Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 19:17
In this Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Saving Money with Coles Credit Card; Mineral Make-Up Portion Control; Scan, don't File!
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - MOO Pet Health Insurance
4. Share Your Tips - Share a tip for a chance to win
5. On the Menu - MOO Golden Syrup, Golden Syrup Dumplings
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - MOOing Snacks
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - I Think Hubby is on Board
9. Last Week's Question - How to pay bills while I'm away
10. Ask Cath
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
The sun is shining and the loungeroom is toasty warm. It has been very cold the last few days, the fire has gone non-stop to keep our home warm. That’s a good thing – we’ve been able to keep the ducted heating off, something that will have a huge impact on the gas bill.
With winter well and truly on its way, and looking like it is going to be a cold, wet one (at least here in Melbourne) finding ways to keep warm without going over our budget has become a challenge.
We’ve been drying the washing on the clotheshorses next to the fire this week, but today, with the beautiful sunshine and just the gentlest of breezes, the solar clothes dryer is doing a wonderful job and painlessly saving us money – a win-win.
I’ve brought the throws and knee rugs out and put them on the chairs and lounges, ready to cosy into when we’re watching TV or reading.
Blinds and curtains have been closed as soon as it starts to get dark, to keep the warm in, then opened in the mornings to let the sunshine in to heat the house.
Summer clothes have been put away and winter woollies brought out.
Blankets have been put on all the beds and the winter quilts swapped for the summer ones.
And our meal plan is leaning more towards warm, comfort foods and less salads.
I put a pot of MOO soup on this morning, enough for tea and lunches for the rest of the week. Some celery and stock from the freezer, carrots and zucchini from the fridge, an onion and potatoes from the pantry, a tin of kidney beans and a tin of tomatoes from the pantry have made six litres of delicious soup for approximately $2.90. Best of all I didn’t have to buy anything, all the ingredients were already on hand. Tinned soup is convenient, especially for cooking, but MOO tastes so much better and is so much cheaper.
There’s nothing hard or huge there, but all those simple little changes will have a big impact on our gas bill.
What do you do to stay warm and while keeping the heating bill down? Share your ideas here – remember your ideas can help another Cheapskater save money, time and energy too.
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
Saving Money with Coles Credit Card
I started using a Coles Credit card after reading it as a tip from one of the Cheapskaters on this forum. I have everything set up on this credit card; all my direct debits, regular expenses, etc. I do make sure to repay every single cent at least two days before the due date.
What I realised I was doing wrong is that I was shopping from Coles as I thought I need to do so to accumulate points on Flybuys. But I quickly realised that I am wasting my money by shopping at Coles only to earn points, as Coles gives me 1 point anyway for every dollar spent on my credit card.
I started shopping at Aldi and saved an average of $20-30 per shop and still earn points on my Flybuys as I was paying with the Coles credit card at Aldi and of course other places as well. My points accumulate quickly and I then use those Flybuys points to get free items from Coles or just pay the difference in price like $5-10. Easy saving!
Contributed by Priyanka Mukherjee
Mineral Make-Up Portion Control
I've got sensitive skin and on the rare occasions that I wear makeup, I only use organic or mineral makeup. Problem is, liquid foundation can be really expensive and I don't go through it quickly enough. I have found a few online stores that sell samples of make up like Zuii. I found that one sample pack lasted me for a couple of functions. I got a pack of 4 different colours which worked out great, one was too dark, but from the others I got a winter and summer foundation and the really light one works great as a concealer! It does depend on the brand, some of them the sample is only enough for colour and patch testing.
Contributed by Sonja Smout
Scan, don't File!
Sick of losing receipts, costing you money or having to file them all the time costing you time? If you have a smart phone, just take a photo of the receipt! I prefer a PDF scanner app, which turns a photo into a PDF document. I then email myself the PDF with the item purchased as the subject and store it in a "receipt" folder in my emails. If the computer crashes, you still have it! The ACCC states a photo or a copy of a receipt is a valid form of proof of purchase. Another handy thing about this if you ever need to claim for contents insurance, you have everything already in an email format
Contributed by Leah Doyle
There are currently more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Leanne Coward. Leanne has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
MOO Pet Health Insurance
My cat was born with some health problems so as he has pre-existing conditions it's not much point taking out pet health insurance. I opened a specific bank account that doesn't charge monthly fees and each fortnight I bank $18.00, which is roughly what pet insurance costs. I have enough saved each year for his annual check-up and a balance in savings to carry over for any vet bills that may occur. So far, I have nearly $500 saved for any vet costs that may arise, and this amount is growing every year.
Contributed by Leanne Coward
Congratulations Leanne, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
4. Submit your tip
The Cheapskate's Club website is over 3,000 pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. 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. We publish a Winning Tip each Thursday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now.
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!
Submit your tip
5. On the Menu
MOO Golden Syrup and Golden Syrup Dumplings
Golden syrup is an ingredient used a lot in baking. I use it in gingerbreads and tarts and to make caramel slice and Golden Syrup Dumplings in winter - yum! It's good on pancakes or hot scones too. It's also one of those ingredients that can sit in the pantry for ages before you use it again if you don't do a lot of baking. Did you know you can MOO golden syrup? You can, and it is EASY! This recipe costs under $2.50 to make, less if you have your own lemons.
I buy my sugar from Aldi and use lemons from our tree or that have been given to us.
Cost: $2.44
MOO Golden Syrup
Ingredients
200g sugar
50ml water
1 kg sugar, extra
600ml boiling water, extra
2 slices of lemon
Method
Pour 200g sugar and 50ml water into a large saucepan (the mixture will boil up so you need a large saucepan!). Over medium heat twirl the pot around and caramelise the sugar until a dark golden colour.
Add the boiling water (must be boiling so it doesn't spatter and burn you), the kilo of sugar and lemon slices.
Boil for 45 minutes over a low heat until thick (stir it occasionally if you must but it is best left alone).
Cool and pour into sterilised jars or bottles. Label and store in a cool, dark place. The syrup is quite thin when hot but thickens to the right consistency as it cools.
Golden Syrup Dumplings
Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour
Pinch salt
1 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Syrup
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp golden syrup
Method:
Sift flour and salt into basin and rub in butter. Beat egg and add to flour to make a dry dough. Roll dough into small walnut sized dumplings. Place ingredients for syrup into a three litre saucepan, and heat until boiling. Add dumplings all at once. Lower heat to a simmer and cook gently for 15-20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice-cream and cream.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Gluten Schnitzels, veggies, gravy
Tuesday: Spag bol
Wednesday: Curried Beef Casserole
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Tomato Vegetable Soup, toasted crumpets
In the fruit bowl: Lemons, apples, mandarins
In the cake tin: ANZAC biscuits, chocolate muffins
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
MOOing Snacks
Welcome to a new week of the food challenge.
I'm sure you've all heard the term " MOOing ". It means "Make Our Own". It's one of my favourite Cheapskate's topic (other than stockpiling). A benefit to MOOing is that it reduces the food bill. Since joining Cheapskates almost seven years ago I've reduced our food bill from well over $400 a month down to $300, then $270 and now just on $200 a month. That's a saving of more than $16,000. During this time, my girls have grown and so have their appetites. I've also been able to maintain well stocked freezers, pantry and fridge. My stockpile has grown enormously too.
Probably the biggest reduction to my food bill has been the snacks. I no longer buy ready-made snacks for home and lunchboxes. I make my own muesli bar slice, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pita chips and dips etc. Homemade tastes so much better than store bought, has less packaging and we know exactly what we are eating. No artificial preservatives, colourings, flavourings and additives. You also get better value for money.
A great way to start MOOing snacks for your family is to pick something you'd like to make yourself. There are lots of great baking recipes in the recipe file on the Cheapskates website. Find one you like the sound of and bake / make it. Then the next time you make it include any adjustments to suit your tastes. For example - less sugar or different dried fruit. Write down these adjustments and bake it again until you have perfected the recipe. Then you can move onto a new recipe and build up your repertoire.
My first ever baking experience as a newlywed was Anzac biscuits. I just loved them (still do) but the store-bought variety didn't taste right. So, I found a recipe in a basic cook book. One of the ingredients needed was golden syrup. I didn't have any in the pantry, remembering I was new to this baking caper and my pantry was only stocked with basics. I did have honey on hand so I thought I'd use it instead. I've stuck with the honey for almost twenty-two years because it worked and is much cheaper.
Serving MOO biscuits, cakes and other snacks to family and friends gives you a sense of joy and achievement. I've found that guests are more appreciative of homemade. I've never heard anyone raving about a packet of biscuits being served up. I must admit, it's wonderful to say that I made it myself.
What is your favourite snack to serve up to visitors?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
7. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
What is in Your Present Box?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1446-What-is-in-your-present-box
Mother’s Day with a Difference
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2453-Mothers-Day-with-a-difference
Any Occasion Gift
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1748-Any-occasion-gift
Most popular blog posts this week
5 Ways Your Home Can Save You Money
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/10/5-ways-your-home-can-save-you-money.html
Learn not to Spend Money and Feel Good about It
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2010/05/learn-to-not-spend-money-and-feel-good.html
Know Your Store
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/04/know-your-store.html
8. Members Featured Blog
Platinum Cheapskates Club members have their very own Cheapskating blogs, and they are wonderful and inspirational and encouraging and even funny. This week's featured blog is written by mumof2.
I Think Hubby is on Board
Well I thought we did okay last week with our menu plan, we really have to get better with meal proportions but in saying that we have lots of single meals available for later use or if someone is home on their own etc....it took a little while to plan and we plan on doing it weekly as that is how we divide our money up.
Well we are due to go shopping Thursday and we haven't started menu planning or anything as my health isn't so great with the constant changing of the weather so I said to hubby you just do the shopping and we will menu plan in a week or so...he says "that's ok I think it is working well so we can all pick 2 meals each and I will do the shopping for that, check the pantry/freezer etc...we can all help do it"
Yes, I kid you not one week in and he is helping out I am so proud of him as much as he loves to help save money his kitchen is one area he loves to spend on (and he is a great cook) and yet after 1 week he is on board and trying to help out as much as possible....so I guess we will be menu planning this week all 4 of us.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Kit who wrote
"I am going away for about two months and was wondering what is the best way to pay my bills while I am away, e.g. gas, electricity etc. I don't want to come home to a mess of unpaid bills."
Daniela Tutman answered
It's very easy, I've been doing this for years regardless of where I was in the world. The following assumes that you have a smartphone. Firstly, make sure you register with your service providers (electricity, water, gas, phone etc.) to receive your bill electronically by email. This way you can also check your accounts at any time. Don't forget to have the account list and remember your passwords. Best is to email the bill list to yourself, so you can access it anywhere, in whatever device and from the cloud. You can also set yourself electronic remainders in your phone, as soon as the bill comes by email. Then it is just a matter of having internet access, get into internet banking and always pay your bills on time. If you're overseas don't forget to switch off your data and only connect to the internet when you have free internet access, like in the lobby of the hotel, a public library or a friends place with wireless. I only connect through my own device and never use public computers. I prefer to buy the equivalent of a $10 data sim card so I can have my own internet access, for security reasons.
Fulvio Gerardi answered
Most providers offer electronic invoices and payments. They can take the money from your account without any effort on your part. If you're concerned about giving out bank details, simply ask your bank for a new account, and transfer just enough into it to cover bills. If you have bills arriving by email, without automatic payments, you can still log into eBanking and schedule payments for the due date. If you're expecting paper bills, you can guesstimate them from prior bills before you leave, and schedule larger-than-expected payments on the due dates, then sort it out when you get home.
Mi Caulfield answered
I never worry about paying my bills as each fortnight a payment is made automatically. What I did was take my highest amount owed on a bill e.g. electricity, divided it by the number of weeks between bills [monthly/quarterly etc.] then because I was paid fortnightly added the amounts together, rounded up to the nearest dollar i.e. $40.25 up to $43. Then set up bpay to automatically pay this amount every fortnight. Been doing this for years and have never had a problem.
Brian Smith answered
Contact the supplier of your utilities etc. and ask them to give you a discount, let's say 5%, for paying the estimated account in advance. Even if you get a 1-2% discount for this work out what that represents on an annual basis and you will be pleasantly surprised.
Do you have a question that needs an answer?
Send us your question and receive the combined knowledge of your fellow Cheapskates to solve your problem!
Ask Your Question
10. Ask Cath
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 10 cents a day 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. Members can update their email address or any other details by clicking on "Edit Profile" directly under their membership number after they have logged in to the Member's Centre. Subscribers to our free newsletter can use the Change Your Address form (under Customer Service in the menu) and fill it out. Once you've filled it in click the send button and we'll do the rest. Please remember to include your old email address so we can find it in the list as well as the new one.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
When you login to the Member's Centre you will be told how many days of membership you have left once you have 30 days left. Just click on the link to renew and your membership will just continue on, uninterrupted.
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Read our privacy policy
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13. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
www.cheapskatesclub.net
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Saving Money with Coles Credit Card; Mineral Make-Up Portion Control; Scan, don't File!
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - MOO Pet Health Insurance
4. Share Your Tips - Share a tip for a chance to win
5. On the Menu - MOO Golden Syrup, Golden Syrup Dumplings
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - MOOing Snacks
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - I Think Hubby is on Board
9. Last Week's Question - How to pay bills while I'm away
10. Ask Cath
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
The sun is shining and the loungeroom is toasty warm. It has been very cold the last few days, the fire has gone non-stop to keep our home warm. That’s a good thing – we’ve been able to keep the ducted heating off, something that will have a huge impact on the gas bill.
With winter well and truly on its way, and looking like it is going to be a cold, wet one (at least here in Melbourne) finding ways to keep warm without going over our budget has become a challenge.
We’ve been drying the washing on the clotheshorses next to the fire this week, but today, with the beautiful sunshine and just the gentlest of breezes, the solar clothes dryer is doing a wonderful job and painlessly saving us money – a win-win.
I’ve brought the throws and knee rugs out and put them on the chairs and lounges, ready to cosy into when we’re watching TV or reading.
Blinds and curtains have been closed as soon as it starts to get dark, to keep the warm in, then opened in the mornings to let the sunshine in to heat the house.
Summer clothes have been put away and winter woollies brought out.
Blankets have been put on all the beds and the winter quilts swapped for the summer ones.
And our meal plan is leaning more towards warm, comfort foods and less salads.
I put a pot of MOO soup on this morning, enough for tea and lunches for the rest of the week. Some celery and stock from the freezer, carrots and zucchini from the fridge, an onion and potatoes from the pantry, a tin of kidney beans and a tin of tomatoes from the pantry have made six litres of delicious soup for approximately $2.90. Best of all I didn’t have to buy anything, all the ingredients were already on hand. Tinned soup is convenient, especially for cooking, but MOO tastes so much better and is so much cheaper.
There’s nothing hard or huge there, but all those simple little changes will have a big impact on our gas bill.
What do you do to stay warm and while keeping the heating bill down? Share your ideas here – remember your ideas can help another Cheapskater save money, time and energy too.
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
Saving Money with Coles Credit Card
I started using a Coles Credit card after reading it as a tip from one of the Cheapskaters on this forum. I have everything set up on this credit card; all my direct debits, regular expenses, etc. I do make sure to repay every single cent at least two days before the due date.
What I realised I was doing wrong is that I was shopping from Coles as I thought I need to do so to accumulate points on Flybuys. But I quickly realised that I am wasting my money by shopping at Coles only to earn points, as Coles gives me 1 point anyway for every dollar spent on my credit card.
I started shopping at Aldi and saved an average of $20-30 per shop and still earn points on my Flybuys as I was paying with the Coles credit card at Aldi and of course other places as well. My points accumulate quickly and I then use those Flybuys points to get free items from Coles or just pay the difference in price like $5-10. Easy saving!
Contributed by Priyanka Mukherjee
Mineral Make-Up Portion Control
I've got sensitive skin and on the rare occasions that I wear makeup, I only use organic or mineral makeup. Problem is, liquid foundation can be really expensive and I don't go through it quickly enough. I have found a few online stores that sell samples of make up like Zuii. I found that one sample pack lasted me for a couple of functions. I got a pack of 4 different colours which worked out great, one was too dark, but from the others I got a winter and summer foundation and the really light one works great as a concealer! It does depend on the brand, some of them the sample is only enough for colour and patch testing.
Contributed by Sonja Smout
Scan, don't File!
Sick of losing receipts, costing you money or having to file them all the time costing you time? If you have a smart phone, just take a photo of the receipt! I prefer a PDF scanner app, which turns a photo into a PDF document. I then email myself the PDF with the item purchased as the subject and store it in a "receipt" folder in my emails. If the computer crashes, you still have it! The ACCC states a photo or a copy of a receipt is a valid form of proof of purchase. Another handy thing about this if you ever need to claim for contents insurance, you have everything already in an email format
Contributed by Leah Doyle
There are currently more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning Tip
This week's winning tip is from Leanne Coward. Leanne has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
MOO Pet Health Insurance
My cat was born with some health problems so as he has pre-existing conditions it's not much point taking out pet health insurance. I opened a specific bank account that doesn't charge monthly fees and each fortnight I bank $18.00, which is roughly what pet insurance costs. I have enough saved each year for his annual check-up and a balance in savings to carry over for any vet bills that may occur. So far, I have nearly $500 saved for any vet costs that may arise, and this amount is growing every year.
Contributed by Leanne Coward
Congratulations Leanne, I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.
4. Submit your tip
The Cheapskate's Club website is over 3,000 pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. 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. We publish a Winning Tip each Thursday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now.
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!
Submit your tip
5. On the Menu
MOO Golden Syrup and Golden Syrup Dumplings
Golden syrup is an ingredient used a lot in baking. I use it in gingerbreads and tarts and to make caramel slice and Golden Syrup Dumplings in winter - yum! It's good on pancakes or hot scones too. It's also one of those ingredients that can sit in the pantry for ages before you use it again if you don't do a lot of baking. Did you know you can MOO golden syrup? You can, and it is EASY! This recipe costs under $2.50 to make, less if you have your own lemons.
I buy my sugar from Aldi and use lemons from our tree or that have been given to us.
Cost: $2.44
MOO Golden Syrup
Ingredients
200g sugar
50ml water
1 kg sugar, extra
600ml boiling water, extra
2 slices of lemon
Method
Pour 200g sugar and 50ml water into a large saucepan (the mixture will boil up so you need a large saucepan!). Over medium heat twirl the pot around and caramelise the sugar until a dark golden colour.
Add the boiling water (must be boiling so it doesn't spatter and burn you), the kilo of sugar and lemon slices.
Boil for 45 minutes over a low heat until thick (stir it occasionally if you must but it is best left alone).
Cool and pour into sterilised jars or bottles. Label and store in a cool, dark place. The syrup is quite thin when hot but thickens to the right consistency as it cools.
Golden Syrup Dumplings
Ingredients:
2 cups self raising flour
Pinch salt
1 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
Syrup
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cup sugar
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp golden syrup
Method:
Sift flour and salt into basin and rub in butter. Beat egg and add to flour to make a dry dough. Roll dough into small walnut sized dumplings. Place ingredients for syrup into a three litre saucepan, and heat until boiling. Add dumplings all at once. Lower heat to a simmer and cook gently for 15-20 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice-cream and cream.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Gluten Schnitzels, veggies, gravy
Tuesday: Spag bol
Wednesday: Curried Beef Casserole
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Tomato Vegetable Soup, toasted crumpets
In the fruit bowl: Lemons, apples, mandarins
In the cake tin: ANZAC biscuits, chocolate muffins
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
MOOing Snacks
Welcome to a new week of the food challenge.
I'm sure you've all heard the term " MOOing ". It means "Make Our Own". It's one of my favourite Cheapskate's topic (other than stockpiling). A benefit to MOOing is that it reduces the food bill. Since joining Cheapskates almost seven years ago I've reduced our food bill from well over $400 a month down to $300, then $270 and now just on $200 a month. That's a saving of more than $16,000. During this time, my girls have grown and so have their appetites. I've also been able to maintain well stocked freezers, pantry and fridge. My stockpile has grown enormously too.
Probably the biggest reduction to my food bill has been the snacks. I no longer buy ready-made snacks for home and lunchboxes. I make my own muesli bar slice, cakes, muffins, biscuits, pita chips and dips etc. Homemade tastes so much better than store bought, has less packaging and we know exactly what we are eating. No artificial preservatives, colourings, flavourings and additives. You also get better value for money.
A great way to start MOOing snacks for your family is to pick something you'd like to make yourself. There are lots of great baking recipes in the recipe file on the Cheapskates website. Find one you like the sound of and bake / make it. Then the next time you make it include any adjustments to suit your tastes. For example - less sugar or different dried fruit. Write down these adjustments and bake it again until you have perfected the recipe. Then you can move onto a new recipe and build up your repertoire.
My first ever baking experience as a newlywed was Anzac biscuits. I just loved them (still do) but the store-bought variety didn't taste right. So, I found a recipe in a basic cook book. One of the ingredients needed was golden syrup. I didn't have any in the pantry, remembering I was new to this baking caper and my pantry was only stocked with basics. I did have honey on hand so I thought I'd use it instead. I've stuck with the honey for almost twenty-two years because it worked and is much cheaper.
Serving MOO biscuits, cakes and other snacks to family and friends gives you a sense of joy and achievement. I've found that guests are more appreciative of homemade. I've never heard anyone raving about a packet of biscuits being served up. I must admit, it's wonderful to say that I made it myself.
What is your favourite snack to serve up to visitors?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
7. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
What is in Your Present Box?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1446-What-is-in-your-present-box
Mother’s Day with a Difference
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2453-Mothers-Day-with-a-difference
Any Occasion Gift
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1748-Any-occasion-gift
Most popular blog posts this week
5 Ways Your Home Can Save You Money
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/10/5-ways-your-home-can-save-you-money.html
Learn not to Spend Money and Feel Good about It
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2010/05/learn-to-not-spend-money-and-feel-good.html
Know Your Store
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/04/know-your-store.html
8. Members Featured Blog
Platinum Cheapskates Club members have their very own Cheapskating blogs, and they are wonderful and inspirational and encouraging and even funny. This week's featured blog is written by mumof2.
I Think Hubby is on Board
Well I thought we did okay last week with our menu plan, we really have to get better with meal proportions but in saying that we have lots of single meals available for later use or if someone is home on their own etc....it took a little while to plan and we plan on doing it weekly as that is how we divide our money up.
Well we are due to go shopping Thursday and we haven't started menu planning or anything as my health isn't so great with the constant changing of the weather so I said to hubby you just do the shopping and we will menu plan in a week or so...he says "that's ok I think it is working well so we can all pick 2 meals each and I will do the shopping for that, check the pantry/freezer etc...we can all help do it"
Yes, I kid you not one week in and he is helping out I am so proud of him as much as he loves to help save money his kitchen is one area he loves to spend on (and he is a great cook) and yet after 1 week he is on board and trying to help out as much as possible....so I guess we will be menu planning this week all 4 of us.
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9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Kit who wrote
"I am going away for about two months and was wondering what is the best way to pay my bills while I am away, e.g. gas, electricity etc. I don't want to come home to a mess of unpaid bills."
Daniela Tutman answered
It's very easy, I've been doing this for years regardless of where I was in the world. The following assumes that you have a smartphone. Firstly, make sure you register with your service providers (electricity, water, gas, phone etc.) to receive your bill electronically by email. This way you can also check your accounts at any time. Don't forget to have the account list and remember your passwords. Best is to email the bill list to yourself, so you can access it anywhere, in whatever device and from the cloud. You can also set yourself electronic remainders in your phone, as soon as the bill comes by email. Then it is just a matter of having internet access, get into internet banking and always pay your bills on time. If you're overseas don't forget to switch off your data and only connect to the internet when you have free internet access, like in the lobby of the hotel, a public library or a friends place with wireless. I only connect through my own device and never use public computers. I prefer to buy the equivalent of a $10 data sim card so I can have my own internet access, for security reasons.
Fulvio Gerardi answered
Most providers offer electronic invoices and payments. They can take the money from your account without any effort on your part. If you're concerned about giving out bank details, simply ask your bank for a new account, and transfer just enough into it to cover bills. If you have bills arriving by email, without automatic payments, you can still log into eBanking and schedule payments for the due date. If you're expecting paper bills, you can guesstimate them from prior bills before you leave, and schedule larger-than-expected payments on the due dates, then sort it out when you get home.
Mi Caulfield answered
I never worry about paying my bills as each fortnight a payment is made automatically. What I did was take my highest amount owed on a bill e.g. electricity, divided it by the number of weeks between bills [monthly/quarterly etc.] then because I was paid fortnightly added the amounts together, rounded up to the nearest dollar i.e. $40.25 up to $43. Then set up bpay to automatically pay this amount every fortnight. Been doing this for years and have never had a problem.
Brian Smith answered
Contact the supplier of your utilities etc. and ask them to give you a discount, let's say 5%, for paying the estimated account in advance. Even if you get a 1-2% discount for this work out what that represents on an annual basis and you will be pleasantly surprised.
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