Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 14:19
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - A Simple Productivity Tip; Quick Pack; Failproof Pasta Cooking
3. This Week's Winning Tip -
4. Share Your Tips -
5. On the Menu - Hot Cross Buns
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - It's Time for a Freezer Challenge
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Last Week's Question -
9. This Week's Question -
10. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to this week's newsletter.
There are some great ways to save money, time and energy this week. In fact I think there's probably something for every Cheapskater, starting with the tips from the Tip Store, to the meal plan (next week is a 9 according to my family - yes, they rate the meal plans!), even my hot cross bun recipe should put a grin on faces (it always puts a grin on mine, I love hot cross buns).
So, with all that and more in mind, I'll wish you all a wonderful week of living the Cheapskates way so you can get onto the good stuff.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
A Simple Productivity Tip
Do you use the 2-minute rule? It's a super simple productivity rule for avoiding procrastination and goes like this: If a task can be done in less than 2 minutes, do it right away.
So for instance, if you remember you need to make a dentist appointment, instead of putting it off for later, do it right away and be done.
You go to throw thrash, and the trashcan is full. Instead of putting it off for later, take out the trash right away and be done.
You use up the last of the frozen peas. Instead of thinking "I should add that to the weekly grocery list", add it to the grocery list right away and be done.
Contributed by Annie Wittup
Quick Pack
Source 7-10 old, but strong, pillow slips. Inside the edge of each case in black marker write what you intend to pack within e.g. night wear and underwear; shoes; books and games; extra food; slacks and sport blouses etc. When completed each pillow slip sack can be nestled inside a large backpack or suitcase. Then when unpacking all items can be sourced and unpacked one pillow slip at a time. This also make for quick packing up. When you get home you only have to unpack one unit at a time; the rest stays tidy until you get to it. Recently I had to go to hospital and used this method packing the pillow slips into my granny trolley. It was quick efficient and painless. You don't have to bother with lots of small troublesome bits!
Contributed by Sunny Seagul
Failproof Pasta Cooking
Any pasta that is not the instant kind can be used for this. Place pasta in cold salted water that is about 4cm above the level of the pasta. Allow it to soak 1.5 hours. Drain and add more salt, then cover with boiling water in micro safe dish. Place in microwave for 1 minute and allow to steep for another 2minutes. The pasta will be cooked perfectly aldente. If you are making a casserole to put in the oven you don't need to use the boiling water, just put it in the oven in the casserole and it will cook in the hot liquid in a few minutes. No mess to clean up and saves electricity.
Contributed by Pamela Conolly
Add a Tip
3. 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
4. On The Menu
It's finally officially hot cross bun season and I am so glad. I love hot cross buns - commonly called fruit buns at any other time of year - and could eat them all year round. Actually I do, because they're really easy to make, especially if you have a bread maker to do the dough for you.
Don't worry if you don't have one of these handy appliances, you can make them the old fashioned way and knead the dough by hand - they'll still be the best hot cross buns you've ever eaten.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
4 cups plain or bread flour
2 cups mixed fruit (or sultanas - your choice)
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (this gives a very light, sweet dough)
1 cup warm water
Method:
Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the 1/4 cup warm water and let it sit until it becomes frothy, about 10 minutes.
Add the flour, mixed fruit, mixed spice, oil and water to the bowl of your bread maker. Add the yeast mixture. Set to the dough setting.
To make the rolls, gently divide the dough into 12 pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball. Place on an oiled baking sheet, with each roll just touching the next. Cut a cross into the top of each bun. Sit in a warm spot to allow the rolls to rise until double in size, about 30 minutes. Bake in a 175 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes until they sound hollow when tapped. Glaze while hot.
To make the glaze:
Combine half a cup of white sugar and half a cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Turn heat up and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Brush the top and sides of each bun when they are cooked.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Stuffed drumsticks, veggies
Tuesday: Veggie Pasta Bake, salad
Wednesday: Fish, wedges, salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Quick Rice Patties, Salad
Saturday: Muffin Surprise
In the fruit bowl: bananas
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
5. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
It's Time for a Freezer Challenge
My freezers are so full at the moment that I had to actually rearrange our meal plan to use some of the meat and chicken I bought (all marked down or on the best sales for months) because it wouldn't fit and the lid on the big freezer wouldn't close! It is so full the bags I use to organise and keep things tidy are over-flowing.
Wayne had to find a big lump of firewood and sit it on the top to keep it closed!
So I won't be buying anything to add to the freezer until May. I'll need to be strong to resist being tempted by the markdowns when I go shopping, or for the sales that are coming to my inbox regularly.
I love a full freezer and pantry, they are my security blanket, and I absolutely love a good grocery bargain so a whole month of not adding to the freezer stockpile will be hard.
Actually that will be the hardest part of this challenge.
Using the freezer stock will be easy, as I always plan our meals around what is in the freezer, fridge and pantry.
And at the end of the month there should be room in the freezer to start stockpiling meat, chicken and frozen food again as they come on sale, just in time for winter stews and casseroles and roasts and I can start feeding my addiction again.
So who's going to join me as we eat our way through the freezer and save a whole lot of grocery money? Are you strong enough to resist adding to the freezer for a month (just think what you can buy on sale to rebuild your freezer stockpile with the money you won't have spent!)?
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
How to be a Single Cheapskate - a Saving Story
Weird, Wacky, Wonderful Things We did to Become Debt Free
One Chicken and the War on Waste
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Autumn to Winter April Activities
What's for Dinner for 2019
2019 Decluttering Tally Challenge
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
All-Mixed-Up Tortilla Chips
Finding a Substitute for that Weird Ingredient
Easter Egg Hats
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AEDST
Show Schedule
Tuesday: 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.
Latest Shows
Cinnamon Scrolls, Pizza Scrolls and More Scrolls Just 44 Cents Each!
Scrolls Take 2!
Stockpiling 101
Coming Up
TVP - What is it? How do you use it? Why do you use it? - Thursday 4th April 2019 7.30pm
Stockpiling 101 Part 2 - Tuesday 9th April 2019 7.30pm AET
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 $36.50 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 - A Simple Productivity Tip; Quick Pack; Failproof Pasta Cooking
3. This Week's Winning Tip -
4. Share Your Tips -
5. On the Menu - Hot Cross Buns
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - It's Time for a Freezer Challenge
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Last Week's Question -
9. This Week's Question -
10. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Welcome to this week's newsletter.
There are some great ways to save money, time and energy this week. In fact I think there's probably something for every Cheapskater, starting with the tips from the Tip Store, to the meal plan (next week is a 9 according to my family - yes, they rate the meal plans!), even my hot cross bun recipe should put a grin on faces (it always puts a grin on mine, I love hot cross buns).
So, with all that and more in mind, I'll wish you all a wonderful week of living the Cheapskates way so you can get onto the good stuff.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
A Simple Productivity Tip
Do you use the 2-minute rule? It's a super simple productivity rule for avoiding procrastination and goes like this: If a task can be done in less than 2 minutes, do it right away.
So for instance, if you remember you need to make a dentist appointment, instead of putting it off for later, do it right away and be done.
You go to throw thrash, and the trashcan is full. Instead of putting it off for later, take out the trash right away and be done.
You use up the last of the frozen peas. Instead of thinking "I should add that to the weekly grocery list", add it to the grocery list right away and be done.
Contributed by Annie Wittup
Quick Pack
Source 7-10 old, but strong, pillow slips. Inside the edge of each case in black marker write what you intend to pack within e.g. night wear and underwear; shoes; books and games; extra food; slacks and sport blouses etc. When completed each pillow slip sack can be nestled inside a large backpack or suitcase. Then when unpacking all items can be sourced and unpacked one pillow slip at a time. This also make for quick packing up. When you get home you only have to unpack one unit at a time; the rest stays tidy until you get to it. Recently I had to go to hospital and used this method packing the pillow slips into my granny trolley. It was quick efficient and painless. You don't have to bother with lots of small troublesome bits!
Contributed by Sunny Seagul
Failproof Pasta Cooking
Any pasta that is not the instant kind can be used for this. Place pasta in cold salted water that is about 4cm above the level of the pasta. Allow it to soak 1.5 hours. Drain and add more salt, then cover with boiling water in micro safe dish. Place in microwave for 1 minute and allow to steep for another 2minutes. The pasta will be cooked perfectly aldente. If you are making a casserole to put in the oven you don't need to use the boiling water, just put it in the oven in the casserole and it will cook in the hot liquid in a few minutes. No mess to clean up and saves electricity.
Contributed by Pamela Conolly
Add a Tip
3. 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
4. On The Menu
It's finally officially hot cross bun season and I am so glad. I love hot cross buns - commonly called fruit buns at any other time of year - and could eat them all year round. Actually I do, because they're really easy to make, especially if you have a bread maker to do the dough for you.
Don't worry if you don't have one of these handy appliances, you can make them the old fashioned way and knead the dough by hand - they'll still be the best hot cross buns you've ever eaten.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
4 cups plain or bread flour
2 cups mixed fruit (or sultanas - your choice)
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp grapeseed oil (this gives a very light, sweet dough)
1 cup warm water
Method:
Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the 1/4 cup warm water and let it sit until it becomes frothy, about 10 minutes.
Add the flour, mixed fruit, mixed spice, oil and water to the bowl of your bread maker. Add the yeast mixture. Set to the dough setting.
To make the rolls, gently divide the dough into 12 pieces. Gently roll each piece into a ball. Place on an oiled baking sheet, with each roll just touching the next. Cut a cross into the top of each bun. Sit in a warm spot to allow the rolls to rise until double in size, about 30 minutes. Bake in a 175 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes until they sound hollow when tapped. Glaze while hot.
To make the glaze:
Combine half a cup of white sugar and half a cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Turn heat up and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Brush the top and sides of each bun when they are cooked.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Stuffed drumsticks, veggies
Tuesday: Veggie Pasta Bake, salad
Wednesday: Fish, wedges, salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Quick Rice Patties, Salad
Saturday: Muffin Surprise
In the fruit bowl: bananas
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
5. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
It's Time for a Freezer Challenge
My freezers are so full at the moment that I had to actually rearrange our meal plan to use some of the meat and chicken I bought (all marked down or on the best sales for months) because it wouldn't fit and the lid on the big freezer wouldn't close! It is so full the bags I use to organise and keep things tidy are over-flowing.
Wayne had to find a big lump of firewood and sit it on the top to keep it closed!
So I won't be buying anything to add to the freezer until May. I'll need to be strong to resist being tempted by the markdowns when I go shopping, or for the sales that are coming to my inbox regularly.
I love a full freezer and pantry, they are my security blanket, and I absolutely love a good grocery bargain so a whole month of not adding to the freezer stockpile will be hard.
Actually that will be the hardest part of this challenge.
Using the freezer stock will be easy, as I always plan our meals around what is in the freezer, fridge and pantry.
And at the end of the month there should be room in the freezer to start stockpiling meat, chicken and frozen food again as they come on sale, just in time for winter stews and casseroles and roasts and I can start feeding my addiction again.
So who's going to join me as we eat our way through the freezer and save a whole lot of grocery money? Are you strong enough to resist adding to the freezer for a month (just think what you can buy on sale to rebuild your freezer stockpile with the money you won't have spent!)?
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
How to be a Single Cheapskate - a Saving Story
Weird, Wacky, Wonderful Things We did to Become Debt Free
One Chicken and the War on Waste
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Autumn to Winter April Activities
What's for Dinner for 2019
2019 Decluttering Tally Challenge
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
All-Mixed-Up Tortilla Chips
Finding a Substitute for that Weird Ingredient
Easter Egg Hats
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AEDST
Show Schedule
Tuesday: 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.
Latest Shows
Cinnamon Scrolls, Pizza Scrolls and More Scrolls Just 44 Cents Each!
Scrolls Take 2!
Stockpiling 101
Coming Up
TVP - What is it? How do you use it? Why do you use it? - Thursday 4th April 2019 7.30pm
Stockpiling 101 Part 2 - Tuesday 9th April 2019 7.30pm AET
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 $36.50 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