Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 31:23
In This Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - The Birthday Party Shopping Spree; Clean the Coffee Maker or Buy a New One;
3. Share Your Tips
4. Birthday Month Special
5. On the Menu - Hawaiian Haystacks
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Freezing Biscuit Dough
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Instant Rice
8. Cheapskates Buzz
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,I
'm back! With a lot to do, including celebrating 22 years of the Cheapskates Club!
Twenty-nine years ago I thought my world had come crashing down. In the space of just four days we went from a two income family of four to a no income family of four with one on the way.
To top it off we were living in half a house. A fortnight before we'd pulled the back off our house to start renovating.
I think I was in state of shock; it was all I could do to get up each day and cover the basics that needed doing. But then, after about six months, something happened that made me stop, think and then get moving.
I decided that I liked our lifestyle. I liked our home and our plans for it. I didn't want to change anything. But we were still living on a very unreliable income, our savings had run out and the bills still had to be paid.
And so I became a Cheapskate. Our lives turned around and we no longer stressed over money. We had a plan and we worked it. And friends and family noticed. And wondered how, with such a sporadic income, we managed. Some of them were even brave enough to ask how we were doing it.
One day at playgroup I told them. I explained that I'd changed our shopping habits, only shopping once a month. I explained that I had dragged out the recipe books and started cooking from scratch. I explained that I had pulled out my sewing machine and started sewing and mending instead of buying and tossing out. I explained that I'd asked my mother to help me start a veggie garden. I explained that I learned how to cut everyone's hair with a $20 set of hair clippers. And they were all so enthusiastic, wanting to know more so the next week I shared a recipe for homemade muesli bars that cost 80 cents to make. That day was my very first Cheapskating workshop, not that I realised it then.
It was also unofficial beginnings of the Cheapskates Club, although we didn't come to our present form for another few years.
This month is our birthday month. The Cheapskates Club is 22 years old. From small beginnings, it has gone from strength to strength over the last 22 years, and it's all thanks to you, the members. Without your support, encouragement and contributions my job would have been a lot harder.
Happy birthday Cheapskaters, here's to another fabulous year of Cheapskating, with many more to come!
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
The Birthday Party Shopping Spree
I read this tip years ago and at the time I thought it was totally ridiculous. Then my daughter was turning eight and our budget was tighter than tight. We agreed to her having five friends over for pizza and ice-cream and a scrapbooking afternoon to make paper bag scrapbooks. I had a ton of paper and glue but not a lot in the way of embellishments they could use. That's when I remembered that ridiculous tip. My husband and I ferried the girls to our local $2 shop. When we arrived I gave each girl $5 and told them they could buy whatever embellishments they wanted for their scrapbooks with the money. The girls had a ball, it was cheaper than lolly/goody bags and while I'm not sure the poor man in the shop has recovered the girls are still talking about their birthday money shopping trip three weeks later.
Contributed by Robyn
Clean the Coffee Maker or Buy a New One?
Approximate $ Savings: Cost of a new cappuccino maker
My husband wanted to buy a new cappuccino maker as he said ours had had its day. Instead we made up a mixture of 2/3 cup of water and 1/3 vinegar and ran half through the espresso side and other half through the steam side. It cleaned out the debris, then we ran plain water through both sides to thoroughly wash it out. The machine worked like new, so now we do this every 2 months (and we didn't buy a new one!).
Contributed by Ann
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. Birthday Month Special
1. Cath's Corner
2. From the Tip Store - The Birthday Party Shopping Spree; Clean the Coffee Maker or Buy a New One;
3. Share Your Tips
4. Birthday Month Special
5. On the Menu - Hawaiian Haystacks
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge - Freezing Biscuit Dough
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge - MOO Instant Rice
8. Cheapskates Buzz
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,I
'm back! With a lot to do, including celebrating 22 years of the Cheapskates Club!
Twenty-nine years ago I thought my world had come crashing down. In the space of just four days we went from a two income family of four to a no income family of four with one on the way.
To top it off we were living in half a house. A fortnight before we'd pulled the back off our house to start renovating.
I think I was in state of shock; it was all I could do to get up each day and cover the basics that needed doing. But then, after about six months, something happened that made me stop, think and then get moving.
I decided that I liked our lifestyle. I liked our home and our plans for it. I didn't want to change anything. But we were still living on a very unreliable income, our savings had run out and the bills still had to be paid.
And so I became a Cheapskate. Our lives turned around and we no longer stressed over money. We had a plan and we worked it. And friends and family noticed. And wondered how, with such a sporadic income, we managed. Some of them were even brave enough to ask how we were doing it.
One day at playgroup I told them. I explained that I'd changed our shopping habits, only shopping once a month. I explained that I had dragged out the recipe books and started cooking from scratch. I explained that I had pulled out my sewing machine and started sewing and mending instead of buying and tossing out. I explained that I'd asked my mother to help me start a veggie garden. I explained that I learned how to cut everyone's hair with a $20 set of hair clippers. And they were all so enthusiastic, wanting to know more so the next week I shared a recipe for homemade muesli bars that cost 80 cents to make. That day was my very first Cheapskating workshop, not that I realised it then.
It was also unofficial beginnings of the Cheapskates Club, although we didn't come to our present form for another few years.
This month is our birthday month. The Cheapskates Club is 22 years old. From small beginnings, it has gone from strength to strength over the last 22 years, and it's all thanks to you, the members. Without your support, encouragement and contributions my job would have been a lot harder.
Happy birthday Cheapskaters, here's to another fabulous year of Cheapskating, with many more to come!
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
The Birthday Party Shopping Spree
I read this tip years ago and at the time I thought it was totally ridiculous. Then my daughter was turning eight and our budget was tighter than tight. We agreed to her having five friends over for pizza and ice-cream and a scrapbooking afternoon to make paper bag scrapbooks. I had a ton of paper and glue but not a lot in the way of embellishments they could use. That's when I remembered that ridiculous tip. My husband and I ferried the girls to our local $2 shop. When we arrived I gave each girl $5 and told them they could buy whatever embellishments they wanted for their scrapbooks with the money. The girls had a ball, it was cheaper than lolly/goody bags and while I'm not sure the poor man in the shop has recovered the girls are still talking about their birthday money shopping trip three weeks later.
Contributed by Robyn
Clean the Coffee Maker or Buy a New One?
Approximate $ Savings: Cost of a new cappuccino maker
My husband wanted to buy a new cappuccino maker as he said ours had had its day. Instead we made up a mixture of 2/3 cup of water and 1/3 vinegar and ran half through the espresso side and other half through the steam side. It cleaned out the debris, then we ran plain water through both sides to thoroughly wash it out. The machine worked like new, so now we do this every 2 months (and we didn't buy a new one!).
Contributed by Ann
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. Birthday Month Special
It's our birthday! 22 years of the Cheapskates Club, and to celebrate we are having a sale.
For the month of August, new Cheapskates Club memberships are just $20!
Not sure a Cheapskates Club membership is for you? Click here for 20 reasons you want and need to be in the Cheapskates Club!
5. On The Menu
Hawaiian Haystacks
It's mid-winter and dull, so who wouldn't like a little sunshine on a plate to fill a hungry belly? Hawaiian Haystacks are just that - sunshine on a plate, a little bit of summer happiness in the middle of winter. Hawaiian HaystacksIngredients:
1-1/2 cups rice
2 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into small chunks, or leftover cooked cubed/shredded chicken from a roast chicken
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup plain flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
Toppings:
cheese, shredded coconut, pineapple, celery, mandarin segments, olives, spring onions, grated carrots, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers
Method:
Cook rice so it’s ready when you need it. In a large frying pan melt butter and cook onions and chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes. If you’re using leftover chicken that’s already cooked don’t add it now, we’ll do this later. Sprinkle flour over onion/chicken mixture. Stir and cook for one minute. Cooking the flour stops the sauce from tasting like raw flour, don't be tempted to skip this step. Slowly whisk in milk and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, add salt and pepper. If you’re using leftover chicken add it now. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle chicken over rice. Top with desired toppings.
https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/HAWAIIAN-HAYSTACKS.html
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Sweet n Sour Chicken, rice
Tuesday: Gnocchi in Burnt Butter Sauce, green salad
Wednesday: Corned beef, mash, veggies
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, gems, coleslaw
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
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Freezing Biscuit Dough
We are home from holidays and back to our normal routine. And the cupboard is bare. Sadly that means there are no treats for morning tea or to pack into lunchboxes - oops!
The request was for biscuits, not my favourite thing to make, but when I can batch doubled-up recipes I'll happily spend a couple of hours mixing up different biscuit doughs and freezing them.
Yes, freezing them. I freeze biscuit dough two ways: in logs, and in biscuits. The logs just need to be thawed and cut into biscuits before baking; loose biscuits can be baked from frozen. Both ways give oven fresh biscuits in just a few minutes.
All these recipes are in the Biscuit Recipe File and the doughs freeze, thaw and bake beautifully:
• Cranberry Hootycreeks
• Lunchbox Cookies
• 5 Minute Choc Chip Cookies
• Apricot & Oat Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Christmas Snickerdoodles
• Crunchy Coconut Cookies
• Ginger Nuts
So while making biscuits isn't my favourite thing to do, getting a nice supply into the freezer makes me smile (and saves me money, time and energy).
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Instant Rice
This is not something I use all the time, but it is handy to have on the shelf for a quick side dish and it works really well when we are camping and don't have a lot of time or water.
MOO Instant Rice
Ingredients:
8 cups rice (whatever your favourite is - brown, white, arborio, jasmine)
20 cups water
Method:
Bring the water to a boil.
Add the rice and stir continuously until the water returns to the boil.
Boil until rice is cooked.
Drain.
Let the rice cool.
Prepare your dehydrator. I use the Aldi dehydrator and it has been wonderful. For a budget unit it does a brilliant job, proving you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a reliable appliance.
Set temperature to 60 degrees Celsius and dehydrate for 24 hours or until completely dry. You don't want any moisture in this or it will spoil in storage. I swap the trays around every 3 hours and stir them each time they are swapped to ensure all the rice is dried.
Once dried let the rice cool. It will be stuck together. Gently break it up with your fingers. Measure out the quantity you need (I use two cups for my family). Store in ziplock bags or airtight containers. Will keep for up to 12 months.
To use: Measure equal quantities of rice and boiling water. Simmer rice 8 - 10 minutes until tender.
Add herbs and spices to your instant rice for instant flavoured rice.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
8. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Quick and Easy Mexican Meals
Beating the Can't Be Bothered Dinnertime Blues
Ways to Use the Powdered Milk in Your Pantry Stockpile
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
2023 $300 a Month Food Challenge
Yoghurt Making
Cath's Challenge
9. The Cheapskates Club Show
Join Cath and Hannah live Tuesdays and Thursdays on You Tube at 7.30pm AET
Latest Shows
For the month of August, new Cheapskates Club memberships are just $20!
Not sure a Cheapskates Club membership is for you? Click here for 20 reasons you want and need to be in the Cheapskates Club!
5. On The Menu
Hawaiian Haystacks
It's mid-winter and dull, so who wouldn't like a little sunshine on a plate to fill a hungry belly? Hawaiian Haystacks are just that - sunshine on a plate, a little bit of summer happiness in the middle of winter. Hawaiian HaystacksIngredients:
1-1/2 cups rice
2 skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into small chunks, or leftover cooked cubed/shredded chicken from a roast chicken
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup plain flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
Toppings:
cheese, shredded coconut, pineapple, celery, mandarin segments, olives, spring onions, grated carrots, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers
Method:
Cook rice so it’s ready when you need it. In a large frying pan melt butter and cook onions and chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes. If you’re using leftover chicken that’s already cooked don’t add it now, we’ll do this later. Sprinkle flour over onion/chicken mixture. Stir and cook for one minute. Cooking the flour stops the sauce from tasting like raw flour, don't be tempted to skip this step. Slowly whisk in milk and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, add salt and pepper. If you’re using leftover chicken add it now. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Ladle chicken over rice. Top with desired toppings.
https://www.cheapskatesclub.net/HAWAIIAN-HAYSTACKS.html
Next week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Lamb
Monday: Sweet n Sour Chicken, rice
Tuesday: Gnocchi in Burnt Butter Sauce, green salad
Wednesday: Corned beef, mash, veggies
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Fish, gems, coleslaw
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
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge
Freezing Biscuit Dough
We are home from holidays and back to our normal routine. And the cupboard is bare. Sadly that means there are no treats for morning tea or to pack into lunchboxes - oops!
The request was for biscuits, not my favourite thing to make, but when I can batch doubled-up recipes I'll happily spend a couple of hours mixing up different biscuit doughs and freezing them.
Yes, freezing them. I freeze biscuit dough two ways: in logs, and in biscuits. The logs just need to be thawed and cut into biscuits before baking; loose biscuits can be baked from frozen. Both ways give oven fresh biscuits in just a few minutes.
All these recipes are in the Biscuit Recipe File and the doughs freeze, thaw and bake beautifully:
• Cranberry Hootycreeks
• Lunchbox Cookies
• 5 Minute Choc Chip Cookies
• Apricot & Oat Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• Christmas Snickerdoodles
• Crunchy Coconut Cookies
• Ginger Nuts
So while making biscuits isn't my favourite thing to do, getting a nice supply into the freezer makes me smile (and saves me money, time and energy).
The $300 a Month Food Challenge Forum
The Post that Started it All
7. The Weekly MOO Challenge
MOO Instant Rice
This is not something I use all the time, but it is handy to have on the shelf for a quick side dish and it works really well when we are camping and don't have a lot of time or water.
MOO Instant Rice
Ingredients:
8 cups rice (whatever your favourite is - brown, white, arborio, jasmine)
20 cups water
Method:
Bring the water to a boil.
Add the rice and stir continuously until the water returns to the boil.
Boil until rice is cooked.
Drain.
Let the rice cool.
Prepare your dehydrator. I use the Aldi dehydrator and it has been wonderful. For a budget unit it does a brilliant job, proving you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a reliable appliance.
Set temperature to 60 degrees Celsius and dehydrate for 24 hours or until completely dry. You don't want any moisture in this or it will spoil in storage. I swap the trays around every 3 hours and stir them each time they are swapped to ensure all the rice is dried.
Once dried let the rice cool. It will be stuck together. Gently break it up with your fingers. Measure out the quantity you need (I use two cups for my family). Store in ziplock bags or airtight containers. Will keep for up to 12 months.
To use: Measure equal quantities of rice and boiling water. Simmer rice 8 - 10 minutes until tender.
Add herbs and spices to your instant rice for instant flavoured rice.
Get in on the fun and discussions here.
8. Cheapskates Buzz
From The Article Archive
Quick and Easy Mexican Meals
Beating the Can't Be Bothered Dinnertime Blues
Ways to Use the Powdered Milk in Your Pantry Stockpile
This Week's Hot Forum Topics
2023 $300 a Month Food Challenge
Yoghurt Making
Cath's Challenge
9. 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.
10. Join The Cheapskates Club
During the month of August, for just $20 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
10. Join The Cheapskates Club
During the month of August, for just $20 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