Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter: 21:14 Bright ideas to save you money
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Never Run Out of Cooking Wine, Doggy Wipes, Easy Clean Silver
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - MOO Electrical Appliance Repair
4. Submit Your Tip -
5. Living Green in 2014 - Making a Plan and Getting Started
6. On the Menu with Anne - Apple Shortcake
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - It's party time!
8. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
9. Member's Featured Blog - Preserving and Value Adding
10. Last Week's Question - Is there affordable health insurance for pensioners?
11. This Week's Question - A knitting question
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
13. Gift Memberships
14. Frequently Asked Questions
15. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Another week over. How have you done with living the Cheapskates way? Have you had a little success with something you've been trying to master for a while? Or perhaps you've discovered a new saving you can make on your grocery bill? Maybe you've learned a new MOO that will save you a lot of money over time?
Well these are all things other Cheapskaters have shared with me this week, and they were all at the workshop last Saturday. It was an amazing day. I just love seeing someone's face when they suddenly get a new idea - they look a little surprised, just for a moment, and then the smile breaks out and it's huge. I saw plenty of smiles last weekend; so many Cheapskaters realising they really are living the Cheapskates way and they really are good at Cheapskating.
"Well, another successful workshop this afternoon! I am so pleased to be with like minded people, all of us living the cheapskates way. We can all learn from each other, too, can't we? Cath, thank you for answering our questions so patiently, and for the tools you provide, both at the workshops and on line. You gave me many topics to follow up e.g. Diggers. And Wendy - this is my first ever message on the forum! (I finally did it) You started Menu Planning at the very beginning - by choosing the family's favourite meals and putting them into categories, and it was all so logical! I don't know why I had so many problems with it. Thank you. Hannah and our Power Point operator Megan, - thank you both. This afternoon's workshop was good in every way.;)" Sue B
"Just wanted to say a big thank you from Andrea and I - we both got a lot out of the workshop today - not just the fantastic information but perhaps more importantly for me, the inspiration!!! I'm either fantastic with money or completely rubbish! The last 2 years I've been absolutely terrible so today was the jump start I needed! Thanks again so much and please thank the girls too - they were amazing!!" Lisa D
"I've always thought I wasn't a "proper" Cheapskate, but I realised how much I've internalised from the newsletters and Cath's columns. It was great at the workshop to be with like-minded people, almost like being given permission to do things a certain way!" Mara
There is no "proper" Cheapskate. We're all at different stages in our life, and so we are all at different stages of Cheapskating. The trick is to just keep going and never give up. Keep tracking your spending, continue to menu plan, always take your shopping list with you, MOO as much as you can, look for great deals, whatever it takes so you can live life debt free, cashed up and laughing.
Make today the first day of the rest of your Cheapskating life, you can do it!
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!
PPS: You can read this newsletter and past copies on the website in the Newsletter Archive.
2. From The Tip Store
Never Run Out of Cooking Wine
Approximate $ Savings: $100 per year
Often when a recipe calls for wine, we either have to use what are planning on drinking with dinner or open a bottle to cook with. My mother (and now I) always keeps a bottle (actually my mother used to keep a flagon) of mid quality dry sherry to use as a substitute when a recipe calls for white wine. Use about a quarter the amount of wine specified and make up the difference with water. The sherry does not go off, no one is likely to drink it (not here anyway) so you always have cooking wine on hand.
Contributed by Susan Rochford
Doggy Wipes
Baby wipes can be used for many things but one I use often is to wipe down my dog after he goes outside in the rain. It takes away the wet dog smell and freshens his coat when it's not possible to bath him. The wipes from Aldi's are the cheapest.
Contributed by Pauline Neilson
Easy Clean Silver
I have fish cutlery I've never used before and it was so discoloured. I also have a pair of salad servers I would never dream of parting with I like them that much. The problem is they are silver, and they tarnish.
Not to worry - they are so quick and simple to clean with the bi carb method - see the pictures. The shadow on the handles in the finished shot is just due to the way the light was not to any marking of the silver.
Simply get a foil pie plate or line a plastic container with aluminium foil, add bicarb soda (4 tablespoons per jug of boiling water), add the boiling water and drop in the silver.
This will clean any gold or silver that is actually touching the foil under water. Rinse in soapy water and polish with a dry cloth.
Note though, that this will damage pearls, opals, painted or enamelled pieces or costume jewellery. Works great on larger silver items too and saves lots of hard work.
I've paid for my membership right there!
Contributed by Carol Ryan
There are more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning tip
This week's winning tip is from Francine Friend. Francine has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
MOO Electrical Appliance Repair
Approximate $ Savings: $900
Recently my just out of warranty Dyson vacuum's motor burnt out. To replace it with a new one it was going to cost $1,000, which I didn't have to spend. We often think that because it has blown up we need to go and buy a new one which was not a option. So I researched it on the Internet and found the actual repair was rather easy to do myself. I ordered the parts through a repair shop that were going to cost $250 supplied and fitted but only $100 for the motor so of course I opted to fix it my self. One hour later a good as new vacuum. I have also fixed ipods, iphones and ipads for family with savings of around $50 each. Thanks to YouTube and eBay my new motor is in. If in doubt YouTube has the answer. At the end of the day it will save you a lot of money.
Congratulations Francine, 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. Living Green in 2014
Making a Plan and Getting Started
When it comes to sustainable living, you may find that it helps to make a plan for changing your lifestyle. You may be satisfied with choosing a few simple tips that can make the planet a little healthier, but for some people that’s not enough.
Before you get started, make a goal for sustainable living. Do you want to save money? Do you want to grow your own food? Do you see yourself practicing sustainable living in an urban area? Or do you envision living on a self-sustaining property growing your own food and raising livestock?
Make sure you understand what you envision for the future and take steps to reaching that goal. For some sustainable living goals will take more time than for others. Make sure to set goals that are appropriate for where you are in your life right now.
After you’ve set a goal, it’s time to create a plan. Begin by looking at where you’d like to end. If you’d like to be self-sustaining within five years, what do you need to do each year to prepare for that goal?
Decide what steps you will take and when. It may help to use a calendar or make a vision board of what you’d like to achieve. These can serve as reminders for your ultimate sustainable living goals.
Most importantly, don’t become discouraged. When you’re making changes in your lifestyle, you’re bound to have some setbacks. Don’t let those setbacks keep you from realizing your final goals. Do the best you can and accept that it won’t be perfect.
While you want to make sure the planet gets protected as much as possible, you need to remember that even small changes have big impact. You’ll be helping to secure the future of the planet with every good choice you make.
6. On the Menu with Anne
Apple Shortcake
When I have a glut of fruit, rather than let it go off and composting it, I stew it and put it in the freezer to use later. It's great to use in pies, smoothies, muffins and sauces or thawed and added to yoghurt or spooned over breakfast cereal or on top of pancakes. It's even great for jam. In my freezer at the moment there are raspberries, stewed apple, stewed peaches, stewed rhubarb and stewed plums, all ready to be used. It saves so much time and money to keep a stash of ready-to-use fruit in the freezer and it makes cooking quick and easy to.
Apple shortcake is one of our favourite desserts, with custard, and when I have apple already in the freezer it only takes a few minutes to put together and into the oven.
Apple Shortcake
Ingredients:
125g butter
½ cup castor sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup self-raising flour
3/4 cup plain flour
400g stewed apple (or 410g can pie apple)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
extra castor sugar
Method:
Line base and sides of 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar lightly, add egg, beat well. Beat in sifted flours. Turn out on to lightly floured surface; knead lightly until smooth, divide dough in half. This is a very soft pastry so roll each piece into a 20cm round between 2 sheets of plastic food wrap or greaseproof paper to prevent sticking. Place one round into tin, press edges to fit tin well. Mix lemon rind into stewed apple. Spread over shortcake base leaving a small border around edge. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of extra sugar. Place second round of pastry over fruit mixture, press edges together around side of tin. Brush top with water, sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake in moderate oven 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to stand 15 minutes before removing from tin.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Honey soy chicken and fried rice
Saturday: Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Sunday: Roast chicken, baked veggies, beans, gravy
Monday: Spaghetti Carbonara and salad
Tuesday: Tuna Surprise
Wednesday: Curried sausages and mash
Thursday: Chicken schnitzel, baked potato and salad
In the fruit bowl: mandarins, kiwi fruit, bananas
In the cake tin: Sultana cake, blueberry muffins, chocolate biscuits
There are over 1,300 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Welcome to a new week of saving money.
In a couple of weeks time my oldest daughter will be turning 17. She understands that our budget is tight this year so going out for tea is not an option as it has been in the past. As I was writing a menu plan for the next month I asked her what she'd like me to cook for tea on the night of her birthday. I didn't really have to ask as I know lasagne is her favourite meal out of all the others she calls her favourites. So lasagne it is.
After much deliberation over how she was going to celebrate with her friends, she's decided to have four or five of them over to watch a movie the next week. At the moment we are finalising what snacks she'd like to serve. Homemade sausage rolls and mini quiches are on the list For sweets it might be a few slices or MOO sundaes. We've had MOO sundaes at our parties before and they were a big hit. We put out a tub of no name vanilla icecream, choc topping, nuts and a few bowls of small lollies and let the teenagers desgn their own desserts.
Other party food I've made in previous years for my girls have been -
honey joys
fruit platters
mini pizzas
mini muffins
jelly and custard cups
spag bol
MOO hamburgers
bbq
dip and biscuit platters
scones, jam and cream
assorted slices
As well as the sausage rolls and mini quiches. I've found homemade food is a bigger hit than a bowl of chips. I've also cut down on the food too as "less is more" seems to work better. It reduces food waste and reduces the cost.
Whatever food I make is made on a budget. The money comes out of my food slush fund so that I don't break the budget. Generally for a larger party I make three savoury dishes and three sweet.
How do you cater for kids/teenager birthday gatherings?
What is your family's favourite party food?
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2474-300-a-month-food-challenge-19-05-14
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
8.Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Freezer Habits Unmasked
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1990-Freezer-habits-unmasked
Do you Trolley Peek?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?7-Do-you-trolley-peek
Guess how much I Saved!
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1981-Guess-how-much-I-saved!
Most popular blog posts this week
Pre-prep Saves Time and Stops the Takeaway Urge
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2010/01/tip-of-day-26-january-2010.html
Today is Shopping Day
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/06/today-is-shopping-day.html
Using Dried Foods on a Regular Basis
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/02/using-dried-foods-on-regular-basis.html
9. Member's 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 Joyofquilting.
Preserving and Value Adding
Wendy and Anne's posts on jam making came at a good time. I'm finishing off tomato sauce today, I used to use the Fowlers Sausetta until the shops stopped stocking it now I use Ezy Sauce and just half the quantities. Frozen tomatoes from peoples gardens, onions at 40 cents a kilo, dodgy apples from the fridge, a few hours work and a little sugar etc. For $2-3 I have yummy sauce for us, work morning teas, hampers for gifts etc. etc. I usually get at least 10 bottles and it keeps well, the flavour gets better as it ages (it's great to begin with and ends up fantastic) and you get that smug feeling looking at the shelves and knowing 'I did that'.
I make jams, chutney, pickles etc. from whatever I can get free or cheap, we love relishes too, corn, or mango, tomato, zucchini. They're lovely to use in dips with cottage or cream cheese or sour cream, on sandwiches or with meat for a salad. My tomato sauce goes in dips too or with my great, el cheapo sausage rolls. I also make jam from frozen fruit - mostly off peoples trees and pre frozen in jam recipe sized packs, but sometimes I buy berries at NQR for $8 kg and make berry jam.
There's nothing like the taste of home made, and people really appreciate hampers at Christmas. If you have preserves in the cupboard and a basket you can put together an instant present that looks so thoughtful and not like 'bugger, I haven't got something for them ...' emergency last minute gift.
I also like the thought of value adding and returning. If you give me apricots or jars and I give you a jar of jam or sauce, you will remember and give me fruit next year thus ensuring my supply of the raw ingredients; we all win. I do make stewed apricots as well so we have crumbles and other tasty desserts. I'm going to start a new recipe book of only the tried and true make them a million times recipes, the ones that have stood the test of time and not petered out as a flash in the pan, and you can bet that there'll be a few preserving recipes in it.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
10. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Vivienne who wrote
"I am an aged pensioner and I would like to try and keep my private hospital insurance, but it has become so expensive I don't know if I can keep it much longer. Does anyone know if there is any pensioner heath insurances available?"
June Gregg answered
When I updated our private hospital insurance I used a company called iselect. Their consultant asked what sort of cover I needed and suggested a few private funds then it was up to me to choose one. You may find you are paying for cover you don't need with your current fund e.g. obstetrics. All the paperwork and transfers to a new fund, if chosen, is done by iselect. Their email address is iselect.com.au and their toll free number is 131920.
Paula Hill answered
I have just been researching this very topic and have just saved $1,150 for the year. We have been with MBF for 30 years with no issues however have just switched to Medibank. The reasons: top hospital covers are the same for both companies; with the extras, you can save a lot of money by actually going through the benefits and see whether it is worth having a 90% Extracover or perhaps a lower one. I went through what extras we use and this is certainly an area we can save a further $600 p.a. as we don't use many of these things. I also have a 'health account' which I put money into each pay for 'gap' payments etc. Medibank also had a second month free offer for the month of April, so we saved there as well. We live in a rural area so the member's choice providers are not accessible to us so I asked how much we would get back using item numbers we have previously claimed (physio, chiro) and receive more back with Medibank. I then did further research for Mum as she was with NIB and wasn't happy. From my research, Mum can save up to $300 p.a. on simply switching to either MBF or Medibank and when I asked the girl about the offer of second month free, she said that it had finished however she could extend it for Mum. Again there is further savings in looking at the Extracover as well. Mum lives in the city, so further savings are available using member providers. It is handy to also know that there is no saving in paying premiums annually as opposed to fortnightly, which means no huge lump sum due at one time. It took a lot of reading and time on the phone but was certainly worth it.
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
11. This Week's Question
Bluebell234 writes
"I have completed the front of 3 jumpers for each of the GC. For the eldest GC I am making a grow jumper as he is a very big child for his age and is growing rapidly. I used very large knitting needles the same size for the bask and body of the garment but I find I will have to maybe thread the bask and sleeves for this particular garment with some hat or soft elastic as it is stretching already. I would be very appreciative of any tips (other than pulling it all undone) to deal with this. The other two jumpers are fine and not stretching and are made with the same type of yarn but knitted on smaller size knitting needles."
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Bluebell234 let us know. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize too.
Send your answer
12. 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!
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/members/join_form.cfm?item_id=2271
13. Gift Memberships
Your family and friends will thank you for a whole year when you give them a Platinum Cheapskates Club membership as a gift.
It's so simple: just select the number of gift memberships required, click the Buy Now button and complete the Gift Membership order form (you must use this form to order gift memberships) and we'll get in touch with you to confirm the gift subscriptions.
Click here to order a gift membership right now!
14. 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.
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.
Read our privacy policy
How Did You Get on Our List?
You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member
15. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
www.cheapskates.com.au
[email protected]
2. In the Tip Store - Never Run Out of Cooking Wine, Doggy Wipes, Easy Clean Silver
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - MOO Electrical Appliance Repair
4. Submit Your Tip -
5. Living Green in 2014 - Making a Plan and Getting Started
6. On the Menu with Anne - Apple Shortcake
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - It's party time!
8. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
9. Member's Featured Blog - Preserving and Value Adding
10. Last Week's Question - Is there affordable health insurance for pensioners?
11. This Week's Question - A knitting question
12. Join the Cheapskates Club
13. Gift Memberships
14. Frequently Asked Questions
15. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Another week over. How have you done with living the Cheapskates way? Have you had a little success with something you've been trying to master for a while? Or perhaps you've discovered a new saving you can make on your grocery bill? Maybe you've learned a new MOO that will save you a lot of money over time?
Well these are all things other Cheapskaters have shared with me this week, and they were all at the workshop last Saturday. It was an amazing day. I just love seeing someone's face when they suddenly get a new idea - they look a little surprised, just for a moment, and then the smile breaks out and it's huge. I saw plenty of smiles last weekend; so many Cheapskaters realising they really are living the Cheapskates way and they really are good at Cheapskating.
"Well, another successful workshop this afternoon! I am so pleased to be with like minded people, all of us living the cheapskates way. We can all learn from each other, too, can't we? Cath, thank you for answering our questions so patiently, and for the tools you provide, both at the workshops and on line. You gave me many topics to follow up e.g. Diggers. And Wendy - this is my first ever message on the forum! (I finally did it) You started Menu Planning at the very beginning - by choosing the family's favourite meals and putting them into categories, and it was all so logical! I don't know why I had so many problems with it. Thank you. Hannah and our Power Point operator Megan, - thank you both. This afternoon's workshop was good in every way.;)" Sue B
"Just wanted to say a big thank you from Andrea and I - we both got a lot out of the workshop today - not just the fantastic information but perhaps more importantly for me, the inspiration!!! I'm either fantastic with money or completely rubbish! The last 2 years I've been absolutely terrible so today was the jump start I needed! Thanks again so much and please thank the girls too - they were amazing!!" Lisa D
"I've always thought I wasn't a "proper" Cheapskate, but I realised how much I've internalised from the newsletters and Cath's columns. It was great at the workshop to be with like-minded people, almost like being given permission to do things a certain way!" Mara
There is no "proper" Cheapskate. We're all at different stages in our life, and so we are all at different stages of Cheapskating. The trick is to just keep going and never give up. Keep tracking your spending, continue to menu plan, always take your shopping list with you, MOO as much as you can, look for great deals, whatever it takes so you can live life debt free, cashed up and laughing.
Make today the first day of the rest of your Cheapskating life, you can do it!
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!
PPS: You can read this newsletter and past copies on the website in the Newsletter Archive.
2. From The Tip Store
Never Run Out of Cooking Wine
Approximate $ Savings: $100 per year
Often when a recipe calls for wine, we either have to use what are planning on drinking with dinner or open a bottle to cook with. My mother (and now I) always keeps a bottle (actually my mother used to keep a flagon) of mid quality dry sherry to use as a substitute when a recipe calls for white wine. Use about a quarter the amount of wine specified and make up the difference with water. The sherry does not go off, no one is likely to drink it (not here anyway) so you always have cooking wine on hand.
Contributed by Susan Rochford
Doggy Wipes
Baby wipes can be used for many things but one I use often is to wipe down my dog after he goes outside in the rain. It takes away the wet dog smell and freshens his coat when it's not possible to bath him. The wipes from Aldi's are the cheapest.
Contributed by Pauline Neilson
Easy Clean Silver
I have fish cutlery I've never used before and it was so discoloured. I also have a pair of salad servers I would never dream of parting with I like them that much. The problem is they are silver, and they tarnish.
Not to worry - they are so quick and simple to clean with the bi carb method - see the pictures. The shadow on the handles in the finished shot is just due to the way the light was not to any marking of the silver.
Simply get a foil pie plate or line a plastic container with aluminium foil, add bicarb soda (4 tablespoons per jug of boiling water), add the boiling water and drop in the silver.
This will clean any gold or silver that is actually touching the foil under water. Rinse in soapy water and polish with a dry cloth.
Note though, that this will damage pearls, opals, painted or enamelled pieces or costume jewellery. Works great on larger silver items too and saves lots of hard work.
I've paid for my membership right there!
Contributed by Carol Ryan
There are more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. Cheapskates Winning tip
This week's winning tip is from Francine Friend. Francine has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.
MOO Electrical Appliance Repair
Approximate $ Savings: $900
Recently my just out of warranty Dyson vacuum's motor burnt out. To replace it with a new one it was going to cost $1,000, which I didn't have to spend. We often think that because it has blown up we need to go and buy a new one which was not a option. So I researched it on the Internet and found the actual repair was rather easy to do myself. I ordered the parts through a repair shop that were going to cost $250 supplied and fitted but only $100 for the motor so of course I opted to fix it my self. One hour later a good as new vacuum. I have also fixed ipods, iphones and ipads for family with savings of around $50 each. Thanks to YouTube and eBay my new motor is in. If in doubt YouTube has the answer. At the end of the day it will save you a lot of money.
Congratulations Francine, 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. Living Green in 2014
Making a Plan and Getting Started
When it comes to sustainable living, you may find that it helps to make a plan for changing your lifestyle. You may be satisfied with choosing a few simple tips that can make the planet a little healthier, but for some people that’s not enough.
Before you get started, make a goal for sustainable living. Do you want to save money? Do you want to grow your own food? Do you see yourself practicing sustainable living in an urban area? Or do you envision living on a self-sustaining property growing your own food and raising livestock?
Make sure you understand what you envision for the future and take steps to reaching that goal. For some sustainable living goals will take more time than for others. Make sure to set goals that are appropriate for where you are in your life right now.
After you’ve set a goal, it’s time to create a plan. Begin by looking at where you’d like to end. If you’d like to be self-sustaining within five years, what do you need to do each year to prepare for that goal?
Decide what steps you will take and when. It may help to use a calendar or make a vision board of what you’d like to achieve. These can serve as reminders for your ultimate sustainable living goals.
Most importantly, don’t become discouraged. When you’re making changes in your lifestyle, you’re bound to have some setbacks. Don’t let those setbacks keep you from realizing your final goals. Do the best you can and accept that it won’t be perfect.
While you want to make sure the planet gets protected as much as possible, you need to remember that even small changes have big impact. You’ll be helping to secure the future of the planet with every good choice you make.
6. On the Menu with Anne
Apple Shortcake
When I have a glut of fruit, rather than let it go off and composting it, I stew it and put it in the freezer to use later. It's great to use in pies, smoothies, muffins and sauces or thawed and added to yoghurt or spooned over breakfast cereal or on top of pancakes. It's even great for jam. In my freezer at the moment there are raspberries, stewed apple, stewed peaches, stewed rhubarb and stewed plums, all ready to be used. It saves so much time and money to keep a stash of ready-to-use fruit in the freezer and it makes cooking quick and easy to.
Apple shortcake is one of our favourite desserts, with custard, and when I have apple already in the freezer it only takes a few minutes to put together and into the oven.
Apple Shortcake
Ingredients:
125g butter
½ cup castor sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup self-raising flour
3/4 cup plain flour
400g stewed apple (or 410g can pie apple)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
extra castor sugar
Method:
Line base and sides of 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar lightly, add egg, beat well. Beat in sifted flours. Turn out on to lightly floured surface; knead lightly until smooth, divide dough in half. This is a very soft pastry so roll each piece into a 20cm round between 2 sheets of plastic food wrap or greaseproof paper to prevent sticking. Place one round into tin, press edges to fit tin well. Mix lemon rind into stewed apple. Spread over shortcake base leaving a small border around edge. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of extra sugar. Place second round of pastry over fruit mixture, press edges together around side of tin. Brush top with water, sprinkle lightly with sugar. Bake in moderate oven 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to stand 15 minutes before removing from tin.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Honey soy chicken and fried rice
Saturday: Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Sunday: Roast chicken, baked veggies, beans, gravy
Monday: Spaghetti Carbonara and salad
Tuesday: Tuna Surprise
Wednesday: Curried sausages and mash
Thursday: Chicken schnitzel, baked potato and salad
In the fruit bowl: mandarins, kiwi fruit, bananas
In the cake tin: Sultana cake, blueberry muffins, chocolate biscuits
There are over 1,300 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
7. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Welcome to a new week of saving money.
In a couple of weeks time my oldest daughter will be turning 17. She understands that our budget is tight this year so going out for tea is not an option as it has been in the past. As I was writing a menu plan for the next month I asked her what she'd like me to cook for tea on the night of her birthday. I didn't really have to ask as I know lasagne is her favourite meal out of all the others she calls her favourites. So lasagne it is.
After much deliberation over how she was going to celebrate with her friends, she's decided to have four or five of them over to watch a movie the next week. At the moment we are finalising what snacks she'd like to serve. Homemade sausage rolls and mini quiches are on the list For sweets it might be a few slices or MOO sundaes. We've had MOO sundaes at our parties before and they were a big hit. We put out a tub of no name vanilla icecream, choc topping, nuts and a few bowls of small lollies and let the teenagers desgn their own desserts.
Other party food I've made in previous years for my girls have been -
honey joys
fruit platters
mini pizzas
mini muffins
jelly and custard cups
spag bol
MOO hamburgers
bbq
dip and biscuit platters
scones, jam and cream
assorted slices
As well as the sausage rolls and mini quiches. I've found homemade food is a bigger hit than a bowl of chips. I've also cut down on the food too as "less is more" seems to work better. It reduces food waste and reduces the cost.
Whatever food I make is made on a budget. The money comes out of my food slush fund so that I don't break the budget. Generally for a larger party I make three savoury dishes and three sweet.
How do you cater for kids/teenager birthday gatherings?
What is your family's favourite party food?
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2474-300-a-month-food-challenge-19-05-14
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
8.Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Freezer Habits Unmasked
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1990-Freezer-habits-unmasked
Do you Trolley Peek?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?7-Do-you-trolley-peek
Guess how much I Saved!
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1981-Guess-how-much-I-saved!
Most popular blog posts this week
Pre-prep Saves Time and Stops the Takeaway Urge
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2010/01/tip-of-day-26-january-2010.html
Today is Shopping Day
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/06/today-is-shopping-day.html
Using Dried Foods on a Regular Basis
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/02/using-dried-foods-on-regular-basis.html
9. Member's 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 Joyofquilting.
Preserving and Value Adding
Wendy and Anne's posts on jam making came at a good time. I'm finishing off tomato sauce today, I used to use the Fowlers Sausetta until the shops stopped stocking it now I use Ezy Sauce and just half the quantities. Frozen tomatoes from peoples gardens, onions at 40 cents a kilo, dodgy apples from the fridge, a few hours work and a little sugar etc. For $2-3 I have yummy sauce for us, work morning teas, hampers for gifts etc. etc. I usually get at least 10 bottles and it keeps well, the flavour gets better as it ages (it's great to begin with and ends up fantastic) and you get that smug feeling looking at the shelves and knowing 'I did that'.
I make jams, chutney, pickles etc. from whatever I can get free or cheap, we love relishes too, corn, or mango, tomato, zucchini. They're lovely to use in dips with cottage or cream cheese or sour cream, on sandwiches or with meat for a salad. My tomato sauce goes in dips too or with my great, el cheapo sausage rolls. I also make jam from frozen fruit - mostly off peoples trees and pre frozen in jam recipe sized packs, but sometimes I buy berries at NQR for $8 kg and make berry jam.
There's nothing like the taste of home made, and people really appreciate hampers at Christmas. If you have preserves in the cupboard and a basket you can put together an instant present that looks so thoughtful and not like 'bugger, I haven't got something for them ...' emergency last minute gift.
I also like the thought of value adding and returning. If you give me apricots or jars and I give you a jar of jam or sauce, you will remember and give me fruit next year thus ensuring my supply of the raw ingredients; we all win. I do make stewed apricots as well so we have crumbles and other tasty desserts. I'm going to start a new recipe book of only the tried and true make them a million times recipes, the ones that have stood the test of time and not petered out as a flash in the pan, and you can bet that there'll be a few preserving recipes in it.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
10. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Vivienne who wrote
"I am an aged pensioner and I would like to try and keep my private hospital insurance, but it has become so expensive I don't know if I can keep it much longer. Does anyone know if there is any pensioner heath insurances available?"
June Gregg answered
When I updated our private hospital insurance I used a company called iselect. Their consultant asked what sort of cover I needed and suggested a few private funds then it was up to me to choose one. You may find you are paying for cover you don't need with your current fund e.g. obstetrics. All the paperwork and transfers to a new fund, if chosen, is done by iselect. Their email address is iselect.com.au and their toll free number is 131920.
Paula Hill answered
I have just been researching this very topic and have just saved $1,150 for the year. We have been with MBF for 30 years with no issues however have just switched to Medibank. The reasons: top hospital covers are the same for both companies; with the extras, you can save a lot of money by actually going through the benefits and see whether it is worth having a 90% Extracover or perhaps a lower one. I went through what extras we use and this is certainly an area we can save a further $600 p.a. as we don't use many of these things. I also have a 'health account' which I put money into each pay for 'gap' payments etc. Medibank also had a second month free offer for the month of April, so we saved there as well. We live in a rural area so the member's choice providers are not accessible to us so I asked how much we would get back using item numbers we have previously claimed (physio, chiro) and receive more back with Medibank. I then did further research for Mum as she was with NIB and wasn't happy. From my research, Mum can save up to $300 p.a. on simply switching to either MBF or Medibank and when I asked the girl about the offer of second month free, she said that it had finished however she could extend it for Mum. Again there is further savings in looking at the Extracover as well. Mum lives in the city, so further savings are available using member providers. It is handy to also know that there is no saving in paying premiums annually as opposed to fortnightly, which means no huge lump sum due at one time. It took a lot of reading and time on the phone but was certainly worth it.
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11. This Week's Question
Bluebell234 writes
"I have completed the front of 3 jumpers for each of the GC. For the eldest GC I am making a grow jumper as he is a very big child for his age and is growing rapidly. I used very large knitting needles the same size for the bask and body of the garment but I find I will have to maybe thread the bask and sleeves for this particular garment with some hat or soft elastic as it is stretching already. I would be very appreciative of any tips (other than pulling it all undone) to deal with this. The other two jumpers are fine and not stretching and are made with the same type of yarn but knitted on smaller size knitting needles."
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Bluebell234 let us know. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize too.
Send your answer
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15. Contact Details
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