Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 14:20
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - MOO Bread; Mango Magic; Double Ups!
3. Stay At Home Shop At Home Pantry Challenge
4. Share Your Tips
5. On the Menu - Super Delicious Hot Cross Buns
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge -
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Make Your Own Easter Gifts
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,
This week's newsletter is massive! There's so much to share with you, good thing we're all staying home - you'll have plenty of time to sit with a cuppa and enjoy the read.
Someone started a rumour that we were closing, that there would be no more Cheapskates Club. I don't know who, or why but like all good rumours, it wasn't based on fact and of course took off. If you've heard whispers that we're closing ignore them, or even better shout back that it's false! We are here to stay. The Cheapskates Club doesn't close, we're open 24/7 for visitors and members and will be for a long, long time yet (I don't think I'll ever truly retire). Just wanted to clear that up, I'm still getting questions about it.
Enjoy your newsletter, and remember: stay home, stay healthy.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
MOO Bread (for those who can't knead bread)
This bread recipe is a really easy no hands on recipe, and really good too, perfect if you can't hand knead.
Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour, any kind
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
1.5. cups warm water
Method:
Mix all ingredients together for about 1 minute with a wooden spoon.
Cover and leave 8-24 hours.
Tip onto floured parchment paper; shape to the way you want it with a spatula. Leave 30 minutes to rest, still no hands on.
Tip into a greased bread tin or onto a tray for cooking. I cut slashes in the top. Cook in a hot oven 30-45 minutes. Cool and slice.
Contributed by Anne Gray
Mango Magic
Huge number of mangos on your tree this summer? Cut off the mango cheeks and freeze in pairs in individual freezer bags.Just remove from freezer and place in lunch box. They help keep lunch cold and by the time school recess comes around are still an easy to eat from the bag, mango icy pole. My kids love them and freezing ensures they are still able to eat them in winter.
Contributed by Susan Drummond
Double Ups!
When I cook I try to cook so there is enough left over for a meal the next night or to go in the freezer for another time. Like my chicken and veggie soup; I make a huge batch that is good for that night and I freeze another good portion for next week and usually there is enough for a couple of single serve portions to go into the freezer for easy lunches. When I cook my roasts, at least once a week, I cook double the amount of veggies i.e. potatoes, sweet and white, and pumpkin so I have left over veggies that can be reheated in the microwave the next day or even a few days later with another meal. Even fry them up for brekkie with an egg, yum! This all saves extra precious time when you are busy and also power because you have already cooked all these foods and they only need reheating in the microwave, win-win.
Contributed by Sharon Weir
Add a Tip
3. Stay At Home Shop At Home Pantry Challenge
Carol Woolcock wrote
"Hi Cath, to help alleviate boredom while self isolating as an over 70, I have set myself a challenge. Starting on March 30 I decided not to spend a single cent on food, drinks, toiletries or cleaning products. My husband and I will live on the contents of our fridge, freezer, cupboards, egg laying chooks and garden. Our breakfasts and lunches are quite simple but we always have a main course and dessert for our evening meal. I will photograph the evening meal. I am yet to decide whether to include bartering, eg a pumpkin, which we don't have growing as all plants were wrecked in the storm, for a dozen eggs. PS I didn't buy up big on March 29. There is just my usual cheapskates stock."
Eating from the pantry is something we Cheapskaters excel at - we know how to use everything up, we don't like throwing money in the bin or composting it!
Here are some meal ideas that use basic pantry items and ingredients:
Breakfast Menu1. Damper, Egg, Fruit
2. Scrambled Eggs over Damper
3. Fruit Smoothie, Potato Cakes
4. Cheesy Muffins
5. Pancakes, Fruit
6. Potato Pancakes
7. Creamy Rice Pudding
Lunch/Dinner Menu1. Savoury Mince over mashed potatoes or toasted damper
2. Vegetable Pasta Bake
3. Baked Potato and Vegetables
4. Scalloped Potatoes and Vegetables
5. Mexican Meatballs and Rice
6. Vegetable Soup
7. Potato Pie
8. Fried Rice
9. Rice rissoles
Using your imagination you could create some gourmet delights that may become family favourites. Get ideas on mixing and matching ingredients from Substitute Cooking to see how easy creativity in the kitchen on a very limited budget can be.
4. Share Your Tips
Are you shut down? Working from home? Learning to home school the kids? Ready to take up the challenge and share your best use up the pantry tip? We're all in the same boat, staying home with limited options for grocery shopping, so join the fun, share your tip and be in the running to win a Cheapskates Club membership!
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.
Enter your pantry challenge tip here:
Share Your Tip
5. On The Menu
Super Delicious Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Just because you can't get out to the supermarket or bakery doesn't mean you can't have hot cross buns! This is my super delicious recipe, better than supermarket and bakery buns.
Ingredients:
2 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup milk, warmed
2-1/2 cups plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp mixed spice
50g butter, diced
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup choc chips
1 tsp powdered gelatine
3 tsp boiling water
1/3 cup plain flour, extra
1 tbsp caster sugar, extra
1/4 cup cold water
Method:
1. Grease a 4cm-deep, 18cm x 28cm (base) slice pan. Place yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl. Stir until combined and yeast is
dissolved. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes until mixture has bubbled up and foamy.
2. Sift 2-1/2 cups plain flour, cocoa and mixed spice into a bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of flour mixture. Add yeast mixture, 1/4cup warm water, egg and choc chips. Stir to combine.
Mixture should resemble bread dough. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan-forced). Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 to 8
minutes or until smooth. Divide into 12 and shape each piece of dough into balls. Place balls in prepared pan, 1cm apart.
Cover and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until balls double in size.
4. Make flour paste: Whisk flour, sugar and 1/4 cup cold water together in a jug. Spoon into a piping bag. Pipe crosses onto
buns. Bake buns for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced). Bake for 15
minutes or until golden and cooked through.
5. Place 3 teaspoons boiling water in a jug. Sprinkle gelatine over water. Stir with fork until gelatine dissolves. Turn buns onto
a wire rack. Brush tops with gelatine mixture. Allow to cool. Makes 12.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Fried Rice, Lemon Chicken
Tuesday: Refrigerator Lasagne
Wednesday: Savoury Impossible Pie, steamed veggies
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Smoked Cod in White Sauce
Saturday: BBQ sausages, salad
In the fruit bowl: limes
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
Waste Not, Want Not - Leftover Meat Dishes
One way to recreate a great meal from your leftovers is to blend it with fresh ingredients. In this example, pasta works with many different beef and chicken dishes. Use thin spaghetti, wide noodles, wagon wheels, spirals, you name it with your meat leftovers. Add gravy, tomato sauce or even chilli to turn an ordinary dish into an extraordinary dish.
Turn leftover leg of lamb or lamb chops into a sweet curry for a quick and tasty 'leftover' meal.
Sausages are delicious chopped into 1cm slices and heated in barbecue sauce (bottled is fine). Serve over hot noodles for a tasty meal in minutes.
If you have leftover vegetable dishes that you would like to reuse, one of the greatest ways to do so is to prepare it with rice. Whether you choose white or brown rice, you can prepare an awesome vegetable dish and make it into an entirely new meal. Turn them into a delicious fried rice or frittata.
Chill the rice and mix through chopped vegetables, add some Italian or French dressing and you have a delightfully different rice salad.
Try vegetable pancakes as a way to use up leftovers. Dice the vegetables and add to a pancake batter (replace the sugar with mixed herbs). Cook tablespoonfuls in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. These are delicious hot or cold with tomato sauce.
Create Sensational Soups with Leftovers
If you are stuck with a few meals in your refrigerator and you don't know exactly what to do with them, you can always toss them into a pot and prepare delicious soup. Whether it is chicken, mince or beef, making flavourful soup out of leftovers makes sense.
Preparing soups using leftover is painless. You can pretty much add any sliced meat and chopped vegetable to some broth or a cream base to create a great tasting soup. Even old bread can be useful (toast it as croutons).
Don't Throw Out That Stale Bread
If bread or rolls have gone stale you can freshen them by brushing with cold water and then heating in a moderate oven for about 5 minutes. You'll be surprised at just how fresh it is after this treatment.
Bread and rolls can be whizzed or grated to make breadcrumbs. Use them as fresh crumbs in meatloaves and rissoles or spread them in a thin layer on an oven tray and bake in a hot oven for 3 - 5 minutes until they are golden and dry to use as toasted crumbs.
Cut sliced bread into small cubes and dry in the oven to make croutons for soups and salads. Spray them with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs, garlic or paprika for seasoned croutons.
For a sophisticated and international twist, stale croissants can be used in place of bread in bread and butter puddings. Use orange marmalade instead of jam and you'll fall in love with this dessert.
Stale cake can be used in trifles or to make bases for other desserts. Top stale sponge or madeira with tinned fruit, spoon over some juice (or a liqueur if you prefer) and then top with whipped cream.
If you are lucky enough to ever have biscuits last long enough to go stale they can be crushed, and the crumbs used to make pie crusts or as the base for a truly decadent caramel slice.
Use Leftover Fruit for Fruit Smoothies
Generally, many houses will have a couple leftover apples, oranges or bananas in their refrigerator. While the odd piece of fruit is not necessarily a leftover, practically all fruit can be utilized to prepare delicious fruit smoothies. Fruit smoothies are easily prepared with some milk, yoghurt, fruit and a blender. Not only are they healthy, but perfect for a treat or even breakfast. Fruit smoothies are ideal for leftover fruit or even slightly over ripen fruit. Mixed with many other ingredients, they still taste good and won't go unused.
The next time you search deep into your refrigerator and see all the meals from the past week, don't panic, use them to prepare new meals, soups and even desserts. And give yourself a pat on the back for creating free meals!
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
Adapting Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Facing an Uncertain Future
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
The Weekly MOO Challenge
Reusable Wipes
Growing Vegetables in Containers
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
How and Why I Started Making Cheapskates Washing Powder
A Dilemma of Ethics
Say Goodbye to the Supermarket Fruit and Veg Department
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 UpThursday 2/04/2020 Facing an Uncertain Future
Tuesday 7/04/2020 Say Goodbye to the Supermarket Fruit and Veg Department Latest Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - MOO Bread; Mango Magic; Double Ups!
3. Stay At Home Shop At Home Pantry Challenge
4. Share Your Tips
5. On the Menu - Super Delicious Hot Cross Buns
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge -
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Make Your Own Easter Gifts
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,
This week's newsletter is massive! There's so much to share with you, good thing we're all staying home - you'll have plenty of time to sit with a cuppa and enjoy the read.
Someone started a rumour that we were closing, that there would be no more Cheapskates Club. I don't know who, or why but like all good rumours, it wasn't based on fact and of course took off. If you've heard whispers that we're closing ignore them, or even better shout back that it's false! We are here to stay. The Cheapskates Club doesn't close, we're open 24/7 for visitors and members and will be for a long, long time yet (I don't think I'll ever truly retire). Just wanted to clear that up, I'm still getting questions about it.
Enjoy your newsletter, and remember: stay home, stay healthy.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
MOO Bread (for those who can't knead bread)
This bread recipe is a really easy no hands on recipe, and really good too, perfect if you can't hand knead.
Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour, any kind
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp yeast
1.5. cups warm water
Method:
Mix all ingredients together for about 1 minute with a wooden spoon.
Cover and leave 8-24 hours.
Tip onto floured parchment paper; shape to the way you want it with a spatula. Leave 30 minutes to rest, still no hands on.
Tip into a greased bread tin or onto a tray for cooking. I cut slashes in the top. Cook in a hot oven 30-45 minutes. Cool and slice.
Contributed by Anne Gray
Mango Magic
Huge number of mangos on your tree this summer? Cut off the mango cheeks and freeze in pairs in individual freezer bags.Just remove from freezer and place in lunch box. They help keep lunch cold and by the time school recess comes around are still an easy to eat from the bag, mango icy pole. My kids love them and freezing ensures they are still able to eat them in winter.
Contributed by Susan Drummond
Double Ups!
When I cook I try to cook so there is enough left over for a meal the next night or to go in the freezer for another time. Like my chicken and veggie soup; I make a huge batch that is good for that night and I freeze another good portion for next week and usually there is enough for a couple of single serve portions to go into the freezer for easy lunches. When I cook my roasts, at least once a week, I cook double the amount of veggies i.e. potatoes, sweet and white, and pumpkin so I have left over veggies that can be reheated in the microwave the next day or even a few days later with another meal. Even fry them up for brekkie with an egg, yum! This all saves extra precious time when you are busy and also power because you have already cooked all these foods and they only need reheating in the microwave, win-win.
Contributed by Sharon Weir
Add a Tip
3. Stay At Home Shop At Home Pantry Challenge
Carol Woolcock wrote
"Hi Cath, to help alleviate boredom while self isolating as an over 70, I have set myself a challenge. Starting on March 30 I decided not to spend a single cent on food, drinks, toiletries or cleaning products. My husband and I will live on the contents of our fridge, freezer, cupboards, egg laying chooks and garden. Our breakfasts and lunches are quite simple but we always have a main course and dessert for our evening meal. I will photograph the evening meal. I am yet to decide whether to include bartering, eg a pumpkin, which we don't have growing as all plants were wrecked in the storm, for a dozen eggs. PS I didn't buy up big on March 29. There is just my usual cheapskates stock."
Eating from the pantry is something we Cheapskaters excel at - we know how to use everything up, we don't like throwing money in the bin or composting it!
Here are some meal ideas that use basic pantry items and ingredients:
Breakfast Menu1. Damper, Egg, Fruit
2. Scrambled Eggs over Damper
3. Fruit Smoothie, Potato Cakes
4. Cheesy Muffins
5. Pancakes, Fruit
6. Potato Pancakes
7. Creamy Rice Pudding
Lunch/Dinner Menu1. Savoury Mince over mashed potatoes or toasted damper
2. Vegetable Pasta Bake
3. Baked Potato and Vegetables
4. Scalloped Potatoes and Vegetables
5. Mexican Meatballs and Rice
6. Vegetable Soup
7. Potato Pie
8. Fried Rice
9. Rice rissoles
Using your imagination you could create some gourmet delights that may become family favourites. Get ideas on mixing and matching ingredients from Substitute Cooking to see how easy creativity in the kitchen on a very limited budget can be.
4. Share Your Tips
Are you shut down? Working from home? Learning to home school the kids? Ready to take up the challenge and share your best use up the pantry tip? We're all in the same boat, staying home with limited options for grocery shopping, so join the fun, share your tip and be in the running to win a Cheapskates Club membership!
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.
Enter your pantry challenge tip here:
Share Your Tip
5. On The Menu
Super Delicious Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Just because you can't get out to the supermarket or bakery doesn't mean you can't have hot cross buns! This is my super delicious recipe, better than supermarket and bakery buns.
Ingredients:
2 tsp dry yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup milk, warmed
2-1/2 cups plain flour
3 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp mixed spice
50g butter, diced
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup choc chips
1 tsp powdered gelatine
3 tsp boiling water
1/3 cup plain flour, extra
1 tbsp caster sugar, extra
1/4 cup cold water
Method:
1. Grease a 4cm-deep, 18cm x 28cm (base) slice pan. Place yeast, sugar and milk in a bowl. Stir until combined and yeast is
dissolved. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes until mixture has bubbled up and foamy.
2. Sift 2-1/2 cups plain flour, cocoa and mixed spice into a bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of flour mixture. Add yeast mixture, 1/4cup warm water, egg and choc chips. Stir to combine.
Mixture should resemble bread dough. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan-forced). Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead for 5 to 8
minutes or until smooth. Divide into 12 and shape each piece of dough into balls. Place balls in prepared pan, 1cm apart.
Cover and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes - 1 hour or until balls double in size.
4. Make flour paste: Whisk flour, sugar and 1/4 cup cold water together in a jug. Spoon into a piping bag. Pipe crosses onto
buns. Bake buns for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced). Bake for 15
minutes or until golden and cooked through.
5. Place 3 teaspoons boiling water in a jug. Sprinkle gelatine over water. Stir with fork until gelatine dissolves. Turn buns onto
a wire rack. Brush tops with gelatine mixture. Allow to cool. Makes 12.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Fried Rice, Lemon Chicken
Tuesday: Refrigerator Lasagne
Wednesday: Savoury Impossible Pie, steamed veggies
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Smoked Cod in White Sauce
Saturday: BBQ sausages, salad
In the fruit bowl: limes
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
Waste Not, Want Not - Leftover Meat Dishes
One way to recreate a great meal from your leftovers is to blend it with fresh ingredients. In this example, pasta works with many different beef and chicken dishes. Use thin spaghetti, wide noodles, wagon wheels, spirals, you name it with your meat leftovers. Add gravy, tomato sauce or even chilli to turn an ordinary dish into an extraordinary dish.
Turn leftover leg of lamb or lamb chops into a sweet curry for a quick and tasty 'leftover' meal.
Sausages are delicious chopped into 1cm slices and heated in barbecue sauce (bottled is fine). Serve over hot noodles for a tasty meal in minutes.
If you have leftover vegetable dishes that you would like to reuse, one of the greatest ways to do so is to prepare it with rice. Whether you choose white or brown rice, you can prepare an awesome vegetable dish and make it into an entirely new meal. Turn them into a delicious fried rice or frittata.
Chill the rice and mix through chopped vegetables, add some Italian or French dressing and you have a delightfully different rice salad.
Try vegetable pancakes as a way to use up leftovers. Dice the vegetables and add to a pancake batter (replace the sugar with mixed herbs). Cook tablespoonfuls in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. These are delicious hot or cold with tomato sauce.
Create Sensational Soups with Leftovers
If you are stuck with a few meals in your refrigerator and you don't know exactly what to do with them, you can always toss them into a pot and prepare delicious soup. Whether it is chicken, mince or beef, making flavourful soup out of leftovers makes sense.
Preparing soups using leftover is painless. You can pretty much add any sliced meat and chopped vegetable to some broth or a cream base to create a great tasting soup. Even old bread can be useful (toast it as croutons).
Don't Throw Out That Stale Bread
If bread or rolls have gone stale you can freshen them by brushing with cold water and then heating in a moderate oven for about 5 minutes. You'll be surprised at just how fresh it is after this treatment.
Bread and rolls can be whizzed or grated to make breadcrumbs. Use them as fresh crumbs in meatloaves and rissoles or spread them in a thin layer on an oven tray and bake in a hot oven for 3 - 5 minutes until they are golden and dry to use as toasted crumbs.
Cut sliced bread into small cubes and dry in the oven to make croutons for soups and salads. Spray them with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs, garlic or paprika for seasoned croutons.
For a sophisticated and international twist, stale croissants can be used in place of bread in bread and butter puddings. Use orange marmalade instead of jam and you'll fall in love with this dessert.
Stale cake can be used in trifles or to make bases for other desserts. Top stale sponge or madeira with tinned fruit, spoon over some juice (or a liqueur if you prefer) and then top with whipped cream.
If you are lucky enough to ever have biscuits last long enough to go stale they can be crushed, and the crumbs used to make pie crusts or as the base for a truly decadent caramel slice.
Use Leftover Fruit for Fruit Smoothies
Generally, many houses will have a couple leftover apples, oranges or bananas in their refrigerator. While the odd piece of fruit is not necessarily a leftover, practically all fruit can be utilized to prepare delicious fruit smoothies. Fruit smoothies are easily prepared with some milk, yoghurt, fruit and a blender. Not only are they healthy, but perfect for a treat or even breakfast. Fruit smoothies are ideal for leftover fruit or even slightly over ripen fruit. Mixed with many other ingredients, they still taste good and won't go unused.
The next time you search deep into your refrigerator and see all the meals from the past week, don't panic, use them to prepare new meals, soups and even desserts. And give yourself a pat on the back for creating free meals!
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
Adapting Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Facing an Uncertain Future
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
The Weekly MOO Challenge
Reusable Wipes
Growing Vegetables in Containers
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
How and Why I Started Making Cheapskates Washing Powder
A Dilemma of Ethics
Say Goodbye to the Supermarket Fruit and Veg Department
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 UpThursday 2/04/2020 Facing an Uncertain Future
Tuesday 7/04/2020 Say Goodbye to the Supermarket Fruit and Veg Department Latest Shows
9. Make Your Own Easter Gifts
There's just over a week until Easter - are you ready?
I’m not sure how it happened but Easter has become very much like a miniature Christmas in the western world. It’s been an insidious occurrence, with the reason for Easter and a simple Easter egg from the Easter Bunny turning into a great four-day weekend and an opportunity for at the very least an expensive and very big chocolate egg, complete with soft toy.
This year, instead of going into debt to buy Easter gifts and treats, why not make some Easter treats to share with loved ones?
There's just over a week until Easter - are you ready?
I’m not sure how it happened but Easter has become very much like a miniature Christmas in the western world. It’s been an insidious occurrence, with the reason for Easter and a simple Easter egg from the Easter Bunny turning into a great four-day weekend and an opportunity for at the very least an expensive and very big chocolate egg, complete with soft toy.
This year, instead of going into debt to buy Easter gifts and treats, why not make some Easter treats to share with loved ones?
Easter Egg Hats
These are cute and really quick to knit - even a beginner knitter could whip up a couple to dress the eggs on Easter morning.
These are cute and really quick to knit - even a beginner knitter could whip up a couple to dress the eggs on Easter morning.
Hummingbird Cake, an Easter Tradition
Easter in our house means lots of things, all of them bringing the family together. Sometimes it's a camping trip, other times it's picnics. This year it will be Skype. But almost always, regardless of where we are, it means Hummingbird Cake for dessert on Easter Sunday.
Easter in our house means lots of things, all of them bringing the family together. Sometimes it's a camping trip, other times it's picnics. This year it will be Skype. But almost always, regardless of where we are, it means Hummingbird Cake for dessert on Easter Sunday.
MOO Yolk Filled Easter Eggs
These little treats cost a fortune - but you can MOO them!
These little treats cost a fortune - but you can MOO them!
Easter Baskets for Goodies
This year I've made a basket for each of my 3 children from the bottom of an empty 3 litre milk bottle. Inside they're getting a homemade candy egg, homemade biscuits in an egg shape with chocolate icing and sprinkles on them and some bits and pieces of other lollies I have left over from their birthday parties in January. Since everything I needed I already had on hand Easter hasn't cost me anything as such so far.
Contributed by Jodie
Copycat Easter Egg Caskets
Approximate $ Savings $5 at least
Instead of buying boxed Easter eggs that contain an egg surrounded by Kit-Kats or Crunchies, make your own! An egg a similar size can be bought for around $2 and then buy a fun-sized pack of whatever chocolates you enjoy. Wrap in cellophane. Not only is this far cheaper but the recipient gets a lot more chocolate!!
Contributed by Natalie
Recycle Yoghurt Containers for Easter Baskets
In preparation for Easter, I collect and clean empty yoghurt containers (200 gram size) until I have enough to hold all of the eggs. I then print out drawings of bunnies or chickens from the Internet, cut them out and glue them to the outside of the containers. The drawings can be printed in black and white to save money on colour printing, and coloured with pens, crayons or coloured pencils. Glitter pens and acrylic paint can also be used to decorate the containers. Then, shred cellophane or coloured paper as filler for the containers (brightly coloured pages from old magazines work just as well). I buy small eggs from Crazy Clarks or similar cheap shops (children don't seem to notice that it's not expensive chocolate) and fill the containers to overflowing with the eggs. I then wrap the filled containers in clear cellophane and tie with curling ribbon bought from Crazy Clarks or other cheap shops - they're much cheaper than other stores.
Contributed by Kaye
10. 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
11. 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!
12. 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.
13. 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
This year I've made a basket for each of my 3 children from the bottom of an empty 3 litre milk bottle. Inside they're getting a homemade candy egg, homemade biscuits in an egg shape with chocolate icing and sprinkles on them and some bits and pieces of other lollies I have left over from their birthday parties in January. Since everything I needed I already had on hand Easter hasn't cost me anything as such so far.
Contributed by Jodie
Copycat Easter Egg Caskets
Approximate $ Savings $5 at least
Instead of buying boxed Easter eggs that contain an egg surrounded by Kit-Kats or Crunchies, make your own! An egg a similar size can be bought for around $2 and then buy a fun-sized pack of whatever chocolates you enjoy. Wrap in cellophane. Not only is this far cheaper but the recipient gets a lot more chocolate!!
Contributed by Natalie
Recycle Yoghurt Containers for Easter Baskets
In preparation for Easter, I collect and clean empty yoghurt containers (200 gram size) until I have enough to hold all of the eggs. I then print out drawings of bunnies or chickens from the Internet, cut them out and glue them to the outside of the containers. The drawings can be printed in black and white to save money on colour printing, and coloured with pens, crayons or coloured pencils. Glitter pens and acrylic paint can also be used to decorate the containers. Then, shred cellophane or coloured paper as filler for the containers (brightly coloured pages from old magazines work just as well). I buy small eggs from Crazy Clarks or similar cheap shops (children don't seem to notice that it's not expensive chocolate) and fill the containers to overflowing with the eggs. I then wrap the filled containers in clear cellophane and tie with curling ribbon bought from Crazy Clarks or other cheap shops - they're much cheaper than other stores.
Contributed by Kaye
10. 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
11. 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!
12. 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.
13. 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