Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 27:23
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - A Christmas Stocktake; Make a Date; The Present Box
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Chicken Enchilada Skillet
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Grocery Stockpiling for Christmas
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Onion Soup Mix
7. Cheapskates Buzz
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Handmade Christmas Challenge - Let's Talk Turkey
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Just in case you haven't noticed, it is July! Normally this month we do a whole big Christmas in July lets-get-ready-now plan and have Christmas nailed. This year I decided we'd do things a little differently, and I'd just share a few ideas with you, make a few suggestions for gifts and shopping, and point you in the direction of the Member's Centre where there are so many great Christmas in July ideas. After all, there's no point in re-inventing the wheel!
Of course we've also been working on the Handmade Christmas Challenge this year, and I know some very productive Cheapskaters are done with Christmas 2023, and have birthdays for the year covered. A couple are even ahead for Christmas 2024!
Thinking ahead and planning and starting to prepare now, in July, isn't odd. The news has been full of segments on families shopping now for Christmas, putting toys on lay-by, planning holidays and paying them off each week or month. It just makes sense, and it really does help you to own your Christmas (and yes, we will still do the Own Your Christmas Challenge later in the year).
So if you've not thought of Christmas, I hope this newsletter inspires you and gets you to at least thinking of what you'd like, what you need and how you're going to get it.
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
A Christmas Stocktake
Now is the ideal time to do a stock take of Christmas supplies. Take inventory of your cards, gift wrap, ribbons, table supplies, decorations and lights now while you have a minute to spare. It's so much easier to get things out of the garage or roof in winter than it is in the middle of summer. Failing to do a stock take could lead you to waste a lot of money buying things you already have. Make an inventory of what you need and you will know exactly what to pick up when those first pre-Christmas sales hit in September and October.
Make a Date
Do you plan out your Christmas engagements and tasks early, but then promptly forget everything? As you make plans write them straight onto your calendar and into your diary or appointment book. Want to start baking six weeks before Christmas? Write it down for the week of November 15. Do you have a deadline when you want all of your cards in the mail? Write it down on the date to go to the post office. And better yet, use the Christmas Planners in the Member's Centre to break down the process and write the steps of each project down on the calendar.
The Present Box
If you've been buying and/or making presents randomly for the last few months, take a quick inventory of what you have so far. If you don’t have all those gifts stored in one place it could be disastrous come December, when you’ll be scrambling to find everything with little time to spare. Start a Present Box now (a sturdy box with a lid, plastic storage bin, linen cupboard or shelves will work wonders), put together a gift inventory and store it in a sheet protector with the gifts. You can be even more organized by keeping your gift list with the inventory in the sheet protector. Take it one step further and label and wrap gifts as you get them. Then you can just check off the names on your gift list as you wrap and label.
There are more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
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.
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
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
One pan dinners are not only quick and easy, but with just one pan clean up is a breeze!
This recipe uses shelf stable pantry ingredients - Ugly Chicken, tinned corn, enchildada sauce, MOO taco seasoning - for convenience. Don't worry, they are all budget friendly convenience ingredients. If you're worried about the cost, MOO them - the recipes for MOO taco seasoning and MOO enchilada sauce are in the Recipe Files, and frozen corn can be subbed for tinned.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp MOO Taco Seasoning
2 cups water
One pint jar of Ugly Chicken (or 500g chicken fillets)
1 tin corn kernels
1 jar enchilada sauce (or equivalent MOO Enchilada Sauce)
1 cup grated cheese
Method:
In a large frying pan, cook the chicken fillet. Remove from pan and shred. Add the oil to the pan and warm over a medium heat. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until the rice becomes translucent - about 3 minutes. Add water and taco seasoning to the rice, stir to combine. Put lid on pan and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down and simmer about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked and almost all the liquid is absorbed. Drain the corn and add to the pan along with the shredded chicken and half the enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle with the cheese. Put the lid on and cook a further 5 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve with corn chips or mini tortillas on the side.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Grilled chicken & vegetables
Tuesday: Spag bol, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday: Kransky, potato bake
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Beef & Bean Burritos
Saturday: Freezer Meals
There are over 1,800 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
Grocery Stockpiling for Christmas
It's never to early to plan and prepare for Christmas and that covers planning and preparing for Christmas food.
Now is the time to think about the ingredients you use during December and start adding them to your shopping list, keeping an eye out for sales so you can take advantage of lower prices.
Spreading your Christmas grocery shopping over the few months before not only spreads the cost, but it means you don't need to tackle the crowded supermarkets in December.
Make a list of the treat foods and drinks you buy too, and add one or two to your shopping each week or fortnight. Think about the consumables too - the serviettes, paper towel, foil, baking paper, paper plates and cups, that sort of thing and if you use them and need them, add one or two to your basket each shopping trip.
Between now and December there will be plenty of sales on these things, so take advantage of them to spend less. For example, in September keep an eye out for chips and chocolates, soft drinks, lollies, nuts, pies and other frozen snacks and add them to your Christmas food stockpile.
They will be on sale almost every week for Father's Day and footy grand final celebrations.
Just remember to separate them from your regular pantry so they don't get used before Christmas!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Onion Soup Mix
I don't use onion soup mix a lot over summer, but in winter it gets used regularly to add flavour to soups and casseroles, savoury scones and bread, and dips.
I could buy it, but it is expensive. Even the generic brands are 45 cents each, branded mixes are $1.20.
Onion Soup Mix
This soup mix is so handy. Great for adding flavour to casseroles, soups, stews, rissoles, meatloaf, meatballs, in marinades for chicken and steak, and to make a tasty dip.
Ingredients:
1/4 tsp Celery seed
4 tsp onion powder
3/4 cup onion flakes
1/3 cup beef stock powder
Add to an airtight jar, close the jar and shake to combine.
Equivalent 3 packet soups
To use:
Mix 2 tablespoons per litre of water to make onion soup.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates BuzzFrom The Article Archive
Start Thinking Christmas in July
The Annual Cheapskates Christmas in July Spectacular
Christmas in July - It's Never too Early to Start
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
#FREECHRISTMAS Tell me if I'm onto something (or if I've lost my marbles!)
Christmas Present Budget
I Know it Sounds Ridiculous but ..... Have You Started Planning for Christmas Yet?!
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Latest Shows
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - A Christmas Stocktake; Make a Date; The Present Box
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Chicken Enchilada Skillet
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Grocery Stockpiling for Christmas
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Onion Soup Mix
7. Cheapskates Buzz
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
9. Handmade Christmas Challenge - Let's Talk Turkey
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
Just in case you haven't noticed, it is July! Normally this month we do a whole big Christmas in July lets-get-ready-now plan and have Christmas nailed. This year I decided we'd do things a little differently, and I'd just share a few ideas with you, make a few suggestions for gifts and shopping, and point you in the direction of the Member's Centre where there are so many great Christmas in July ideas. After all, there's no point in re-inventing the wheel!
Of course we've also been working on the Handmade Christmas Challenge this year, and I know some very productive Cheapskaters are done with Christmas 2023, and have birthdays for the year covered. A couple are even ahead for Christmas 2024!
Thinking ahead and planning and starting to prepare now, in July, isn't odd. The news has been full of segments on families shopping now for Christmas, putting toys on lay-by, planning holidays and paying them off each week or month. It just makes sense, and it really does help you to own your Christmas (and yes, we will still do the Own Your Christmas Challenge later in the year).
So if you've not thought of Christmas, I hope this newsletter inspires you and gets you to at least thinking of what you'd like, what you need and how you're going to get it.
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
A Christmas Stocktake
Now is the ideal time to do a stock take of Christmas supplies. Take inventory of your cards, gift wrap, ribbons, table supplies, decorations and lights now while you have a minute to spare. It's so much easier to get things out of the garage or roof in winter than it is in the middle of summer. Failing to do a stock take could lead you to waste a lot of money buying things you already have. Make an inventory of what you need and you will know exactly what to pick up when those first pre-Christmas sales hit in September and October.
Make a Date
Do you plan out your Christmas engagements and tasks early, but then promptly forget everything? As you make plans write them straight onto your calendar and into your diary or appointment book. Want to start baking six weeks before Christmas? Write it down for the week of November 15. Do you have a deadline when you want all of your cards in the mail? Write it down on the date to go to the post office. And better yet, use the Christmas Planners in the Member's Centre to break down the process and write the steps of each project down on the calendar.
The Present Box
If you've been buying and/or making presents randomly for the last few months, take a quick inventory of what you have so far. If you don’t have all those gifts stored in one place it could be disastrous come December, when you’ll be scrambling to find everything with little time to spare. Start a Present Box now (a sturdy box with a lid, plastic storage bin, linen cupboard or shelves will work wonders), put together a gift inventory and store it in a sheet protector with the gifts. You can be even more organized by keeping your gift list with the inventory in the sheet protector. Take it one step further and label and wrap gifts as you get them. Then you can just check off the names on your gift list as you wrap and label.
There are more than 12,000 great tips in the Tip Store
Add a Tip
3. Share Your Tips
The Cheapskate's Club website is thousands of pages of money saving hints, tips and ideas. There are over 12,000 tips to save you money, time and energy; 1,600 budget and family friendly recipes, hundreds of printable tip sheets and ebooks.
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.
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
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
One pan dinners are not only quick and easy, but with just one pan clean up is a breeze!
This recipe uses shelf stable pantry ingredients - Ugly Chicken, tinned corn, enchildada sauce, MOO taco seasoning - for convenience. Don't worry, they are all budget friendly convenience ingredients. If you're worried about the cost, MOO them - the recipes for MOO taco seasoning and MOO enchilada sauce are in the Recipe Files, and frozen corn can be subbed for tinned.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Ingredients:
1 cup rice
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp MOO Taco Seasoning
2 cups water
One pint jar of Ugly Chicken (or 500g chicken fillets)
1 tin corn kernels
1 jar enchilada sauce (or equivalent MOO Enchilada Sauce)
1 cup grated cheese
Method:
In a large frying pan, cook the chicken fillet. Remove from pan and shred. Add the oil to the pan and warm over a medium heat. Add the rice and stir to coat. Continue stirring until the rice becomes translucent - about 3 minutes. Add water and taco seasoning to the rice, stir to combine. Put lid on pan and bring to a simmer. Turn heat down and simmer about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked and almost all the liquid is absorbed. Drain the corn and add to the pan along with the shredded chicken and half the enchilada sauce. Stir to combine. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle with the cheese. Put the lid on and cook a further 5 minutes until the cheese has melted. Serve with corn chips or mini tortillas on the side.
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Grilled chicken & vegetables
Tuesday: Spag bol, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday: Kransky, potato bake
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Beef & Bean Burritos
Saturday: Freezer Meals
There are over 1,800 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
Grocery Stockpiling for Christmas
It's never to early to plan and prepare for Christmas and that covers planning and preparing for Christmas food.
Now is the time to think about the ingredients you use during December and start adding them to your shopping list, keeping an eye out for sales so you can take advantage of lower prices.
Spreading your Christmas grocery shopping over the few months before not only spreads the cost, but it means you don't need to tackle the crowded supermarkets in December.
Make a list of the treat foods and drinks you buy too, and add one or two to your shopping each week or fortnight. Think about the consumables too - the serviettes, paper towel, foil, baking paper, paper plates and cups, that sort of thing and if you use them and need them, add one or two to your basket each shopping trip.
Between now and December there will be plenty of sales on these things, so take advantage of them to spend less. For example, in September keep an eye out for chips and chocolates, soft drinks, lollies, nuts, pies and other frozen snacks and add them to your Christmas food stockpile.
They will be on sale almost every week for Father's Day and footy grand final celebrations.
Just remember to separate them from your regular pantry so they don't get used before Christmas!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
6. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Onion Soup Mix
I don't use onion soup mix a lot over summer, but in winter it gets used regularly to add flavour to soups and casseroles, savoury scones and bread, and dips.
I could buy it, but it is expensive. Even the generic brands are 45 cents each, branded mixes are $1.20.
Onion Soup Mix
This soup mix is so handy. Great for adding flavour to casseroles, soups, stews, rissoles, meatloaf, meatballs, in marinades for chicken and steak, and to make a tasty dip.
Ingredients:
1/4 tsp Celery seed
4 tsp onion powder
3/4 cup onion flakes
1/3 cup beef stock powder
Add to an airtight jar, close the jar and shake to combine.
Equivalent 3 packet soups
To use:
Mix 2 tablespoons per litre of water to make onion soup.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
7. Cheapskates BuzzFrom The Article Archive
Start Thinking Christmas in July
The Annual Cheapskates Christmas in July Spectacular
Christmas in July - It's Never too Early to Start
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
#FREECHRISTMAS Tell me if I'm onto something (or if I've lost my marbles!)
Christmas Present Budget
I Know it Sounds Ridiculous but ..... Have You Started Planning for Christmas Yet?!
8. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Latest Shows
Subscribe to our You Tube channel and never miss a show.
9. Handmade Christmas Challenge
Let's Talk Turkey
Tough though you may find it to think of presents, trees and turkeys in July, now is the perfect time to think about these things. Whether you were born organized, or like me need to be encouraged a little, getting a head start today will save hours of needless stress, work and rushing around in December.
There are those of us who enjoy shopping in December, with the crowds and the carols and chintzy store decorations. And then there are those amazingly organized souls who can shop five months ahead of time, wrap and label each gift AND remember exactly where they have it stored!
Me, I'm a mixture of both. I like to be prepared, and know who is on my gift list and what I have planned for them. I am not into shopping though. I am into making. I love to give handcrafted gifts, made with love and affection especially for someone special.
Whether you are a shop ahead, crafter or leave-it-until-December personality, what you do need to do is start today. If you like to leave your Christmas shopping until December, start stashing cash now to avoid debt in December.
If you love to hand make gifts, I can tell you from experience that leaving it until December is leaving it too late. Start now. Get out your craft and pattern books. Check your craft and sewing supplies. Look for new ideas (check out the Crafts & Hobbies section of the Tip Store) and get going.
And for those who love to shop early, go for it. Print off our Master Gift List and then divide the total by the number of weeks between now and December 23, work out your gift budget and start shopping.
Anything you can do between now and December to prepare for Christmas will pay off in two ways. The first of course is financial. Starting early allows you to wait for sales, look for bargains and have a choice.
And the second payoff is the one you get when on the first of December you can put your tree up, place the beautifully wrapped gifts underneath it, sit back and really enjoy the next twenty-four days.
Don't forget to check in for our Make It Monday show and tell over at Cheapskates Chatter, we'd love to see what you've made.
Handmade Christmas Central
The Handmade Christmas Forum
10. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $30 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 for a full year.
That's unlimited 24/7 access to EVERYTHING in the Member's Centre!
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
11. 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 either signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
12. 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
9. Handmade Christmas Challenge
Let's Talk Turkey
Tough though you may find it to think of presents, trees and turkeys in July, now is the perfect time to think about these things. Whether you were born organized, or like me need to be encouraged a little, getting a head start today will save hours of needless stress, work and rushing around in December.
There are those of us who enjoy shopping in December, with the crowds and the carols and chintzy store decorations. And then there are those amazingly organized souls who can shop five months ahead of time, wrap and label each gift AND remember exactly where they have it stored!
Me, I'm a mixture of both. I like to be prepared, and know who is on my gift list and what I have planned for them. I am not into shopping though. I am into making. I love to give handcrafted gifts, made with love and affection especially for someone special.
Whether you are a shop ahead, crafter or leave-it-until-December personality, what you do need to do is start today. If you like to leave your Christmas shopping until December, start stashing cash now to avoid debt in December.
If you love to hand make gifts, I can tell you from experience that leaving it until December is leaving it too late. Start now. Get out your craft and pattern books. Check your craft and sewing supplies. Look for new ideas (check out the Crafts & Hobbies section of the Tip Store) and get going.
And for those who love to shop early, go for it. Print off our Master Gift List and then divide the total by the number of weeks between now and December 23, work out your gift budget and start shopping.
Anything you can do between now and December to prepare for Christmas will pay off in two ways. The first of course is financial. Starting early allows you to wait for sales, look for bargains and have a choice.
And the second payoff is the one you get when on the first of December you can put your tree up, place the beautifully wrapped gifts underneath it, sit back and really enjoy the next twenty-four days.
Don't forget to check in for our Make It Monday show and tell over at Cheapskates Chatter, we'd love to see what you've made.
Handmade Christmas Central
The Handmade Christmas Forum
10. Join The Cheapskates Club
For just $30 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 for a full year.
That's unlimited 24/7 access to EVERYTHING in the Member's Centre!
Click here to join the Cheapskates Club today!
11. 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 either signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Club Web site or are a Platinum Cheapskates Club member.
12. 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