Your Cheapskates CLub Newsletter 20:20
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Mix n Match Dinnerware; Frugal Disinfectant Wipes; Re-Usable Children's Books
3. Top Tip Competition
4. On the Menu - Italian Vegetarian Meatballs
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - A Meal Plan Critique
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
8. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
9. Join the Cheapskates Club
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
It was lovely to see so many of you on Tuesday night's show. I missed you all!
Things are slowly getting back to normal in the Armstrong household, although slowly is the focus word and action.
While I was resting up, I had so much time to think. Wayne would tell you that is not a good thing! I don't agree, I come up with some of my best ideas when I'm thinking. I announced some Member Centre changes that are happening, to be rolled out over the next couple of months. If you missed it you can see it here.
2. From The Tip Store
Mix n Match Dinnerware
You can make your own eclectic set of dinnerware by shopping the thrift shops. I received a blue and white Currier & Ives set of dishes for my "hope chest" (remember those?) in 1964. I still have and use many of the pieces, but have chipped or broken a few over the years. I bought pieces to supplement that were microwave-safe and that looked good with the Currier & Ives. Then it dawned on me to collect with a purpose. It took no time at all to have a beautiful (and expanding) set of dishes that look very coordinated. My set includes clear dishes, milk glass, blue striped, solid blue, etc. I always buy at least 2 of any one piece. You can usually find 2 of something in good shape. I don't think I've paid more than 50 cents for any piece. It's fun to mix and match for parties, and I always get complements on my table. I'm 52, have never purchased a set of dishes, still use my treasured Currier and Ives, and don't mind a bit that I don't have "good china"!
Contributed by Penny
Editor's note: I love crazy tea sets - the ones with mix'n'match tea cups, sauces and plates. Some I have been given, some I inherited and some I've picked up at op shops and garage sales. Some of them are expensive brands and some are just pretty. It doesn't have to cost a lot to have beautiful china. And use it! No point having it just to collect dust. Cath
Frugal Disinfectant Wipes
Whenever face washers and hand towels become to worn to use in the bathroom you can use them as dusters. Or you can use them to make your own disinfectant wipes. I like to use an oblong flip-top lunchbox (it is a freebie from somewhere and had been in the cupboard for years) but you can use any type of container, as long as it has a lid. I just put the rags into the container and top it up with Miracle Spray (or you can use a bought disinfectant like Pine O'Cleen, diluted according to the directions). The rags soak up the Miracle Spray, the container stops them from drying out and they are always ready for those emergency wipe-ups in the bathroom, laundry or kitchen. When a rag has been used, pop it in the wash and then back into the container, ready to go again.
Re-Usable Children's Books
I have always bought my children those educational books about shapes, colours, numbers etc. As they learnt all the information in those books, we moved on to the appropriate age books. These are great they teach writing, numbers, times tables, spelling grammar etc. by asking the child to complete the exercises. These books are quite expensive and when you have more than one child, it would be nice to be able to re-use them.
A simple solution is to use sheet protectors and a white board marker. I bought sheet protectors that have a little texture from Big W. Then, I carefully ripped the pages from the books and put them in the sheet protectors. Each set of pages went into a ring binder (99 cents from Office Works). The white board markers come in different colours and thicknesses, so choose thicker for beginners, moving on to the fine point for older children. When the exercises have been done, and you have corrected them and praised the child, the sheet can be wiped clean and re-used, over and over.
The same principle can be used to make activity books for travelling. Put the pages in sheet protectors, keep them together in a ring-binder (which acts as a writing surface) and use white board markers to join the dots or whatever. Keep the markers in a container and store the books and markers together with a couple of cloths for cleaning the pages in a carry bag. Everything is all together, ready for each trip.
This idea is great for all kinds of situations: sick children, church services, appointments where you have to take the kids etc.
Add a Tip
3. Top Tip Competition
I want your tips!
We are rebuilding the Tip Store, removing all the old tips that are no longer relevant to living the Cheapskates way, and deleting double-ups. This means you'll see changes in the Tip Store, with one being the total number of tips will go down. And that means there will be room for new tips!
So, I want you to share your best money, time and energy saving ideas, there will be a weekly prize of a one year Cheapskates Club membership and a monthly prize of a one-year Cheapskates Club membership and $50. T
Prizes will be announced in the newsletter each week, with the prize for the tip of the month announced in the first newsletter of the next month.
It's easy and the rules are simple:
The tip must be cheap a genuine money, time or energy saver.
The tip must be of a practical nature.
The tip can be for anything home, garden, car, budget, children etc.
Please be specific in your tip i.e. "use vinegar and bi-carb for cleaning" won't win you a prize.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Share Your Tip
4. On The Menu
This recipe has been in my recipe folder since my schooldays - it was a favourite then and it has been able to hold it's position on the family favourites list. If you don't have walnuts on hand, leave them out and replace with fresh breadcrumbs. Either way it's a great, cheap and tasty recipe. I serve the meatballs over pasta with a tomato sauce - just like regular spaghetti and meatballs.
Italian Vegetarian Meatballs
Ingredients:
2 onions, finely chopped
¼ cup rolled oats
1 – 1 ½ cups grated tasty cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 clove garlic, crushed.
Method:
Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. With wet hands, form into small, even sized balls. Fry in hot oil until browned all over. This recipe can also be made into patties and served with a mushroom gravy and vegetables.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Honey Mustard Chicken
Tuesday: Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Italian Vegetarian meatballs
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Vegetable Moussaka
Saturday: Omelettes
In the fruit bowl: limes, bananas
In the cake tin: PIkelets
There are over 1,700 budget and family friendly recipes in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File, all contributed by your fellow Cheapskates, so you know they're good.
Add A Recipe
Recipe File Index
5. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
A Meal Plan Critique
Last Thursday I received this email:
"Thankyou for providing interesting ways to save, however further savings could possibly be made if a more plant based menu could be shown. I’m often surprised at the use of so much expensive meat in your recipes with very few veg. Today is sad when only 2 varieties of fruit in fruit bowl including limes! They are quite expensive and not particularly tasty. Keep well and Thankyou for your terrific articles. Karen"
I thought about it for a while, wrote a reply, put it away, thought about it some more, became frustrated, put it away again, and finally sent this reply.
"Hello Karen,
Thank you for your thoughts.
I post MY meal plan, and then only the main course of our dinners. We eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as sides and salads with all our meals - just because I don't list every single fruit or veggie we eat doesn't mean we don't eat them. I find it a tad sad that people don't know that they need to add fruits and/or veggies to the main dishes to make them a meal.
We are not vegetarian or vegan, and indeed my husband is most definitely a meat eater.
I have talked about this often over the years, and in the $300 a Month Food Challenge I often write about how to stretch meats and meals to make them more affordable. I also write about ways to adapt them to suit various diets, but I am not a dietician or a nutritionist so I do not make claims as to the health benefits of any of my meal plans or the recipes I share.
As for the fruit bowl - it's our fruit bowl, so we put what we like and have in it. We grow a lot of the fruit we eat and so at the moment we are inundated with limes. I bought bananas because they have been 99c/kg for the last couple of weeks. We have oranges and mandarins on the trees that will be ready to pick in the next week or so. Before the limes we had apples galore. Again, just because something isn't in the fruit bowl doesn't mean we aren't eating it. Right now we have stewed apples, rhubarb, peaches and plums we are eating, as well as raspberries and blueberries. They have all been frozen over the summer for us to enjoy during the winter months. We also have bottled fruit we are eating with breakfasts and as snacks.
This week's meal plan has two vegetarian meals - mock chicken and haystacks. The roast chicken makes two meals - Sunday and Wednesday. The Mexican Lasagne and Pizza Meatloaf both use mince. There is not one expensive cut of meat on the meal plan. Pizzas use whatever scraps and leftovers are lurking in the fridge, again nothing expensive but what we already have. The most expensive cut of meat I buy is a leg of lamb, and then only when they are cheap enough to fit within my grocery budget. One leg of lamb does us for two roast dinners, at least one other main meal and stock/soup.
So while I appreciate your opinion, if you don't like my meal plan, that's OK. It's mine, not yours. I post it because I have been asked to, for no other reason, as people are curious about the way we live."
I apologise in advance if it seems abrupt, but I like to think that you are responsible enough, mature enough, to have and use commonsense. If you've been a Cheapskater for a while you'll know I'm happy to give advice and offer suggestions, but I don't spoon feed you. I expect you to work things out to suit your circumstances and, when it comes to this part of the newsletter, your meal plan.
Again, this is my meal plan; what we eat. Follow it, use it, combine different plans, or ignore it - the choice is yours.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Adapting Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Easing the Financial Burden of Becoming a One-Income Household
Painless Ways to Build an Emergency Fund
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Are Whole Chickens Really Cheaper?
Whats Best for Menu Planning?
MOO Broccoli Slaw
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
Preparing for the Lean Times
It's Worthwhile to Haggle
Bread Crumb Biscuits
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Join us live on YouTube every Tuesday and Thursday and see how we are living debt free, cashed up and laughing - and find out how you can too!
Show ScheduleTuesday: Around the Kitchen Table - join Cath and Hannah for a cuppa and a chat around the kitchen table as they talk about living the Cheapskates way.
Thursday: Cheapskates in the Kitchen - want to know how to cook delicious, healthy and cheap meals? Watch Cath and Hannah as they create cheapskates style cuisine and share their favourite recipes.Coming Up
Tuesday 19th May 2020: Rebuilding the Stockpile
Latest Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Mix n Match Dinnerware; Frugal Disinfectant Wipes; Re-Usable Children's Books
3. Top Tip Competition
4. On the Menu - Italian Vegetarian Meatballs
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - A Meal Plan Critique
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
8. Ask A Question - Have a question? Ask it here
9. Join the Cheapskates Club
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
It was lovely to see so many of you on Tuesday night's show. I missed you all!
Things are slowly getting back to normal in the Armstrong household, although slowly is the focus word and action.
While I was resting up, I had so much time to think. Wayne would tell you that is not a good thing! I don't agree, I come up with some of my best ideas when I'm thinking. I announced some Member Centre changes that are happening, to be rolled out over the next couple of months. If you missed it you can see it here.
2. From The Tip Store
Mix n Match Dinnerware
You can make your own eclectic set of dinnerware by shopping the thrift shops. I received a blue and white Currier & Ives set of dishes for my "hope chest" (remember those?) in 1964. I still have and use many of the pieces, but have chipped or broken a few over the years. I bought pieces to supplement that were microwave-safe and that looked good with the Currier & Ives. Then it dawned on me to collect with a purpose. It took no time at all to have a beautiful (and expanding) set of dishes that look very coordinated. My set includes clear dishes, milk glass, blue striped, solid blue, etc. I always buy at least 2 of any one piece. You can usually find 2 of something in good shape. I don't think I've paid more than 50 cents for any piece. It's fun to mix and match for parties, and I always get complements on my table. I'm 52, have never purchased a set of dishes, still use my treasured Currier and Ives, and don't mind a bit that I don't have "good china"!
Contributed by Penny
Editor's note: I love crazy tea sets - the ones with mix'n'match tea cups, sauces and plates. Some I have been given, some I inherited and some I've picked up at op shops and garage sales. Some of them are expensive brands and some are just pretty. It doesn't have to cost a lot to have beautiful china. And use it! No point having it just to collect dust. Cath
Frugal Disinfectant Wipes
Whenever face washers and hand towels become to worn to use in the bathroom you can use them as dusters. Or you can use them to make your own disinfectant wipes. I like to use an oblong flip-top lunchbox (it is a freebie from somewhere and had been in the cupboard for years) but you can use any type of container, as long as it has a lid. I just put the rags into the container and top it up with Miracle Spray (or you can use a bought disinfectant like Pine O'Cleen, diluted according to the directions). The rags soak up the Miracle Spray, the container stops them from drying out and they are always ready for those emergency wipe-ups in the bathroom, laundry or kitchen. When a rag has been used, pop it in the wash and then back into the container, ready to go again.
Re-Usable Children's Books
I have always bought my children those educational books about shapes, colours, numbers etc. As they learnt all the information in those books, we moved on to the appropriate age books. These are great they teach writing, numbers, times tables, spelling grammar etc. by asking the child to complete the exercises. These books are quite expensive and when you have more than one child, it would be nice to be able to re-use them.
A simple solution is to use sheet protectors and a white board marker. I bought sheet protectors that have a little texture from Big W. Then, I carefully ripped the pages from the books and put them in the sheet protectors. Each set of pages went into a ring binder (99 cents from Office Works). The white board markers come in different colours and thicknesses, so choose thicker for beginners, moving on to the fine point for older children. When the exercises have been done, and you have corrected them and praised the child, the sheet can be wiped clean and re-used, over and over.
The same principle can be used to make activity books for travelling. Put the pages in sheet protectors, keep them together in a ring-binder (which acts as a writing surface) and use white board markers to join the dots or whatever. Keep the markers in a container and store the books and markers together with a couple of cloths for cleaning the pages in a carry bag. Everything is all together, ready for each trip.
This idea is great for all kinds of situations: sick children, church services, appointments where you have to take the kids etc.
Add a Tip
3. Top Tip Competition
I want your tips!
We are rebuilding the Tip Store, removing all the old tips that are no longer relevant to living the Cheapskates way, and deleting double-ups. This means you'll see changes in the Tip Store, with one being the total number of tips will go down. And that means there will be room for new tips!
So, I want you to share your best money, time and energy saving ideas, there will be a weekly prize of a one year Cheapskates Club membership and a monthly prize of a one-year Cheapskates Club membership and $50. T
Prizes will be announced in the newsletter each week, with the prize for the tip of the month announced in the first newsletter of the next month.
It's easy and the rules are simple:
The tip must be cheap a genuine money, time or energy saver.
The tip must be of a practical nature.
The tip can be for anything home, garden, car, budget, children etc.
Please be specific in your tip i.e. "use vinegar and bi-carb for cleaning" won't win you a prize.
Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win.
Remember, you have to be in it to win it!
Share Your Tip
4. On The Menu
This recipe has been in my recipe folder since my schooldays - it was a favourite then and it has been able to hold it's position on the family favourites list. If you don't have walnuts on hand, leave them out and replace with fresh breadcrumbs. Either way it's a great, cheap and tasty recipe. I serve the meatballs over pasta with a tomato sauce - just like regular spaghetti and meatballs.
Italian Vegetarian Meatballs
Ingredients:
2 onions, finely chopped
¼ cup rolled oats
1 – 1 ½ cups grated tasty cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 clove garlic, crushed.
Method:
Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. With wet hands, form into small, even sized balls. Fry in hot oil until browned all over. This recipe can also be made into patties and served with a mushroom gravy and vegetables.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Honey Mustard Chicken
Tuesday: Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Italian Vegetarian meatballs
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Vegetable Moussaka
Saturday: Omelettes
In the fruit bowl: limes, bananas
In the cake tin: PIkelets
There are over 1,700 budget and family friendly recipes in the Cheapskates Club Recipe File, all contributed by your fellow Cheapskates, so you know they're good.
Add A Recipe
Recipe File Index
5. The $300 A Month Food Challenge
A Meal Plan Critique
Last Thursday I received this email:
"Thankyou for providing interesting ways to save, however further savings could possibly be made if a more plant based menu could be shown. I’m often surprised at the use of so much expensive meat in your recipes with very few veg. Today is sad when only 2 varieties of fruit in fruit bowl including limes! They are quite expensive and not particularly tasty. Keep well and Thankyou for your terrific articles. Karen"
I thought about it for a while, wrote a reply, put it away, thought about it some more, became frustrated, put it away again, and finally sent this reply.
"Hello Karen,
Thank you for your thoughts.
I post MY meal plan, and then only the main course of our dinners. We eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as sides and salads with all our meals - just because I don't list every single fruit or veggie we eat doesn't mean we don't eat them. I find it a tad sad that people don't know that they need to add fruits and/or veggies to the main dishes to make them a meal.
We are not vegetarian or vegan, and indeed my husband is most definitely a meat eater.
I have talked about this often over the years, and in the $300 a Month Food Challenge I often write about how to stretch meats and meals to make them more affordable. I also write about ways to adapt them to suit various diets, but I am not a dietician or a nutritionist so I do not make claims as to the health benefits of any of my meal plans or the recipes I share.
As for the fruit bowl - it's our fruit bowl, so we put what we like and have in it. We grow a lot of the fruit we eat and so at the moment we are inundated with limes. I bought bananas because they have been 99c/kg for the last couple of weeks. We have oranges and mandarins on the trees that will be ready to pick in the next week or so. Before the limes we had apples galore. Again, just because something isn't in the fruit bowl doesn't mean we aren't eating it. Right now we have stewed apples, rhubarb, peaches and plums we are eating, as well as raspberries and blueberries. They have all been frozen over the summer for us to enjoy during the winter months. We also have bottled fruit we are eating with breakfasts and as snacks.
This week's meal plan has two vegetarian meals - mock chicken and haystacks. The roast chicken makes two meals - Sunday and Wednesday. The Mexican Lasagne and Pizza Meatloaf both use mince. There is not one expensive cut of meat on the meal plan. Pizzas use whatever scraps and leftovers are lurking in the fridge, again nothing expensive but what we already have. The most expensive cut of meat I buy is a leg of lamb, and then only when they are cheap enough to fit within my grocery budget. One leg of lamb does us for two roast dinners, at least one other main meal and stock/soup.
So while I appreciate your opinion, if you don't like my meal plan, that's OK. It's mine, not yours. I post it because I have been asked to, for no other reason, as people are curious about the way we live."
I apologise in advance if it seems abrupt, but I like to think that you are responsible enough, mature enough, to have and use commonsense. If you've been a Cheapskater for a while you'll know I'm happy to give advice and offer suggestions, but I don't spoon feed you. I expect you to work things out to suit your circumstances and, when it comes to this part of the newsletter, your meal plan.
Again, this is my meal plan; what we eat. Follow it, use it, combine different plans, or ignore it - the choice is yours.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Adapting Recipes for the Slow Cooker
Easing the Financial Burden of Becoming a One-Income Household
Painless Ways to Build an Emergency Fund
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Are Whole Chickens Really Cheaper?
Whats Best for Menu Planning?
MOO Broccoli Slaw
Most Popular Blog Posts This Week
Preparing for the Lean Times
It's Worthwhile to Haggle
Bread Crumb Biscuits
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Join us live on YouTube every Tuesday and Thursday and see how we are living debt free, cashed up and laughing - and find out how you can too!
Show ScheduleTuesday: Around the Kitchen Table - join Cath and Hannah for a cuppa and a chat around the kitchen table as they talk about living the Cheapskates way.
Thursday: Cheapskates in the Kitchen - want to know how to cook delicious, healthy and cheap meals? Watch Cath and Hannah as they create cheapskates style cuisine and share their favourite recipes.Coming Up
Tuesday 19th May 2020: Rebuilding the Stockpile
Latest Shows
8. Ask A Question
We have lots of resources to help you as you live the Cheapskates way but if you didn't find the answer to your question in our extensive archives please just drop me a note with your question.
I read and answer all questions, either in an email to you, in my weekly newsletter, the monthly Journal or by creating blog posts and other resources to help you (and other Cheapskaters).
Ask Your Question
9. Join The Cheapskates Club
We are keeping the MOO Month membership special going for the duration of the coronavirus crisis! Now more than ever before you need to know how to save money, time and energy and live life debt free, cashed up and laughing!
For just $25 a year, you can join the Cheapskates Club and get exclusive access to the Cheapskate Journal, the monthly e-journal that shows you how to cut the costs of everyday living and still have fun.
Joining the Cheapskates Club gives you 24/7 access to the Members Centre with 1000's of money saving tips and articles.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
10. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
11. Contact Cheapskates
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
Contact Cheapskates
We have lots of resources to help you as you live the Cheapskates way but if you didn't find the answer to your question in our extensive archives please just drop me a note with your question.
I read and answer all questions, either in an email to you, in my weekly newsletter, the monthly Journal or by creating blog posts and other resources to help you (and other Cheapskaters).
Ask Your Question
9. Join The Cheapskates Club
We are keeping the MOO Month membership special going for the duration of the coronavirus crisis! Now more than ever before you need to know how to save money, time and energy and live life debt free, cashed up and laughing!
For just $25 a year, you can join the Cheapskates Club and get exclusive access to the Cheapskate Journal, the monthly e-journal that shows you how to cut the costs of everyday living and still have fun.
Joining the Cheapskates Club gives you 24/7 access to the Members Centre with 1000's of money saving tips and articles.
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
10. Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my email address?
This one is easy. When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name at the top of the page to go straight to your profile page where you can update your details, change your password and find your subscription details.
Not a Cheapskates Club member? Then please use the Changing Details form found here to update your email address.
How do I know when my membership should be renewed?
Memberships are active for one year from the date of joining. You will be sent a renewal reminder before your subscription is due to renew. You can also find your membership expiry date on your profile page.
When you login to the Member's Centre just click on your name to go straight to your profile page where you can will find your join date and your expiry date.
What will you do with my email address?
We never rent, trade or sell our email list to anyone for any reason whatsoever. You'll never get an unsolicited email from a stranger as a result of joining this list.
How did I get on this list?
The only way you can get onto our newsletter mailing list is to subscribe yourself. You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
11. Contact Cheapskates
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
Contact Cheapskates