THE CHEAPSKATES CLUB
  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
    • Learning Centre
  • 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 2023
    • Newsletters 2022
    • Newsletters 2021
    • Newsletters 2020
    • Newsletters 2019
    • Newsletters 2018
    • Newsletters 2017
  • Saving Money
    • Latest Tips 2023
    • Latest Tips 2022
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Top Tip Competition
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • Help Files

Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 23:15

In this Newsletter

1. Hannah's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Cooking for One, Fantastic Gravy without Gravy Powder, Download Free Newspapers and Magazines
3. Cheapskate's Winning Tip - Vouchers for Presents
4. Submit Your Tip - You have to be in it to win it
5. On the Menu with Anne - Magic Tuna and Vegetable Pie
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog - Grocery Budget Musings and getting Creative in the Kitchen
9. Join the Cheapskates Club
10. Gift Memberships
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details


1. Hannah's Corner 

Hello Cheapskaters,

Another week has flown by. I hope you have all been watching those dollars, and the cents too. When it comes to saving money I think it is all the little savings you make every day that add up to the big dollars in the bank. I'm saving for a car at the moment and so I am very conscious of my spending.

I take my lunch to work and every Friday I transfer $25 into my savings account. That is the money I don't spend lunch. I have also cut down going out at the weekend to every second weekend and transferring $30 into my savings account every second Friday because that's the money I am not spending over the weekend. Straight away I have a fortnightly saving of $80, or $2,080 in a year.

Mum also has me transferring 10% of my pay straight into my savings account every Friday. By my calculations I'll have the money to buy a decent used car by Christmas time and I can't wait. Best of all I'll own it and have the money to pay for insurance and registration.

$80 a fortnight might not seem like much but it adds up quickly and I am not missing it at all. I still have plenty of money to live on and buy the things I want and I am pretty sure that I could easily just spend that money on nothing if I didn't have a plan for it.

Have a lovely week everyone.

Happy Cheapskating,

Hannah


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

Cooking for One
Having had to cook the evening meals since the age of 11 I'm bored with it all. So now in my 60's and only two of us I find setting aside a weekend and cooking a few of our favourite dishes (they always seem to be for 4 but you can find some for two) then packing in them into single meals to freeze. I make casseroles, curries, rissoles/meatballs.

With the rissoles I make them up to cooking stage and then freeze even putting a couple aside flattened to have as hamburgers.

I even cook up a batch of rice for four and freeze that in meals size portions, just thaw and heat in the microwave and it comes out as if freshly cooked. If I have too much rice for the meals to accompany it I still freeze it and then on a night when you have a little more time you can turn it into fried rice. I always have the ingredients in the pantry. It is so easy to take a readymade meal out of the freezer in the morning put it in the fridge to thaw and then just heat it or finish cooking it at night.

If you like to have desert there are several dishes including single serve fruit pies you can make and freeze. We like crumbles but instead of making the crumble each time, I again make a full batch and freeze it so I always have it on hand and once again there are always apples, tinned fruit or frozen berries on hand.

I have to start all over with this regime as last week due to the Hunter Region storms I was without power for five days and lost the contents of a fully stocked fridge and deep freezer. I will have to see how much I can reduce my grocery bill by to save enough to restock.
Contributed by Suzanne McEwen


Fantastic Gravy without Gravy Powder
Approximate $ Savings: $2.65 per 120gms
When roasting any meats/chicken place a couple of teaspoons of sugar in the corner of the pan and let it caramelise during the cooking of the roast. This sugar will add colour and flavour to your gravy. When everything is cooked, drain most of the fat and sprinkle in some flour and cook like at roux. Remember to scrap all the goodness off of the bottom of the pan. Add salt (if required) and add any vegetable water that you may have. Add additional water if required. Stir until all lumps are removed. Optional Add a squirt of tomato sauce and a spoon full of either a plum jam or cranberry sauce for additional depth and flavour. Freeze any leftover sauce and this can be used in any dish that you want to have gravy with such as Sausages, Onions and Gravy or add to a Shepherd's Pie etc. For Christmas time and that extremely special occasion add a couple of tablespoons of red wine or brandy during the cooking process of the gravy. Always reduce the gravy to the consistency that you require. Don't throw away any peelings as these can be used to make vegetable stock or added to the roasting pan for additional flavour.  
Contributed by Chris Arenelli


Download Free Newspapers and Magazines
Approximate $ Savings:  Varies
For the tech savvy: My local library (Penrith, NSW) allows me to download all the latest magazines (and back issues) free through their app. I am also able to download children's educational games for iPad thru another close library (Springwood), I have also signed with my local university library (of which anyone can join) and can download 300+ newspapers daily. I also borrow books and DVDs each week from the library for my daughters so we are accessing a huge variety of entertainment value at no cost. My husband used to subscribe to the newspapers as this was cheaper than buying in print form so it is a huge savings and the whole family is happy.  
Contributed by Rachel Larsen


There are currently more than 11,000 great tips in the Tip Store

3. Cheapskates Winning Tip

This week's winning tip is from Carol Woolcock. Carol has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership for submitting her winning tip.

Vouchers for Presents
Approximate $ Savings: $500+ per year
Like many other Cheapskaters we stopped exchanging bought Christmas presents with adult family members several years ago. Some family members elected to give homemade gifts e.g. plants, chocolates etc. However I elected to give vouchers that cost very little in dollars but some of my time and effort. For our daughter, 8 hours of Spring cleaning; for our son, 8 hours (no questions asked) child care; for my husband a pressed pickled ox tongue (this is very special to him and he knows it's a labour of love by me); for an elderly aunt a drive in the country with a picnic afternoon tea; for a very busy niece a large batch of biscuits that can be frozen. This has proved extremely popular to the extent that the family has requested the same type of presents for birthdays and look forward to seeing what I come up with. I create an eye catching voucher using clipart which also serves as a Christmas or birthday card and use a recycled, decorated envelope.
Contributed by Carol Woolcock

Congratulations Carol, 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. On the Menu with Anne

Getting more fish into your diet doesn't mean a visit to the fish'n'chip shop, an expensive visit to the fishmonger or even a packet of frozen fish from the supermarket. This pie uses a can of tuna and a load of delicious vegetables to create a delicious fish pie you are sure to love.  It's one of the "impossible" pies, it makes its own pastry base as it cooks, and saving you from having to make pastry or buy pastry sheets.

Magic Tuna and Vegetable Pie
Ingredients:
1 large can of tuna, drained and flaked
4 medium eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated tasty cheese
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
1 small zucchini, grated
2-1/3 cups of milk.
½ cup sifted self-raising flour
2 tsp melted butter
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or chives
Grated rind of ½ lemon
Good squeeze of lemon juice
Plenty of seasoned pepper or freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Spoon into a buttered 25cm pie dish and bake in a pre- heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 50-60 minutes or until set. Tuna can be omitted and any variations of vegetables are possible as long as they are in small pieces so they cook properly.

This week we will be eating:

Friday: Haystacks

Saturday: Pumpkin soup, toasted cheese sandwiches

Sunday: Roast beef, baked potato, sweet potato, broccoli, corn

Monday: Meatloaf, mash, peas, carrots, cauliflower

Tuesday: Magic Tuna and Vegetable Pie, wedges, salad

Wednesday: Curried chicken, steamed rice

Thursday: Grilled chops, sweet potato mash, beans, cauliflower, gravy

In the fruit bowl: Bananas, apples, pears

In the cake tin: Pear muffins, fruit cake, crisp coconut biscuits


Do you have a meal planning question? Click here to ask your question, you may see your answer in next week's newsletter.

There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
.

6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy

Freezer Challenge Week 4

Welcome to the food challenge everyone. Also a big welcome to those who are participating in our freezer challenge.

Last week's goal was to write a list of items you can use from the freezer without returning anything back to the freezer as leftovers, meals for baking. How did you all go ? Unfortunately I only got as far as writing out the list. I had a massive headache all week, so adding extra tasks to my basic housework was not possible. But it's a new week and I'm planning on making more room in my freezers.

On Wednesday we are having roast chicken for tea. So the chook is in the fridge defrosting. I was planning on cooking a leg of lamb for Jessica's birthday last week but she asked for lasagne instead. Unfortunately for the challenge, when I make a lasagne I make a large one that serves twelve. So eight serves went in the freezer.

Other than the lasagne, we've continued to eat out of the freezer as much as possible. Gradually I'm seeing more room on the freezer shelves. Because I haven't bought meat in a few months, my meat slush fund has increased to well over $100. The next time the butcher has some " too good to resist specials " I'm going to have the money and room to stock up.

How is your freezer looking?

Are you consciously using more from your freezer?

Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!


Click here to go to this week's $300 a Month Food Challenge

Click here to read the post that started it all

7. Cheapskates Buzz

Most popular forum posts this week

Anyone got a Rescued GREYHOUND
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2869-anyone-got-a-rescued-GREYHOUND

Ugg Boots
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2868-Ugg-boots

Alternatives to Napisan
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2870-Alternatives-to-Napisan


Most popular blog posts this week

A Prize Winning Sultana Cake
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2010/09/prize-winning-sultana-cake.html

Bootees and Babies
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/06/bootees-and-babies.html

Lemon Scented Furniture Polish
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2011/06/lemon-scented-furniture-polish.html


8. 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 RachaelT.

Grocery Budget Musings and getting Creative in the Kitchen
So I just added up my grocery dockets for week 2 and they totalled $73.80! $21 of that was nappies and wipes (I buy a bulk box of 6 as it works out cheaper) but I was still a little disappointed with the total. We only actually spent $27.80 on fruit, milk and bread...the other $25 was on things I did use but could have maybe done without or stretched and waited till next big fortnightly shop. My total for the fortnight ended up being $258.85.

My budget per fortnight is $300, which i did come in under but then we had a surprise last minute dinner invitation for my brother in laws birthday so any spare grocery money went on that and I feel like I'm not further ahead. On the bright side I now have some proper figures to go by and try to beat for this fortnight!

Had a better time in the kitchen though. We had lamb stew one night and from the leftovers I was able to make mini lamb and veg pies using the big muffin tins (the ones with 6 holes per tray. We ate them 2 nights later and were a big hit, only complaint was that there weren't more lol). Some more of the leftover stew was put back into a pot with more onion, herbs, tomato paste and tin of tomatoes and turned into a lovely chunky pasta sauce which I have frozen for later use. So I feel like I got 2 extra meals virtually for free!

I also had made polenta with the lamb stew (which wasn't really a big hit) but have the rest of the bag to now use, so I will use some when crumbing and some more in biscuits as I found a recipe on the back of the packet. I was quite excited when I discovered that I had most of the ingredients already in the pantry and could swap what I didn't have with other things. Gave them a try this week and got 40 lovely little bite sized, yummy, biscuits!


Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs

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. 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!


11. 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


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

PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152

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 - 2023 The Cheapskates Club, All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Join the Club!
    • Twenty Reasons to Join the Cheapskates Club
  • About Us
    • Cath's Story
    • Ask Cath
    • Glossary of Cheapskating Terms
  • Forum
    • Current Forum Discussions
    • How to Use the Member Forum
  • Inspiration
    • Getting Started
    • 31 Days of MOO Index
    • Articles
    • Housekeeping Routines
    • Budget Renovations
    • Saving Stories
    • Learning Centre
  • 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 2023
    • Newsletters 2022
    • Newsletters 2021
    • Newsletters 2020
    • Newsletters 2019
    • Newsletters 2018
    • Newsletters 2017
  • Saving Money
    • Latest Tips 2023
    • Latest Tips 2022
    • Cheapskates Tip Store
    • Tip Sheets
    • Top Tip Competition
  • Contact
    • Changing Details
    • Help Files