Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 09:19
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - New Books Every Month, Even on a Tight Budget; Simple Transfer Anyone Can Do To Pay Down Debt; Great Way to Use Almost Finished Candles
3. This Week's Winning Tip - Clothing Swaps Boost Home Saving Account by $4,000
4. Share Your Tips
5. On the Menu - Haystacks
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - One Meal Base, Three Different Dishes
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
9. Join the Cheapskates Club
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to all our new members and YouTube subscribers, it's so nice to see you all here!
This week's newsletter is full of good things to save you money, time and energy, three things that are especially dear to me right now.
Money because we're saving frantically for a big expense we have coming up.
Time because while we all have the same 24 hours in a day, and because I believe it's what we do with those 24 hours that makes the difference, my time the last couple of weeks has been taken up with unexpected things I've had to learn to manage.
And energy because with all that's going on, my energy levels have been all over the place. Some days I'm full of beans and then there are others where its an effort to even think!
So if you're like me with a big financial goal and lots of other (all good!) stuff going on, the hints, tips and ideas below will help.
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
New Books Every Month, Even on a Tight Budget
Well at least for those that you read just for leisure or those you don't need to hang on to. I'm a bookworm, I always wanted my own mini library, however I don't have a budget for buying books due to tight budget for now. I have come to know that in our local library, you can suggest books, even e-books, audio books, videos etc., up to 10 suggestions per month. Of course this is subject to their approval, but hey out of my 10 suggestion, five were approved! How good is that? I saved heaps from that. Most of my suggestions are children's book for my little one or self-help books for myself. We visit the library every three weeks and stock up like 20 books for the little one and 1-3 for myself for night reading. Once my suggestion is approved, I just queue myself for that book and pick it up once it is ready. Check your local library and hopefully they have those options for you.
Contributed by Irene G
Simple Transfer Anyone Can Do To Pay Down Debt
I have an everyday account where my pay goes into each fortnight. Once I have paid my bills and put my savings into another account anything left in this account on pay day is transferred to either my savings account or my mortgage. In twelve months I have been able to pay over $1,000 onto my mortgage. I don't miss the money and i ensure I do this every fortnight no matter how much is left in this account, even $2.00
Contributed by Regina Anderson
Great Way to Use Almost Finished Candles
I love burning candles but find that they only burn about half way down before the wick gets too damaged to light or the candle doesn't burn well. That is a lot of candle and wax to waste. Now, I take a small paring knife and cut a section of the scented wax out and place it on my candle warmer, replacing the wax cubes that can be costly that candle warmers use. You can even mix a piece of raspberry wax with a piece of ginger wax to create your own scents. Reasonable and no waste. Win-Win!
Contributed by Angela Kinsey
Add a Tip
3. This Week's Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Lauren M. Lauren has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
Clothing Swaps Boost Home Saving Account by $4,000
"Three times a year my mother's group gets together for a clothes swap. One swap is baby and children's clothes up to size 6, one swap is children's clothes up to size 12 and the third swap is adult clothes. I haven't bought new clothes for either of my children, my partner or myself for four years thanks to these regular swaps. The money we haven't spent on clothes has been put towards our home deposit (thanks to Cath it really is saved!). The swaps are so well run, and very popular. We have a committee (sounds important but really it's just three mums who get together on playgroup day to plan the next swap) who organise the swaps. Here's how we run them so there is no chaos, and no greed and no hurt feelings:
1. Everyone attending brings 5 items.
2. As they come into the hall they are given a coloured dot (we have three different colours - red, green, blue that have been laminated so they can be re-used) and then they are directed to either a table or floor space where they can set up. First in gets the tables, everyone else gets a plastic tablecloth on the floor to set up.
3. Once everyone is set up, we are open for business. The folk with the red dots get first pick. They can go around and choose one item. Then the green dots get to have a pick, again one item, and lastly the blue dots get to choose an item. There is a five minute time limit on each round.
4. This is repeated twice, so two rounds of one pick each with a five minute limit on each round.
5. After the second round it is open slather, or rather a free for all and everyone can choose from what is left.
It sounds complicated but it's not and it works so well. We are a large group, and we invite the other groups who meet at our neighbourhood house to join in, so there is always plenty of things to choose from.
In late November we hold a toy and gift swap with the same rules, and then the last swap of the year is a school swap, where school uniforms, textbooks, sports uniforms, even musical instruments are swapped.
These swaps have boosted our home savings account by over $4,000 in four years. After each swap I simply take the money I would have spent on new clothes and bank it in our house saving account."
Congratulations Lauren, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club.
4. Share Your Tips
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Share Your Tip
5. On The Menu
Haystacks
Another often requested recipe, this is so simple. I've been making haystacks for over 30 years. They were a staple for camps because they're quick and easy and cheap to make in bulk. When you have 2 or 3 hungry kids you don't want anything too fussy, so you can imagine just how great they are when you have 100 hungry kids!
Frugal Haystacks
Ingredients:
2 tins baked beans in tomato sauce
1 tin red kidney beans (or dried equivalent, soaked and cooked)
3 tbsp MOO taco seasoning (or 1 packet)
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 tins diced tomatoes
Method:
Sauté onion, add taco seasoning and then beans and tomatoes. Heat through. Serve over corn chips or toasted pita bread or torn mountain bread (I've even put it over pappadums in a pinch) add salad to suit, top with salsa and sour cream.
I usually put the salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cheese, salsa, sour cream) out and let them make their own.
This makes a double quantity, so half goes in the freezer for the next time. Freezes well and it makes a great filling for stuffed spuds too.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: BBQ, salads, garlic bread
Tuesday: Lasagne & salad
Wednesday: Rissoles, steamed vegetables and gravy
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, wedges, salad
Saturday: Haystacks
In the fruit bowl: oranges
This recipe is from the Vegetarian Recipe File
There are over 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File, all contributed by your fellow Cheapskates, so you know they're good.
Add A Recipe
Recipe File Index
6. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
One Meal Base, Three Different DishesSomething that's been coming through on our YouTube channel is that there's a lot of interest in easy, budget and family friendly meals that don't take ages to prepare and that don't use fancy, expensive ingredients. I cook like this all the time; I don't have the budget or the patience for time consuming recipes with very expensive one-off ingredients. My kitchen is a working family's working kitchen - Masterchef and MKR just wouldn't cut it in my kitchen!
A simple example of this is spaghetti sauce. When you're cooking spaghetti sauce, do a triple batch and divide it into three portions. Store two portions in the fridge in containers. The third portion you'll use for that night's meal. It can be a classic spag bol or stir it through some noodles, pour into a baking dish, top with a little grated cheese and have it as a pasta bake.
The next night, take a portion of the spaghetti sauce and thin it with about 1.5 litres of chicken stock. Add 1/2 cup rice and cook. You have tomato rice soup. Serve with toast, toasted crumpets or toasted English muffins or garlic bread.
On the third night take the last portion of spaghetti sauce and thin with approximately 1 cup of chicken stock. You don't want this to be too thin. Add a tin of baked beans, a diced onion and chilli powder to taste and you have a very simple, but hearty, chilli. Make some dumplings and drop them on top, let them simmer 30 minutes and you have a hearty meal ready to serve. Or, if you have a slow cooker, put it all together in the morning and cook on LOW during the day and dinner will be ready to serve when you get home.
You've turned on recipe into three very different meals without fancy ingredients or a lot of time.
If you'd like my simple, bulk pasta sauce recipe, you'll find it here.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
10 Financial Skills That Will Carry You through Challenging Times
Habits of Financially Successful Singles
Six Multitasking Tips to Get More Out of Your Day
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Choc Coated Nougat Ice-cream Balls
The Slush Fund
Where does it all go? Keeping Track of Your Money
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
MOO Vanilla Slice, a Homemade Treat
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cupcake
Everyone Should be Baking - Even on a Budget!
The Cheapskates Club Show
How Many Days to Pay For......
My Yoghurt Won't Set
Bare Bones Groceries
8. Ask A Question
We have lots of resources to help you as you live the Cheapskates way but if you didn't find the answer to your question in our extensive archives please just drop me a note with your question.
I read and answer all questions, either in an email to you, in my weekly newsletter, the monthly Journal or by creating blog posts and other resources to help you (and other Cheapskaters).
Ask Your Question
9. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $25 a year, you can join the Cheapskates Club and get exclusive access to the Cheapskate Journal, the monthly e-journal that shows you how to cut the costs of everyday living and still have fun.
Joining the Cheapskates Club gives you 24/7 access to the Members Centre with 1000's of money saving tips and articles.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
10. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
11. 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
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - New Books Every Month, Even on a Tight Budget; Simple Transfer Anyone Can Do To Pay Down Debt; Great Way to Use Almost Finished Candles
3. This Week's Winning Tip - Clothing Swaps Boost Home Saving Account by $4,000
4. Share Your Tips
5. On the Menu - Haystacks
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - One Meal Base, Three Different Dishes
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
9. Join the Cheapskates Club
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to all our new members and YouTube subscribers, it's so nice to see you all here!
This week's newsletter is full of good things to save you money, time and energy, three things that are especially dear to me right now.
Money because we're saving frantically for a big expense we have coming up.
Time because while we all have the same 24 hours in a day, and because I believe it's what we do with those 24 hours that makes the difference, my time the last couple of weeks has been taken up with unexpected things I've had to learn to manage.
And energy because with all that's going on, my energy levels have been all over the place. Some days I'm full of beans and then there are others where its an effort to even think!
So if you're like me with a big financial goal and lots of other (all good!) stuff going on, the hints, tips and ideas below will help.
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
New Books Every Month, Even on a Tight Budget
Well at least for those that you read just for leisure or those you don't need to hang on to. I'm a bookworm, I always wanted my own mini library, however I don't have a budget for buying books due to tight budget for now. I have come to know that in our local library, you can suggest books, even e-books, audio books, videos etc., up to 10 suggestions per month. Of course this is subject to their approval, but hey out of my 10 suggestion, five were approved! How good is that? I saved heaps from that. Most of my suggestions are children's book for my little one or self-help books for myself. We visit the library every three weeks and stock up like 20 books for the little one and 1-3 for myself for night reading. Once my suggestion is approved, I just queue myself for that book and pick it up once it is ready. Check your local library and hopefully they have those options for you.
Contributed by Irene G
Simple Transfer Anyone Can Do To Pay Down Debt
I have an everyday account where my pay goes into each fortnight. Once I have paid my bills and put my savings into another account anything left in this account on pay day is transferred to either my savings account or my mortgage. In twelve months I have been able to pay over $1,000 onto my mortgage. I don't miss the money and i ensure I do this every fortnight no matter how much is left in this account, even $2.00
Contributed by Regina Anderson
Great Way to Use Almost Finished Candles
I love burning candles but find that they only burn about half way down before the wick gets too damaged to light or the candle doesn't burn well. That is a lot of candle and wax to waste. Now, I take a small paring knife and cut a section of the scented wax out and place it on my candle warmer, replacing the wax cubes that can be costly that candle warmers use. You can even mix a piece of raspberry wax with a piece of ginger wax to create your own scents. Reasonable and no waste. Win-Win!
Contributed by Angela Kinsey
Add a Tip
3. This Week's Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Lauren M. Lauren has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
Clothing Swaps Boost Home Saving Account by $4,000
"Three times a year my mother's group gets together for a clothes swap. One swap is baby and children's clothes up to size 6, one swap is children's clothes up to size 12 and the third swap is adult clothes. I haven't bought new clothes for either of my children, my partner or myself for four years thanks to these regular swaps. The money we haven't spent on clothes has been put towards our home deposit (thanks to Cath it really is saved!). The swaps are so well run, and very popular. We have a committee (sounds important but really it's just three mums who get together on playgroup day to plan the next swap) who organise the swaps. Here's how we run them so there is no chaos, and no greed and no hurt feelings:
1. Everyone attending brings 5 items.
2. As they come into the hall they are given a coloured dot (we have three different colours - red, green, blue that have been laminated so they can be re-used) and then they are directed to either a table or floor space where they can set up. First in gets the tables, everyone else gets a plastic tablecloth on the floor to set up.
3. Once everyone is set up, we are open for business. The folk with the red dots get first pick. They can go around and choose one item. Then the green dots get to have a pick, again one item, and lastly the blue dots get to choose an item. There is a five minute time limit on each round.
4. This is repeated twice, so two rounds of one pick each with a five minute limit on each round.
5. After the second round it is open slather, or rather a free for all and everyone can choose from what is left.
It sounds complicated but it's not and it works so well. We are a large group, and we invite the other groups who meet at our neighbourhood house to join in, so there is always plenty of things to choose from.
In late November we hold a toy and gift swap with the same rules, and then the last swap of the year is a school swap, where school uniforms, textbooks, sports uniforms, even musical instruments are swapped.
These swaps have boosted our home savings account by over $4,000 in four years. After each swap I simply take the money I would have spent on new clothes and bank it in our house saving account."
Congratulations Lauren, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club.
4. Share Your Tips
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Share Your Tip
5. On The Menu
Haystacks
Another often requested recipe, this is so simple. I've been making haystacks for over 30 years. They were a staple for camps because they're quick and easy and cheap to make in bulk. When you have 2 or 3 hungry kids you don't want anything too fussy, so you can imagine just how great they are when you have 100 hungry kids!
Frugal Haystacks
Ingredients:
2 tins baked beans in tomato sauce
1 tin red kidney beans (or dried equivalent, soaked and cooked)
3 tbsp MOO taco seasoning (or 1 packet)
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 tins diced tomatoes
Method:
Sauté onion, add taco seasoning and then beans and tomatoes. Heat through. Serve over corn chips or toasted pita bread or torn mountain bread (I've even put it over pappadums in a pinch) add salad to suit, top with salsa and sour cream.
I usually put the salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cheese, salsa, sour cream) out and let them make their own.
This makes a double quantity, so half goes in the freezer for the next time. Freezes well and it makes a great filling for stuffed spuds too.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: BBQ, salads, garlic bread
Tuesday: Lasagne & salad
Wednesday: Rissoles, steamed vegetables and gravy
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, wedges, salad
Saturday: Haystacks
In the fruit bowl: oranges
This recipe is from the Vegetarian Recipe File
There are over 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File, all contributed by your fellow Cheapskates, so you know they're good.
Add A Recipe
Recipe File Index
6. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
One Meal Base, Three Different DishesSomething that's been coming through on our YouTube channel is that there's a lot of interest in easy, budget and family friendly meals that don't take ages to prepare and that don't use fancy, expensive ingredients. I cook like this all the time; I don't have the budget or the patience for time consuming recipes with very expensive one-off ingredients. My kitchen is a working family's working kitchen - Masterchef and MKR just wouldn't cut it in my kitchen!
A simple example of this is spaghetti sauce. When you're cooking spaghetti sauce, do a triple batch and divide it into three portions. Store two portions in the fridge in containers. The third portion you'll use for that night's meal. It can be a classic spag bol or stir it through some noodles, pour into a baking dish, top with a little grated cheese and have it as a pasta bake.
The next night, take a portion of the spaghetti sauce and thin it with about 1.5 litres of chicken stock. Add 1/2 cup rice and cook. You have tomato rice soup. Serve with toast, toasted crumpets or toasted English muffins or garlic bread.
On the third night take the last portion of spaghetti sauce and thin with approximately 1 cup of chicken stock. You don't want this to be too thin. Add a tin of baked beans, a diced onion and chilli powder to taste and you have a very simple, but hearty, chilli. Make some dumplings and drop them on top, let them simmer 30 minutes and you have a hearty meal ready to serve. Or, if you have a slow cooker, put it all together in the morning and cook on LOW during the day and dinner will be ready to serve when you get home.
You've turned on recipe into three very different meals without fancy ingredients or a lot of time.
If you'd like my simple, bulk pasta sauce recipe, you'll find it here.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
10 Financial Skills That Will Carry You through Challenging Times
Habits of Financially Successful Singles
Six Multitasking Tips to Get More Out of Your Day
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Choc Coated Nougat Ice-cream Balls
The Slush Fund
Where does it all go? Keeping Track of Your Money
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
MOO Vanilla Slice, a Homemade Treat
Sweet Potato Chocolate Cupcake
Everyone Should be Baking - Even on a Budget!
The Cheapskates Club Show
How Many Days to Pay For......
My Yoghurt Won't Set
Bare Bones Groceries
8. Ask A Question
We have lots of resources to help you as you live the Cheapskates way but if you didn't find the answer to your question in our extensive archives please just drop me a note with your question.
I read and answer all questions, either in an email to you, in my weekly newsletter, the monthly Journal or by creating blog posts and other resources to help you (and other Cheapskaters).
Ask Your Question
9. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $25 a year, you can join the Cheapskates Club and get exclusive access to the Cheapskate Journal, the monthly e-journal that shows you how to cut the costs of everyday living and still have fun.
Joining the Cheapskates Club gives you 24/7 access to the Members Centre with 1000's of money saving tips and articles.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
10. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
11. 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