Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 22:17
In this Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Turn a Saving into an Object for True Value; Mummy's Mini Pedicure; Quick and Easy Cake Treats
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Chicken Alfredo Cheapskates Style
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Fridge Clean Out
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. Member's Featured Blog - Pantry and Fridge looking Schmick!
8. Last Week's Question - Comparing banks
9. This Week's Question - I'd love some MOO skincare recipes
10. Ask Cath
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Don't you just love saving money, especially when it's easy and on things you use all the time? This week has been a week of saving for us. I stocked up on chicken fillets for $3.89 per kilo (20 kilos bought, bagged and frozen for a total of 28 meals at $3.52 per meal). Then I was checking the catalogues for some stockpile items and Woolworths had everything I had on my list for half-price, with free delivery on orders over $50. I spent $83.67 and saved $100.31 and earned 84 rewards points! The slush fund is looking a little limp at the moment, but it won't take long to build it up again, especially if I keep getting great deals like this.
Of course all that chicken meant I had to make room in the freezer. With a bit of shuffling and some rearranging, of the freezers and the meal plan, it's all put away safely. As I've spent a couple of days sorting freezers and Wendy has spent a couple of days sorting her new fridge, this week's newsletter is all about cleaning the fridge (and freezer) and keeping it organised.
It may sound silly, but when the fridge and freezer are organised, you don't waste food. And of course, when you don't waste food you don't waste money, which brings me back to my question: don't you just love saving money, especially when it's easy and on things you use all the time?
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
2. From The Tip Store
Turn a Saving into an Object for True Value
Approximate $ Savings: $10 plus a week
Recently, my partner and I suffered from a rough financial patch which forced us to look at our budget and spending habits. I would regularly have a coffee from the daily coffee van and my approach to spending is "it is only $10.00" but oh how wrong was I. What I realised that is $10 here and $10 there adds up. $10 every week for a year is $520. That had me thinking. Now every time we need/want something or a saving could be made that requires a little effort, I take the monetary value and put it against an object value. For example, my extravagant cup of coffee at $3.80 is actually the cost of a box of fifty green tea bags from the shop. That’s forty-nine extra cups of a hot drink. My former thought of “it's just $10.00”, is now that $10.00 is worth a petrol trip to work (as I work an hour outside the city). I usually didn’t bother with finding the cheapest fuel or use the fuel discount voucher, however I realised the $2.00-$3.00 saved every time I fill up, can actually feed me and my partner for dinner. By turning the savings into an object, it points out the former errors of my way and keeps me on the savings track.
Contributed by Ashleigh
Mummy's Mini Pedicure
Approximate $ Savings: Time and $40 per session
This tip is both a massive money saver and time saver - just in the spirit of a true Cheapskate!! When I'm bathing my son after a long day (sometimes on my feet all day) I add a squirt of baby oil and a drop or two of lavender oil and soak my feet in the tub while I'm playing with my son. When we're finished playing I dry my feet off, rub moisturizer into them and put on socks before finishing off the bath routine with my son. Voila!! Mini-pedicure, saving time and money, and it certainly makes my feet feel beautifully soft in the morning.
Contributed by Alisha
Quick and Easy Cake Treats
Approximate $ Savings: $200 annually
I make my own cakes and freeze ahead of birthday parties. I use 2 eggs, 2 cups of SR flour, 1 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of butter and a tsp of vanilla and a little milk if needed. The cake makes enough to fill an average loaf or circular tin and can be made for as little as $1.50 for the ingredients when using this recipe! Bake for 45 - 50 mins on 160 degrees Celsius. The cooked result can be frozen, used whole, or made in to cupcakes/lamington squares and the best thing is you can microwave it to defrost it when guests come if you don't have one in the freezer!
Contributed by Olivia
There are currently more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. 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
4. On the Menu
Chicken Alfredo Cheapskates Style
This simple pasta dish packs some serious "wow" factor whether it's for a simple family dinner or a formal dinner party. Slice the chicken fillets through while partly frozen, they will be easier to cut. Use kitchen scissors to chop the parsley. Use wholemeal fettuccini if desired. This is the original recipe, I've put my changes in the notes below - I make this dish stretch to serve six, giving me dinner for my family and a freezer meal.
Chicken Alfredo Cheapskates Style
Ingredients:
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and flattened with a knife*
2 skinless chicken breast fillets, halved**
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cream***
1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
250g uncooked fettuccini
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley, fresh, finely chopped
Method:
Heat a large, heavy fry pan over medium heat. Rub garlic over chicken then reserve garlic. Rub in salt and pepper with your hands; set aside. Remove fry pan from heat and coat with cooking spray. Turn heat to medium-low. Sauté garlic about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once - about 5 minutes per side. Combine stock, cream and yoghurt; pour over chicken. Scrape bottom of frypan with a wooden spoon to incorporate seasonings and pan brownings. Turn heat down and simmer chicken gently, turning once, about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. While chicken is cooking, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Remove chicken from cream sauce and set aside. Add Parmesan cheese to cream sauce and stir through. Add cooked pasta and 3 tablespoons of parsley; toss well. Serve pasta topped which chicken and rest of parsley.
Notes:
*I crush the garlic and use two cloves to coat the chicken, then sautéing the remaining four cloves as per the method.
** To stretch the chicken I dice it rather than halving it - this gives me six serves of Chicken Alfredo instead of four. Diced chicken goes a lot further than whole pieces.
***I don't often have cream in the house so I'll use full cream milk instead.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: Homemade pies, veggies
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo
Wednesday: Aunty Mary's Beef Casserole
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Stir-fry
Saturday: Tacos
In the fruit bowl: apples
In the cake tin: Lemon slice, blueberry muffins
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Fridge Clean Out
Hi fellow Cheapskaters and welcome to a new week.
Last Wednesday I took delivery of a new side by side fridge / freezer. Thankfully Darren was home to help me unload the old one and put everything into cooler bags. We had about 5 minutes to get this done and clean the floor and walls.
It's wonderful to have something new in our home but I must say, the new fridge / freezer is not as big as our old one. They just don't make that size any more. The shelves are not as tall or as wide. Fitting everything back in was a challenge and it will take some time to work out how to maximise the space we have.
While everything was on the kitchen bench I took this wonderful opportunity to declutter the fridge. Darren was able to throw out a few bottles of sauce that he didn't really like. I found a few that were turned upside down to get the last bit out. I think they'd been forgotten. We had abandoned chocolate, chocolate biscuits, single serves of sauce, old grapes ( fed to the chooks ) and old ice-creams.
I try very hard to keep on top of food in our fridge / freezer but some family members have trouble parting with food they think they'll eat.
Does this sound like your fridge or freezer?
Do you have abandoned food taking up space?
This week's challenge is to get rid of or use up any abandoned food. If you are planning on eating the abandoned food, make sure it's safe to eat. Being frugal should not include a bout of gastro.
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
Handmade Christmas Challenge 2017
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3481-Handmade-Christmas-Challenge-2017
The Great Freezer Clean Out
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3243-300-A-Month-Food-Challenge-21-03-16-The-Great-Freezer-Clean-Out
The Great Freezer Clean Out - Part 2
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3246-300-A-Month-Food-Challenge-28-03-16-The-Great-Freezer-Clean-Out-Part-2
Most popular blog posts this week
It's Clean Out the Fridge Day
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/04/its-clean-out-fridge-day.html
15 Minutes to a Sparkling Fridge
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/01/15-minutes-to-sparkling-fridge_12.html
Can You Feed Your Family for $30 a Week?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/08/bare-bones-grocery-challenge-can-you.html
7. 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 Kirsty.
Pantry and Fridge looking Schmick!
I have had a very productive day today. I have decided to clean out my fridge and pantry in preparation for starting my meal planning. I can’t believe how much out of date food I have thrown out again . I still need to go through my freezers but I will have to wait till my garbage is collected this week as I have no room in the outside bin. I clean my pantry at least once a year and it always amazes me that I throw away out of date food that is about two years out of date.
I am going to focus on getting my grocery bill down to $150 p/w. I struggle to get it below this but I will try once I reach this target. I have two storage tubs on the floor in my pantry to store extra staples. After the clean out one is empty and the other is only half full so a bit of restocking to do I think. I also found that I have heaps of those packets of simmer sauces and flavouring for slow cooker meals. Think I am going to focus on getting rid of these before they go out of date also, I don’t even remember buying these.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
8. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Harmina who wrote
"Has anyone compared the banks for best practice and management of normal saving accounts? The big four compared to the smaller one e.g. Bendigo Bank."
Kate Bradshaw answered
I haven't done any comparisons, but I bank through Commbank and MeBank. I was frustrated by the account charges associated with Commbank to open savings accounts so switched to MeBank. MeBank allows me to have as many accounts as I want (I currently have 9 to organise everything), with NO fees. I even get bonus interest (nearly double) on my big savings account as long as I use paypass/tap and go once a week. I now only keep my Commbank account for when I need to cash in my change jar as there is no fee for the coin machine for customers.
Robyne Neal answered
I was with Westpac since 1963 when we returned to Australia and was given a pound in a bank account from them. My Hubby had a Bankcard with them and I asked a simple question about his amount coming down but not the payments and the woman I asked said maybe I should find another bank. So I did; I went to the Bendigo, its closer to home and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Sarah Daly answered
Don't bother with the Big 4. They serve shareholders not customers. Try ING, ME, Beyond Bank or Bankwest. Depending our needs these are the only banks we deal with.
Kath Alderwick answered
Look very carefully at your transactions. You get four free a month from Bendigo Bank (it was 4 to 7 a month) then they charge exorbitant fee if you go over. I changed to Heritage Bank never looked back; both are smaller banks but do your homework to find what suits your banking habits best.
There are more answers to this question in the Tip Store: Banking: Savings Accounts
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
9. This Week's Question
Donna Muter writes
"The question I have is about skin care. I am looking for recipes for good basic skin care products I can make at home. A good face moisturiser and body lotion. If anyone has a good recipe I would like to try it and save some dollars as well. Thanks so much.
Do you have the answer?
If you can help Donnalet 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
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.
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
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 - Turn a Saving into an Object for True Value; Mummy's Mini Pedicure; Quick and Easy Cake Treats
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Chicken Alfredo Cheapskates Style
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Fridge Clean Out
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. Member's Featured Blog - Pantry and Fridge looking Schmick!
8. Last Week's Question - Comparing banks
9. This Week's Question - I'd love some MOO skincare recipes
10. Ask Cath
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Frequently Asked Questions
13. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Don't you just love saving money, especially when it's easy and on things you use all the time? This week has been a week of saving for us. I stocked up on chicken fillets for $3.89 per kilo (20 kilos bought, bagged and frozen for a total of 28 meals at $3.52 per meal). Then I was checking the catalogues for some stockpile items and Woolworths had everything I had on my list for half-price, with free delivery on orders over $50. I spent $83.67 and saved $100.31 and earned 84 rewards points! The slush fund is looking a little limp at the moment, but it won't take long to build it up again, especially if I keep getting great deals like this.
Of course all that chicken meant I had to make room in the freezer. With a bit of shuffling and some rearranging, of the freezers and the meal plan, it's all put away safely. As I've spent a couple of days sorting freezers and Wendy has spent a couple of days sorting her new fridge, this week's newsletter is all about cleaning the fridge (and freezer) and keeping it organised.
It may sound silly, but when the fridge and freezer are organised, you don't waste food. And of course, when you don't waste food you don't waste money, which brings me back to my question: don't you just love saving money, especially when it's easy and on things you use all the time?
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
2. From The Tip Store
Turn a Saving into an Object for True Value
Approximate $ Savings: $10 plus a week
Recently, my partner and I suffered from a rough financial patch which forced us to look at our budget and spending habits. I would regularly have a coffee from the daily coffee van and my approach to spending is "it is only $10.00" but oh how wrong was I. What I realised that is $10 here and $10 there adds up. $10 every week for a year is $520. That had me thinking. Now every time we need/want something or a saving could be made that requires a little effort, I take the monetary value and put it against an object value. For example, my extravagant cup of coffee at $3.80 is actually the cost of a box of fifty green tea bags from the shop. That’s forty-nine extra cups of a hot drink. My former thought of “it's just $10.00”, is now that $10.00 is worth a petrol trip to work (as I work an hour outside the city). I usually didn’t bother with finding the cheapest fuel or use the fuel discount voucher, however I realised the $2.00-$3.00 saved every time I fill up, can actually feed me and my partner for dinner. By turning the savings into an object, it points out the former errors of my way and keeps me on the savings track.
Contributed by Ashleigh
Mummy's Mini Pedicure
Approximate $ Savings: Time and $40 per session
This tip is both a massive money saver and time saver - just in the spirit of a true Cheapskate!! When I'm bathing my son after a long day (sometimes on my feet all day) I add a squirt of baby oil and a drop or two of lavender oil and soak my feet in the tub while I'm playing with my son. When we're finished playing I dry my feet off, rub moisturizer into them and put on socks before finishing off the bath routine with my son. Voila!! Mini-pedicure, saving time and money, and it certainly makes my feet feel beautifully soft in the morning.
Contributed by Alisha
Quick and Easy Cake Treats
Approximate $ Savings: $200 annually
I make my own cakes and freeze ahead of birthday parties. I use 2 eggs, 2 cups of SR flour, 1 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of butter and a tsp of vanilla and a little milk if needed. The cake makes enough to fill an average loaf or circular tin and can be made for as little as $1.50 for the ingredients when using this recipe! Bake for 45 - 50 mins on 160 degrees Celsius. The cooked result can be frozen, used whole, or made in to cupcakes/lamington squares and the best thing is you can microwave it to defrost it when guests come if you don't have one in the freezer!
Contributed by Olivia
There are currently more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
3. 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
4. On the Menu
Chicken Alfredo Cheapskates Style
This simple pasta dish packs some serious "wow" factor whether it's for a simple family dinner or a formal dinner party. Slice the chicken fillets through while partly frozen, they will be easier to cut. Use kitchen scissors to chop the parsley. Use wholemeal fettuccini if desired. This is the original recipe, I've put my changes in the notes below - I make this dish stretch to serve six, giving me dinner for my family and a freezer meal.
Chicken Alfredo Cheapskates Style
Ingredients:
6 medium garlic cloves, peeled and flattened with a knife*
2 skinless chicken breast fillets, halved**
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup cream***
1/4 cup Greek yoghurt
250g uncooked fettuccini
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup parsley, fresh, finely chopped
Method:
Heat a large, heavy fry pan over medium heat. Rub garlic over chicken then reserve garlic. Rub in salt and pepper with your hands; set aside. Remove fry pan from heat and coat with cooking spray. Turn heat to medium-low. Sauté garlic about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once - about 5 minutes per side. Combine stock, cream and yoghurt; pour over chicken. Scrape bottom of frypan with a wooden spoon to incorporate seasonings and pan brownings. Turn heat down and simmer chicken gently, turning once, about 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. While chicken is cooking, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Remove chicken from cream sauce and set aside. Add Parmesan cheese to cream sauce and stir through. Add cooked pasta and 3 tablespoons of parsley; toss well. Serve pasta topped which chicken and rest of parsley.
Notes:
*I crush the garlic and use two cloves to coat the chicken, then sautéing the remaining four cloves as per the method.
** To stretch the chicken I dice it rather than halving it - this gives me six serves of Chicken Alfredo instead of four. Diced chicken goes a lot further than whole pieces.
***I don't often have cream in the house so I'll use full cream milk instead.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Chicken
Monday: Homemade pies, veggies
Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo
Wednesday: Aunty Mary's Beef Casserole
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Stir-fry
Saturday: Tacos
In the fruit bowl: apples
In the cake tin: Lemon slice, blueberry muffins
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Fridge Clean Out
Hi fellow Cheapskaters and welcome to a new week.
Last Wednesday I took delivery of a new side by side fridge / freezer. Thankfully Darren was home to help me unload the old one and put everything into cooler bags. We had about 5 minutes to get this done and clean the floor and walls.
It's wonderful to have something new in our home but I must say, the new fridge / freezer is not as big as our old one. They just don't make that size any more. The shelves are not as tall or as wide. Fitting everything back in was a challenge and it will take some time to work out how to maximise the space we have.
While everything was on the kitchen bench I took this wonderful opportunity to declutter the fridge. Darren was able to throw out a few bottles of sauce that he didn't really like. I found a few that were turned upside down to get the last bit out. I think they'd been forgotten. We had abandoned chocolate, chocolate biscuits, single serves of sauce, old grapes ( fed to the chooks ) and old ice-creams.
I try very hard to keep on top of food in our fridge / freezer but some family members have trouble parting with food they think they'll eat.
Does this sound like your fridge or freezer?
Do you have abandoned food taking up space?
This week's challenge is to get rid of or use up any abandoned food. If you are planning on eating the abandoned food, make sure it's safe to eat. Being frugal should not include a bout of gastro.
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
Handmade Christmas Challenge 2017
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3481-Handmade-Christmas-Challenge-2017
The Great Freezer Clean Out
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3243-300-A-Month-Food-Challenge-21-03-16-The-Great-Freezer-Clean-Out
The Great Freezer Clean Out - Part 2
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3246-300-A-Month-Food-Challenge-28-03-16-The-Great-Freezer-Clean-Out-Part-2
Most popular blog posts this week
It's Clean Out the Fridge Day
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2013/04/its-clean-out-fridge-day.html
15 Minutes to a Sparkling Fridge
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/01/15-minutes-to-sparkling-fridge_12.html
Can You Feed Your Family for $30 a Week?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/08/bare-bones-grocery-challenge-can-you.html
7. 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 Kirsty.
Pantry and Fridge looking Schmick!
I have had a very productive day today. I have decided to clean out my fridge and pantry in preparation for starting my meal planning. I can’t believe how much out of date food I have thrown out again . I still need to go through my freezers but I will have to wait till my garbage is collected this week as I have no room in the outside bin. I clean my pantry at least once a year and it always amazes me that I throw away out of date food that is about two years out of date.
I am going to focus on getting my grocery bill down to $150 p/w. I struggle to get it below this but I will try once I reach this target. I have two storage tubs on the floor in my pantry to store extra staples. After the clean out one is empty and the other is only half full so a bit of restocking to do I think. I also found that I have heaps of those packets of simmer sauces and flavouring for slow cooker meals. Think I am going to focus on getting rid of these before they go out of date also, I don’t even remember buying these.
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
8. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Harmina who wrote
"Has anyone compared the banks for best practice and management of normal saving accounts? The big four compared to the smaller one e.g. Bendigo Bank."
Kate Bradshaw answered
I haven't done any comparisons, but I bank through Commbank and MeBank. I was frustrated by the account charges associated with Commbank to open savings accounts so switched to MeBank. MeBank allows me to have as many accounts as I want (I currently have 9 to organise everything), with NO fees. I even get bonus interest (nearly double) on my big savings account as long as I use paypass/tap and go once a week. I now only keep my Commbank account for when I need to cash in my change jar as there is no fee for the coin machine for customers.
Robyne Neal answered
I was with Westpac since 1963 when we returned to Australia and was given a pound in a bank account from them. My Hubby had a Bankcard with them and I asked a simple question about his amount coming down but not the payments and the woman I asked said maybe I should find another bank. So I did; I went to the Bendigo, its closer to home and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
Sarah Daly answered
Don't bother with the Big 4. They serve shareholders not customers. Try ING, ME, Beyond Bank or Bankwest. Depending our needs these are the only banks we deal with.
Kath Alderwick answered
Look very carefully at your transactions. You get four free a month from Bendigo Bank (it was 4 to 7 a month) then they charge exorbitant fee if you go over. I changed to Heritage Bank never looked back; both are smaller banks but do your homework to find what suits your banking habits best.
There are more answers to this question in the Tip Store: Banking: Savings Accounts
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
9. This Week's Question
Donna Muter writes
"The question I have is about skin care. I am looking for recipes for good basic skin care products I can make at home. A good face moisturiser and body lotion. If anyone has a good recipe I would like to try it and save some dollars as well. Thanks so much.
Do you have the answer?
If you can help Donnalet 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
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.
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
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