Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 13:20
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - The Strength of Dental Floss; Cheap Pool Cartridge Filter Cleaner; Re-Using Your Master Shopping List
3. Share Your Favourite MOOs
4. Share Your Tips - MOO Month Membership Sale
5. On the Menu - Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Affording the Sunday Roast
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength - carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." - Corrie ten Boom
If you are worrying, stop. Yes, you can be concerned about our world and the way our lives are changing, but worrying about it won't help.
So far in this crisis I've been told I'm irresponsible for making light of it (I'm not - I'm taking it very seriously). I've been told I'm scaring people unnecessarily (I'm not - if what I say is scaring you then there is a reason - you need to figure it out and then fix it). I've been called nasty, mean, stupid, greedy, a hoarder (the last thing I am unless it's craft supplies) and dozens of other negative things. All these comments have come because someone is worrying and scared.
Don't be scared. Don't worry. Pull up your big girl or boy pants and start putting your skills and knowledge about living the Cheapskates way to work. Make a plan. Break it down into doable, small steps. Then start working it. Check into the Member Centre and go through the Article Archive. Visit the Tip Store. Join a discussion in the Forum and meet other Cheapskaters who have the same questions and concerns you have, and others who have the answer you're looking for.
Count your blessings every day: food on the table, a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, shoes on your feet, room to grow food, your health! Then get on with your day, living the Cheapskates way so you'll come out of this crisis debt free (or with less debt!), cashed up (because if you can't go out, you can't spend - bank that money!) and laughing with joy.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
The Strength of Dental Floss
One time we were out on vacation and the screw in my husband’s eye glasses popped out. We were in the car and he felt helpless because his glasses wouldn't stay in place. I took his glasses and some dental floss and put the floss through where the screw used to be. I tied it tightly and it worked really well. Later I found out that my dental floss is a lot better a thread than ordinary thread because it is a lot stronger. Now I put a dab of nail polish on top of those eye glass screws to prevent them from just popping out, and my dental floss became my favourite thread.
Contributed by Joy Po, Philippines
Cheap Pool Cartridge Filter Cleaner
Design best-practices suggest a large font size for easy rPool cartridge filter cleaners are expensive to use. For the past 18 months I have used The Cheapskate Miracle Spray recipe to clean the filters. Spray the cartridge filters well with Miracle Spray, lining them up in order of spraying. Then take the first one sprayed to a grassed area and hose down well with the hose pressure spray till all Miracle Spray is washed away (no bubbles). Continue with the remaining cartridges in order of spraying, taking each one to a new area of grass. This has not damaged the lawn and best of all the swim spa water sparkles . I use one 500ml spray bottle of Miracle Spray to clean 4 large cartridge filters.
Contributed by Marilyn Knox
Re-Using Your Master Shopping List
I use a master shopping list. I have also heard that printing ink is the most expensive liquid in the world (per litre). So, to save on printing costs I mark items I need in pencil on the shopping list. After shopping I simply erase the items I bought and reuse the same list next time. It saves printing 4 to 5 pages every time. I only print a new list if there are a lot of amendments. I’m not sure how much it saves but I don’t need to buy expensive printer cartridges very often.
Contributed by Edel Heyer
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Favourite MOOs
MOO Month is almost over, but now, more than ever before in the history of the Cheapskates Club we need your MOOs!
What do you make instead of buy? What do you MOO as a substitute when you run out of something? What's your favourite MOO mix? Favourite MOO cleaner? Favourite MOO gift idea? Do you MOO your seedling pots?
Share your favourite MOOs with us!
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Share Your Tip
4. MOO Month Membership Sale
MOO Month is almost over, but the sale isn't! Hannah and Cath have decided that the price of a new Cheapskates Club membership will stay at $25 for hte first year until this crisis is over. We've neve3r had an open-ended sale before!
New Cheapskates Club memberships are just $25 for the first year.
If you're not sure that a Cheapskates Club membership is for you, take a peek at what's on offer.
5. On The Menu
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
Perfect comfort food! These meatballs are tender with a hint of spice. Serve with the cream sauce over mash.
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
750g mince
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 onion, grated
1/8 tsp allspice
1 egg, beaten
1 cup beef stock
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 cup cream
Method:
Combine mince, grated onion, allspice and egg until well combined. Roll teaspoonfuls into balls. Chill for 30 minutes. Brown in a lightly greased fry pan until browned all over and cooked through. Set aside to stay warm. In a small sauce pan whisk the beef stock and cornflour and bring to the boil. Whisk in the cream and simmer, stirring continually, 3 minutes. Pour sauce over meatballs and serve with mashed potato.
Cheapskates Variation:
Replace 250g mince with 1 cup TVP rehydrated in 1 cup boiling water.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: Fish cakes, potato gems, salad
Tuesday: Spinach Ricotta Lasagne
Wednesday: Butter Chicken, Rice, Naan
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Swedish Meatballs, noodles, white sauce
Saturday: Hawaiian Haystacks
In the fruit bowl: limes
In the cake tin: Scones
There are over 1,700 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
Affording the Sunday RoastThe price of meat has been going up, and up, and up, and up and up. Actually let me clarify: the cost of what was once cheaper cuts of meat has been going up. The more expensive cuts have increased slightly, but not nearly as much as plain old mince or sausages or gravy beef. We can thank the drought, floods, bushfires and now coronavirus for this, and it has had an impact on my grocery budget.
I still do a big meat shop once a quarter, but I find myself looking every week for really good specials on mince, chicken fillets, whole chickens, legs of lamb and roasting beef.
With those ever increasing prices in mind, here's how we can afford to have a roast dinner every Sunday (without fail, my family almost cry if there's no roast for some reason).
If you follow my meal plan, you'll see that I I alternate between chicken/beef/chicken/lamb/chicken/beef/chicken/lamb and repeat.
When we have roast lamb or beef I make sure I cut the meat so that we get at least two dinners from the one roast. I serve one for dinner that night and put the extra meat into a Tupperware container, cover it with gravy and freeze. It is then ready for the next time that particular roast is on the menu.
This saves money and makes roast lamb or beef affordable. It keeps the electricity bill or gas for the barbecue bill down as the meal just has to be thawed and then warmed in the microwave, again making the meal cheaper. And if there are bones then those bones are used to make stock for soup or gravy, or to cook rice or pasta - making the meal cheaper still.
Here are some of the ways I get more meals from one roast:
*Cut the slices thinly - this is easier if you let the roast sit for about 10 minutes before carving.
*Make sure all the meat is off the bone, even the tiniest shreds.
*Portion control - the boys get three slices of lamb or beef, Hannah and I have two. I do spread them around the plate so they can be seen. It isn't mean folks, it's common sense - we don't need kilos of meat with every meal. 180g per person is the recommended, that's what I aim for.
*Cook the meat in an oven bag. This helps with shrinking, keeps the meat moist and contains the juices that I use to make gravy (and helps keep the oven clean!).
Meat is expensive. I use to aim to keep it at $5 per meal, and I still do, even with the rising cost of meat. To do this I need to have cheaper cuts and stretch them, add some meatless meals into our meal plan and keep an eye out for the cheapest possible prices - then go crazy and fill the freezers.
Just recently chicken fillets were very, very cheap. You can be sure I stocked up!
Swings and roundabouts; as long as my average cost for the meat component of each meal is between $4 - $6 (rising prices are affecting my budget) I am happy, we eat well and most importantly my family is happy.
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
The Day Disaster Struck
Decorate a Beautiful Easter Table
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Coronavirus Restrictions
Growing Vegetables in Containers
What Are Your Must Have Herbs and Spices?
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
Grow a Pizza Garden
Twice Cooked Veggie Quiche
Living Off Our Stockpile
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Join us live on YouTube every Tuesday and Thursday and see how we are living debt free, cashed up and laughing - and find out how you can too!
Show ScheduleTuesday: Around the Kitchen Table - join Cath and Hannah for a cuppa and a chat around the kitchen table as they talk about living the Cheapskates way.
Thursday: Cheapskates in the Kitchen - want to know how to cook delicious, healthy and cheap meals? Watch Cath and Hannah as they create cheapskates style cuisine and share their favourite recipes.
Coming Up
Thursday 27 March 2020: Making Do in the Kitchen - Scones
Tuesday 31 March 2020: Stop Procrastinating and Just Do It
Latest Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - The Strength of Dental Floss; Cheap Pool Cartridge Filter Cleaner; Re-Using Your Master Shopping List
3. Share Your Favourite MOOs
4. Share Your Tips - MOO Month Membership Sale
5. On the Menu - Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Affording the Sunday Roast
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength - carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength." - Corrie ten Boom
If you are worrying, stop. Yes, you can be concerned about our world and the way our lives are changing, but worrying about it won't help.
So far in this crisis I've been told I'm irresponsible for making light of it (I'm not - I'm taking it very seriously). I've been told I'm scaring people unnecessarily (I'm not - if what I say is scaring you then there is a reason - you need to figure it out and then fix it). I've been called nasty, mean, stupid, greedy, a hoarder (the last thing I am unless it's craft supplies) and dozens of other negative things. All these comments have come because someone is worrying and scared.
Don't be scared. Don't worry. Pull up your big girl or boy pants and start putting your skills and knowledge about living the Cheapskates way to work. Make a plan. Break it down into doable, small steps. Then start working it. Check into the Member Centre and go through the Article Archive. Visit the Tip Store. Join a discussion in the Forum and meet other Cheapskaters who have the same questions and concerns you have, and others who have the answer you're looking for.
Count your blessings every day: food on the table, a roof over your head, a bed to sleep in, shoes on your feet, room to grow food, your health! Then get on with your day, living the Cheapskates way so you'll come out of this crisis debt free (or with less debt!), cashed up (because if you can't go out, you can't spend - bank that money!) and laughing with joy.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
The Strength of Dental Floss
One time we were out on vacation and the screw in my husband’s eye glasses popped out. We were in the car and he felt helpless because his glasses wouldn't stay in place. I took his glasses and some dental floss and put the floss through where the screw used to be. I tied it tightly and it worked really well. Later I found out that my dental floss is a lot better a thread than ordinary thread because it is a lot stronger. Now I put a dab of nail polish on top of those eye glass screws to prevent them from just popping out, and my dental floss became my favourite thread.
Contributed by Joy Po, Philippines
Cheap Pool Cartridge Filter Cleaner
Design best-practices suggest a large font size for easy rPool cartridge filter cleaners are expensive to use. For the past 18 months I have used The Cheapskate Miracle Spray recipe to clean the filters. Spray the cartridge filters well with Miracle Spray, lining them up in order of spraying. Then take the first one sprayed to a grassed area and hose down well with the hose pressure spray till all Miracle Spray is washed away (no bubbles). Continue with the remaining cartridges in order of spraying, taking each one to a new area of grass. This has not damaged the lawn and best of all the swim spa water sparkles . I use one 500ml spray bottle of Miracle Spray to clean 4 large cartridge filters.
Contributed by Marilyn Knox
Re-Using Your Master Shopping List
I use a master shopping list. I have also heard that printing ink is the most expensive liquid in the world (per litre). So, to save on printing costs I mark items I need in pencil on the shopping list. After shopping I simply erase the items I bought and reuse the same list next time. It saves printing 4 to 5 pages every time. I only print a new list if there are a lot of amendments. I’m not sure how much it saves but I don’t need to buy expensive printer cartridges very often.
Contributed by Edel Heyer
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Favourite MOOs
MOO Month is almost over, but now, more than ever before in the history of the Cheapskates Club we need your MOOs!
What do you make instead of buy? What do you MOO as a substitute when you run out of something? What's your favourite MOO mix? Favourite MOO cleaner? Favourite MOO gift idea? Do you MOO your seedling pots?
Share your favourite MOOs with us!
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
Let's get together and make the Cheapskates Club Australia's largest online hint, tip and idea library. Share your favourite money saving, time saving or energy saving hint and be in the running to win a one-year membership to The Cheapskate Club.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year subscription to The Cheapskate Journal.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Share Your Tip
4. MOO Month Membership Sale
MOO Month is almost over, but the sale isn't! Hannah and Cath have decided that the price of a new Cheapskates Club membership will stay at $25 for hte first year until this crisis is over. We've neve3r had an open-ended sale before!
New Cheapskates Club memberships are just $25 for the first year.
If you're not sure that a Cheapskates Club membership is for you, take a peek at what's on offer.
5. On The Menu
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
Perfect comfort food! These meatballs are tender with a hint of spice. Serve with the cream sauce over mash.
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
750g mince
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 onion, grated
1/8 tsp allspice
1 egg, beaten
1 cup beef stock
1 tsp cornflour
1/2 cup cream
Method:
Combine mince, grated onion, allspice and egg until well combined. Roll teaspoonfuls into balls. Chill for 30 minutes. Brown in a lightly greased fry pan until browned all over and cooked through. Set aside to stay warm. In a small sauce pan whisk the beef stock and cornflour and bring to the boil. Whisk in the cream and simmer, stirring continually, 3 minutes. Pour sauce over meatballs and serve with mashed potato.
Cheapskates Variation:
Replace 250g mince with 1 cup TVP rehydrated in 1 cup boiling water.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: Fish cakes, potato gems, salad
Tuesday: Spinach Ricotta Lasagne
Wednesday: Butter Chicken, Rice, Naan
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Swedish Meatballs, noodles, white sauce
Saturday: Hawaiian Haystacks
In the fruit bowl: limes
In the cake tin: Scones
There are over 1,700 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
Affording the Sunday RoastThe price of meat has been going up, and up, and up, and up and up. Actually let me clarify: the cost of what was once cheaper cuts of meat has been going up. The more expensive cuts have increased slightly, but not nearly as much as plain old mince or sausages or gravy beef. We can thank the drought, floods, bushfires and now coronavirus for this, and it has had an impact on my grocery budget.
I still do a big meat shop once a quarter, but I find myself looking every week for really good specials on mince, chicken fillets, whole chickens, legs of lamb and roasting beef.
With those ever increasing prices in mind, here's how we can afford to have a roast dinner every Sunday (without fail, my family almost cry if there's no roast for some reason).
If you follow my meal plan, you'll see that I I alternate between chicken/beef/chicken/lamb/chicken/beef/chicken/lamb and repeat.
When we have roast lamb or beef I make sure I cut the meat so that we get at least two dinners from the one roast. I serve one for dinner that night and put the extra meat into a Tupperware container, cover it with gravy and freeze. It is then ready for the next time that particular roast is on the menu.
This saves money and makes roast lamb or beef affordable. It keeps the electricity bill or gas for the barbecue bill down as the meal just has to be thawed and then warmed in the microwave, again making the meal cheaper. And if there are bones then those bones are used to make stock for soup or gravy, or to cook rice or pasta - making the meal cheaper still.
Here are some of the ways I get more meals from one roast:
*Cut the slices thinly - this is easier if you let the roast sit for about 10 minutes before carving.
*Make sure all the meat is off the bone, even the tiniest shreds.
*Portion control - the boys get three slices of lamb or beef, Hannah and I have two. I do spread them around the plate so they can be seen. It isn't mean folks, it's common sense - we don't need kilos of meat with every meal. 180g per person is the recommended, that's what I aim for.
*Cook the meat in an oven bag. This helps with shrinking, keeps the meat moist and contains the juices that I use to make gravy (and helps keep the oven clean!).
Meat is expensive. I use to aim to keep it at $5 per meal, and I still do, even with the rising cost of meat. To do this I need to have cheaper cuts and stretch them, add some meatless meals into our meal plan and keep an eye out for the cheapest possible prices - then go crazy and fill the freezers.
Just recently chicken fillets were very, very cheap. You can be sure I stocked up!
Swings and roundabouts; as long as my average cost for the meat component of each meal is between $4 - $6 (rising prices are affecting my budget) I am happy, we eat well and most importantly my family is happy.
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
The Day Disaster Struck
Decorate a Beautiful Easter Table
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Coronavirus Restrictions
Growing Vegetables in Containers
What Are Your Must Have Herbs and Spices?
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
Grow a Pizza Garden
Twice Cooked Veggie Quiche
Living Off Our Stockpile
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Join us live on YouTube every Tuesday and Thursday and see how we are living debt free, cashed up and laughing - and find out how you can too!
Show ScheduleTuesday: Around the Kitchen Table - join Cath and Hannah for a cuppa and a chat around the kitchen table as they talk about living the Cheapskates way.
Thursday: Cheapskates in the Kitchen - want to know how to cook delicious, healthy and cheap meals? Watch Cath and Hannah as they create cheapskates style cuisine and share their favourite recipes.
Coming Up
Thursday 27 March 2020: Making Do in the Kitchen - Scones
Tuesday 31 March 2020: Stop Procrastinating and Just Do It
Latest Shows
9. 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
10. 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!
11. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
12. Contact Cheapskates
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
Contact Cheapskates
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
10. 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!
11. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
12. Contact Cheapskates
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
Contact Cheapskates