THE CHEAPSKATES CLUB
  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
    • Gift Memberships
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • Handmade Christmas Central >
      • Handmade Christmas 2025 is about to start
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Back to Basics >
      • Back to Basics
      • Back to Basics Index
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
  • SAVING REVOLUTION
    • 2025 Saving Revolution Index
    • Saving Revolution Resources
  • Recipes
    • Recipe File Index
    • Meal Plans
    • Add a Recipe
    • $300 a Month Food Challenge >
      • $300 a Month Food Challenge
      • The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
  • Newsletters
    • Newsletters 2025
  • Saving Money
    • Bill Paying System
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Top Tip Competition
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • Help Files

Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 22:18

In this Newsletter

1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Need a Glow at Night - Save with Solar Lights; Power Cuts and Food Safety; Teaching Kids to Budget by Charging Board  
3. Share Your Tips - Have a great money, time or energy saving idea? Share it here
4. On the Menu - Spanish Rice
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge -These Recipes Aren't for Eating!
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. This Week's Question - Are printers and computers recyclable?
8. Ask Cath -  Do have a question for Cath? Ask it here!
9. Join the Cheapskates Club
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Contact Details

1. Cath's Corner

Hello Cheapskaters,

Some great tips this week. I especially like Anne's tip for ensuring food safety after a power cut. Thankfully the kids are at home while we're away, or I'd be doing this with all three freezers.
 
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

Need a Glow at Night - Save with Solar Lights
Our electricity bill was literally breaking our budget. With three young ones in the house all wanting lights on in their rooms at night and other passage lights left on to guide them to the toilet in the dark, we decided this was the reason behind the exuberant bill. After much mulling, we purchased some solar lights for the toilet and all three bedrooms.
 
During the day, our young ones are responsible for placing their own room's solar lights in the back garden (this encourages them to be responsible, and might encourage them to wean themselves off from this necessity, and i am responsible for the toilet solar light).
 
By taking the solar lights outside to store natural (free) light and them placing them back in their rooms at night, we have seen an incredible savings in our electricity bill. Any families that need a glow in any rooms - this is a cheap and very cost effective way to manage this - i strongly recommend you do it!
Contributed by Helen Joy

Power Cuts and Food Safety
We arrived home after being away for several days and the power had been interrupted, as was indicated by the oven clock flashing. Being concerned about the safety of food in the fridge and freezer, I contacted the power supplier to find out how long it had been off. Luckily it had been only for a few minutes. I then decided if there were any power interruptions when away in the future, I would keep a small container of water in my freezer. So I filled a very small container with water, froze it and put a small coin (I used a 10 cent piece) on the top of the frozen water. If there is a lengthy power cut to spoil the safety of my food the coin would drop to the bottom of the container when the ice melted. Very simple, but very effective.
Contributed by Anne Ponton

Teaching Kids to Budget by Charging Board
I have teenagers of my own now, but am still grateful to my mother for the board arrangements we had in place when I was in my first job. Essentially, I had to learn what it was like to budget both time and money. Rather than let me get off with just paying a flat, weekly board amount my mother said "you will live here rent free, but you will pay your way". This meant I paid half of each phone bill (only had landline in those days - these days it would be a matter of paying for your own mobile), I paid half of each electricity and gas bill, I paid my share of groceries, and of course I bought my own clothes and toiletries and paid for my own transport. There were two of us in the house, which is why my share was half - if you have more family members then the formula would be 1/3 or 1/4 or 1/5 - whatever equates to the number of people using the electricity and eating the food, etc. The advantage of this system was that I had to learn to be aware of when these bills were due and to set aside money for them. When I moved out of home I had a very good understanding of the implications of leaving lights on and letting the electricity usage creep up, I had a great understanding of shopping for specials rather than just buying my favourite things week by week. These skills put me in good stead for paying off my first mortgage. It's worth mentioning that I was also aware of the fact that I was living rent-free - so I quickly got a habit of setting aside a weekly amount equivalent to what I would have had to pay in rent if I was in a share-house and I saved that amount. The other thing that was expected of me when I had my first job was to pull my weight around the house. This meant I had to budget time as well as money. This was especially important in relation to things like laundry - because I needed clean clothes to wear to that first job! When my children finish school and get their first jobs I'd love them to still live with me - but I would also expect them to get the next part of their education: the time and money skills needed to operate a household.
Contributed by Jennifer Martin

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

Spanish Rice
 
This was the first Mexican style meal I ever made, way back in the 1970s when I was at school and it has been a favourite ever since.  I serve this as a side dish with grilled meat or chicken, as a meal on it's own garnished with a little coriander and as part of the filling in burritos. What can I say - it's versatile as well as quick, easy and tasty.
 
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups uncooked brown rice
1 onion, diced
1/2 green capsicum, seeded and diced
4 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tbsp chipotle pepper - more or less to taste
 
Method:
Heat oil in a deep fry pan over medium heat. Sauté rice, onion and capsicum until rice is browned and onions are clear and softened. Stir in water, chipotle peppers and tomatoes. Season with chili powder and salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.
 
Next week we will be eating:
 
Sunday: Roast Chicken
 
Monday: Salmon quiche
 
Tuesday: Vegetable Pasta bake, salad
 
Wednesday: Curried Rice patties
 
Thursday: MOO Pizza
 
Friday: Fish cakes, tossed salad
 
Saturday: Toasted Sandwiches
There are over 1,600 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.

5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge 

These Recipes Aren't for Eating!
 
This week I am going to talk about cleaning products. You can save a fortune on cleaning products if you look in your pantry rather than the cleaning aisle of the supermarket.  My grocery budget of $320 a month (there are five of us in the house) isn't just for food. It includes our toiletries and the cleaning products used to maintain our home.
 
A few minutes of your time and some common household ingredients and you can have a cleaning kit to tackle just about anything.
 
Clean your whole house, from top to bottom, with just six everyday household products:
 
1.  white vinegar
2.  bicarb soda
3.  eucalyptus oil
4.  borax
5.  washing soda
6.  laundry soap or dishwashing detergent
 
Throw in a few knitted cleaning cloths or some $2 shop microfibre cloths and you have a cleaning kit to rival any chemical cleaners you can buy.
 
There's something to be said for using simple products to clean your home. Apart from the pride I feel in having a clean home for my family there's the pride in knowing that the products used are as safe as can possibly be for them, for our furnishings and for our environment. It's also the feeling of satisfaction that comes from knowing I haven't washed hundreds of dollars down the drain.
 
I've been thinking a lot lately about that. About how much money goes down the drain or into the garbage bin in the average household. Waste doesn't just happen; it can be using too much of something or using the wrong thing for a particular job. It can be using what we believe are convenience products when there are better, cheaper alternatives that are just as convenient.
 
The Cheapskates washing powder is a classic example. So many people like the idea of cutting their laundry cost to around $13 a year, but they don't make the powder because they think it's too hard.
 
Well hello folks! It takes under 5 minutes of your time - yes, really - and the tiniest bit of elbow grease to grate the soap and mix it with the washing soda and borax. The main reason they give is that it will be too hard to grate the soap. Hmm. I've grated chocolate that's been harder!
 
And how convenient is it to spend 5 minutes and not have to repeat the process for another year? No lugging heavy boxes home each week. No overpowering scents to make you sneeze and itch. No spending hundreds of dollars for the pleasure of lugging, sneezing and itching. Now that's convenient.
 
It's just as convenient to make other cleaning products. Window cleaner, bath and basin cleaner, floor cleaners, carpet cleaners, oven cleaners can all be made using the super six above. Miracle Spray is my go to, multi-purpose cleaner. Two litres of Miracle Spray costs under $1 to make - even the generic multi-purpose cleaners aren't that cheap (or nearly as effective).
 
When it costs under $20 a year to keep our house clean, it's easy to include cleaning products in the grocery budget.
 
The $300 a Month Food Challenge

The Post that Started it All

6. Cheapskates Buzz

Most popular forum posts this week

Comparing the Shops
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2028-Comparing-the-Shops
 
Washing Modern Cloth Nappies
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1998-Washing-Modern-Cloth-Nappies
 
Cakes in a Slow Cooker
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2018-Cakes-in-a-Slow-Cooker 

Most popular blog posts this week

Being Aware Saves You Big Time
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/being-aware-saves-you-big-time.html
 
Onion Jam
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/onion-jam.html
 
A $75 a Week Meal Plan
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/09/a-75-week-meal-plan.html

​7. This Week's Question

Q.  Are printers and laptops recyclable if not what do you do with them? Marilyn
 
A. Yes they are, although at this time Australia does not have a national e-waste recycling scheme. There are however a number of programs operating throughout the country where you can donate your working computers and printers. I stress the working - most of these programs are charities and the costs involved in repairing malfunctioning hardware is a real burden. To find a recycling centre near you go to www.recyclingnearyou.com.au and enter your details in the search, then choose "Computers and Electronic Waste" from the product dropdown. You'll find a list of recycling depots in your area. 

8. 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

9. 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!

10. 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.

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

11. Contact Details
​

The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!

​Contact Cheapskates

About Cheapskates

Getting Started

Tools & Guides

Follow Us

Cath's Story
You Really Can Live on One Income
Join the Club!
Site Information
Contact
Begin here
Newsletter Archive
Journal Archive
$300 a Month Food Challenge
Forum
Cheapskates Tip Store
Cheapskates Recipe File
Tip Sheets
Facebook
YouTube

Copyright ©2001 - 2025 The Cheapskates Club, All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
    • Gift Memberships
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • Handmade Christmas Central >
      • Handmade Christmas 2025 is about to start
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Back to Basics >
      • Back to Basics
      • Back to Basics Index
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
  • SAVING REVOLUTION
    • 2025 Saving Revolution Index
    • Saving Revolution Resources
  • Recipes
    • Recipe File Index
    • Meal Plans
    • Add a Recipe
    • $300 a Month Food Challenge >
      • $300 a Month Food Challenge
      • The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
  • Newsletters
    • Newsletters 2025
  • Saving Money
    • Bill Paying System
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Top Tip Competition
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • Help Files