I get back I have students moving back in and uni starts again for the first time in nearly a decade (cripes I feel old). So I deserve a worry free break.
I've been a bit spendy this past week and have gone out a bit more than I should have, financially. But the excuse of "let's do lunch" to go out and see people is very hard lure to ignore when you're not used to living alone. I discussed that with friend who's also back to uni this year and we're going to bring our own lunch each day and will meet up with that on any days that mesh well. I'm going to dust off my old bento box and reacquaint myself with the blogs I used to read. Not for the cute bento stuff, just for interesting ideas of what to bring.
Knitting was restarted after all that heat last week. I have cast on a sock! I haven't had much luck with socks in the past. I've made one (too big) and another sits lonely in my craft drawer as I don't like it. Hopefully this one will work. I'm taking it with me on the plane so hopefully that will inspire me to just get it done. There is only so many scarves and things one can have!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Marg who wrote "My citrus trees need help. They have a black powdery fungus looking coating on trunk and some branches spreading to the leaves. Can any one tell me what I can make/use to clear it up? Thank you in anticipation of lots of useful tips."
Coral Coulton answered
Sooty mould forms on leaves and stems and is a fungal problem but it doesn’t need to be treated with fungicide. Sooty mould actually indicates there is an insect pest, such as white fly. These are sap sucking insects, often found on the undersides of leaves, especially during the cooler weather. These suck sap from the leaves and secrete a sweet honeydew which drips onto the foliage and the sooty mould grows in the secretion. To treat white fly use an oil based spray. Commercial products are available but Peter Cundall’s recipe works well. Use about a cup of ordinary cooking oil, a half a cup of water and a tiny amount of ordinary washing-up detergent. This is known as white oil. Put it in water, so it's about 40 parts water to one of this mixture. Stir it up and spray it on.
Robyne Neal answered
My Mum years ago only used to throw a bucket of soapy washing water from the washing machine over her fruit trees. She had beautiful fruit and no problems with her citrus trees. Dad used to dig in shavings from a drill once a year.
Denise Whiting answered
Triforine diluted in water to the recommended rate, as stated on the back of the bottle, should help the mildew problem, on the citrus tree.
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10. This Week's Question
Scott writes
"Can anyone tell me what I can add to Kitty Litter to reduce or get rid of the ammonia smell from the cats urine. Also does anyone make their own Kitty Litter. If so how?"
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