Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 22:19
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Get a Better Grip on Scouring Pads; A Basketful of Reminders; Easy Clean Blenders
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Eating from the Pantry
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. The Cheapskates Club Show - Live on You Tube Tuesdays & Thursdays
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,
I hope you're all staying warm! This wintery blast feels so cold after the mild weather we've had.
We've lit the fire and set up the clotheshorses; I've made a big pot of pumpkin soup (pumpkin was 59 cents a kilo over the weekend) and filled the cake tin with sultana cakes. The pantry and fridge are full so there is absolutely no need for me to leave the house unless it's an emergency. And staying put means not spending! I should be able to transfer this week's housekeeping and possibly petrol money to our savings next week, and that makes me happy.
This week I've issued a challenge - read on to find it, and hopefully take it on. The potential for having leftover money is there, you just need to see it through.
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
Get a Better Grip on Scouring Pads
Save your fingernails and get a better grip on scouring pads by holding it under a sponge or dish cloth. Just put the sponge over the scourer and scrub away. You'll still have all the scrubbing power with great grip, and your hands and nails won't suffer.
A Basketful of Reminders
Always forgetting stuff when you leave the house? Hang or place a basket near the front door to hold keys, outgoing mail, library books that need to be returned, shopping bags to go back to the car, things to drop at the op shop and so on.
You'll see them as you go to the door, and never forget again.
Easy Clean Blenders
The ads may say those blenders and shake makers are easy to clean, but in reality we all know they're not. Make a hard-to-clean blender or food processor sparkle without taking it apart: fill it halfway with soapy water, cover and turn on for 10 seconds. Pour out dirty water and repeat, rinse with clean water then let dry.
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
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!
Share Your Tip
4. On The Menu
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
These gooey, yummy cheesy potatoes are the perfect side for any dinner. Easily dressed up for a meal or served just as they are for a satisfying side.
Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 cups grated low fat tasty cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bacon bits (can also use crumbled bacon) - optional
1 cup cream
1 cup low fat milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Taking a casserole dish, oil the inside to help prevent any food sticking.
Next layer a third of the peeled potatoes, parsley and onions on the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese and salt and pepper.
Create two more layers using the onions, potatoes, parsley and cheese as you did in the last step.
Pour the two cups of cream over the layers and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon bits.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and cover with foil. Place in your oven for about 30 minutes and then remove the foil to continue baking for another 15 minutes until nicely browned and bubbly.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Haystacks
Tuesday: Veggie Pasta Bake, salad
Wednesday: Thai Fish Cakes, salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Chicken Kiev, rice, salad
Saturday: Soup & Crumpets
In the fruit bowl: bananas
In the cake tin: Sultana cake
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
Eating From the Pantry
How much food do you have in your pantry? How much food do you have in your pantry that will be eaten this coming week? How much food do you have in your pantry that has been there a while, that you don't have a plan for?
My guess is, if your pantry is like most in Australia, that you have a lot of food that isn't on the meal plan. And that equates to money just sitting, doing nothing.
So this week, go through your pantry, fridge and freezer and make a list. Then work out what meals you need and what recipes you can make or create with the food you have. Make up a shopping list of only the groceries you absolutely must buy. Don't put things you want or "might" need on the list this week; don't include ingredients that will work in one recipe only; you are challenged to spend as little as possible on food for the next seven days.
Rolled oats can be added to rissoles or meatloaf to stretch the meat. They can also be added to biscuits and muffins for extra fibre and goodness.
Tinned fruits can be turned into cobblers and crumbles - the perfect warm desserts for this cold snap.
Tinned veggies can be drained and added to a basic pancake mix to make veggie fritters. They go great with onion gravy and mash for dinner.
Pasta can be used for pasta bake or added to a veggie soup to thicken it. Break up spaghetti or fettucine and add the noodles to a pot of chicken stock, along with onion, celery and carrot to make chicken noodle soup.
Mix flour and milk to a dough and drop on top of casseroles and stews about half an hour before it finishes cooking to make easy dumplings.
Too much milk? Make yoghurt or custard.
Too many eggs? Make quiche, hard boil them for snacks or to make Scotch Eggs, make egg salad for sandwiches.
Too many packets of open breakfast cereals? Crush wheat biscuits or cornflakes or ricies and add them to Shake'n'Bake for crumbing. Add wheat biscuits, cornflakes or rolled oats to biscuits and slices.
Feel like stir-fry? Don’t buy stir-fry meat, slice your own from the freezer.
Use leftover roast beef to make beef and veggie soup. Left over roast lamb to make French Shepherd's Pie - you only need a couple of slices. Only have stewing steak? Use it to make French Steak - it's slow cooked so the steak is fork tender and tastes great.
These are just a few ideas for using up the ingredients you have. What can you make with what you have on hand? And how much will you not be spending on groceries this week?
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
What To Do With Outgrown Clothes
Quark
Mocha Fudge
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Can't Sleep
Pay More Off Debt or Use Money to Finish Course?
Buying Dried Beans in Bulk
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Show Schedule
Tuesday: 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.
Latest Shows
Can You Feed A Family On A Budget With Just A Few Ingredients?
MOO Marmalade For One
Clean the Whole House for Under $20 a Year!
Coming Up
Thursday 30th May - The $20 Dinner Party For Six
Tuesday 4th June - Trim the Meat Budget by 30%
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
For just $36.50 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
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - Get a Better Grip on Scouring Pads; A Basketful of Reminders; Easy Clean Blenders
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Eating from the Pantry
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. The Cheapskates Club Show - Live on You Tube Tuesdays & Thursdays
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,
I hope you're all staying warm! This wintery blast feels so cold after the mild weather we've had.
We've lit the fire and set up the clotheshorses; I've made a big pot of pumpkin soup (pumpkin was 59 cents a kilo over the weekend) and filled the cake tin with sultana cakes. The pantry and fridge are full so there is absolutely no need for me to leave the house unless it's an emergency. And staying put means not spending! I should be able to transfer this week's housekeeping and possibly petrol money to our savings next week, and that makes me happy.
This week I've issued a challenge - read on to find it, and hopefully take it on. The potential for having leftover money is there, you just need to see it through.
Have a great week everyone.
Happy Cheapskating,
Cath
2. From The Tip Store
Get a Better Grip on Scouring Pads
Save your fingernails and get a better grip on scouring pads by holding it under a sponge or dish cloth. Just put the sponge over the scourer and scrub away. You'll still have all the scrubbing power with great grip, and your hands and nails won't suffer.
A Basketful of Reminders
Always forgetting stuff when you leave the house? Hang or place a basket near the front door to hold keys, outgoing mail, library books that need to be returned, shopping bags to go back to the car, things to drop at the op shop and so on.
You'll see them as you go to the door, and never forget again.
Easy Clean Blenders
The ads may say those blenders and shake makers are easy to clean, but in reality we all know they're not. Make a hard-to-clean blender or food processor sparkle without taking it apart: fill it halfway with soapy water, cover and turn on for 10 seconds. Pour out dirty water and repeat, rinse with clean water then let dry.
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
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!
Share Your Tip
4. On The Menu
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
These gooey, yummy cheesy potatoes are the perfect side for any dinner. Easily dressed up for a meal or served just as they are for a satisfying side.
Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp dried parsley
2 cups grated low fat tasty cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bacon bits (can also use crumbled bacon) - optional
1 cup cream
1 cup low fat milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Taking a casserole dish, oil the inside to help prevent any food sticking.
Next layer a third of the peeled potatoes, parsley and onions on the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese and salt and pepper.
Create two more layers using the onions, potatoes, parsley and cheese as you did in the last step.
Pour the two cups of cream over the layers and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon bits.
Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and cover with foil. Place in your oven for about 30 minutes and then remove the foil to continue baking for another 15 minutes until nicely browned and bubbly.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Haystacks
Tuesday: Veggie Pasta Bake, salad
Wednesday: Thai Fish Cakes, salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Chicken Kiev, rice, salad
Saturday: Soup & Crumpets
In the fruit bowl: bananas
In the cake tin: Sultana cake
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
Eating From the Pantry
How much food do you have in your pantry? How much food do you have in your pantry that will be eaten this coming week? How much food do you have in your pantry that has been there a while, that you don't have a plan for?
My guess is, if your pantry is like most in Australia, that you have a lot of food that isn't on the meal plan. And that equates to money just sitting, doing nothing.
So this week, go through your pantry, fridge and freezer and make a list. Then work out what meals you need and what recipes you can make or create with the food you have. Make up a shopping list of only the groceries you absolutely must buy. Don't put things you want or "might" need on the list this week; don't include ingredients that will work in one recipe only; you are challenged to spend as little as possible on food for the next seven days.
Rolled oats can be added to rissoles or meatloaf to stretch the meat. They can also be added to biscuits and muffins for extra fibre and goodness.
Tinned fruits can be turned into cobblers and crumbles - the perfect warm desserts for this cold snap.
Tinned veggies can be drained and added to a basic pancake mix to make veggie fritters. They go great with onion gravy and mash for dinner.
Pasta can be used for pasta bake or added to a veggie soup to thicken it. Break up spaghetti or fettucine and add the noodles to a pot of chicken stock, along with onion, celery and carrot to make chicken noodle soup.
Mix flour and milk to a dough and drop on top of casseroles and stews about half an hour before it finishes cooking to make easy dumplings.
Too much milk? Make yoghurt or custard.
Too many eggs? Make quiche, hard boil them for snacks or to make Scotch Eggs, make egg salad for sandwiches.
Too many packets of open breakfast cereals? Crush wheat biscuits or cornflakes or ricies and add them to Shake'n'Bake for crumbing. Add wheat biscuits, cornflakes or rolled oats to biscuits and slices.
Feel like stir-fry? Don’t buy stir-fry meat, slice your own from the freezer.
Use leftover roast beef to make beef and veggie soup. Left over roast lamb to make French Shepherd's Pie - you only need a couple of slices. Only have stewing steak? Use it to make French Steak - it's slow cooked so the steak is fork tender and tastes great.
These are just a few ideas for using up the ingredients you have. What can you make with what you have on hand? And how much will you not be spending on groceries this week?
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
What To Do With Outgrown Clothes
Quark
Mocha Fudge
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
Can't Sleep
Pay More Off Debt or Use Money to Finish Course?
Buying Dried Beans in Bulk
7. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Show Schedule
Tuesday: 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.
Latest Shows
Can You Feed A Family On A Budget With Just A Few Ingredients?
MOO Marmalade For One
Clean the Whole House for Under $20 a Year!
Coming Up
Thursday 30th May - The $20 Dinner Party For Six
Tuesday 4th June - Trim the Meat Budget by 30%
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
For just $36.50 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