Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter: 09:14 Bright ideas to save you money
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Time Management, Bake Your Own, Grandma's White Oil
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - It Pays to Ask a Simple Question and Save $161 a Month!
4. Submit Your Tip
5. Living Green in 2014 - Ways Kids can Conserve Energy
6. On the Menu with Anne - Choc Cherry Slice
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - What's on your shopping list?
8. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
9. Member's Featured Blog - A little morbid perhaps, but could be vital by SydMum
10. Last Week's Question - How to eat well and cheaply in a share house?
11. This Week's Question - Can you help me restore a favourite handbag?
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
13. Gift Memberships
14. Frequently Asked Questions
15. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Well tomorrow is the end of No Spending month. How did you go? I don’t have any spending planned for tomorrow, in fact I'm not planning on leaving the house, so I can say we have managed to finish the challenge with just 6 days where we spent any money for the entire month. Considering there are five of us, and most of them like to spend a little now and then, we've done OK.
I'm almost jumping with excitement. Saturday is the start of MOO Month. MOOing is not only a great way to save money, it makes us all a little more self-sufficient too. I know it's already being talked about in the forum and plans are being made for lots of MOOing. The satisfaction from Making Our Own just can't be obtained when we buy what we need.
On that note (being a little more self-sufficient) there are still a few places left at the next workshop. I'm really excited about this one. Guest speaker Gavin Webber will be talking about his journey over the last 7 years, and how he transformed his suburban home into an energy efficient, money saving, food providing, and thriving oasis in the ‘burbs - without going broke! I've been following Gavin's blog greeningofgavin.com for a good while now and I really enjoy his way of breaking sustainable, green living down so it's easy enough for even me to understand. I figured out years ago that Cheapskating, self-sufficiency and sustainability go hand-in-hand, Gavin has proven it. I can't wait to hear him at this workshop. You can click here for more information and to book your spot - but hurry, there really are just a few places left!
Have a great week everyone,
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
Time Management
It seems like a lifetime ago now when I was a sales rep in Sydney. During my initial training we were taught (amongst other things), time management and prioritizing the daily tasks. Strange how some things seem to stick! Even today, some 30 years later, living in a different state, and retired, I still work out of a diary and prioritize my household tasks. Due to health and injury problems, I've prioritized my housework (you know, the boring stuff) and divided my little villa into sections, and I do one section per day. Not only does this save compounding my injuries, but it actually saves me time as whatever section I do, is over and done with very quickly (I usually do it straight after breakfast), and allows me to enjoy the rest of my day freely.
Contributed by Claire Martin
Bake Your Own
I bake veggie and fruit muffins and freeze in freezer bags for the kids to 'pick their own' snacks. I use home grown veggies and add a little cheese and bacon for the savoury ones (have also been known to use up any left over cooked veggies too and bolognese sauce!) For sweet ones, I use the over ripe bananas, soft apples and bruised fruit. They all cook into muffins very, very well. I also like to have pikelets in bags of three in there too. They are super, super cheap to make and defrost in the lunch box perfectly! My kids love picking their own snacks from our freezer!
Contributed by Lee Watson
Grandma's White Oil
This is a recipe to make white oil for your plants. My grandmother swears by it!
1. In a blender, combine 2 cups of vegetable oil with ½ cup of dishwashing liquid. Blend it up until it's well mixed. This is your concentrate and can be stored in a jar. Make sure you label the jar and also note the dilution rate (so you don't forget!).
2. Make the white oil solution by diluting 1 tablespoon of the concentrate in a litre of water, mix it well. Spray as needed. N.B - using the wrong dilution can burn your plants leaves etc.
Contributed by Jessica B.
There are more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning tip
This week's winning tip is from Melissa Smith. Melissa has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
It Pays to Ask a Simple Question and Save $161 a Month!
Had to share this one after gaining so many great tips from Cheapskates over the years! I called our bank today to query the current interest rate on our mortgage. I asked if there was a better deal we could be transferred to. After a 5 minute phone call, our interest rate has been reduced by 0.10% which means $161 a month of savings to us – we are already paying more than double our mortgage repayments and I won’t change this so this additional money will come straight off our principal. As soon as we receive and sign the transfer documents coming to us in the mail it’s a done deal! So easy! It certainly pays to ask a simple question.
Congratulations Melissa, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
4. Submit your tip
The Cheapskate's Club website is over 3,000 pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club. We publish a Winning Tip each Thursday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Submit your tip
5. Living Green in 2014
Ways Kids can Conserve Energy
1. Turn off the lights in empty rooms – There is no reason why your home has to be lit up like the harbour bridge on New Year's Eve every day. When you leave a room, turn the lights off. This includes turning off fans in the bathroom and over the stove.
2. Let in more natural light – Instead of turning on a light, open a curtain or a window. Allow the natural sunlight to stream in and warm your home as well as provide light for reading, crafting, playing games and watching television.
3. Don’t touch that thermostat – It is tempting to turn the thermostat up in winter and down in summer. Even the smallest of shifts can hike up your energy bill. Keep the thermostat set at a median temperature like 20 degrees and leave it there. As your body becomes accustomed to it you will find the temperature tolerable. If it is too hot, turn on the ceiling fan to cool the entire room. If it is too cold, use blankets or wear a sweater to stay comfortable.
4. Use less water – When you take a shower, turn the water off while lathering up. This move alone can save thousands of litres of water a year. And, in the kitchen, get the kids to load the dishwasher instead of washing them in the sink. You waste less water that way and less energy heating it up.
5. Close the door – When kids run in and out of the house, leaving the door open lets out heat or cool. Teach them to make fewer trips in or out and to always close the door behind them.
6. On the Menu with Anne
Choc Cherry Slice
We've been eating from the pantry for the last two weeks and it's been great. I've only spent $38 over the two weeks and that was for milk and a fruit and veg top up. Of course not shopping means no treats so I've been baking a little more, and using up my stockpile of baking supplies. To make it more interesting I've tried a few new recipes and this recipe from the Slice file is a winner! It makes two trays of the most delicious, fudgy, pink slice. Best of all it used up the glace cherries I had sitting in the pantry.
Choc Cherry Slice
Ingredients:
250g butter
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 pkt choc chips
2 pkts glace cherries
3-1/2 cups SR flour
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Then add in flour, and finally choc chips and cherries. The dough will be very stiff. Divide in half and press into baking paper lined lamington tins. Bake 15 - 20 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't over cook. The top will be slightly browned and still a little soft to the touch. Allow to cool in the tins completely before slicing.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: MOO Pizzas
Saturday: Hawaiian Haystacks
Sunday: Roast lamb, baked vegetables, mint sauce and gravy
Monday: Fish cakes and salad
Tuesday: Sweet lamb curry and fried rice
Wednesday: MOO Chicken parmas with MOO wedges and sweet chilli cream
Thursday: Sweet chilli chicken stir fry and Singapore noodles
In the fruit bowl: Grapes, apples, oranges, kiwi fruit
In the cake tin: Choc Cherry Slice, Boiled fruit cake, Raspberry muffins, pita crisps
There are over 1,300 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Lately there has been some chatter in the food challenge about what is on people's shopping lists. Sticking to your food budget can be a challenge. I've found that if you stick to your list, buy ingredients and avoid convenience foods then you are half way there.
Here's my shopping list from last week for any one who's interested. Keep in mind that my pantry, fridge and freezer are generally well stocked. Each time I do a big food shop I'm replacing what I used last month.
ALDI - frozen beans X 2 kg, milk X 4 lts, cheese X 2kg, cream X 600ml, two minute noodles X 5 pack, peanut butter X 2, honey X 1, tomato paste X 1, icing mixture X 1kg, tissues X 4 boxes, pasta sauce X 2 (for pasta bake, still trying to make my own)
COLES - kitty litter X 5 kg, vitamins X 2 (not a usual buy), grapes, cling wrap 300m, cat food X 4 tins, plain flour X 4 kg, sr flour X 2 kg, sugar X 2 kg, wholemeal plain flour X 3 kg, mayo X 2 jars, jar of olives, choc chips X 1, taco shells X 2.
FRUIT AND VEG SHOP - 3 bags of apples reduced (about 4.5 kg ), 5 kg of potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, mushrooms, plums (for jam), cucumber, cantaloupe and pears.
BUTCHER - 5 X beef roasts @ $5.99kg. Each roast is cut in half to do two meals. 2 X legs of lamb @ $5.99kg. These will do two meals too. I'll be buying a tray of mince from Aldi shortly. This will be divided into 300g lots.
I buy my herbs and spices from a large spice wholesaler when needed.
I bake all our bread and rolls. That's why I buy kilos of flour.
I bought sausages and silverside on sale the previous week.
When chicken comes on sale I'll buy in bulk.
We grow some veggies.
I top up on milk, fruit and veg each week as needed
All biscuits, cakes and slices are home baked
This list varies from month to month depending on sales and what's needed. When there are really good sales I buy up big so that I don't run out of anything.
What's on your shopping list?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2369-300-a-month-food-challenge-24-02-14&p=38646
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
8.Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Freezing pizza?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2365-Freezing-pizza
This year's budget strategy
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2366-This-year-s-budget-strategy
How have you saved money today?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1778-How-have-you-saved-money-today
Most popular blog posts this week
Two-in-One Crockpot Chicken
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/06/two-in-one-crockpot-chicken.html
Living with a Spendaholic Spouse
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/living-with-spendaholic-spouse.html
Fresh Milk v Powdered Milk
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/12/fresh-milk-v-powdered-milk.html
9. 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 SydMum.
A Little Morbid Perhaps, but could be Vital
A friend's husband died 3 days ago. When notifying people (the bank being one) she was asked were there any other bills she wanted to pay from his main account. Not thinking clearly she said no, so the account was closed. For days prior he had told her to go take the money out of that account and put it in the joint one.
You see my friend had never handled the finances. Leaving finances to one partner can be detrimental to the other if anything should happen.
She now has to learn everything.
This could be heplful not only for spouses but any children left behind also.
Awhile ago I came across a website that suggested making a master information document. In this document you could put things like:
Financial Info
Bank Accounts
Insurance policies (who and what ones are entitled to)
List of debts and assets
How to handle any debts or assets on passing
Where to find or a copy of the will
Copy of emergency plan
Emergency list
Household shut down information. Many do not know where their master switches are for electricity, water, gas etc.
Maybe a list for each person containing their:
Bank account details
Tax file numbers
Medicare numbers and or private health numbers
Key list of work contacts
Medical History and any medications they are on at the time
Inventory of possessions for individuals as well as household.
DVDs
Electronic and electrical equipment (this might also contain warranties and product info)
I know if my friend had had much of this the last week would have been a lot easier for her to deal with.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
10. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Susan who wrote
"My son is about to move into a 5-share, self-cater arrangement on uni campus. All his utilities are accounted for but he and the other 4 will need to feed themselves. Does anyone have experience with how these (so far) unknown students can effectively and economically pool their resources to eat well? Many thanks."
Evol Lancaster answered
When I shared a house with others we all paid an amount of money that covered regular groceries and cleaning products. We purchased our own meat and fish, which was separate to the amount paid for our groceries. It worked well for us.
Trish Cooper answered
Introduce your son and his friends to slow cooking. You can buy them (slow cookers) quite reasonably now, most come with a cook book and there are plenty of recipes and tips online. A lamb roast in the cooker is easy, no mess or fuss and feeds many. Maybe inviting yourself to teach a few easy meals with breakdown on costs will tempt them to all participate. This will also help them to get to know each other!
Karen McNamara answered
"Don't pool funds". Really, don't believe it will work out too fairly. People all have different appetites and some will eat more than others. Which means your son could potentially end up paying for someone else's food bill and your son misses out on his share. Pay for your own food, cook your own food and eat your own food, will definitely work out the fairest.
Belinda Rice answered
I'd suggest that your son keep a plastic box under his bed with non refrigerated/frozen food in it, i.e. a dry store and minimal in the "communal kitchen", unless he's happy to feed everyone else that is.
Marina Gangoiti answered
My daughter lives on campus with seven other people, they each take care of their own food. She likes to eat healthy so she prepares meals at home, freezes them into one portion sizes e.g. pasta sauce, spaghetti Bolognese, taco sauce and different casseroles or curries. I try to make something a bit different on Sunday night so she can take the leftovers for Monday lunch or dinner. Mostly all she has to do on campus is cook noodles or rice and add to the main meal.Remember to think about lunches as well as sometimes there is no time between classes to go home and eat something.
Emily D. answered
If he's not much of a cook (which I wasn't when I left home), get him some basic cookbooks. My mum gave me a lot of cookbooks aimed at kids (embarrassing, I know!) but they were fantastic. Things like lasagne, risotto, chilli con carne and stews are great. Mince is relatively cheap, and they can add veggies to lasagnes to bulk them out. I'd also recommend using frozen veggies, purely because they keep for so much longer.
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Ask Your Question
11. This Week's Question
Angela writes
"I have an expensive black leather handbag that I use everyday. It is looking very worn and the colour faded. I have tried leather creams and even black shoe polish to get the colour back with no success. Even bag shops cannot advise me (they want me to buy a new bag of course!). Any ideas?"
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Angela 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
12. 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!
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/members/join_form.cfm?item_id=2271
13. Gift Memberships
Your family and friends will thank you for a whole year when you give them a Platinum Cheapskates Club membership as a gift.
It's so simple: just select the number of gift memberships required, click the Buy Now button and complete the Gift Membership order form (you must use this form to order gift memberships) and we'll get in touch with you to confirm the gift subscriptions.
Click here to order a gift membership right now!
14. Frequently Asked Questions
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15. 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 - Time Management, Bake Your Own, Grandma's White Oil
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - It Pays to Ask a Simple Question and Save $161 a Month!
4. Submit Your Tip
5. Living Green in 2014 - Ways Kids can Conserve Energy
6. On the Menu with Anne - Choc Cherry Slice
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - What's on your shopping list?
8. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
9. Member's Featured Blog - A little morbid perhaps, but could be vital by SydMum
10. Last Week's Question - How to eat well and cheaply in a share house?
11. This Week's Question - Can you help me restore a favourite handbag?
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
13. Gift Memberships
14. Frequently Asked Questions
15. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Well tomorrow is the end of No Spending month. How did you go? I don’t have any spending planned for tomorrow, in fact I'm not planning on leaving the house, so I can say we have managed to finish the challenge with just 6 days where we spent any money for the entire month. Considering there are five of us, and most of them like to spend a little now and then, we've done OK.
I'm almost jumping with excitement. Saturday is the start of MOO Month. MOOing is not only a great way to save money, it makes us all a little more self-sufficient too. I know it's already being talked about in the forum and plans are being made for lots of MOOing. The satisfaction from Making Our Own just can't be obtained when we buy what we need.
On that note (being a little more self-sufficient) there are still a few places left at the next workshop. I'm really excited about this one. Guest speaker Gavin Webber will be talking about his journey over the last 7 years, and how he transformed his suburban home into an energy efficient, money saving, food providing, and thriving oasis in the ‘burbs - without going broke! I've been following Gavin's blog greeningofgavin.com for a good while now and I really enjoy his way of breaking sustainable, green living down so it's easy enough for even me to understand. I figured out years ago that Cheapskating, self-sufficiency and sustainability go hand-in-hand, Gavin has proven it. I can't wait to hear him at this workshop. You can click here for more information and to book your spot - but hurry, there really are just a few places left!
Have a great week everyone,
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
Time Management
It seems like a lifetime ago now when I was a sales rep in Sydney. During my initial training we were taught (amongst other things), time management and prioritizing the daily tasks. Strange how some things seem to stick! Even today, some 30 years later, living in a different state, and retired, I still work out of a diary and prioritize my household tasks. Due to health and injury problems, I've prioritized my housework (you know, the boring stuff) and divided my little villa into sections, and I do one section per day. Not only does this save compounding my injuries, but it actually saves me time as whatever section I do, is over and done with very quickly (I usually do it straight after breakfast), and allows me to enjoy the rest of my day freely.
Contributed by Claire Martin
Bake Your Own
I bake veggie and fruit muffins and freeze in freezer bags for the kids to 'pick their own' snacks. I use home grown veggies and add a little cheese and bacon for the savoury ones (have also been known to use up any left over cooked veggies too and bolognese sauce!) For sweet ones, I use the over ripe bananas, soft apples and bruised fruit. They all cook into muffins very, very well. I also like to have pikelets in bags of three in there too. They are super, super cheap to make and defrost in the lunch box perfectly! My kids love picking their own snacks from our freezer!
Contributed by Lee Watson
Grandma's White Oil
This is a recipe to make white oil for your plants. My grandmother swears by it!
1. In a blender, combine 2 cups of vegetable oil with ½ cup of dishwashing liquid. Blend it up until it's well mixed. This is your concentrate and can be stored in a jar. Make sure you label the jar and also note the dilution rate (so you don't forget!).
2. Make the white oil solution by diluting 1 tablespoon of the concentrate in a litre of water, mix it well. Spray as needed. N.B - using the wrong dilution can burn your plants leaves etc.
Contributed by Jessica B.
There are more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning tip
This week's winning tip is from Melissa Smith. Melissa has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
It Pays to Ask a Simple Question and Save $161 a Month!
Had to share this one after gaining so many great tips from Cheapskates over the years! I called our bank today to query the current interest rate on our mortgage. I asked if there was a better deal we could be transferred to. After a 5 minute phone call, our interest rate has been reduced by 0.10% which means $161 a month of savings to us – we are already paying more than double our mortgage repayments and I won’t change this so this additional money will come straight off our principal. As soon as we receive and sign the transfer documents coming to us in the mail it’s a done deal! So easy! It certainly pays to ask a simple question.
Congratulations Melissa, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
4. Submit your tip
The Cheapskate's Club website is over 3,000 pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club. We publish a Winning Tip each Thursday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Submit your tip
5. Living Green in 2014
Ways Kids can Conserve Energy
1. Turn off the lights in empty rooms – There is no reason why your home has to be lit up like the harbour bridge on New Year's Eve every day. When you leave a room, turn the lights off. This includes turning off fans in the bathroom and over the stove.
2. Let in more natural light – Instead of turning on a light, open a curtain or a window. Allow the natural sunlight to stream in and warm your home as well as provide light for reading, crafting, playing games and watching television.
3. Don’t touch that thermostat – It is tempting to turn the thermostat up in winter and down in summer. Even the smallest of shifts can hike up your energy bill. Keep the thermostat set at a median temperature like 20 degrees and leave it there. As your body becomes accustomed to it you will find the temperature tolerable. If it is too hot, turn on the ceiling fan to cool the entire room. If it is too cold, use blankets or wear a sweater to stay comfortable.
4. Use less water – When you take a shower, turn the water off while lathering up. This move alone can save thousands of litres of water a year. And, in the kitchen, get the kids to load the dishwasher instead of washing them in the sink. You waste less water that way and less energy heating it up.
5. Close the door – When kids run in and out of the house, leaving the door open lets out heat or cool. Teach them to make fewer trips in or out and to always close the door behind them.
6. On the Menu with Anne
Choc Cherry Slice
We've been eating from the pantry for the last two weeks and it's been great. I've only spent $38 over the two weeks and that was for milk and a fruit and veg top up. Of course not shopping means no treats so I've been baking a little more, and using up my stockpile of baking supplies. To make it more interesting I've tried a few new recipes and this recipe from the Slice file is a winner! It makes two trays of the most delicious, fudgy, pink slice. Best of all it used up the glace cherries I had sitting in the pantry.
Choc Cherry Slice
Ingredients:
250g butter
1 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 pkt choc chips
2 pkts glace cherries
3-1/2 cups SR flour
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Then add in flour, and finally choc chips and cherries. The dough will be very stiff. Divide in half and press into baking paper lined lamington tins. Bake 15 - 20 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't over cook. The top will be slightly browned and still a little soft to the touch. Allow to cool in the tins completely before slicing.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: MOO Pizzas
Saturday: Hawaiian Haystacks
Sunday: Roast lamb, baked vegetables, mint sauce and gravy
Monday: Fish cakes and salad
Tuesday: Sweet lamb curry and fried rice
Wednesday: MOO Chicken parmas with MOO wedges and sweet chilli cream
Thursday: Sweet chilli chicken stir fry and Singapore noodles
In the fruit bowl: Grapes, apples, oranges, kiwi fruit
In the cake tin: Choc Cherry Slice, Boiled fruit cake, Raspberry muffins, pita crisps
There are over 1,300 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Lately there has been some chatter in the food challenge about what is on people's shopping lists. Sticking to your food budget can be a challenge. I've found that if you stick to your list, buy ingredients and avoid convenience foods then you are half way there.
Here's my shopping list from last week for any one who's interested. Keep in mind that my pantry, fridge and freezer are generally well stocked. Each time I do a big food shop I'm replacing what I used last month.
ALDI - frozen beans X 2 kg, milk X 4 lts, cheese X 2kg, cream X 600ml, two minute noodles X 5 pack, peanut butter X 2, honey X 1, tomato paste X 1, icing mixture X 1kg, tissues X 4 boxes, pasta sauce X 2 (for pasta bake, still trying to make my own)
COLES - kitty litter X 5 kg, vitamins X 2 (not a usual buy), grapes, cling wrap 300m, cat food X 4 tins, plain flour X 4 kg, sr flour X 2 kg, sugar X 2 kg, wholemeal plain flour X 3 kg, mayo X 2 jars, jar of olives, choc chips X 1, taco shells X 2.
FRUIT AND VEG SHOP - 3 bags of apples reduced (about 4.5 kg ), 5 kg of potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, mushrooms, plums (for jam), cucumber, cantaloupe and pears.
BUTCHER - 5 X beef roasts @ $5.99kg. Each roast is cut in half to do two meals. 2 X legs of lamb @ $5.99kg. These will do two meals too. I'll be buying a tray of mince from Aldi shortly. This will be divided into 300g lots.
I buy my herbs and spices from a large spice wholesaler when needed.
I bake all our bread and rolls. That's why I buy kilos of flour.
I bought sausages and silverside on sale the previous week.
When chicken comes on sale I'll buy in bulk.
We grow some veggies.
I top up on milk, fruit and veg each week as needed
All biscuits, cakes and slices are home baked
This list varies from month to month depending on sales and what's needed. When there are really good sales I buy up big so that I don't run out of anything.
What's on your shopping list?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2369-300-a-month-food-challenge-24-02-14&p=38646
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
8.Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Freezing pizza?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2365-Freezing-pizza
This year's budget strategy
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2366-This-year-s-budget-strategy
How have you saved money today?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1778-How-have-you-saved-money-today
Most popular blog posts this week
Two-in-One Crockpot Chicken
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/06/two-in-one-crockpot-chicken.html
Living with a Spendaholic Spouse
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/living-with-spendaholic-spouse.html
Fresh Milk v Powdered Milk
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/12/fresh-milk-v-powdered-milk.html
9. 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 SydMum.
A Little Morbid Perhaps, but could be Vital
A friend's husband died 3 days ago. When notifying people (the bank being one) she was asked were there any other bills she wanted to pay from his main account. Not thinking clearly she said no, so the account was closed. For days prior he had told her to go take the money out of that account and put it in the joint one.
You see my friend had never handled the finances. Leaving finances to one partner can be detrimental to the other if anything should happen.
She now has to learn everything.
This could be heplful not only for spouses but any children left behind also.
Awhile ago I came across a website that suggested making a master information document. In this document you could put things like:
Financial Info
Bank Accounts
Insurance policies (who and what ones are entitled to)
List of debts and assets
How to handle any debts or assets on passing
Where to find or a copy of the will
Copy of emergency plan
Emergency list
Household shut down information. Many do not know where their master switches are for electricity, water, gas etc.
Maybe a list for each person containing their:
Bank account details
Tax file numbers
Medicare numbers and or private health numbers
Key list of work contacts
Medical History and any medications they are on at the time
Inventory of possessions for individuals as well as household.
DVDs
Electronic and electrical equipment (this might also contain warranties and product info)
I know if my friend had had much of this the last week would have been a lot easier for her to deal with.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
10. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Susan who wrote
"My son is about to move into a 5-share, self-cater arrangement on uni campus. All his utilities are accounted for but he and the other 4 will need to feed themselves. Does anyone have experience with how these (so far) unknown students can effectively and economically pool their resources to eat well? Many thanks."
Evol Lancaster answered
When I shared a house with others we all paid an amount of money that covered regular groceries and cleaning products. We purchased our own meat and fish, which was separate to the amount paid for our groceries. It worked well for us.
Trish Cooper answered
Introduce your son and his friends to slow cooking. You can buy them (slow cookers) quite reasonably now, most come with a cook book and there are plenty of recipes and tips online. A lamb roast in the cooker is easy, no mess or fuss and feeds many. Maybe inviting yourself to teach a few easy meals with breakdown on costs will tempt them to all participate. This will also help them to get to know each other!
Karen McNamara answered
"Don't pool funds". Really, don't believe it will work out too fairly. People all have different appetites and some will eat more than others. Which means your son could potentially end up paying for someone else's food bill and your son misses out on his share. Pay for your own food, cook your own food and eat your own food, will definitely work out the fairest.
Belinda Rice answered
I'd suggest that your son keep a plastic box under his bed with non refrigerated/frozen food in it, i.e. a dry store and minimal in the "communal kitchen", unless he's happy to feed everyone else that is.
Marina Gangoiti answered
My daughter lives on campus with seven other people, they each take care of their own food. She likes to eat healthy so she prepares meals at home, freezes them into one portion sizes e.g. pasta sauce, spaghetti Bolognese, taco sauce and different casseroles or curries. I try to make something a bit different on Sunday night so she can take the leftovers for Monday lunch or dinner. Mostly all she has to do on campus is cook noodles or rice and add to the main meal.Remember to think about lunches as well as sometimes there is no time between classes to go home and eat something.
Emily D. answered
If he's not much of a cook (which I wasn't when I left home), get him some basic cookbooks. My mum gave me a lot of cookbooks aimed at kids (embarrassing, I know!) but they were fantastic. Things like lasagne, risotto, chilli con carne and stews are great. Mince is relatively cheap, and they can add veggies to lasagnes to bulk them out. I'd also recommend using frozen veggies, purely because they keep for so much longer.
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11. This Week's Question
Angela writes
"I have an expensive black leather handbag that I use everyday. It is looking very worn and the colour faded. I have tried leather creams and even black shoe polish to get the colour back with no success. Even bag shops cannot advise me (they want me to buy a new bag of course!). Any ideas?"
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Angela 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
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
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15. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
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debt free, cashed up and laughing!
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www.cheapskates.com.au
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