Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 11:17
In this Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - The Cheapest Fabric Softener Ever; MOO Disinfectant Spray; Keep Sponges Clean
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Lazy Day Lasagne
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Guerrilla Grocery Shopping Part 7: Become a Vegetable Garden Grower
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. Member's Featured Blog - Saving Revolution 2017
8. Last Week's Question - Are there any single Cheapskaters out there? How do you live frugally?
9. This Week's Question - Ideas needed for cheap, reliable home internet
10. Ask Cath
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
We're in the midst of a late burst of summer here in Melbourne this week. I think this may be the hottest week of the entire summer for us, with a run of days over 30 degrees.
That means I have been out early in the morning watering the garden and the pot plants (I use the cold shower water we collect for the pot plants). The house has been shut tight from just before sunrise until about 8pm when it has finally started to cool down outside and we've been using the fans to keep us cool, no air-con needed, which has been a nice power saving.
This week I've been busy MOOing too. Plum jam, banana cake and muffins, a get well card, soap, bread and ant spray; it has been a very busy week.
What have you been MOOing?
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
The Cheapest Fabric Softener Ever
I read this one online years ago, and its saved me a fortune in fabric softener products. I simply use 2 tablespoons of Coles store brand vinegar in the final wash, and everything comes out soft, fresh, stain free, and NO, it doesn't smell of vinegar. A two litre bottle of store brand vinegar from Coles is $1.10 and I calculated I get 300 fabulously soft washes out of it. Instead of using commercial fabric softeners that are filled will a ton of chemicals. I had psoriasis, and since I've gone to MOO washing powder and just 2 tablespoons vinegar, it's not been an issue. My hospital thinks I'm miraculously cured on all the pills they gave me. They made me worse. I changed to MOO, and stopped using commercial laundry detergents and fabric softener, and I'm healed.
Contributed by Lisa DeLace
MOO Disinfectant Spray
When you have someone sick in the home, especially with gastro, this spray is better than anything you can buy to kill germs and bacteria and help stop it spreading through the whole family.
You will need:
hydrogen peroxide (3% solution)
Full strength white vinegar
2 spray nozzles
one spray bottle
Hydrogen peroxide comes in a brown bottle because it’s extremely light sensitive, so leave it in the original bottle! Instead of transferring the liquid to another spray bottle, simply put a nozzle on the brown bottle from the chemist. You can buy it from your local chemist. The last bottle I bought cost under $3 so it isn't expensive.
Fill an empty spray bottle with straight white vinegar.
Hold your hydrogen peroxide bottle in one hand and vinegar bottle in the other. Mist the surface you’d like to disinfect with the hydrogen peroxide and then follow up with a mist of the vinegar. Important: Don’t combine the two liquids into one bottle – they will form a new chemical if they’re combined that doesn’t work as well. Use a clean, damp microfibre cloth to wipe over the surface.
This technique was developed to be sprayed directly onto food, but you can use it to disinfect anything in your house. I use it to clean the chopping boards after I've cut up raw chicken. If you do use the spray on fruit or vegetables, rinse the food with water after you’ve disinfected to remove any lingering flavours.
Keep Sponges Clean
A study of 30 different surfaces in 22 homes found that the kitchen sponge has the most bacteria – harbouring more germs than your toilet seat! Eww!
If your sponge or kitchen cloth has seen better days, it's a good idea to replace it instead of tossing it in your dishwasher. Old or worn out sponges may break apart and possibly damage your dishwasher.
To help keep your sponge clean:
Keep in a dry place. Bacteria thrives in moist environments, so it’s important to keep your sponge dry. Wring out your sponge after every use and store it in a dry place.
Run it through the dishwasher. Place your sponge on the top shelf with the rest of your dishes. Run the sponge through the dishwasher on the hottest cycle. Be sure to air dry the sponge thoroughly afterwards.
Microwave it. A study from the USDA’s Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Centre found that the microwave is the best at killing bacteria, yeast and mould in kitchen sponges. If you don’t have a dishwasher, microwave a soaking wet sponge on the highest setting for two minutes. Carefully remove the sponge and let it cool before use.
Replace it. Replace your sponge every two weeks. Tip: Try sponges made from natural and sustainable materials to reduce waste. I move sponges from the kitchen, to the laundry, to the bathroom and finally it is binned.
There are currently more than 12,000 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. On the Menu
Lazy Day Lasagne
Ingredients:
375g lasagne noodles (no cook)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 jars pasta sauce
500g cottage cheese (or ricotta)
375g shredded mozzarella
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Oil the base and sides of a large lasagne dish. Add oregano to pasta sauce. Spread two cups of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Then layers remaining ingredients in this order: noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella, pasta sauce - repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of mozzarella. Cover dish in foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and centre is hot. Take foil off and cook a further 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Meatloaf, salad
Tuesday: Refrigerator Lasagne
Wednesday: Lamb curry, steamed rice, poppadums
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Haystacks
In the fruit bowl: Bananas
In the cake tin: Banana bread
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Guerrilla Grocery Shopping Part 7: Become a Vegetable Garden Grower
If you are really serious about keeping your grocery bill down, you need to grow at least some of the food you eat. You can grow veggies anywhere if you use your imagination, they don’t need to be in a plot on the ground.
Not everyone is an expert gardener, which can sometimes stop a potential future gardener in his or her tracks. Gardening, however, is just like anything else that you are not familiar with – if you don’t try it, you will never know how to do it. You will never know whether you like it, or how successful it will turn out.
When you are learning how to drive, you take lessons and practice. When you begin the gardening process, it is best to start out small, read up on the subject, and talk with other people who have years of expertise behind them. Other more seasoned gardeners have little tips and tricks that you can add to your wheelbarrow of gardening knowledge.
It is best to begin your gardening endeavour with the basics. Some simple lettuce, one or two varieties of tomatoes, and a vegetable or two is just fine to begin your new hobby. Not only is gardening a great way to save money and eat fresh (with no pesticides), it is also an amazing way to get the whole family involved. If you have younger children, it teaches responsibility while the young ones can literally see the fruits of their labour.
Lettuce is nice to start with. It is easy to grow and even better it will grow all year round and with so many different varieties you don’t have to stick to good old ice berg. Lettuce will grow in a garden plot but it will also grow in pots and tubs, hanging baskets and I’ve even grown it in old guttering hung on the fence.
Prepare your soil prior to planting your lettuce. Sometimes using compost at the end of winter will better prepare your soil for planting of your lettuce. Organic soil that contains natural plant food can be found in any garden store and will keep soil moist. Choose a patch of soil that is not entirely in the sun. Part sun and part shade will work just fine.
There are many varieties of lettuce, but perhaps loose-leaf lettuce would be the best bet to begin your garden. Plant your lettuce seeds approximately 6mm down in your row, separating them by 2cm gaps. Your rows can be about 30cm apart.
When weeds begin to sprout, gently pull them by hand as roots for lettuce are very delicate and using a garden tool might uproot your lettuce. Be sure to keep your lettuce seeds watered, but do not overdo it. Your soil needs to be moist, not sodden.
When your lettuce leaves begin to sprout, start picking the leaves when they get to about 5cm tall. As you pick the lettuce leaves from the outside, you will allow newer leaves room to grow. The more you pick, the more they’ll grow. Your lettuce will keep giving for months.
Growing just lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers will give you basic salad ingredients for the summer, cutting around $170 off your grocery bill for just for the summer. Your seeds will cost you under $10 (I suggest you buy heirloom seeds) and you’ll have more than enough to keep you in salad veggies for the summer and with succession planting through into autumn, cutting even more from your grocery bill.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
What Books are you Planning on Reading in July?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3339-What-books-are-you-planning-on-reading-in-July
Decluttering Tally Game 2017
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3480-Decluttering-Tally-Game-2017
Simple Things = Great Pleasures
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3104-Simple-things-Great-pleasures
Most popular blog posts this week
MOO Bisquick and the Convenience of MOO Packet Mixes
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/04/moo-bisquick-and-convenience-of-moo.html
31 Days of MOO No. 7 - Two Easy Ways to MOO Buttermilk
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/03/31-days-of-moo-no-7-two-easy-ways-to.html
Should my Recipes have a More Healthy Focus?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/08/should-my-recipes-have-more-healthy.html
7. Members 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 hevva.
Saving Revolution 2017
Hello all...well I thought I was a bit slack with my homework "Blog" and I knew at the start of the year that I would not be able to post every week but I am here to say that I have been reading the lessons and I am not discouraged although I would love for our lives to get back to a bit of normal. That being said we are progressing and after some professional painting we are about ready to put our house on the market so there has been some significant reorganising going on.
The Declutterthon goes on and today I took about 20 more pot plants to my favourite Op Shop as well as Freecycling some ancient lino scraps!
The Management has been digging out clumps of Bird of Paradise that have nearly destroyed a concrete retaining wall & yesterday we did a massive tip run including an old table that had been under the house, 2 of the legs were rotted so we cut them off to get it out the door and onto the roof of the 4WD!!! I tossed two old foxed wall mirrors and neither of them broke when they went in the truck so no bad luck for me.... nearly there.
As far as homework goes.... I struggle with paying for groceries with cash and spend less money and am more accountable when I use my debit card. So, that is what works for me. I tend to spend less by just sticking to my list which has become very specific and that is where I can save. I have learned so much by using my Grocery Budget Tracker and cutting out extras. I am proud to say that I feel like I am winning despite a lot of stress and extra fuel and the amount of hard work done in the heat we are all putting up with! What a summer!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
8. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Joanne who wrote
"Are there any single Cheapskaters out there? I would be interested to hear your ideas for living frugally as a single, grocery shopping and saving."
Claire Smith answered
I am single yet I still do the same frugal things as non-singles: I buy bulk, cook bulk and freeze and have a stash as well. If there's anything that can't be frozen I share the excess with a friend. I also have a deal going with my sister (who has four children). I buy a large roast, sufficient to serve eight people (me, the sister's mother in law and her family) and she cooks and does the vegetables. This way I get a roast dinner, usually every Sunday, without wasting any and get to see the family. If there's any leftovers I get to take them home (but that is rare).
Marcia Harris answered
Hi Joanne, I belong to the 'older group' of singles so my needs are not that of a young person. I feel 'less is more'. Follow a routine and you can get your work done quicker without stress, which equals more free pleasure time. My wardrobe is based on two or three basic colour combinations that work for home and travel plus jeans; don't be afraid to browse the charity shops for 'top' labels. If you can sew, charity shops have a section for sizable 'left-overs', large enough for tops, also check larger sizes that can be easily altered to suit such as a larger sized skirt. It can be changed to a smart wrap-around in short time. Shoes are also available...just spray/wipe inside with methylated spirits on a cloth to disinfect prior to wearing.
I like a simple vegetarian diet and include chicken, fish and turkey...no red meat. I do a basic shop two or three times per month and then shop for fresh veg when needed. An $8 BBQ chicken can be stripped and the meat used as a base for a variety of meals and the bones go into a pot with garlic, onions and herbs, for stock, and the base for many different soups.
Plan your meals, write up your shopping list and remember to take the list with you.
Access the MOO recipes, especially for cleaning products, also for easy recipes for cookies and one pot meals.
To save on buying magazines, check your local library and your local charity shop. I find they usually have a nice range of clean magazines ranging in price from 20c - $1 and when you're finished with them, take them back to the charity shop.
Join a club with nominal membership fees. Check with your local Council to find out what clubs are available. Also, check your local free paper for friendship clubs, walking groups, volunteer work etc. to meet new friends.
As an added interest, consider doing an online course on a subject that interests you....and if you don't sew, it would be worth your while to do a basic sewing course as it would be a big dollar saver, long term. Oh yes, if you knit, check your charity shop for wool and look for large items, hand knitted, that can be unpicked and re-knitted.
I have also found that polar fleece works very well as a winter sheet...it's very warm and dries faster than cotton or flannelette.
I don't use make-up other than lipstick. I buy a bottle of first press Macadamia oil (approximately $9) and add a bottle of rosehip oil (about $20). In a separate bottle decant enough macadamia oil, preferably into a brown bottle, to make room for the rosehip oil. I use this combination on my skin morning and night. The macadamia oil has a natural 'in-built' UV ray protection.
BJ Jones answered
Joanne, I am a single lass, trying to stick to my budget, which is very difficult I find for one person. My biggest problem is food that I don't use that goes off. I now cook meals to freeze, and usually only do this once a week. But I also bottle my own roasted tomato passata when tomatoes are cheap. I semi- dry in the oven (on baking paper halved in cool oven - 120 degrees C for 2 hours with a little salt sprinkled over them) the left over cherry tomatoes from a punnet and freeze them in ziplock bags or jars. I also mush up (blender or mortar and pestle), add oil then freeze in ice cube trays herbs from the very expensive bunches you get at the supermarket. These you pop out into freezer bags when frozen to reuse in portion sizes in stir fries and pasta dishes. I have a veg garden, but if you don't, recommend even in a small space (such as windowsill or balcony) growing herbs you use frequently. They provide the most 'bang for your buck' as they save you lots of money from shopping for small expensive bunches that go off easily.
Norma Mason answered
Divide and conquer is my main suggestion. I buy family size meats, and divide into the portion sizes that I will eat. I promptly freeze the rest for another time. I usually make more than one portion at a time (usually 2). That way I can have "planned leftovers".
Sometimes even something as simple as a bag of onions are too much - again, leave a few out, chop and freeze the rest.
Don't turn down anything anyone wants to give you. Even if you can't use it all, (a bushel of zucchini), you can barter with some, freeze some, or give it to the next person you know needs some. Always be sure to thank them, and be truly thankful for their kindness.
It is less expensive to buy a freezer and run it, than to buy single portions of items. At the end of the day, you have a stockpile - frozen meat, veggies, fruits, 1/2 can of tomato puree, etc. and it saves you from running out for a refill.
You need to treat yourself and your budget as if you had several people you are buying for, pare it down, and if you have too much - either freeze it, eat it a second time, turn it into a different meal (meatloaf into meat sauce for pasta, etc.) or share with someone else who is single.
Speaking of sharing - think about starting a singles dinner club. Either you have a round robin where everyone meets at a different home each night, or everyone makes a different meal, package it, everyone meets in a parking lot and exchanges meals. They both work, and I have been party to both. This can be 2 people or many, but it does help if everyone likes the same kinds of food.
9. This Week's Question
Marg writes
"Any ideas on cheap home internet with good amount of GBs? I have currently a Telstra Pre-Paid which is not enough so go to the library or McDonalds. This is not always convenient.
Do you have the answer?
If you can help Marg 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
10. Ask Cath
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
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
For just 10 cents a day 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!
12. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. Members can update their email address or any other details by clicking on "Edit Profile" directly under their membership number after they have logged in to the Member's Centre. Subscribers to our free newsletter can use the Change Your Address form (under Customer Service in the menu) and fill it out. Once you've filled it in click the send button and we'll do the rest. Please remember to include your old email address so we can find it in the list as well as the new one.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
When you login to the Member's Centre you will be told how many days of membership you have left once you have 30 days left. Just click on the link to renew and your membership will just continue on, uninterrupted.
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Read our privacy policy
How Did You Get on Our List?
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13. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - The Cheapest Fabric Softener Ever; MOO Disinfectant Spray; Keep Sponges Clean
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Lazy Day Lasagne
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Guerrilla Grocery Shopping Part 7: Become a Vegetable Garden Grower
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. Member's Featured Blog - Saving Revolution 2017
8. Last Week's Question - Are there any single Cheapskaters out there? How do you live frugally?
9. This Week's Question - Ideas needed for cheap, reliable home internet
10. Ask Cath
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
We're in the midst of a late burst of summer here in Melbourne this week. I think this may be the hottest week of the entire summer for us, with a run of days over 30 degrees.
That means I have been out early in the morning watering the garden and the pot plants (I use the cold shower water we collect for the pot plants). The house has been shut tight from just before sunrise until about 8pm when it has finally started to cool down outside and we've been using the fans to keep us cool, no air-con needed, which has been a nice power saving.
This week I've been busy MOOing too. Plum jam, banana cake and muffins, a get well card, soap, bread and ant spray; it has been a very busy week.
What have you been MOOing?
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
The Cheapest Fabric Softener Ever
I read this one online years ago, and its saved me a fortune in fabric softener products. I simply use 2 tablespoons of Coles store brand vinegar in the final wash, and everything comes out soft, fresh, stain free, and NO, it doesn't smell of vinegar. A two litre bottle of store brand vinegar from Coles is $1.10 and I calculated I get 300 fabulously soft washes out of it. Instead of using commercial fabric softeners that are filled will a ton of chemicals. I had psoriasis, and since I've gone to MOO washing powder and just 2 tablespoons vinegar, it's not been an issue. My hospital thinks I'm miraculously cured on all the pills they gave me. They made me worse. I changed to MOO, and stopped using commercial laundry detergents and fabric softener, and I'm healed.
Contributed by Lisa DeLace
MOO Disinfectant Spray
When you have someone sick in the home, especially with gastro, this spray is better than anything you can buy to kill germs and bacteria and help stop it spreading through the whole family.
You will need:
hydrogen peroxide (3% solution)
Full strength white vinegar
2 spray nozzles
one spray bottle
Hydrogen peroxide comes in a brown bottle because it’s extremely light sensitive, so leave it in the original bottle! Instead of transferring the liquid to another spray bottle, simply put a nozzle on the brown bottle from the chemist. You can buy it from your local chemist. The last bottle I bought cost under $3 so it isn't expensive.
Fill an empty spray bottle with straight white vinegar.
Hold your hydrogen peroxide bottle in one hand and vinegar bottle in the other. Mist the surface you’d like to disinfect with the hydrogen peroxide and then follow up with a mist of the vinegar. Important: Don’t combine the two liquids into one bottle – they will form a new chemical if they’re combined that doesn’t work as well. Use a clean, damp microfibre cloth to wipe over the surface.
This technique was developed to be sprayed directly onto food, but you can use it to disinfect anything in your house. I use it to clean the chopping boards after I've cut up raw chicken. If you do use the spray on fruit or vegetables, rinse the food with water after you’ve disinfected to remove any lingering flavours.
Keep Sponges Clean
A study of 30 different surfaces in 22 homes found that the kitchen sponge has the most bacteria – harbouring more germs than your toilet seat! Eww!
If your sponge or kitchen cloth has seen better days, it's a good idea to replace it instead of tossing it in your dishwasher. Old or worn out sponges may break apart and possibly damage your dishwasher.
To help keep your sponge clean:
Keep in a dry place. Bacteria thrives in moist environments, so it’s important to keep your sponge dry. Wring out your sponge after every use and store it in a dry place.
Run it through the dishwasher. Place your sponge on the top shelf with the rest of your dishes. Run the sponge through the dishwasher on the hottest cycle. Be sure to air dry the sponge thoroughly afterwards.
Microwave it. A study from the USDA’s Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Centre found that the microwave is the best at killing bacteria, yeast and mould in kitchen sponges. If you don’t have a dishwasher, microwave a soaking wet sponge on the highest setting for two minutes. Carefully remove the sponge and let it cool before use.
Replace it. Replace your sponge every two weeks. Tip: Try sponges made from natural and sustainable materials to reduce waste. I move sponges from the kitchen, to the laundry, to the bathroom and finally it is binned.
There are currently more than 12,000 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. On the Menu
Lazy Day Lasagne
Ingredients:
375g lasagne noodles (no cook)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 jars pasta sauce
500g cottage cheese (or ricotta)
375g shredded mozzarella
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Oil the base and sides of a large lasagne dish. Add oregano to pasta sauce. Spread two cups of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Then layers remaining ingredients in this order: noodles, cottage cheese, mozzarella, pasta sauce - repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with a layer of mozzarella. Cover dish in foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until edges are bubbly and centre is hot. Take foil off and cook a further 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Meatloaf, salad
Tuesday: Refrigerator Lasagne
Wednesday: Lamb curry, steamed rice, poppadums
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Haystacks
In the fruit bowl: Bananas
In the cake tin: Banana bread
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Guerrilla Grocery Shopping Part 7: Become a Vegetable Garden Grower
If you are really serious about keeping your grocery bill down, you need to grow at least some of the food you eat. You can grow veggies anywhere if you use your imagination, they don’t need to be in a plot on the ground.
Not everyone is an expert gardener, which can sometimes stop a potential future gardener in his or her tracks. Gardening, however, is just like anything else that you are not familiar with – if you don’t try it, you will never know how to do it. You will never know whether you like it, or how successful it will turn out.
When you are learning how to drive, you take lessons and practice. When you begin the gardening process, it is best to start out small, read up on the subject, and talk with other people who have years of expertise behind them. Other more seasoned gardeners have little tips and tricks that you can add to your wheelbarrow of gardening knowledge.
It is best to begin your gardening endeavour with the basics. Some simple lettuce, one or two varieties of tomatoes, and a vegetable or two is just fine to begin your new hobby. Not only is gardening a great way to save money and eat fresh (with no pesticides), it is also an amazing way to get the whole family involved. If you have younger children, it teaches responsibility while the young ones can literally see the fruits of their labour.
Lettuce is nice to start with. It is easy to grow and even better it will grow all year round and with so many different varieties you don’t have to stick to good old ice berg. Lettuce will grow in a garden plot but it will also grow in pots and tubs, hanging baskets and I’ve even grown it in old guttering hung on the fence.
Prepare your soil prior to planting your lettuce. Sometimes using compost at the end of winter will better prepare your soil for planting of your lettuce. Organic soil that contains natural plant food can be found in any garden store and will keep soil moist. Choose a patch of soil that is not entirely in the sun. Part sun and part shade will work just fine.
There are many varieties of lettuce, but perhaps loose-leaf lettuce would be the best bet to begin your garden. Plant your lettuce seeds approximately 6mm down in your row, separating them by 2cm gaps. Your rows can be about 30cm apart.
When weeds begin to sprout, gently pull them by hand as roots for lettuce are very delicate and using a garden tool might uproot your lettuce. Be sure to keep your lettuce seeds watered, but do not overdo it. Your soil needs to be moist, not sodden.
When your lettuce leaves begin to sprout, start picking the leaves when they get to about 5cm tall. As you pick the lettuce leaves from the outside, you will allow newer leaves room to grow. The more you pick, the more they’ll grow. Your lettuce will keep giving for months.
Growing just lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers will give you basic salad ingredients for the summer, cutting around $170 off your grocery bill for just for the summer. Your seeds will cost you under $10 (I suggest you buy heirloom seeds) and you’ll have more than enough to keep you in salad veggies for the summer and with succession planting through into autumn, cutting even more from your grocery bill.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
What Books are you Planning on Reading in July?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3339-What-books-are-you-planning-on-reading-in-July
Decluttering Tally Game 2017
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3480-Decluttering-Tally-Game-2017
Simple Things = Great Pleasures
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3104-Simple-things-Great-pleasures
Most popular blog posts this week
MOO Bisquick and the Convenience of MOO Packet Mixes
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/04/moo-bisquick-and-convenience-of-moo.html
31 Days of MOO No. 7 - Two Easy Ways to MOO Buttermilk
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/03/31-days-of-moo-no-7-two-easy-ways-to.html
Should my Recipes have a More Healthy Focus?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/08/should-my-recipes-have-more-healthy.html
7. Members 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 hevva.
Saving Revolution 2017
Hello all...well I thought I was a bit slack with my homework "Blog" and I knew at the start of the year that I would not be able to post every week but I am here to say that I have been reading the lessons and I am not discouraged although I would love for our lives to get back to a bit of normal. That being said we are progressing and after some professional painting we are about ready to put our house on the market so there has been some significant reorganising going on.
The Declutterthon goes on and today I took about 20 more pot plants to my favourite Op Shop as well as Freecycling some ancient lino scraps!
The Management has been digging out clumps of Bird of Paradise that have nearly destroyed a concrete retaining wall & yesterday we did a massive tip run including an old table that had been under the house, 2 of the legs were rotted so we cut them off to get it out the door and onto the roof of the 4WD!!! I tossed two old foxed wall mirrors and neither of them broke when they went in the truck so no bad luck for me.... nearly there.
As far as homework goes.... I struggle with paying for groceries with cash and spend less money and am more accountable when I use my debit card. So, that is what works for me. I tend to spend less by just sticking to my list which has become very specific and that is where I can save. I have learned so much by using my Grocery Budget Tracker and cutting out extras. I am proud to say that I feel like I am winning despite a lot of stress and extra fuel and the amount of hard work done in the heat we are all putting up with! What a summer!
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8. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Joanne who wrote
"Are there any single Cheapskaters out there? I would be interested to hear your ideas for living frugally as a single, grocery shopping and saving."
Claire Smith answered
I am single yet I still do the same frugal things as non-singles: I buy bulk, cook bulk and freeze and have a stash as well. If there's anything that can't be frozen I share the excess with a friend. I also have a deal going with my sister (who has four children). I buy a large roast, sufficient to serve eight people (me, the sister's mother in law and her family) and she cooks and does the vegetables. This way I get a roast dinner, usually every Sunday, without wasting any and get to see the family. If there's any leftovers I get to take them home (but that is rare).
Marcia Harris answered
Hi Joanne, I belong to the 'older group' of singles so my needs are not that of a young person. I feel 'less is more'. Follow a routine and you can get your work done quicker without stress, which equals more free pleasure time. My wardrobe is based on two or three basic colour combinations that work for home and travel plus jeans; don't be afraid to browse the charity shops for 'top' labels. If you can sew, charity shops have a section for sizable 'left-overs', large enough for tops, also check larger sizes that can be easily altered to suit such as a larger sized skirt. It can be changed to a smart wrap-around in short time. Shoes are also available...just spray/wipe inside with methylated spirits on a cloth to disinfect prior to wearing.
I like a simple vegetarian diet and include chicken, fish and turkey...no red meat. I do a basic shop two or three times per month and then shop for fresh veg when needed. An $8 BBQ chicken can be stripped and the meat used as a base for a variety of meals and the bones go into a pot with garlic, onions and herbs, for stock, and the base for many different soups.
Plan your meals, write up your shopping list and remember to take the list with you.
Access the MOO recipes, especially for cleaning products, also for easy recipes for cookies and one pot meals.
To save on buying magazines, check your local library and your local charity shop. I find they usually have a nice range of clean magazines ranging in price from 20c - $1 and when you're finished with them, take them back to the charity shop.
Join a club with nominal membership fees. Check with your local Council to find out what clubs are available. Also, check your local free paper for friendship clubs, walking groups, volunteer work etc. to meet new friends.
As an added interest, consider doing an online course on a subject that interests you....and if you don't sew, it would be worth your while to do a basic sewing course as it would be a big dollar saver, long term. Oh yes, if you knit, check your charity shop for wool and look for large items, hand knitted, that can be unpicked and re-knitted.
I have also found that polar fleece works very well as a winter sheet...it's very warm and dries faster than cotton or flannelette.
I don't use make-up other than lipstick. I buy a bottle of first press Macadamia oil (approximately $9) and add a bottle of rosehip oil (about $20). In a separate bottle decant enough macadamia oil, preferably into a brown bottle, to make room for the rosehip oil. I use this combination on my skin morning and night. The macadamia oil has a natural 'in-built' UV ray protection.
BJ Jones answered
Joanne, I am a single lass, trying to stick to my budget, which is very difficult I find for one person. My biggest problem is food that I don't use that goes off. I now cook meals to freeze, and usually only do this once a week. But I also bottle my own roasted tomato passata when tomatoes are cheap. I semi- dry in the oven (on baking paper halved in cool oven - 120 degrees C for 2 hours with a little salt sprinkled over them) the left over cherry tomatoes from a punnet and freeze them in ziplock bags or jars. I also mush up (blender or mortar and pestle), add oil then freeze in ice cube trays herbs from the very expensive bunches you get at the supermarket. These you pop out into freezer bags when frozen to reuse in portion sizes in stir fries and pasta dishes. I have a veg garden, but if you don't, recommend even in a small space (such as windowsill or balcony) growing herbs you use frequently. They provide the most 'bang for your buck' as they save you lots of money from shopping for small expensive bunches that go off easily.
Norma Mason answered
Divide and conquer is my main suggestion. I buy family size meats, and divide into the portion sizes that I will eat. I promptly freeze the rest for another time. I usually make more than one portion at a time (usually 2). That way I can have "planned leftovers".
Sometimes even something as simple as a bag of onions are too much - again, leave a few out, chop and freeze the rest.
Don't turn down anything anyone wants to give you. Even if you can't use it all, (a bushel of zucchini), you can barter with some, freeze some, or give it to the next person you know needs some. Always be sure to thank them, and be truly thankful for their kindness.
It is less expensive to buy a freezer and run it, than to buy single portions of items. At the end of the day, you have a stockpile - frozen meat, veggies, fruits, 1/2 can of tomato puree, etc. and it saves you from running out for a refill.
You need to treat yourself and your budget as if you had several people you are buying for, pare it down, and if you have too much - either freeze it, eat it a second time, turn it into a different meal (meatloaf into meat sauce for pasta, etc.) or share with someone else who is single.
Speaking of sharing - think about starting a singles dinner club. Either you have a round robin where everyone meets at a different home each night, or everyone makes a different meal, package it, everyone meets in a parking lot and exchanges meals. They both work, and I have been party to both. This can be 2 people or many, but it does help if everyone likes the same kinds of food.
9. This Week's Question
Marg writes
"Any ideas on cheap home internet with good amount of GBs? I have currently a Telstra Pre-Paid which is not enough so go to the library or McDonalds. This is not always convenient.
Do you have the answer?
If you can help Marg 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
10. Ask Cath
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
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
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13. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152