Your Cheapskates CLub Newsletter 14:22
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Laundry Time Saver; Pack a Hospital Grab Bag; Have a Decorating Budget
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Refrigerator Lasagne
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Sticking to the Challenge
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Stock Powder
7 Cheapskates Buzz
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,
This week has been exceptionally busy for one or three or a dozen different reasons, so when it came time to put my message into the newsletter I drew a blank.
There was so much running through my mind that I couldn't think of a single thing to share with you, to tell you, to encourage you.
And then I remembered this happening once before (because you know me, I always have something to share), so I went back through my notes and found what I wrote then.
Turns out the words, and the sentiment, are as valid today as they were when I first wrote them.
So with that in mind, forgive my repeating myself, but I think it's worth repeating.
"I've had this page open on my computer for almost three weeks, waiting for inspiration to strike, for a little financial brilliance to hit me, for the mental block I have about writing this piece to shift.
How can I write anything to inspire and motivate you, the Cheapskaters who daily inspire me? And that's when it hit me: you are my motivation, the inspiration I need to finish this article.
I know that many of you have done so much more than I have. You've posted your triumphs and trials in the forum. You've submitted your amazing ideas to the Tip Store. Many of you have provided thoughtful and practical answers to newsletter questions. Some of you have even taken the time to email me to share your successes. You've kept the Cheapskates Club alive. I can't do it on my own.
Every day when I sit at my desk I look to you, the Cheapskates Club members, for inspiration, motivation, encouragement and enthusiasm.
It is you, dear Members, who keep me going. And for that I want to thank you. And ask, if it's not too much trouble, that you please keep on doing what you are doing, so our frugal community can continue to grow and prosper, because together we are doing great things for ourselves, our families and our communities."
Have a great week, and know that I appreciate each and every one of you.
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
Laundry Time Saver
I have two teenagers and lots of washing, I work full time so I tend to do all of the laundry on a Friday night and hang out early Saturday ready to be ironed for the following week. I don't mind hanging it out because the kids are usually still sleeping but the arguments as to who's turn it was to help bring it in and fold it was really annoying. I now have them each bring in and fold only their clothes, anything that needs ironing and towels etc. stays on the line and I get that. So much easier, neither think they are being hard done by, by doing more than their sibling and I get help without having to nag. We have been doing this for about 6 weeks now and it is working great!
Contributed by Lisa
Pack a Hospital Grab Bag
I have been taken by ambulance a few times now to hospital, and they have had to move my bedroom around now I have a bag that is ready for hospital emergency ready at all times with nightie/toiletries/etc. It saves the medical staff a lot of time. All I have to worry about is my medication and I don't have to worry family members about clothes.
Contributed by Janene
Editor's note: This is a great idea. After a couple of unplanned hospital trips last year I had a small packed with necessities for a couple of days, and it's been used a couple of times since. If you are pregnant you usually have your hospital bag packed, ready to grab when it's needed. If you have a chronic illness and spend time in hospital this is no different. You're just being organised and prepared. Cath
Have a Decorating Budget
I don't redecorate every year, or even every five years. We tend to buy quality furniture, soft furnishings and paint and decorate to last.
I do however like to freshen our home up with little touches here and there that bring it up to date décor-wise. And those little touches can cost a lot of money.
To cover the cost I've put a decorating category in our Spending Plan so that when I finally find the perfect lamp for the loungeroom the money will be in the Spending Plan and I won't need to rob another category or miss out because I don't have the cash.
I also have prices I won't go over and in fact go out of my way to try and beat. For instance I recently recovered our kitchen chairs and the bar stool in a blue and white check fabric - for the grand total of $2! I found a tablecloth in a blue and white check that I loved for $7 on clearance at Target. When I cut it up I had enough to cover the four chairs and the bar stool, with enough leftover to make placemats and recover the chairs again twice if needed!
When Hannah wanted to redecorate her bedroom, curtains and drapes were going to be the biggest expense, until we found curtain fabric she loves on sale at Spotlight ($24 to cover her window) and two doona covers in the exact print she wanted that I used to make the drapes for $5 each!
We reused the existing rod and tracks and I very carefully unpicked the tape off the old drapes and re-used it on the new ones. Being doona covers I didn't need to line them and they were already double thickness.
So for the grand total of $34 she has beautiful new curtains that match her new bedroom decor beautifully.
Redecorating doesn't have to cost a fortune. Think outside the box, be a little creative and see what you can come up with.
Contributed by Cath
There are more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
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. On The Menu
Refrigerator Lasagne
This makes a huge dish of lasagne, I use my large Corningware baking dish and portion it into 20 serves. A little mince goes a very long way in this dish, helping to keep the cost down.
I also cut down on the mozzarella and tasty cheese, and increase the cottage cheese slightly. MOOing the cottage cheese cuts the cost even more.
Ingredients:
500g mince
2 tins baked beans
250g grated mozzarella
250g grated tasty cheese
250g cottage cheese
2 tins tomato soup
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Lasagne noodles
Method:
Brown meat, garlic, basil and onions; drain. Whizz baked beans until they resemble the mince. Combine baked beans, meat, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and simmer. Use 9"x13" cake tin or baking dish. Pour just enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Layer raw (uncooked) noodles, sauce, half mozzarella, half tasty cheese and cottage cheese until all used up. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Can be frozen after overnight refrigeration.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: Meatballs, mash, cream sauce
Tuesday: Refrigerator Lasagne
Wednesday: Enchiladas
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, Wedges, Coleslaw
Saturday: Steak Sandwiches
There are over 1,800 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
Sticking to the Challenge
Prices are rising, it can't be denied. And they will most likely just keep on going up. So how does that impact your grocery budget? Can you still feed your family for $300 a month?
Yes!
But you'll need to make some changes and be flexible. Oh, and you'll need to put in a little effort and get the rest of the family onboard too.
I've noticed in the last three months that even just the weekly top-up of milk and cheese and some fruit and veg has crept, or rather leapt, up in price so that I've had to adjust the shopping list.
Here's what I've been doing to stay on budget:
1. Shop with a list - and only get what is on that list, no matter how much I feel like something else.
2. Look for cheaper products or products on sale. Sales, especially the half-price sales, have been dismal, but there are still good prices to be found. Think outside the supermarket for what you need: chemists, discount stores, department stores, hardware stores, office supply stores all carry a surprising amount of regular household items, often cheaper than the supermarkets.
3. Don’t be supermarket loyal. Seriously, how much do you need to spend to get anything from swiping that loyalty card? Is the reward worth the cost?
4. Change what you eat. Tinned red salmon is cheaper than mince at the moment, so I've been adding more salmon recipes into our meal plan. Sausage mince is currently $12/kg at my local store, and that makes sausage rolls very expensive, so I've been using 500g sausage mince and 500g mashed potato to stretch the sausage mince. No change in taste or texture and they are just as delicious as usual.
5. Frozen veggies can be cheaper than fresh. Yes, fresh veggies are nice, but frozen are too, and they are just as nutritious. So if you aren't growing any of your veggies, look at the range of frozen veggies and add them to your meal plan.
6. Now is the time to be really strict and simply not buy anything that isn't an ingredient you NEED. If you're addicted to soft drink, even the generics, give it up and save that money to buy real food.
7. Get out your old recipe books and try simple meals from 40 or 50 or more years ago. They were simple recipes made from basic ingredients and designed to feed families on a budget.
8. Remember portion sizes. If a recipe says it serves six, make sure you get at least six serves from it. And remember the portion sizes for veggies - about a half cup is the recommended portion for an adult. I measure the veggies as I prep them to make sure I don't over-cater.
9. No waste. Use up everything. Don't be tempted to feed it to the dog or chickens unless it is absolutely not fit for human consumption. If necessary plan one or two leftover meals a week to make sure nothing is wasted. This alone will keep around $3,000 a year in your bank account!
10. Go meatless. I'm not a fan of the current trend towards vegetarianism and veganism, because I think it is a fad, and an expensive one at that for most people. But having one or two meatless meals a week will be good for your grocery budget and your health. And meatless meals don’t need to be boring or just beans and lentils. Check out the Vegetarian Recipe File, there are some absolutely delicious meal ideas just waiting to be tried.
That's 10 things you can do that will help you stay within your grocery budget, whether it's $300 a month, or more, or less.
Be vigilant and watchful as you shop and you'll be able to stick to your budget.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Stock Powder
MOOing vegetable stock powder is a much healthier (and cheaper) alternative to any of the commercial versions available. It's also a nice way to use up the extra veggies you have in the crisper.
Here's my easy method of making vegetable stock powder.
Step 1. Get a variety of vegetables together (quantity doesn't matter, use what you have on hand). I like to use onion, carrot and celery as the base. The I round it out with whatever other veggies I have. Perhaps silverbeet, spinach, capsicum, mushrooms (not too many, they have an intense flavour), garlic, parsley, fresh basil, oregano and sometimes tomatoes.
Use the vegetables you like to eat, just watch out for the stronger veggies like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and kale. They can leave you with a very strong flavoured stock that overwhelms your cooking. Remember, stock is to enrich and enhance, not take over.
Step 2. Wash the vegetables thoroughly, peel if necessary and slice thinly. A food processor or mandolin can be used to get nice even slices if you have one. The thinner the slices, the faster the pieces will dehydrate.
Depending on how you'll dehydrate the vegetables, shape may matter. For example, the trays in my dehydrator have openings to allow the air to circulate. Smaller items, like garlic, will fall through the openings. To alleviate the problem, either slice a vegetable into a different shape (rounds instead of strips or vice versa) or line the shelf with baking paper.
Step 3. Dehydrate. Choose a method (the oven or a dehydrator). I use a dehydrator, it supplies consistent heat and dries food quickly. I have also used the oven (before the dehydrator arrived). Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. When it reaches temperature turn it down to 80 degrees or as low as it will go. Put your trays full of vegetables in, close the door and prop it open with a wooden spoon. It works as well as the dehydrator but may take a little longer.
When you've chosen your method, lay the vegetables out in a single layer on the trays and begin drying. Continue dehydrating until vegetables are completely dry. They should be a bit crispy to ensure that there is no moisture left in them. Moisture will make your finished product lumpy and increase the possibility of mould.
Step 4. Grind the dehydrated vegetables into a powder. Use a food processor, mortar and pestle, stick blender or a coffee grinder. Process the vegetables until they are a nice fine powder. I use the food processor if I'm grinding large amounts, the stick blender if it's just a small amount of dried veggies.
Don't be tempted to add salt to your stock powder. Salt may well be the main ingredient in commercial powders but it really is best to leave it out. That way you can add the stock powder to your recipe and then adjust the seasonings to taste, adding salt if it's really necessary. Vegetables have a lot of natural salt in them and it's quite concentrated when they are dry, so adding extra usually isn't necessary.
Step 5. Store the finished product in an airtight container, preferably glass. Similar to spices, a cool dark location is best for maintaining the quality of your MOO stock powder.
MOO stock powder is so easy to make, and such a frugal addition to your pantry. Once you've tried it you'll never go back to buying stock powder and you'll be reaping the savings.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Choices
Just Can't Say No
Reduced to Clear
Latest Tips
Room Temp Stops the Spread
How to Fix a Hole in Your Cars' Petrol Tank
Bring in the Bees and Increase the Harvest
Wipe Stickers Off
Money Saving McDonald's Treat
Shop Savings at the Deli Counter
Hidden Bargains in Chemists Stores
The Beauty of Half
Save on Eating Take-Away
How to Make and Use a Haybox
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join us live on YouTube every Tuesday 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.
Latest Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Laundry Time Saver; Pack a Hospital Grab Bag; Have a Decorating Budget
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Refrigerator Lasagne
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Sticking to the Challenge
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Stock Powder
7 Cheapskates Buzz
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,
This week has been exceptionally busy for one or three or a dozen different reasons, so when it came time to put my message into the newsletter I drew a blank.
There was so much running through my mind that I couldn't think of a single thing to share with you, to tell you, to encourage you.
And then I remembered this happening once before (because you know me, I always have something to share), so I went back through my notes and found what I wrote then.
Turns out the words, and the sentiment, are as valid today as they were when I first wrote them.
So with that in mind, forgive my repeating myself, but I think it's worth repeating.
"I've had this page open on my computer for almost three weeks, waiting for inspiration to strike, for a little financial brilliance to hit me, for the mental block I have about writing this piece to shift.
How can I write anything to inspire and motivate you, the Cheapskaters who daily inspire me? And that's when it hit me: you are my motivation, the inspiration I need to finish this article.
I know that many of you have done so much more than I have. You've posted your triumphs and trials in the forum. You've submitted your amazing ideas to the Tip Store. Many of you have provided thoughtful and practical answers to newsletter questions. Some of you have even taken the time to email me to share your successes. You've kept the Cheapskates Club alive. I can't do it on my own.
Every day when I sit at my desk I look to you, the Cheapskates Club members, for inspiration, motivation, encouragement and enthusiasm.
It is you, dear Members, who keep me going. And for that I want to thank you. And ask, if it's not too much trouble, that you please keep on doing what you are doing, so our frugal community can continue to grow and prosper, because together we are doing great things for ourselves, our families and our communities."
Have a great week, and know that I appreciate each and every one of you.
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
Laundry Time Saver
I have two teenagers and lots of washing, I work full time so I tend to do all of the laundry on a Friday night and hang out early Saturday ready to be ironed for the following week. I don't mind hanging it out because the kids are usually still sleeping but the arguments as to who's turn it was to help bring it in and fold it was really annoying. I now have them each bring in and fold only their clothes, anything that needs ironing and towels etc. stays on the line and I get that. So much easier, neither think they are being hard done by, by doing more than their sibling and I get help without having to nag. We have been doing this for about 6 weeks now and it is working great!
Contributed by Lisa
Pack a Hospital Grab Bag
I have been taken by ambulance a few times now to hospital, and they have had to move my bedroom around now I have a bag that is ready for hospital emergency ready at all times with nightie/toiletries/etc. It saves the medical staff a lot of time. All I have to worry about is my medication and I don't have to worry family members about clothes.
Contributed by Janene
Editor's note: This is a great idea. After a couple of unplanned hospital trips last year I had a small packed with necessities for a couple of days, and it's been used a couple of times since. If you are pregnant you usually have your hospital bag packed, ready to grab when it's needed. If you have a chronic illness and spend time in hospital this is no different. You're just being organised and prepared. Cath
Have a Decorating Budget
I don't redecorate every year, or even every five years. We tend to buy quality furniture, soft furnishings and paint and decorate to last.
I do however like to freshen our home up with little touches here and there that bring it up to date décor-wise. And those little touches can cost a lot of money.
To cover the cost I've put a decorating category in our Spending Plan so that when I finally find the perfect lamp for the loungeroom the money will be in the Spending Plan and I won't need to rob another category or miss out because I don't have the cash.
I also have prices I won't go over and in fact go out of my way to try and beat. For instance I recently recovered our kitchen chairs and the bar stool in a blue and white check fabric - for the grand total of $2! I found a tablecloth in a blue and white check that I loved for $7 on clearance at Target. When I cut it up I had enough to cover the four chairs and the bar stool, with enough leftover to make placemats and recover the chairs again twice if needed!
When Hannah wanted to redecorate her bedroom, curtains and drapes were going to be the biggest expense, until we found curtain fabric she loves on sale at Spotlight ($24 to cover her window) and two doona covers in the exact print she wanted that I used to make the drapes for $5 each!
We reused the existing rod and tracks and I very carefully unpicked the tape off the old drapes and re-used it on the new ones. Being doona covers I didn't need to line them and they were already double thickness.
So for the grand total of $34 she has beautiful new curtains that match her new bedroom decor beautifully.
Redecorating doesn't have to cost a fortune. Think outside the box, be a little creative and see what you can come up with.
Contributed by Cath
There are more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
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. On The Menu
Refrigerator Lasagne
This makes a huge dish of lasagne, I use my large Corningware baking dish and portion it into 20 serves. A little mince goes a very long way in this dish, helping to keep the cost down.
I also cut down on the mozzarella and tasty cheese, and increase the cottage cheese slightly. MOOing the cottage cheese cuts the cost even more.
Ingredients:
500g mince
2 tins baked beans
250g grated mozzarella
250g grated tasty cheese
250g cottage cheese
2 tins tomato soup
1 tin diced tomatoes
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 clove garlic, crushed
Lasagne noodles
Method:
Brown meat, garlic, basil and onions; drain. Whizz baked beans until they resemble the mince. Combine baked beans, meat, tomato soup, diced tomatoes and simmer. Use 9"x13" cake tin or baking dish. Pour just enough sauce to cover bottom of pan. Layer raw (uncooked) noodles, sauce, half mozzarella, half tasty cheese and cottage cheese until all used up. Cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 1 hour. Can be frozen after overnight refrigeration.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: Meatballs, mash, cream sauce
Tuesday: Refrigerator Lasagne
Wednesday: Enchiladas
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, Wedges, Coleslaw
Saturday: Steak Sandwiches
There are over 1,800 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
Sticking to the Challenge
Prices are rising, it can't be denied. And they will most likely just keep on going up. So how does that impact your grocery budget? Can you still feed your family for $300 a month?
Yes!
But you'll need to make some changes and be flexible. Oh, and you'll need to put in a little effort and get the rest of the family onboard too.
I've noticed in the last three months that even just the weekly top-up of milk and cheese and some fruit and veg has crept, or rather leapt, up in price so that I've had to adjust the shopping list.
Here's what I've been doing to stay on budget:
1. Shop with a list - and only get what is on that list, no matter how much I feel like something else.
2. Look for cheaper products or products on sale. Sales, especially the half-price sales, have been dismal, but there are still good prices to be found. Think outside the supermarket for what you need: chemists, discount stores, department stores, hardware stores, office supply stores all carry a surprising amount of regular household items, often cheaper than the supermarkets.
3. Don’t be supermarket loyal. Seriously, how much do you need to spend to get anything from swiping that loyalty card? Is the reward worth the cost?
4. Change what you eat. Tinned red salmon is cheaper than mince at the moment, so I've been adding more salmon recipes into our meal plan. Sausage mince is currently $12/kg at my local store, and that makes sausage rolls very expensive, so I've been using 500g sausage mince and 500g mashed potato to stretch the sausage mince. No change in taste or texture and they are just as delicious as usual.
5. Frozen veggies can be cheaper than fresh. Yes, fresh veggies are nice, but frozen are too, and they are just as nutritious. So if you aren't growing any of your veggies, look at the range of frozen veggies and add them to your meal plan.
6. Now is the time to be really strict and simply not buy anything that isn't an ingredient you NEED. If you're addicted to soft drink, even the generics, give it up and save that money to buy real food.
7. Get out your old recipe books and try simple meals from 40 or 50 or more years ago. They were simple recipes made from basic ingredients and designed to feed families on a budget.
8. Remember portion sizes. If a recipe says it serves six, make sure you get at least six serves from it. And remember the portion sizes for veggies - about a half cup is the recommended portion for an adult. I measure the veggies as I prep them to make sure I don't over-cater.
9. No waste. Use up everything. Don't be tempted to feed it to the dog or chickens unless it is absolutely not fit for human consumption. If necessary plan one or two leftover meals a week to make sure nothing is wasted. This alone will keep around $3,000 a year in your bank account!
10. Go meatless. I'm not a fan of the current trend towards vegetarianism and veganism, because I think it is a fad, and an expensive one at that for most people. But having one or two meatless meals a week will be good for your grocery budget and your health. And meatless meals don’t need to be boring or just beans and lentils. Check out the Vegetarian Recipe File, there are some absolutely delicious meal ideas just waiting to be tried.
That's 10 things you can do that will help you stay within your grocery budget, whether it's $300 a month, or more, or less.
Be vigilant and watchful as you shop and you'll be able to stick to your budget.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Stock Powder
MOOing vegetable stock powder is a much healthier (and cheaper) alternative to any of the commercial versions available. It's also a nice way to use up the extra veggies you have in the crisper.
Here's my easy method of making vegetable stock powder.
Step 1. Get a variety of vegetables together (quantity doesn't matter, use what you have on hand). I like to use onion, carrot and celery as the base. The I round it out with whatever other veggies I have. Perhaps silverbeet, spinach, capsicum, mushrooms (not too many, they have an intense flavour), garlic, parsley, fresh basil, oregano and sometimes tomatoes.
Use the vegetables you like to eat, just watch out for the stronger veggies like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and kale. They can leave you with a very strong flavoured stock that overwhelms your cooking. Remember, stock is to enrich and enhance, not take over.
Step 2. Wash the vegetables thoroughly, peel if necessary and slice thinly. A food processor or mandolin can be used to get nice even slices if you have one. The thinner the slices, the faster the pieces will dehydrate.
Depending on how you'll dehydrate the vegetables, shape may matter. For example, the trays in my dehydrator have openings to allow the air to circulate. Smaller items, like garlic, will fall through the openings. To alleviate the problem, either slice a vegetable into a different shape (rounds instead of strips or vice versa) or line the shelf with baking paper.
Step 3. Dehydrate. Choose a method (the oven or a dehydrator). I use a dehydrator, it supplies consistent heat and dries food quickly. I have also used the oven (before the dehydrator arrived). Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. When it reaches temperature turn it down to 80 degrees or as low as it will go. Put your trays full of vegetables in, close the door and prop it open with a wooden spoon. It works as well as the dehydrator but may take a little longer.
When you've chosen your method, lay the vegetables out in a single layer on the trays and begin drying. Continue dehydrating until vegetables are completely dry. They should be a bit crispy to ensure that there is no moisture left in them. Moisture will make your finished product lumpy and increase the possibility of mould.
Step 4. Grind the dehydrated vegetables into a powder. Use a food processor, mortar and pestle, stick blender or a coffee grinder. Process the vegetables until they are a nice fine powder. I use the food processor if I'm grinding large amounts, the stick blender if it's just a small amount of dried veggies.
Don't be tempted to add salt to your stock powder. Salt may well be the main ingredient in commercial powders but it really is best to leave it out. That way you can add the stock powder to your recipe and then adjust the seasonings to taste, adding salt if it's really necessary. Vegetables have a lot of natural salt in them and it's quite concentrated when they are dry, so adding extra usually isn't necessary.
Step 5. Store the finished product in an airtight container, preferably glass. Similar to spices, a cool dark location is best for maintaining the quality of your MOO stock powder.
MOO stock powder is so easy to make, and such a frugal addition to your pantry. Once you've tried it you'll never go back to buying stock powder and you'll be reaping the savings.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Choices
Just Can't Say No
Reduced to Clear
Latest Tips
Room Temp Stops the Spread
How to Fix a Hole in Your Cars' Petrol Tank
Bring in the Bees and Increase the Harvest
Wipe Stickers Off
Money Saving McDonald's Treat
Shop Savings at the Deli Counter
Hidden Bargains in Chemists Stores
The Beauty of Half
Save on Eating Take-Away
How to Make and Use a Haybox
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join us live on YouTube every Tuesday 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.
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 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 for a full year.
That's unlimited 24/7 access to EVERYTHING in the Member's Centre!
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 either 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 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 for a full year.
That's unlimited 24/7 access to EVERYTHING in the Member's Centre!
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 either 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