Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 23:18
In this Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Gourmet Dog Food Cheapskates Style; Envelope Budgeting Still Works; The Best Oven Cleaner
3. Share Your Tips - Have a great money, time or energy saving idea? Share it here
4. On the Menu - Impossible Pies
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Homemade Cough and Cold Remedies
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. This Week's Question - A washing powder question
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,
We've both been hit with colds - on holiday! Who'd believe we could travel 3,000 kilometres just to catch colds. Not to worry, a quick look in the fridge and before Wayne could cough again, I had a simple cough syrup ready, and a cup of lemon and honey tea. The cough syrup must sit for a while, so the tea was soothing until it was ready. And we were all able to get some sleep.
Impossible Pies are the feature for On the Menu. They're so easy to make, even in a camp oven over a fire, and they're easy and cheap too.
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
Gourmet Dog Food Cheapskates Style
We have cooked meat for our dogs for the last 15 years. We get about 1 kilo of minced beef, add a couple of cups of water, a few carrots, peas, about a half a cup of oats and occasionally some rice. Let it boil away for about 30 minutes, then let it cool. We put the mixture into three ice-cream containers, freeze two of the tubs and put one in the fridge. We get six meals from each tub. Our dog also has dry food too.
Contributed by Laura Barnewall
Envelope Budgeting Still Works
I use the envelope system each pay, and it works for me. I leave money in the bank to pay direct debits, bank fees, then I work out what payments are due, e.g. rates, water, gas, car regos, insurances etc. I add ten percent on top of what my last year's bills were, then divide by 26 fortnight’s pays.
What is left over is what I spent on food and once a fortnight eating out. The money is then sorted and put into envelopes (or you can zip bags). If I run out of money for a bag, it’s tough luck, I go without until next pay.
I'm lucky, there’s only hubby and I, we have no mortgage but only on a pension. We get through, but sometimes, we have to pull the belt in a little tighter. I grow a lot of my veggies, and am able to make frozen meals from surplus, or basically go back to very basic and like like my parents did on the farm. I have friends I can swap with and that also helps.
Contributed by Janice via Facebook
The Best Oven Cleaner
My Mother-in-law kept a spotless oven despite always baking and roasting .......how? Her secret was once the cooking was done and the oven was still warm to wipe over with a cloth with a little cloudy ammonia. It removed spills, grease and all other soon to be baked on leaks or spatters. Another stich in time philosophy!
Contributed by Helen Jenkins
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
Take a spring onion, two eggs and a piece of cheese......
Impossible Pie
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plain flour
1 ½ cups milk
3 eggs
2 bacon rashers chopped
3 shallots sliced (or spring onions)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
130g can corn kernels, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Fry bacon until browned, place bacon into a sieve and allow to drain. Grease a shallow 23cm round flan dish or pie plate. Whisk flour and milk in medium bowl until smooth; whisk in eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour mixture into prepared dish. Bake about 1 hour or until set.
Variations:
Add diced, cooked chicken with the cheese.
Add 1/2 cup frozen peas with the last ladleful of stock.
Leave out the bacon
Add sliced tomato and onion
Add grated zucchini and carrot
There are more ideas for using basic pantry ingredients in Bare Bones Groceries, a guide to surviving when the pantry is bare and there's nothing to eat. You can download your copy here.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Schnitzels, vegetables, tomato gravy
Tuesday: Spinach & Feta Ravioli, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday: Mexican meatballs, rice, green salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Muffin surprise
Saturday: Hamburgers, chips
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Homemade Cough and Cold Remedies
Winter is here and with it the dreaded lurgy has hit. Lots of coughing and sneezing, with sore, dry throats and runny noses - not the best when you're on holiday! Thankfully some simple homemade concoctions have kept us going, easing our aches and pains and relieving congestion. These are not prescribed medicines, they are old remedies that have been around for just about forever, so please, if you are very ill, have a fever that lasts more than about 8 hours or already have a chronic illness, check with your doctor before you try any of these.
Carrot Cough Syrup
This is so simple, and it tastes good, so kids will happily take a teaspoonful. Best of all I had carrots and honey with us, so it was easy to make.
Thinly slice or grate a large carrot onto a saucer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of raw honey. Cover with a tea towel or serviette and let the mess sit overnight, it will form a syrup. Take 1 teaspoon of the syrup every 3 - 4 hours or as needed. This syrup soothes a cough. The carrot juice is full of nutrients and anti-oxidants and the honey is a natural anti-bacterial and very soothing for sore, dry throats.
Lemon, Ginger and Honey Cold and Flu Tea
When colds and flu strike with all the associated aches and pains, this tea is just the thing. Make it in a thermos and keep it by your bed so you don't have to keep getting up to make more.
Grate 3cm of fresh ginger into a thermos. Squeeze a large lemon, or two small lemons, into the thermos and add 3 tablespoons raw honey. Top up with boiling water (about 3 -4 cups). Put the top on the thermos and let it brew for 20 minutes. Strain into a mug and sip slowly. Put the cap back on the thermos to keep the tea hot. Refill your mug as needed from the thermos.
Dr. Oz Garlic Foot Massage.
I heard about this on Dr. Oz one day and tried it - it works. This is not for the feint hearted - it does stink! But it really helps ease the symptoms of cold and flu and I am sure speed recovery.
Find a pair of old socks, the thicker the better (I borrowed a pair of Wayne's thick work socks). Crush a couple of cloves of garlic and stir them into about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let it steep for about 2 hours. Massage the oil into your feet, put the fluffy socks on and go to bed.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
Monthly Shopping
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1539-Monthly-shopping
Every Month, I Keep Doing It!
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2159-Every-month-I-keep-doing-it!
Cheapskate Inspiration
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3222-Cheapskate-inspiration
Most popular blog posts this week
The Garage Sale Shopping Checklist
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/the-garage-sale-shopping-checklist.html
Keeping Your Pretty things for Good
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/keeping-your-pretty-things-for-good.html
Loyalty Cards Make Great Bookmarks
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/loyalty-cards-make-great-bookmarks.html
7. This Week's Question
Q. I just wanted to ask how much Cheapskates Washing Powder I should be using in my 9.5kg washer? It is a top loader low suds machine. Is the amount you suggest for a specific size machine? Sam https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/cheapskates-washing-powder.html
A. I use three teaspoons, perhaps four if it is a particularly dirty or heavy load (jeans, overalls and such) in my 9.5kg HE top loader and that is more than enough for a clean wash. I only ever use 2 teaspoons for towels and sheets, tea towels etc. unless they are very dirty.
I do sort into whites, coloureds and darks and pre-treat any stains with Stain Removing Soap (see Put Those Soap Scraps to Good Use). Anything that is filthy I usually soak before washing. Just add two teaspoons of washing powder to a bucket of hot water, swish and then immerse the filthy item and let it soak overnight. Then launder as usual.
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
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Gourmet Dog Food Cheapskates Style; Envelope Budgeting Still Works; The Best Oven Cleaner
3. Share Your Tips - Have a great money, time or energy saving idea? Share it here
4. On the Menu - Impossible Pies
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Homemade Cough and Cold Remedies
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. This Week's Question - A washing powder question
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,
We've both been hit with colds - on holiday! Who'd believe we could travel 3,000 kilometres just to catch colds. Not to worry, a quick look in the fridge and before Wayne could cough again, I had a simple cough syrup ready, and a cup of lemon and honey tea. The cough syrup must sit for a while, so the tea was soothing until it was ready. And we were all able to get some sleep.
Impossible Pies are the feature for On the Menu. They're so easy to make, even in a camp oven over a fire, and they're easy and cheap too.
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
Gourmet Dog Food Cheapskates Style
We have cooked meat for our dogs for the last 15 years. We get about 1 kilo of minced beef, add a couple of cups of water, a few carrots, peas, about a half a cup of oats and occasionally some rice. Let it boil away for about 30 minutes, then let it cool. We put the mixture into three ice-cream containers, freeze two of the tubs and put one in the fridge. We get six meals from each tub. Our dog also has dry food too.
Contributed by Laura Barnewall
Envelope Budgeting Still Works
I use the envelope system each pay, and it works for me. I leave money in the bank to pay direct debits, bank fees, then I work out what payments are due, e.g. rates, water, gas, car regos, insurances etc. I add ten percent on top of what my last year's bills were, then divide by 26 fortnight’s pays.
What is left over is what I spent on food and once a fortnight eating out. The money is then sorted and put into envelopes (or you can zip bags). If I run out of money for a bag, it’s tough luck, I go without until next pay.
I'm lucky, there’s only hubby and I, we have no mortgage but only on a pension. We get through, but sometimes, we have to pull the belt in a little tighter. I grow a lot of my veggies, and am able to make frozen meals from surplus, or basically go back to very basic and like like my parents did on the farm. I have friends I can swap with and that also helps.
Contributed by Janice via Facebook
The Best Oven Cleaner
My Mother-in-law kept a spotless oven despite always baking and roasting .......how? Her secret was once the cooking was done and the oven was still warm to wipe over with a cloth with a little cloudy ammonia. It removed spills, grease and all other soon to be baked on leaks or spatters. Another stich in time philosophy!
Contributed by Helen Jenkins
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
Take a spring onion, two eggs and a piece of cheese......
Impossible Pie
Ingredients:
1/3 cup plain flour
1 ½ cups milk
3 eggs
2 bacon rashers chopped
3 shallots sliced (or spring onions)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
130g can corn kernels, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Fry bacon until browned, place bacon into a sieve and allow to drain. Grease a shallow 23cm round flan dish or pie plate. Whisk flour and milk in medium bowl until smooth; whisk in eggs. Stir in remaining ingredients; pour mixture into prepared dish. Bake about 1 hour or until set.
Variations:
Add diced, cooked chicken with the cheese.
Add 1/2 cup frozen peas with the last ladleful of stock.
Leave out the bacon
Add sliced tomato and onion
Add grated zucchini and carrot
There are more ideas for using basic pantry ingredients in Bare Bones Groceries, a guide to surviving when the pantry is bare and there's nothing to eat. You can download your copy here.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Schnitzels, vegetables, tomato gravy
Tuesday: Spinach & Feta Ravioli, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday: Mexican meatballs, rice, green salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Muffin surprise
Saturday: Hamburgers, chips
There are over 1,500 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Homemade Cough and Cold Remedies
Winter is here and with it the dreaded lurgy has hit. Lots of coughing and sneezing, with sore, dry throats and runny noses - not the best when you're on holiday! Thankfully some simple homemade concoctions have kept us going, easing our aches and pains and relieving congestion. These are not prescribed medicines, they are old remedies that have been around for just about forever, so please, if you are very ill, have a fever that lasts more than about 8 hours or already have a chronic illness, check with your doctor before you try any of these.
Carrot Cough Syrup
This is so simple, and it tastes good, so kids will happily take a teaspoonful. Best of all I had carrots and honey with us, so it was easy to make.
Thinly slice or grate a large carrot onto a saucer. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of raw honey. Cover with a tea towel or serviette and let the mess sit overnight, it will form a syrup. Take 1 teaspoon of the syrup every 3 - 4 hours or as needed. This syrup soothes a cough. The carrot juice is full of nutrients and anti-oxidants and the honey is a natural anti-bacterial and very soothing for sore, dry throats.
Lemon, Ginger and Honey Cold and Flu Tea
When colds and flu strike with all the associated aches and pains, this tea is just the thing. Make it in a thermos and keep it by your bed so you don't have to keep getting up to make more.
Grate 3cm of fresh ginger into a thermos. Squeeze a large lemon, or two small lemons, into the thermos and add 3 tablespoons raw honey. Top up with boiling water (about 3 -4 cups). Put the top on the thermos and let it brew for 20 minutes. Strain into a mug and sip slowly. Put the cap back on the thermos to keep the tea hot. Refill your mug as needed from the thermos.
Dr. Oz Garlic Foot Massage.
I heard about this on Dr. Oz one day and tried it - it works. This is not for the feint hearted - it does stink! But it really helps ease the symptoms of cold and flu and I am sure speed recovery.
Find a pair of old socks, the thicker the better (I borrowed a pair of Wayne's thick work socks). Crush a couple of cloves of garlic and stir them into about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Let it steep for about 2 hours. Massage the oil into your feet, put the fluffy socks on and go to bed.
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
Monthly Shopping
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?1539-Monthly-shopping
Every Month, I Keep Doing It!
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2159-Every-month-I-keep-doing-it!
Cheapskate Inspiration
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3222-Cheapskate-inspiration
Most popular blog posts this week
The Garage Sale Shopping Checklist
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/the-garage-sale-shopping-checklist.html
Keeping Your Pretty things for Good
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/keeping-your-pretty-things-for-good.html
Loyalty Cards Make Great Bookmarks
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2015/10/loyalty-cards-make-great-bookmarks.html
7. This Week's Question
Q. I just wanted to ask how much Cheapskates Washing Powder I should be using in my 9.5kg washer? It is a top loader low suds machine. Is the amount you suggest for a specific size machine? Sam https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/cheapskates-washing-powder.html
A. I use three teaspoons, perhaps four if it is a particularly dirty or heavy load (jeans, overalls and such) in my 9.5kg HE top loader and that is more than enough for a clean wash. I only ever use 2 teaspoons for towels and sheets, tea towels etc. unless they are very dirty.
I do sort into whites, coloureds and darks and pre-treat any stains with Stain Removing Soap (see Put Those Soap Scraps to Good Use). Anything that is filthy I usually soak before washing. Just add two teaspoons of washing powder to a bucket of hot water, swish and then immerse the filthy item and let it soak overnight. Then launder as usual.
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