Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter 46:17
In this Newsletter
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Wrap It Up; Check Gift Cards; Mini Sauce Cups
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Cream Cheese Patties
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Final Freezer Update
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. Member's Featured Blog - Missing in Action
8. This Week's Question - We're off to Europe, advice needed
9. Ask Cath
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
I hope you're enjoy a wonderful week living the Cheapskates way. Our lifestyle choice is especially important at this time of year.
We are bombarded with lots of things that tug at our heartstrings and that's not a bad thing. What is a bad thing though is that all those tugs are designed to part us from our hard-earned money, and part us without us really being aware of what's happening until it's too late (usually sometimes in January when the bills start coming in!).
Remember to:
Stay strong.
Stick to your plan.
Stay focussed on your budgets.
Keep track of your spending.
Don't leave home without your shopping list.
If you need some inspiration, encouragement or help, it's not too late to join the Own Your Christmas challenge, there is plenty of time to catch up and enjoy a debt free, cashed up Christmas, laughing all the way to the bank.
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
Wrap It Up
A cheaper alternative to wrapping very large presents is to buy a plastic tablecloth from The Reject shop or $2 shop. Cut it to size.
Contributed by Cheryl
Check Gift Cards
I would like to encourage fellow Cheapskaters to check out-of-date gift cards before tossing them out. I had one that was well over three years old and I thought there was nothing to lose by just ringing the company to find out if they would honour it. Surprisingly enough they told me the card was still valid but I must use it soon, so off I raced with my gift card and "bought" my daughter a gorgeous new top from a store I wouldn't normally visit due to it's prices! My theory is the worst they can say is "no." If you don't ask, you won't know!
Contributed by Keren
Mini Sauce Cups
All those medicine cups you get from children's and adult medicine bottles can be reused. I save them all because my kids like the measuring spoons. The little cups are great for ketchup, mustard or any other dipping sauce you might like on your plate but on the side, just like in a restaurant.
Contributed by Stacey
Note: Tomato sauce, soy sauce, tartare sauce, mayo, sweet chilli - any sauce you want everyone to enjoy, without wasting, is perfect for adding to a mini sauce cup. Kids love them and ours would eat just about anything if it had a sauce or dressing on it. Cath
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
Cream Cheese Patties
Well the weather has warmed up, and that has put salads squarely on our menu. Cream Cheese Patties go really well with salad because personally I prefer them cold (of course you can eat them hot). They’re easy to make.
Cream Cheese Patties
Ingredients:
250g cream cheese
1 cup rice
1 large onion, grated
1 large carrot, grated
1 egg
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
Olive oil for frying
Shake'n'bake
1/2 cup milk
Method:
Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 12 minutes. Dice cream cheese into 2cm cubes (this makes it easier to melt). Drain rice. Add remaining ingredients, except shake'n'bake, milk and olive oil, to the hot rice, stirring to melt the cream cheese. Take 1/4 cup of mixture, shape into a patty. Dip in milk then in shake'n'bake to coat. Let the patties rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before frying in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Can be served hot or cold.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Mystery Patties, vegetables, gravy
Tuesday: Bolognese Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Cream Cheese Patties, salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Corn Fritters & salad
In the fruit bowl: bananas, strawberries, grapes
In the cake tin: Crumb Slice, strawberry muffins
There are over 1,600 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Final Freezer Update
Welcome to the food challenge everyone.
It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted a freezer challenge update. Unfortunately we've had a fridge / freezer crisis to deal with. We purchased a new side by side fridge freezer back in May due to our 13 year side by side having problems with the door hinge ( the door could have fallen off at any time ).
Our new side by side seemed to be going well until one day I came home from shopping and went to put milk in the fridge. I noticed the freezer temperature had changed from -19 degrees to -11. Then it continued to drop to -4 over the next 48 hours. The fridge part had started freezing our food too.
Thankfully we'd been eating as much as we could out of the freezer over the previous few weeks. We had to quickly try to save as much food as possible from the freezer and move it to our other two freezers.
We had a repairman here within 48 hours after explaining our predicament to the service centre. Unfortunately we could not save all of the food due to unsafe temperatures.
There is a moral to this story. Never keep your fridge and freezers absolutely chock a block. You never know when a fridge or freezer emergency will arise and you'll need the space.
How did you go with your own freezer challenge?
Do you now have enough room for your Christmas meats?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
Looking for Ideas for Christmas - Plants as Presents.
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2602-Looking-for-Ideas-for-Christmas-Plants-as-Presents
Summer Veggies
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3644-Summer-Veggies
What do You Use for Mulch?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2667-What-do-you-use-for-mulch
Most popular blog posts this week
What does it Mean to be Frugal?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/02/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal.html
Getting a Grip on the Cost of Groceries
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/02/getting-grip-on-cost-of-groceries.html
Used versus New
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/used-versus-new.html
7. 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 sube60.
Missing in Action
Hi everyone!
Yes, I know. It's been too long between 'chats'. It's just been super crazy here with my son crook, my daughter moving, winter and it's wacky weather and my studies. But for a while, I have a few weeks break to take stock and see where I am at.
No animals now, so things are a bit cheaper in that food department. And the silver beet (eaten by the sheep earlier this year) has taken off and giving heaps from 4 pots - a big saving. Cheated and bought 8 tomato plants because of the really later killer frost we got that knocked/killed quite a few plants. Have also got a few bottle tree and quince seedlings coming up, too.
The c/c debt has actually come down really well and I think within 6 months it will be gone. Been a few really large expenses but the savings plan that is in place has really made a huge difference.
Darling daughter gave me her food supplies when she moved and that has boosted the pantry. As well, because the kids are off on a long trip we have already bought them Christmas/birthday presents as well as to each other. Only the overseas stuff to do and a very, very plain Christmas lunch and it is all done and dusted!! Yahoo.
I honestly think that food prices are really skyrocketing - I know because of the requirements of this household, our food bill will never be at the $300/month but as long as I shop frugally and cook the same then, so be it. That's life!
I do hope you are all well, living the cheapskates way and even in the face of adversity, getting there. Be blessed, take each day as it comes and if you do take two steps forward and one back, you'll get there eventually.
Have a seat, read the blogs, have a chuckle and smile!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
8. This Week's Question
Kit writes
"Myself and husband are planning to travel to Europe next year. I need lots of advice on where to go, what to take, what is the best travel card to take, what is the best travel accommodation on a budget, is train travel the best way to travel around the various countries, etc. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated."
Do you have some great Cheapskates style travel tips for Kit?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Kit, let us know. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize too.
Send your answer
9. 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
10. 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!
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!
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - Wrap It Up; Check Gift Cards; Mini Sauce Cups
3. Share Your Tips
4. On the Menu - Cream Cheese Patties
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - Final Freezer Update
6. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
7. Member's Featured Blog - Missing in Action
8. This Week's Question - We're off to Europe, advice needed
9. Ask Cath
10. Join the Cheapskates Club
11. Frequently Asked Questions
12. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Hello Cheapskaters,
I hope you're enjoy a wonderful week living the Cheapskates way. Our lifestyle choice is especially important at this time of year.
We are bombarded with lots of things that tug at our heartstrings and that's not a bad thing. What is a bad thing though is that all those tugs are designed to part us from our hard-earned money, and part us without us really being aware of what's happening until it's too late (usually sometimes in January when the bills start coming in!).
Remember to:
Stay strong.
Stick to your plan.
Stay focussed on your budgets.
Keep track of your spending.
Don't leave home without your shopping list.
If you need some inspiration, encouragement or help, it's not too late to join the Own Your Christmas challenge, there is plenty of time to catch up and enjoy a debt free, cashed up Christmas, laughing all the way to the bank.
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
Wrap It Up
A cheaper alternative to wrapping very large presents is to buy a plastic tablecloth from The Reject shop or $2 shop. Cut it to size.
Contributed by Cheryl
Check Gift Cards
I would like to encourage fellow Cheapskaters to check out-of-date gift cards before tossing them out. I had one that was well over three years old and I thought there was nothing to lose by just ringing the company to find out if they would honour it. Surprisingly enough they told me the card was still valid but I must use it soon, so off I raced with my gift card and "bought" my daughter a gorgeous new top from a store I wouldn't normally visit due to it's prices! My theory is the worst they can say is "no." If you don't ask, you won't know!
Contributed by Keren
Mini Sauce Cups
All those medicine cups you get from children's and adult medicine bottles can be reused. I save them all because my kids like the measuring spoons. The little cups are great for ketchup, mustard or any other dipping sauce you might like on your plate but on the side, just like in a restaurant.
Contributed by Stacey
Note: Tomato sauce, soy sauce, tartare sauce, mayo, sweet chilli - any sauce you want everyone to enjoy, without wasting, is perfect for adding to a mini sauce cup. Kids love them and ours would eat just about anything if it had a sauce or dressing on it. Cath
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
Cream Cheese Patties
Well the weather has warmed up, and that has put salads squarely on our menu. Cream Cheese Patties go really well with salad because personally I prefer them cold (of course you can eat them hot). They’re easy to make.
Cream Cheese Patties
Ingredients:
250g cream cheese
1 cup rice
1 large onion, grated
1 large carrot, grated
1 egg
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
Olive oil for frying
Shake'n'bake
1/2 cup milk
Method:
Cook the rice in boiling salted water for 12 minutes. Dice cream cheese into 2cm cubes (this makes it easier to melt). Drain rice. Add remaining ingredients, except shake'n'bake, milk and olive oil, to the hot rice, stirring to melt the cream cheese. Take 1/4 cup of mixture, shape into a patty. Dip in milk then in shake'n'bake to coat. Let the patties rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before frying in hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Can be served hot or cold.
This week we will be eating:
Sunday: Roast Beef
Monday: Mystery Patties, vegetables, gravy
Tuesday: Bolognese Pasta Bake
Wednesday: Cream Cheese Patties, salad
Thursday: MOO Pizza
Friday: Tacos
Saturday: Corn Fritters & salad
In the fruit bowl: bananas, strawberries, grapes
In the cake tin: Crumb Slice, strawberry muffins
There are over 1,600 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File.
5. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Final Freezer Update
Welcome to the food challenge everyone.
It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted a freezer challenge update. Unfortunately we've had a fridge / freezer crisis to deal with. We purchased a new side by side fridge freezer back in May due to our 13 year side by side having problems with the door hinge ( the door could have fallen off at any time ).
Our new side by side seemed to be going well until one day I came home from shopping and went to put milk in the fridge. I noticed the freezer temperature had changed from -19 degrees to -11. Then it continued to drop to -4 over the next 48 hours. The fridge part had started freezing our food too.
Thankfully we'd been eating as much as we could out of the freezer over the previous few weeks. We had to quickly try to save as much food as possible from the freezer and move it to our other two freezers.
We had a repairman here within 48 hours after explaining our predicament to the service centre. Unfortunately we could not save all of the food due to unsafe temperatures.
There is a moral to this story. Never keep your fridge and freezers absolutely chock a block. You never know when a fridge or freezer emergency will arise and you'll need the space.
How did you go with your own freezer challenge?
Do you now have enough room for your Christmas meats?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
The Post that Started it All
6. Cheapskates Buzz
Most popular forum posts this week
Looking for Ideas for Christmas - Plants as Presents.
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2602-Looking-for-Ideas-for-Christmas-Plants-as-Presents
Summer Veggies
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?3644-Summer-Veggies
What do You Use for Mulch?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2667-What-do-you-use-for-mulch
Most popular blog posts this week
What does it Mean to be Frugal?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/02/what-does-it-mean-to-be-frugal.html
Getting a Grip on the Cost of Groceries
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/02/getting-grip-on-cost-of-groceries.html
Used versus New
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2014/01/used-versus-new.html
7. 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 sube60.
Missing in Action
Hi everyone!
Yes, I know. It's been too long between 'chats'. It's just been super crazy here with my son crook, my daughter moving, winter and it's wacky weather and my studies. But for a while, I have a few weeks break to take stock and see where I am at.
No animals now, so things are a bit cheaper in that food department. And the silver beet (eaten by the sheep earlier this year) has taken off and giving heaps from 4 pots - a big saving. Cheated and bought 8 tomato plants because of the really later killer frost we got that knocked/killed quite a few plants. Have also got a few bottle tree and quince seedlings coming up, too.
The c/c debt has actually come down really well and I think within 6 months it will be gone. Been a few really large expenses but the savings plan that is in place has really made a huge difference.
Darling daughter gave me her food supplies when she moved and that has boosted the pantry. As well, because the kids are off on a long trip we have already bought them Christmas/birthday presents as well as to each other. Only the overseas stuff to do and a very, very plain Christmas lunch and it is all done and dusted!! Yahoo.
I honestly think that food prices are really skyrocketing - I know because of the requirements of this household, our food bill will never be at the $300/month but as long as I shop frugally and cook the same then, so be it. That's life!
I do hope you are all well, living the cheapskates way and even in the face of adversity, getting there. Be blessed, take each day as it comes and if you do take two steps forward and one back, you'll get there eventually.
Have a seat, read the blogs, have a chuckle and smile!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club Member blogs
8. This Week's Question
Kit writes
"Myself and husband are planning to travel to Europe next year. I need lots of advice on where to go, what to take, what is the best travel card to take, what is the best travel accommodation on a budget, is train travel the best way to travel around the various countries, etc. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated."
Do you have some great Cheapskates style travel tips for Kit?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Kit, let us know. We'll enter your answer into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize too.
Send your answer
9. 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
10. 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!
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!