Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 07:23
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Three Tips for a Successful Spending Freeze
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Refrigerator Lasagne
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Using What You Have
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Oven Fries
7. Cheapskates Buzz
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Handmade Christmas - Week 6
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to another newsletter and another week of living the Cheapskates way.
This last week, we finally made 5,000 subscribers to our YouTube channel, and I was so excited on Tuesday night to give away a Sunbeam Foodlab Electronic Dehydrator to Catherine Kennedy. I'm still thrilled to know who the new owner of this wonderful kitchen tool is. And it's on it's way to Catherine as I write.
Congratulations Catherine, I know you will love your dehydrator and put it to good use preserving food and building your pantry.
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to our channel, and to everyone who takes the time to watch our videos, leave comments (I read every comment) and share the videos with friends and family. You made the 5,000 subscriber mark possible.
I can't wait till our channel reaches 10,000!
Have a great week everyone.
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
Three tips for a successful spending freeze:
1. Clean out your pantry.
The grocery bill is the one bill you have complete and utter control over. You control how much you spend on groceries, so for No Spending Month, tackle the grocery bill first. You can do this by cleaning out the pantry (and fridge and freezer and stockpile if you have one). During No Spending Month aim to use up all the groceries you have in the house. You'll need to do a couple of inventories, and make a meal plan. And you'll probably end up with some odd meals, but it's only for 28 days, not forever. Once you've done the meal plan you can make up your very small shopping list of things you need to fill in the gaps - then stick to it! It defeats the purpose if you ignore your hard work and shop the way you would normally.
2. Don't be shy, tell everyone you know that you're participating in No Spending Month.
Talk about it to your family (doh!), your colleagues, school mums, neighbours, post it on your Facebook page, blog about it. Spread the word that you're on a spending freeze for the month and you are going to save $1,000 (or more!).
Let everyone know that you're not available for drinks on Friday, but you're happy to host them at your home - BYO of course - and that you're going to be banking the $30 you would have spent instead of spending it. And then remember (and share) that $30 a week is $1,560 a year - enough for a week's holiday at a resort (you can let them know this too - and the name of the resort you're going to enjoy).
We all work hard for our money, and $30 once doesn't seem like a lot of money. But when you think of it in the long-term, it becomes significant. Still not convinced? Look at it like this: how many hours would you need to work to earn that $1,560?
3. Have a plan for the money you don't spend.
Remember, it's not saved until it's safely in the bank. Until then, it's just not spent. So list all the things you'd like to buy with the money you save during No Spending Month. It may be a pair of shoes, it could be something for the house or car, it may be a treat for the family. You'll find this works like the $100/24 Hour Rule - by the end of the spending free you won't want whatever it is or you'll have changed your mind or found something you already have that fits the bill. And then you can keep that money in your savings account!
So sticking to these plans, how much can you expect to save in a month? Even on the strictest of budgets you can easily save $500 - $1,000 just by thinking about spending and choosing what to spend your money on, it's entirely up to you.
But really, if you skim through No Spending Month and end up $200 better off at the end of the month, that's better than a kick in the pants isn't it!
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; 1,600 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.
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. On The Menu
Refrigerator Lasagne
I love this lasagne, it is so tasty. And it is worth the little bit of extra time to put it all together the day before you want to eat, the end result is delicious.
I double this recipe and get three large enough for six serves lasagnes - one to eat and two for the freezer. Who doesn't like three times the profit for one lot of work and clean-up? This recipe is definitely a double- or triple- or quadruple-up recipe.
Refrigerator Lasagne
Ingredients:
500g mince
2 tins baked beans
250g grated mozzarella
250g grated tasty cheese
250g cottage cheese
2 tins tomato soup
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Lasagne noodles
Method:
Brown meat, garlic, basil and onions; drain. Whizz baked beans until they resemble the mince. Combine baked beans, meat, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and simmer. Use 9"x13" cake pan. Pour just enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Layer raw (uncooked) noodles, sauce, half mozzarella, half tasty cheese and cottage cheese until all used up. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Can be frozen after overnight refrigeration.
Notes:
Stretch this meal further by adding 1 cup TVP that has been soaked in 1 cup boiling water for five minutes to the mince after browning.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: BBQ, salad
Tuesday: Lasagne, salad
Wednesday: Lamb wraps
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish cakes, salad
Saturday: Freezer Meals
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
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Using What You Have
No Spending month is the ideal time to use what you have. To meal plan using only the ingredients and foods you have in the pantry (and that includes the fridge, freezer and garden), rather than meal plan and have to buy extras.
It's a great way to clean out the pantry, and make sure you are using everything before it expires, because that's just money down the drain if you have to dispose of it. When you put things back, remember the first in, first out rule - it helps to avoid expired food.
It gives you an opportunity to give the shelves a quick wipe over, or a deep clean if it's necessary.
It gives you the opportunity to hunt out new recipes, using the ingredients (and recipe books) you have on hand.
And it saves you money, something we are trying hard to do this month to build the grocery slush fund.
There are substitute lists on our website, so if you need an ingredient you don't have, you can look for a substitute that you may have. Look before you shop! You'll be using what you have and have already spent money on.
I write what needs using up on the whiteboard on the fridge, so it's there in front of me; use a scrap of paper and a magnet if that's what you have, because out of sight, out of mind is true when it comes to pantries, so keeping what needs to be used right there in front of you, means you see it, use it up. No wasted food and no wasted money!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Oven Fries
AJ asked if we could have fries with our burgers last week, and I said yes. Oven fries are so, so easy to make, and if you're going to do one batch, you may as well do two or three and put the extra serves in the freezer, ready to cook and eat. I figure if I'm putting the oven on, or even an air-fryer or electric frying pan, it may as well be used to full capacity!
With the potato shortage (I haven't noticed an actual potato shortage, I have noticed a frozen chip shortage though), knowing how to MOO oven fries means you won't be going without, or paying a ridiculous price for them.
I use one medium potato per person for a single batch. That is plenty, whether you are making fries, chips or wedges.
If the potatoes are washed, then I give them a good scrub and leave the skins on. If they are brushed then they get washed and peeled. Personal preference, you may not mind the skin on brushed potatoes. I find it tends to be hard so I'd rather peel it off and add the peels to the compost to grow more potatoes.
Cut the potatoes into chips. I use a sharp knife but if you have a chipper use that.
Put them into a bowl of cold water and let them soak 15 minutes. Drain, and repeat at least twice. This helps to remove the starch from the potatoes.
Drain them well and pat them dry with a clean tea towel - they will be soggy if they are wet when they go into the oven.
Toss with a drizzle of olive oil (or your favourite vegetable oil). Toss them carefully, and don't drown them in oil.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and put it into a 200 degree Celsius oven for 10 minutes to heat up.
When the tray is hot, spread the fries in a single layer on the tray and return to the oven. Cook 20 minutes, then turn the oven up to 220 degrees Celsius, turn the fries and cook a further 15 0 20 minutes, or until the fries are golden, crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The time depends on your oven, and the potatoes.
Turning the heat up for the last 15 minutes of baking crisps up the outside of the fries/chips/wedges beautifully, leaving the inside deliciously soft.
To make wedges, cut the potatoes into wedges. Add smoked paprika to the oil before tossing the wedges.
Cost:
Bought oven fries $8.67/kg
MOO oven fries $1.40/kg
Saving to MOO: $7.27
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Use It Up
Using Your Freezer
Turn Leftovers into Lunches
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
How to bottle Jalapeño Relish
Week 6: Paying Your Bills On Time, Every Time
As requested - Pay Calculator Website
8. 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 - Three Tips for a Successful Spending Freeze
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Refrigerator Lasagne
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Using What You Have
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Oven Fries
7. Cheapskates Buzz
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Handmade Christmas - Week 6
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to another newsletter and another week of living the Cheapskates way.
This last week, we finally made 5,000 subscribers to our YouTube channel, and I was so excited on Tuesday night to give away a Sunbeam Foodlab Electronic Dehydrator to Catherine Kennedy. I'm still thrilled to know who the new owner of this wonderful kitchen tool is. And it's on it's way to Catherine as I write.
Congratulations Catherine, I know you will love your dehydrator and put it to good use preserving food and building your pantry.
Thank you to everyone who has subscribed to our channel, and to everyone who takes the time to watch our videos, leave comments (I read every comment) and share the videos with friends and family. You made the 5,000 subscriber mark possible.
I can't wait till our channel reaches 10,000!
Have a great week everyone.
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
Three tips for a successful spending freeze:
1. Clean out your pantry.
The grocery bill is the one bill you have complete and utter control over. You control how much you spend on groceries, so for No Spending Month, tackle the grocery bill first. You can do this by cleaning out the pantry (and fridge and freezer and stockpile if you have one). During No Spending Month aim to use up all the groceries you have in the house. You'll need to do a couple of inventories, and make a meal plan. And you'll probably end up with some odd meals, but it's only for 28 days, not forever. Once you've done the meal plan you can make up your very small shopping list of things you need to fill in the gaps - then stick to it! It defeats the purpose if you ignore your hard work and shop the way you would normally.
2. Don't be shy, tell everyone you know that you're participating in No Spending Month.
Talk about it to your family (doh!), your colleagues, school mums, neighbours, post it on your Facebook page, blog about it. Spread the word that you're on a spending freeze for the month and you are going to save $1,000 (or more!).
Let everyone know that you're not available for drinks on Friday, but you're happy to host them at your home - BYO of course - and that you're going to be banking the $30 you would have spent instead of spending it. And then remember (and share) that $30 a week is $1,560 a year - enough for a week's holiday at a resort (you can let them know this too - and the name of the resort you're going to enjoy).
We all work hard for our money, and $30 once doesn't seem like a lot of money. But when you think of it in the long-term, it becomes significant. Still not convinced? Look at it like this: how many hours would you need to work to earn that $1,560?
3. Have a plan for the money you don't spend.
Remember, it's not saved until it's safely in the bank. Until then, it's just not spent. So list all the things you'd like to buy with the money you save during No Spending Month. It may be a pair of shoes, it could be something for the house or car, it may be a treat for the family. You'll find this works like the $100/24 Hour Rule - by the end of the spending free you won't want whatever it is or you'll have changed your mind or found something you already have that fits the bill. And then you can keep that money in your savings account!
So sticking to these plans, how much can you expect to save in a month? Even on the strictest of budgets you can easily save $500 - $1,000 just by thinking about spending and choosing what to spend your money on, it's entirely up to you.
But really, if you skim through No Spending Month and end up $200 better off at the end of the month, that's better than a kick in the pants isn't it!
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; 1,600 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.
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. On The Menu
Refrigerator Lasagne
I love this lasagne, it is so tasty. And it is worth the little bit of extra time to put it all together the day before you want to eat, the end result is delicious.
I double this recipe and get three large enough for six serves lasagnes - one to eat and two for the freezer. Who doesn't like three times the profit for one lot of work and clean-up? This recipe is definitely a double- or triple- or quadruple-up recipe.
Refrigerator Lasagne
Ingredients:
500g mince
2 tins baked beans
250g grated mozzarella
250g grated tasty cheese
250g cottage cheese
2 tins tomato soup
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Lasagne noodles
Method:
Brown meat, garlic, basil and onions; drain. Whizz baked beans until they resemble the mince. Combine baked beans, meat, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and simmer. Use 9"x13" cake pan. Pour just enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Layer raw (uncooked) noodles, sauce, half mozzarella, half tasty cheese and cottage cheese until all used up. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Can be frozen after overnight refrigeration.
Notes:
Stretch this meal further by adding 1 cup TVP that has been soaked in 1 cup boiling water for five minutes to the mince after browning.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: BBQ, salad
Tuesday: Lasagne, salad
Wednesday: Lamb wraps
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish cakes, salad
Saturday: Freezer Meals
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
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Using What You Have
No Spending month is the ideal time to use what you have. To meal plan using only the ingredients and foods you have in the pantry (and that includes the fridge, freezer and garden), rather than meal plan and have to buy extras.
It's a great way to clean out the pantry, and make sure you are using everything before it expires, because that's just money down the drain if you have to dispose of it. When you put things back, remember the first in, first out rule - it helps to avoid expired food.
It gives you an opportunity to give the shelves a quick wipe over, or a deep clean if it's necessary.
It gives you the opportunity to hunt out new recipes, using the ingredients (and recipe books) you have on hand.
And it saves you money, something we are trying hard to do this month to build the grocery slush fund.
There are substitute lists on our website, so if you need an ingredient you don't have, you can look for a substitute that you may have. Look before you shop! You'll be using what you have and have already spent money on.
I write what needs using up on the whiteboard on the fridge, so it's there in front of me; use a scrap of paper and a magnet if that's what you have, because out of sight, out of mind is true when it comes to pantries, so keeping what needs to be used right there in front of you, means you see it, use it up. No wasted food and no wasted money!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Oven Fries
AJ asked if we could have fries with our burgers last week, and I said yes. Oven fries are so, so easy to make, and if you're going to do one batch, you may as well do two or three and put the extra serves in the freezer, ready to cook and eat. I figure if I'm putting the oven on, or even an air-fryer or electric frying pan, it may as well be used to full capacity!
With the potato shortage (I haven't noticed an actual potato shortage, I have noticed a frozen chip shortage though), knowing how to MOO oven fries means you won't be going without, or paying a ridiculous price for them.
I use one medium potato per person for a single batch. That is plenty, whether you are making fries, chips or wedges.
If the potatoes are washed, then I give them a good scrub and leave the skins on. If they are brushed then they get washed and peeled. Personal preference, you may not mind the skin on brushed potatoes. I find it tends to be hard so I'd rather peel it off and add the peels to the compost to grow more potatoes.
Cut the potatoes into chips. I use a sharp knife but if you have a chipper use that.
Put them into a bowl of cold water and let them soak 15 minutes. Drain, and repeat at least twice. This helps to remove the starch from the potatoes.
Drain them well and pat them dry with a clean tea towel - they will be soggy if they are wet when they go into the oven.
Toss with a drizzle of olive oil (or your favourite vegetable oil). Toss them carefully, and don't drown them in oil.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and put it into a 200 degree Celsius oven for 10 minutes to heat up.
When the tray is hot, spread the fries in a single layer on the tray and return to the oven. Cook 20 minutes, then turn the oven up to 220 degrees Celsius, turn the fries and cook a further 15 0 20 minutes, or until the fries are golden, crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. The time depends on your oven, and the potatoes.
Turning the heat up for the last 15 minutes of baking crisps up the outside of the fries/chips/wedges beautifully, leaving the inside deliciously soft.
To make wedges, cut the potatoes into wedges. Add smoked paprika to the oil before tossing the wedges.
Cost:
Bought oven fries $8.67/kg
MOO oven fries $1.40/kg
Saving to MOO: $7.27
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Use It Up
Using Your Freezer
Turn Leftovers into Lunches
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
How to bottle Jalapeño Relish
Week 6: Paying Your Bills On Time, Every Time
As requested - Pay Calculator Website
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Latest Shows
Subscribe to our You Tube channel and never miss a show.
9. Handmade Christmas Challenge
Week 6
The little treat boxes I put together for Valentine's Day were a hit! And a big surprise. We don’t normally do anything other than say happy Valentine's Day, so everyone was excited to find a little treat at their place setting.
It was a busy week, mostly preserving food. I didn't get anything done to cross off my Christmas gift list, but I did spend an hour sorting the soap and candle making supplies and making a list of fragrances I'd like to use. This was inspired by some dehydrating - mint and rosemary. Oh my goodness but together they smell divine. Another fragrance I put on the list is lavender and eucalyptus, they're lovely as single scents but together they are divine.
I'm hoping the weather will cool down soon so I can get the soaps made. I find they are better made if it's cooler rather than hot like the mini heatwaves we've been having.
The next holiday that requires cards and small gifts is Easter. I have my thinking hat on, working on card designs and listing some small Easter/Autumn-ish gifts I can make using what is on hand.
How are you getting on with your handmade Christmas?
Handmade Christmas Central
The Handmade Christmas Forum
10. 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!
11. 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.
12. 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
9. Handmade Christmas Challenge
Week 6
The little treat boxes I put together for Valentine's Day were a hit! And a big surprise. We don’t normally do anything other than say happy Valentine's Day, so everyone was excited to find a little treat at their place setting.
It was a busy week, mostly preserving food. I didn't get anything done to cross off my Christmas gift list, but I did spend an hour sorting the soap and candle making supplies and making a list of fragrances I'd like to use. This was inspired by some dehydrating - mint and rosemary. Oh my goodness but together they smell divine. Another fragrance I put on the list is lavender and eucalyptus, they're lovely as single scents but together they are divine.
I'm hoping the weather will cool down soon so I can get the soaps made. I find they are better made if it's cooler rather than hot like the mini heatwaves we've been having.
The next holiday that requires cards and small gifts is Easter. I have my thinking hat on, working on card designs and listing some small Easter/Autumn-ish gifts I can make using what is on hand.
How are you getting on with your handmade Christmas?
Handmade Christmas Central
The Handmade Christmas Forum
10. 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!
11. 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.
12. 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