Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 17:22
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Really Effective Cockroach Trap; Pies in the Sandwich Maker; Flowerpot Under the Sink
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - More on Buying in Bulk
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Luxurious Body Butters
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,
School is back. No more long weekends for a while. Life can get back to normal, or as normal as it ever is around here.
It's been another week of nothing special busyness, but I like that. Life just rolls on. Yes, there are surprises, some good, some expensive. Some are happy, and sometimes they are sad. They are all a part of the "nothing special" of life.
Family. Friends. Home. Garden. Hobbies. Cheapskates. All fill my day, nothing special. But I'll take that kind of nothing special any day, because really, when it all boils down, nothing special is in fact very, very special.
Have a great week of nothing special everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
2. From The Tip Store
Really Effective Cockroach Trap
Approximate $ Savings: $10+
I hate cockroaches, unfortunately I also hate the insecticide that kills them. My daughter gets hives from all those kinds of chemicals, especially organophosphates etc. so this is one tip I learnt while my husband and I were working in west Africa, and there they breed the cockies BIG!!! You need some petroleum jelly (Vaseline), the cocky bait ( like fresh bread, dog food, potato, or fruit), an empty coffee can or some black masking tape and a larger size jar (any small or medium size container that is dark inside will do the job. Using the black tape, wind it around the outside of the jar to make it dark inside if you don't have a can. Inside the container lip smear a generous 5 cm strip of petroleum jelly. Put the jar on its side on the floor, insert bait and place a cardboard ramp up to the jar lid so the cocky can climb in. The end of the ramp should sit about 2-3 cm up from the edge of the can so that the cockies can get in but not out. Petroleum jelly is too sticky for them to crawl over. Refresh bait and jelly as necessary. The trap works even better once a couple of cockies have fallen in, all their mates come out to play!
Contributed by Heather
Pies in the Sandwich Maker
Approximate $ Savings: $50
I have been reading about all the delicious mixtures that can be used for pie fillings for people with pie makers. I have a sandwich toaster, the ones that make square toasties. By cutting a sheet of pastry in half and using one piece in each side of the toaster, adding filling and lapping the pastry over you can achieve the same result. I often make apple pies in this way as well. This is a saving of whatever a pie making machine would cost you and also finding somewhere to store yet another gadget.
Contributed by Beverley
Flowerpot Under the Sink
Plug the hole in the bottom of a terra cotta flower pot and use it to hold all your scrub buds, scourers etc. under the sink. The terra cotta absorbs moisture, which will keep your them dry and rust-free.
Contributed by Sandra
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
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
1 medium onion chopped
2 chicken breast fillets, skin removed and cut into cubes
4 large carrots cut into thick slices
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 can coconut cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
Method:
Place all ingredients except peas into the slow cooker and stir. Cook on LOW for 8 hours. Add the peas 30 minutes before serving. Serve over steamed rice.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Chicken Curry & Rice
Tuesday: Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Rissoles & Salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Schnitzel, tomato gravy, veggies
Saturday: Haystacks
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
More on Buying in Bulk
Food. We love it. We need it. And it is the biggest flexible expense for most families. Buying your groceries in bulk is a fantastic way to save money, especially now when prices are rising. And that's not scaremongering, it's fact.
I love bulk shopping. I love the shop once, pack it all away once, then relax for a month or three or twelve. Yes, some things I buy in bulk monthly, others I buy in bulk quarterly (think meat and chicken and some frozen products) and others I only buy once a year (wrapping paper, cards, dishwashing liquid, dishwasher powder, borax, washing soda, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant etc. when they come on sale).
If you have never shopped and bought your groceries in bulk quantities before, these tips will help you decide if it's for you and make it that much easier.
Buying in bulk is a great way to save money, time and energy. But beware - only buy what you know you'll use, and within a reasonable period of time. If you are a bulk buying beginner try switching from weekly shopping to monthly for a couple of months.
Work out your average weekly shopping list and multiply by four. Go to the shops once and through the month make a note of what you run out of or don’t use up. This will give you the feel of bulk buying and a really good idea of exactly how much you really use of each item.
Things to buy in bulk include items that you buy every week and that you always keep in stock. Canned goods, baking supplies, dry goods, frozen foods, toilet paper, toiletries and cleaning products are all a good choice. Most non-perishable items are perfect for bulk buying.
Fruit, vegetables and meat are often much cheaper in bulk but they do have a limited shelf life. Perishables should only be bought in bulk if you can use them up, share them or preserve them before they go off.
The same rule applies to non-perishables too. If you only use one tin of smoked oysters a year, buying a case isn't really saving you any money, even if they are half price. You are better off putting that money towards the bulk purchase of something you use regularly to take full advantage of the saving.
If you are serious about bulk buying, you will need to set up a 'store'. This can be a cupboard in the house, or some shelves in the garage. Preferably it will be somewhere dry, relatively dark and cool. You can utilize the space under beds, behind furniture, even the dryer can be used to store things (don’t forget to take them out before you use it).
A key to bulk storage is labelling. Make sure all containers are air-tight and clearly labelled and dated. Bulk goods generally have a long shelf life because they have been prepared with long-term storage in mind.
Always rotate your stock so you are using the oldest first. A good rule is to always put new stock at the back of the shelf or bottom of the pile. Storing food this way ensures you won’t have to worry about wastage because food has deteriorated.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Body Butter
That sounds so luxurious doesn't it? With winter coming on, I've noticed that my skin is dry and itchy. It happens every year. Everyone thinks summer is the dry season for skin, but winter wins hands down. Between heating and wind and extremes in temperture and wearing lots of clothes, our skin really suffers in the colder months.
We often forget that our skin is the largest organ on our body and absorbs what we put on it. If you are using lotions and body butter with chemicals in them be aware that you skin will absorb the chemicals that are in them. If you want something natural and decadent body butters made with pure oils and essential oils for fragrance are just the thing.
Unfortunately they are also very expensive. My favourite Body Shop coconut body butter is $24 a jar. I've used whipped coconut oil as a body butter and it is very good. My only complaint is that it is a little heavy, and not easily absorbed. It's great for elbows, knees and heels though, leaving them soft and moisturised. The other problem is the fragrance. I love coconut but straight coconut oil is heavy, it needs to be cut with a softer, gentler fragrance - which takes me back to the Body Shop product.
Or this very simple, very soft, MOO body butter. The shea butter and the almond oil combine with the coconut oil to give you a moisturiser that is soft, smooth and has a very gentle fragrance.
You will need:
1 cup shea buttter (solid)
1/2 cup coconut oil (solid)
1/2 cup almond oil (liquid)
Step 1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
Step 2. Stir in almond oil.
Step 3. Place oil mixture in freezer or outside to chill.
Step 4. Wait until oils start to partially solidify then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved.
Step 5. Place in clean, jar or tub with a screw top lid and enjoy! A little goes a long way.
If you like them you can add 15 drops of essential oils with the almond oil. Just remember that not all essential oils are skin friendly or child friendly. Please do your research before adding. I leave them out completely, I prefer the light almond and coconut fragrance of the butter.
This body butter costs approximately $16 per 200g tub. You also have a body butter that has just three natural ingredients in it, as opposed to a commercial product that can contain up to 28 not so natural ingredients.
This is lovely to make and use for yourself but it makes a beautiful gift too, just saying as Mother's Day is only a couple of weeks away.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Love Those Laundry Savings
Plant Now for a Beautiful Spring Show
The Fine Line
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
The $5 Pantry Challenge
Grow It: Growing what you eat is worth it!
Cath’s MOO Worcestershire Sauce
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 - Really Effective Cockroach Trap; Pies in the Sandwich Maker; Flowerpot Under the Sink
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - More on Buying in Bulk
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Luxurious Body Butters
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,
School is back. No more long weekends for a while. Life can get back to normal, or as normal as it ever is around here.
It's been another week of nothing special busyness, but I like that. Life just rolls on. Yes, there are surprises, some good, some expensive. Some are happy, and sometimes they are sad. They are all a part of the "nothing special" of life.
Family. Friends. Home. Garden. Hobbies. Cheapskates. All fill my day, nothing special. But I'll take that kind of nothing special any day, because really, when it all boils down, nothing special is in fact very, very special.
Have a great week of nothing special everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
2. From The Tip Store
Really Effective Cockroach Trap
Approximate $ Savings: $10+
I hate cockroaches, unfortunately I also hate the insecticide that kills them. My daughter gets hives from all those kinds of chemicals, especially organophosphates etc. so this is one tip I learnt while my husband and I were working in west Africa, and there they breed the cockies BIG!!! You need some petroleum jelly (Vaseline), the cocky bait ( like fresh bread, dog food, potato, or fruit), an empty coffee can or some black masking tape and a larger size jar (any small or medium size container that is dark inside will do the job. Using the black tape, wind it around the outside of the jar to make it dark inside if you don't have a can. Inside the container lip smear a generous 5 cm strip of petroleum jelly. Put the jar on its side on the floor, insert bait and place a cardboard ramp up to the jar lid so the cocky can climb in. The end of the ramp should sit about 2-3 cm up from the edge of the can so that the cockies can get in but not out. Petroleum jelly is too sticky for them to crawl over. Refresh bait and jelly as necessary. The trap works even better once a couple of cockies have fallen in, all their mates come out to play!
Contributed by Heather
Pies in the Sandwich Maker
Approximate $ Savings: $50
I have been reading about all the delicious mixtures that can be used for pie fillings for people with pie makers. I have a sandwich toaster, the ones that make square toasties. By cutting a sheet of pastry in half and using one piece in each side of the toaster, adding filling and lapping the pastry over you can achieve the same result. I often make apple pies in this way as well. This is a saving of whatever a pie making machine would cost you and also finding somewhere to store yet another gadget.
Contributed by Beverley
Flowerpot Under the Sink
Plug the hole in the bottom of a terra cotta flower pot and use it to hold all your scrub buds, scourers etc. under the sink. The terra cotta absorbs moisture, which will keep your them dry and rust-free.
Contributed by Sandra
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
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Ingredients:
1 medium onion chopped
2 chicken breast fillets, skin removed and cut into cubes
4 large carrots cut into thick slices
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 can coconut cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
Method:
Place all ingredients except peas into the slow cooker and stir. Cook on LOW for 8 hours. Add the peas 30 minutes before serving. Serve over steamed rice.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Chicken Curry & Rice
Tuesday: Italian Sausage Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Rissoles & Salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Schnitzel, tomato gravy, veggies
Saturday: Haystacks
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
More on Buying in Bulk
Food. We love it. We need it. And it is the biggest flexible expense for most families. Buying your groceries in bulk is a fantastic way to save money, especially now when prices are rising. And that's not scaremongering, it's fact.
I love bulk shopping. I love the shop once, pack it all away once, then relax for a month or three or twelve. Yes, some things I buy in bulk monthly, others I buy in bulk quarterly (think meat and chicken and some frozen products) and others I only buy once a year (wrapping paper, cards, dishwashing liquid, dishwasher powder, borax, washing soda, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant etc. when they come on sale).
If you have never shopped and bought your groceries in bulk quantities before, these tips will help you decide if it's for you and make it that much easier.
Buying in bulk is a great way to save money, time and energy. But beware - only buy what you know you'll use, and within a reasonable period of time. If you are a bulk buying beginner try switching from weekly shopping to monthly for a couple of months.
Work out your average weekly shopping list and multiply by four. Go to the shops once and through the month make a note of what you run out of or don’t use up. This will give you the feel of bulk buying and a really good idea of exactly how much you really use of each item.
Things to buy in bulk include items that you buy every week and that you always keep in stock. Canned goods, baking supplies, dry goods, frozen foods, toilet paper, toiletries and cleaning products are all a good choice. Most non-perishable items are perfect for bulk buying.
Fruit, vegetables and meat are often much cheaper in bulk but they do have a limited shelf life. Perishables should only be bought in bulk if you can use them up, share them or preserve them before they go off.
The same rule applies to non-perishables too. If you only use one tin of smoked oysters a year, buying a case isn't really saving you any money, even if they are half price. You are better off putting that money towards the bulk purchase of something you use regularly to take full advantage of the saving.
If you are serious about bulk buying, you will need to set up a 'store'. This can be a cupboard in the house, or some shelves in the garage. Preferably it will be somewhere dry, relatively dark and cool. You can utilize the space under beds, behind furniture, even the dryer can be used to store things (don’t forget to take them out before you use it).
A key to bulk storage is labelling. Make sure all containers are air-tight and clearly labelled and dated. Bulk goods generally have a long shelf life because they have been prepared with long-term storage in mind.
Always rotate your stock so you are using the oldest first. A good rule is to always put new stock at the back of the shelf or bottom of the pile. Storing food this way ensures you won’t have to worry about wastage because food has deteriorated.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Body Butter
That sounds so luxurious doesn't it? With winter coming on, I've noticed that my skin is dry and itchy. It happens every year. Everyone thinks summer is the dry season for skin, but winter wins hands down. Between heating and wind and extremes in temperture and wearing lots of clothes, our skin really suffers in the colder months.
We often forget that our skin is the largest organ on our body and absorbs what we put on it. If you are using lotions and body butter with chemicals in them be aware that you skin will absorb the chemicals that are in them. If you want something natural and decadent body butters made with pure oils and essential oils for fragrance are just the thing.
Unfortunately they are also very expensive. My favourite Body Shop coconut body butter is $24 a jar. I've used whipped coconut oil as a body butter and it is very good. My only complaint is that it is a little heavy, and not easily absorbed. It's great for elbows, knees and heels though, leaving them soft and moisturised. The other problem is the fragrance. I love coconut but straight coconut oil is heavy, it needs to be cut with a softer, gentler fragrance - which takes me back to the Body Shop product.
Or this very simple, very soft, MOO body butter. The shea butter and the almond oil combine with the coconut oil to give you a moisturiser that is soft, smooth and has a very gentle fragrance.
You will need:
1 cup shea buttter (solid)
1/2 cup coconut oil (solid)
1/2 cup almond oil (liquid)
Step 1. Melt shea butter and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes.
Step 2. Stir in almond oil.
Step 3. Place oil mixture in freezer or outside to chill.
Step 4. Wait until oils start to partially solidify then whip until a butter-like consistency is achieved.
Step 5. Place in clean, jar or tub with a screw top lid and enjoy! A little goes a long way.
If you like them you can add 15 drops of essential oils with the almond oil. Just remember that not all essential oils are skin friendly or child friendly. Please do your research before adding. I leave them out completely, I prefer the light almond and coconut fragrance of the butter.
This body butter costs approximately $16 per 200g tub. You also have a body butter that has just three natural ingredients in it, as opposed to a commercial product that can contain up to 28 not so natural ingredients.
This is lovely to make and use for yourself but it makes a beautiful gift too, just saying as Mother's Day is only a couple of weeks away.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Love Those Laundry Savings
Plant Now for a Beautiful Spring Show
The Fine Line
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
The $5 Pantry Challenge
Grow It: Growing what you eat is worth it!
Cath’s MOO Worcestershire Sauce
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
http://www.cheapskatesclub.net/just-ask.html
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
http://www.cheapskatesclub.net/just-ask.html
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