Your Cheapskates Club Newsletter: 47:14 Bright ideas to save you money
1. Cath's Corner
2. In the Tip Store - A Very Cheap Hairstyle that Looks Great, Tablecloth Holders, A Saucy Solution for Spot Weed Application
3. Submit Your Tip
4. Living Green in 2014 - How to Make Your Christmas Dinner A Little More "Green" Part 1
5. On the Menu with Anne - Easiest Christmas Biscuits
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - y
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog -I Get to Menu Plan!!
9. Last Week's Question - How can this family of six cut their grocery bill?
10. This Week's Question - Any ideas for DIY Weight Watchers meals?
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Gift Memberships
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Welcome to another Bright Ideas to Save You Money newsletter. This is newsletter number 47 for 2014 - there are only newsletters left for this year! Where have those 47 weeks gone? I'm sure time is flying by. Even my vegetable garden is showing signs of racing ahead.
It seems like just overnight the tomatoes have gone from spindly sticks to tall, bushes with hundreds of flowers on them. What I thought were baby Cos lettuce have turned into enormous specimens. The bush beans are groaning under the weight of beans with plenty of flowers left. Even the capsicum, which are notoriously slow to grow are flowering and have tiny buds on them. And the fruit trees! If every little orange, lemon and mandarin grows we'll be in fruit heaven for months. I've been picking about 500 grams of strawberries every morning. What we haven't been eating has been made into jars of yummy strawberry jam, some to keep and some to include in the Christmas hampers. How is your garden growing? I'd love to know if you're having the same bolting in your garden.
It's just five weeks until Christmas and to help with your Christmas shopping I have reduced the price of my first book, Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing to just $7 per signed copy plus postage and handling. There are a limited number at this price so sales are limited to five copies per order. Go to the Book Storeto place your order, but hurry, there really are just 200 copies available at this price and once they are gone the price goes back to $19.95.
I'll be away next week, so please be patient if you're waiting for a reply to a Contact Us. I won't always have internet access but I'll do my best to answer your queries as quickly as I can.
Have a great week everyone.
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
PPS: You can read this newsletter and past copies on the website in the Newsletter Archive.
2. From The Tip Store
A Very Cheap Hairstyle that Looks Great
Approximate $ Savings: $300
I love to get my hair spiral perm but being on a very tight budget I couldn't afford $350 to get it done so I called our local TAFE that teaches hairdressing. They are always in need of a model to practice on. The students do the work but they are very closely monitored by professional hair dressers. My hair was checked every step of the way and at the end it was the best style I've ever had. It only cost me $35.00. They also do cuts, blow waves colour and any other hairstyle you can think of. Now I have beautiful hair at a fraction of the cost.
Contributed by Jean Dening
Tablecloth Holders
We use shower curtain hooks, the ones that click into each other, that we use to keep the tablecloth in place. If your tablecloth is slipping or blowing up just slip a hook over the edge of the table and push right in to hold the cloth in place.
Contributed by Lynette Stewart
A Saucy Solution for Spot Weed Application
I make the moo weed killer and found it difficult to spray certain areas. So I washed an empty plastic tomato sauce bottle with the screw lid, filled with weed killer and now I can localise the weed I want without damaging other plants. Contributed by Anna Thompso
There are more than 11,000 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. Living Green in 2014
How to Make Your Christmas Dinner A Little More "Green" Part 1
When it comes to Christmas day, our meal really is the main event, when we allow ourselves to indulge a little more than we would at any other time of year. Unfortunately, this often leaves a huge amount of waste, and the food we eat is less than ideal for the environment. Here are a few tips on making your Christmas dinner more eco-friendly.
Buy Organic
If you don’t buy organic, then the chances are that the bird you eat will have been raised in intensive factory farms that are not only bad for the animals, but also bad for the environment.
Instead, opt for an organic turkey this year. This may be a more expensive option, but it’ll be far healthier for you and for our planet. If you want to save money then buy directly from a local farmer, buy a smaller bird or perhaps a portion that is just big enough for the number of people you are serving. And remember - the drinks you serve can be organic too!
Buy Local and Seasonal Produce
Buying local is a great way to support your local area. You’ll be keeping money in the hands of small time farmers, instead of the major corporations, and you’ll help to boost jobs where you live. Buying local means that you won’t be buying food that’s travelled miles over the world to reach your table. Out of season vegetables often have to be flown in from countries with a different climate, which does nothing to help your carbon footprint. Seasonal and local really are the way to go.
5. On the Menu with Anne
Easiest Christmas Biscuits
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups SR flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red and green sugar sprinkles
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Sift the flour into the bowl.
Put the remaining ingredients into a separate bowl and whisk together until combined well.
Add this wet mixture to the flour and stir together until blended well and dough forms.
Drop the biscuit dough by the tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Put in preheated oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with red and green sugar sprinkles.
Let rest for 5 minutes, then slide onto cooling rack.
Yields about 2 to 3 dozen cookies depending on size.
Choose other sprinkle colours for different holidays.
Add 3 tablespoons cocoa to the flour for chocolate biscuits.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Fish and chips
Saturday: Curried chicken and rice
Sunday: Roast lamb, baked vegetables
Monday: Tuna mornay and salad
Tuesday: Spaghetti bolognaise, salad, cheesy toast
Wednesday: Chicken schnitzels, wedges, salad
Thursday: BBQ sausages, salad
In the fruit bowl: bananas, mandarins, apples
In the cake tin: Choc chip biscuits, blueberry muffins, raspberry and white chocolate muffins
There are over 1,400 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Hi everyone.
The Christmas season is almost upon us. Our calendar is starting to fill up with parties, family gatherings, outings and extended work hours. Each year I make it my mission to start cooking extra meals in November to put in the freezer. It gives me peace of mind for when we have a busy day and takeaway seems like the easy option. Generally we are too tired to even go out and get takeaway.
I'm able to have extra meals by doing two things. Firstly I always freeze any leftovers straight after we have finished eating. Dinner that night. These single serves come in handy when one of us is away from the house over tea time. We can either take the meal with us to heat up or get it out of the freezer when we come home.
Secondly I plan a day when I make lots of meals for the four of us for the freezer. This is quite easy to do. If I want to cook spag bol I just quadruple the recipe and cook it all at the same time. I use lots of takeaway containers that were given to us to store the food in the freezer. Each container is labelled with masking tape. I always name the food, date it and specify how many portions.
Here are some ideas of food that freezes well and is quick and easy to heat up -
* Meatloaf
* Spag bol sauce
* Meat pies - small or family sized
* Chop suey
* Beef or lamb stew
* Chicken curry
* Fried rice
* Salmon patties
* Sausage rolls
* Quiches made in a muffin tin
* Soups - vegetable and chunky
It's also handy to have some baking in the freezer for when you are asked to bring a plate to a function. Muffins (big and mini), chocolate brownies, cakes and slices freeze well. I also have lots of cookie dough in the freezer for when visitors drop in. This can be defrosted in the microwave in an emergency and baked within 10 - 15 minutes.
Before your social life gets too busy, will you be planning ahead?
How do you prepare for this time of the year?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?24-Take-up-the-challenge-!!!!
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
7. Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Gratitude Journal
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2404-Gratitude-Journal
Savings v Bills
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2681-savings-vs-bills
Is Anyone Trying Any New Recipes for Christmas?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2238-Is-anyone-trying-any-new-recipes-for-Christmas.
Most popular blog posts this week
How Much are You Saving Per Hour?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/02/how-much-are-you-saving-per-hour.html
Sensational, Simple Homemade Pasta Sauce
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/07/sensational-simple-homemade-pasta-sauce.html
How to Avoid Impulse Spending
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/12/how-to-avoid-impulse-spending.html
8. Member's 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 mumof2.
I Get to Menu Plan!!
Well I have spoken to hubby and he is going to let me try menu planning, so I am getting excited, I won't start it till December as i need to find some recipes we all like, write up a shopping list etc. so I am going to read through Cath's books and through the site for recipes that we can freeze...so going to be interesting...hopefully the girls and hubby will help out with all the prep, cooking etc. so I don't have to do it all...well only time will tell and maybe we can even save money....I know the first shop will be a little bigger as I just went through the pantry and removed all the outdated foods, staple goods etc. but I am going to do my best at trying to save money and with the extra I would like to stock up our cupboards a bit in the first couple months, all our toiletries etc. are really low or non-existent which is really strange for us but just haven't stayed on top of it due to health!
I also haven't done our Christmas shopping list yet I am so far behind this year....but going to be a quiet Christmas this year so that is okay...really need that...next year's Christmas i am already planning as we will be flying my hubby's grandsons over here from the states so a bit excited about that….haven't seen them in 10 years...so going to make it special for them.
Well I have lots of recipes to print out and menus to write and shopping lists to compile so wish me luck it's going to be a busy week.
Oh and if anyone has any really great summer recipes that I should try then please let me know...I need all the inspiration I can get!!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Matt who wrote
"As a family of six living in a country area, we're moving toward eating more fresh fruit, vegetables, and nuts, meat/eggs diet with no grains, sugar or processed food. We have a large veggie patch and chooks and are trying to find ways to keep our grocery bills down but we can't seem to spend less than $250 a week on groceries. We need some help - any ideas?"
Maree answered
I'm currently achieving this at under $25 a week per person. I also need to avoid gluten so it's potatoes and rice to bulk up meals. Learn to cook cheap meat cuts as well as offal, as it'll be both cheap and highly nutritious. For fish, we go for a drive to our favourite fishing spots and try and catch some, which often turns out to be a bumper day! Tip: have good freezer space. We live in suburbia, so we can only grow limited amounts of fruit suitable for our region but I only buy in season produce, when it's a great price. Herbs are fresh picked from the garden for favouring. We've recently installed a bee hive, so hope to be enjoying our own honey soon (note: honey isn't suitable for infants). Other groceries should be minimal in cost... bleach bicarb and detergent for cleaning, soap and sorbolene/cold cream for personal care, washing powder and that's about it. Keep it simple and imagine you are shopping back the mid-20th century, when they only had the basics. It does mean effort around planning, cookie and elbow grease, but it sure is a lot healthier and seriously cheaper. Oh, and be careful about nut snacks, they're expensive and are treated as special occasion foods. Final tip, use plenty of butter in cooking... it's cheap and makes any food or veggie taste amazing!
Sue Schouten answered
Firstly I would categorize where your money is going, meat, fruit, cleaning products etc. Then you will be in a better position to see where changes can be made. If you have a freezer then go direct to the grower and buy half a cow, a whole sheep etc.- it is much cheaper that way. Also can you buy more things in bulk (onions, flour etc.) Can you make your own cleaning products? Do you plan meals? Just a few ideas. We don't do the food challenge ourselves, mainly because I insist most of what we eat is organic and that doesn't come cheap. We do grow what we can, have chickens and I don't shop in supermarkets except for loo rolls etc. We have, however, reduced our food bill by several hundred dollars a month, by shopping less and devoting a little more time to the veggie garden, making do with what we have and eating what is in season.
Sharon answered
Hi Matt. Know your pain. I live rural too. I joined our local co-op and they offer 7.5% discount on groceries. Even after buying the required shares it only took 6 months to recoup this. They let me buy in bulk too. Cost is then their cost plus 15%. As shelf items are cost plus 30% so I save 7.5% more again. I do need to work with their ordering dates and delivery as their storage area is limited. I buy flour in 10 kilo bags at the greengrocer (Betros Bros) as well as the bulk bag of sugar. I unfortunately have no veggie patch this year due to drought but have been freezing seasonal produce where I can. Beans are about $3 a kilo and the frozen product over $5 a kilo so saving a bit there too.
Do you have a question that needs an answer?
Send us your question and receive the combined knowledge of your fellow Cheapskates to solve your problem!
Ask Your Question
10. This Week's Question
Olivia writes
"Hi I'm 70 years old, on an aged pension and would like to do weight watchers. Their food, while interesting, can be a little pricey using specific ingredients, often only once in a blue moon. While I don't want to be living on sausages or mince I do have to watch every dollar. I enjoy cooking and baking. Any help would be appreciated."
Do you have the answer?
If you have a suggestion or idea for Olivia 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
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
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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!
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14. Contact Details
The Cheapskates Club -
Showing you how to live life
debt free, cashed up and laughing!
PO Box 5077 Studfield Vic 3152
www.cheapskates.com.au
[email protected]
2. In the Tip Store - A Very Cheap Hairstyle that Looks Great, Tablecloth Holders, A Saucy Solution for Spot Weed Application
3. Submit Your Tip
4. Living Green in 2014 - How to Make Your Christmas Dinner A Little More "Green" Part 1
5. On the Menu with Anne - Easiest Christmas Biscuits
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy - y
7. Cheapskates Buzz - Cheapskaters are talking in the Forum and on Cath's blog
8. Member's Featured Blog -I Get to Menu Plan!!
9. Last Week's Question - How can this family of six cut their grocery bill?
10. This Week's Question - Any ideas for DIY Weight Watchers meals?
11. Join the Cheapskates Club
12. Gift Memberships
13. Frequently Asked Questions
14. Contact Details
1. Cath's Corner
Welcome to another Bright Ideas to Save You Money newsletter. This is newsletter number 47 for 2014 - there are only newsletters left for this year! Where have those 47 weeks gone? I'm sure time is flying by. Even my vegetable garden is showing signs of racing ahead.
It seems like just overnight the tomatoes have gone from spindly sticks to tall, bushes with hundreds of flowers on them. What I thought were baby Cos lettuce have turned into enormous specimens. The bush beans are groaning under the weight of beans with plenty of flowers left. Even the capsicum, which are notoriously slow to grow are flowering and have tiny buds on them. And the fruit trees! If every little orange, lemon and mandarin grows we'll be in fruit heaven for months. I've been picking about 500 grams of strawberries every morning. What we haven't been eating has been made into jars of yummy strawberry jam, some to keep and some to include in the Christmas hampers. How is your garden growing? I'd love to know if you're having the same bolting in your garden.
It's just five weeks until Christmas and to help with your Christmas shopping I have reduced the price of my first book, Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing to just $7 per signed copy plus postage and handling. There are a limited number at this price so sales are limited to five copies per order. Go to the Book Storeto place your order, but hurry, there really are just 200 copies available at this price and once they are gone the price goes back to $19.95.
I'll be away next week, so please be patient if you're waiting for a reply to a Contact Us. I won't always have internet access but I'll do my best to answer your queries as quickly as I can.
Have a great week everyone.
PS: Love our site? We love referrals! Send a note to your favourite newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, friends and relatives, and tell them about us!
PPS: You can read this newsletter and past copies on the website in the Newsletter Archive.
2. From The Tip Store
A Very Cheap Hairstyle that Looks Great
Approximate $ Savings: $300
I love to get my hair spiral perm but being on a very tight budget I couldn't afford $350 to get it done so I called our local TAFE that teaches hairdressing. They are always in need of a model to practice on. The students do the work but they are very closely monitored by professional hair dressers. My hair was checked every step of the way and at the end it was the best style I've ever had. It only cost me $35.00. They also do cuts, blow waves colour and any other hairstyle you can think of. Now I have beautiful hair at a fraction of the cost.
Contributed by Jean Dening
Tablecloth Holders
We use shower curtain hooks, the ones that click into each other, that we use to keep the tablecloth in place. If your tablecloth is slipping or blowing up just slip a hook over the edge of the table and push right in to hold the cloth in place.
Contributed by Lynette Stewart
A Saucy Solution for Spot Weed Application
I make the moo weed killer and found it difficult to spray certain areas. So I washed an empty plastic tomato sauce bottle with the screw lid, filled with weed killer and now I can localise the weed I want without damaging other plants. Contributed by Anna Thompso
There are more than 11,000 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. Living Green in 2014
How to Make Your Christmas Dinner A Little More "Green" Part 1
When it comes to Christmas day, our meal really is the main event, when we allow ourselves to indulge a little more than we would at any other time of year. Unfortunately, this often leaves a huge amount of waste, and the food we eat is less than ideal for the environment. Here are a few tips on making your Christmas dinner more eco-friendly.
Buy Organic
If you don’t buy organic, then the chances are that the bird you eat will have been raised in intensive factory farms that are not only bad for the animals, but also bad for the environment.
Instead, opt for an organic turkey this year. This may be a more expensive option, but it’ll be far healthier for you and for our planet. If you want to save money then buy directly from a local farmer, buy a smaller bird or perhaps a portion that is just big enough for the number of people you are serving. And remember - the drinks you serve can be organic too!
Buy Local and Seasonal Produce
Buying local is a great way to support your local area. You’ll be keeping money in the hands of small time farmers, instead of the major corporations, and you’ll help to boost jobs where you live. Buying local means that you won’t be buying food that’s travelled miles over the world to reach your table. Out of season vegetables often have to be flown in from countries with a different climate, which does nothing to help your carbon footprint. Seasonal and local really are the way to go.
5. On the Menu with Anne
Easiest Christmas Biscuits
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups SR flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Red and green sugar sprinkles
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Sift the flour into the bowl.
Put the remaining ingredients into a separate bowl and whisk together until combined well.
Add this wet mixture to the flour and stir together until blended well and dough forms.
Drop the biscuit dough by the tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Put in preheated oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until light golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with red and green sugar sprinkles.
Let rest for 5 minutes, then slide onto cooling rack.
Yields about 2 to 3 dozen cookies depending on size.
Choose other sprinkle colours for different holidays.
Add 3 tablespoons cocoa to the flour for chocolate biscuits.
This week we will be eating:
Friday: Fish and chips
Saturday: Curried chicken and rice
Sunday: Roast lamb, baked vegetables
Monday: Tuna mornay and salad
Tuesday: Spaghetti bolognaise, salad, cheesy toast
Wednesday: Chicken schnitzels, wedges, salad
Thursday: BBQ sausages, salad
In the fruit bowl: bananas, mandarins, apples
In the cake tin: Choc chip biscuits, blueberry muffins, raspberry and white chocolate muffins
There are over 1,400 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File
6. The $300 a Month Food Challenge with Wendy
Hi everyone.
The Christmas season is almost upon us. Our calendar is starting to fill up with parties, family gatherings, outings and extended work hours. Each year I make it my mission to start cooking extra meals in November to put in the freezer. It gives me peace of mind for when we have a busy day and takeaway seems like the easy option. Generally we are too tired to even go out and get takeaway.
I'm able to have extra meals by doing two things. Firstly I always freeze any leftovers straight after we have finished eating. Dinner that night. These single serves come in handy when one of us is away from the house over tea time. We can either take the meal with us to heat up or get it out of the freezer when we come home.
Secondly I plan a day when I make lots of meals for the four of us for the freezer. This is quite easy to do. If I want to cook spag bol I just quadruple the recipe and cook it all at the same time. I use lots of takeaway containers that were given to us to store the food in the freezer. Each container is labelled with masking tape. I always name the food, date it and specify how many portions.
Here are some ideas of food that freezes well and is quick and easy to heat up -
* Meatloaf
* Spag bol sauce
* Meat pies - small or family sized
* Chop suey
* Beef or lamb stew
* Chicken curry
* Fried rice
* Salmon patties
* Sausage rolls
* Quiches made in a muffin tin
* Soups - vegetable and chunky
It's also handy to have some baking in the freezer for when you are asked to bring a plate to a function. Muffins (big and mini), chocolate brownies, cakes and slices freeze well. I also have lots of cookie dough in the freezer for when visitors drop in. This can be defrosted in the microwave in an emergency and baked within 10 - 15 minutes.
Before your social life gets too busy, will you be planning ahead?
How do you prepare for this time of the year?
Have a great week and BE ENCOURAGED!!!!!
The $300 a Month Food Challenge
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?24-Take-up-the-challenge-!!!!
The Post that Started it All
http://www.cheapskates.com.au/pages/default.cfm?page_id=44265
7. Cheapskates Buzz
This week's hot forum topics
Gratitude Journal
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2404-Gratitude-Journal
Savings v Bills
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2681-savings-vs-bills
Is Anyone Trying Any New Recipes for Christmas?
http://www.cheapskatesclub.com.au/memberforum/showthread.php?2238-Is-anyone-trying-any-new-recipes-for-Christmas.
Most popular blog posts this week
How Much are You Saving Per Hour?
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/02/how-much-are-you-saving-per-hour.html
Sensational, Simple Homemade Pasta Sauce
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/07/sensational-simple-homemade-pasta-sauce.html
How to Avoid Impulse Spending
http://www.debtfreecashedupandlaughing.com.au/2012/12/how-to-avoid-impulse-spending.html
8. Member's 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 mumof2.
I Get to Menu Plan!!
Well I have spoken to hubby and he is going to let me try menu planning, so I am getting excited, I won't start it till December as i need to find some recipes we all like, write up a shopping list etc. so I am going to read through Cath's books and through the site for recipes that we can freeze...so going to be interesting...hopefully the girls and hubby will help out with all the prep, cooking etc. so I don't have to do it all...well only time will tell and maybe we can even save money....I know the first shop will be a little bigger as I just went through the pantry and removed all the outdated foods, staple goods etc. but I am going to do my best at trying to save money and with the extra I would like to stock up our cupboards a bit in the first couple months, all our toiletries etc. are really low or non-existent which is really strange for us but just haven't stayed on top of it due to health!
I also haven't done our Christmas shopping list yet I am so far behind this year....but going to be a quiet Christmas this year so that is okay...really need that...next year's Christmas i am already planning as we will be flying my hubby's grandsons over here from the states so a bit excited about that….haven't seen them in 10 years...so going to make it special for them.
Well I have lots of recipes to print out and menus to write and shopping lists to compile so wish me luck it's going to be a busy week.
Oh and if anyone has any really great summer recipes that I should try then please let me know...I need all the inspiration I can get!!
Login to read more Cheapskates Club member blogs
9. Last Week's Question
Last week's question was from Matt who wrote
"As a family of six living in a country area, we're moving toward eating more fresh fruit, vegetables, and nuts, meat/eggs diet with no grains, sugar or processed food. We have a large veggie patch and chooks and are trying to find ways to keep our grocery bills down but we can't seem to spend less than $250 a week on groceries. We need some help - any ideas?"
Maree answered
I'm currently achieving this at under $25 a week per person. I also need to avoid gluten so it's potatoes and rice to bulk up meals. Learn to cook cheap meat cuts as well as offal, as it'll be both cheap and highly nutritious. For fish, we go for a drive to our favourite fishing spots and try and catch some, which often turns out to be a bumper day! Tip: have good freezer space. We live in suburbia, so we can only grow limited amounts of fruit suitable for our region but I only buy in season produce, when it's a great price. Herbs are fresh picked from the garden for favouring. We've recently installed a bee hive, so hope to be enjoying our own honey soon (note: honey isn't suitable for infants). Other groceries should be minimal in cost... bleach bicarb and detergent for cleaning, soap and sorbolene/cold cream for personal care, washing powder and that's about it. Keep it simple and imagine you are shopping back the mid-20th century, when they only had the basics. It does mean effort around planning, cookie and elbow grease, but it sure is a lot healthier and seriously cheaper. Oh, and be careful about nut snacks, they're expensive and are treated as special occasion foods. Final tip, use plenty of butter in cooking... it's cheap and makes any food or veggie taste amazing!
Sue Schouten answered
Firstly I would categorize where your money is going, meat, fruit, cleaning products etc. Then you will be in a better position to see where changes can be made. If you have a freezer then go direct to the grower and buy half a cow, a whole sheep etc.- it is much cheaper that way. Also can you buy more things in bulk (onions, flour etc.) Can you make your own cleaning products? Do you plan meals? Just a few ideas. We don't do the food challenge ourselves, mainly because I insist most of what we eat is organic and that doesn't come cheap. We do grow what we can, have chickens and I don't shop in supermarkets except for loo rolls etc. We have, however, reduced our food bill by several hundred dollars a month, by shopping less and devoting a little more time to the veggie garden, making do with what we have and eating what is in season.
Sharon answered
Hi Matt. Know your pain. I live rural too. I joined our local co-op and they offer 7.5% discount on groceries. Even after buying the required shares it only took 6 months to recoup this. They let me buy in bulk too. Cost is then their cost plus 15%. As shelf items are cost plus 30% so I save 7.5% more again. I do need to work with their ordering dates and delivery as their storage area is limited. I buy flour in 10 kilo bags at the greengrocer (Betros Bros) as well as the bulk bag of sugar. I unfortunately have no veggie patch this year due to drought but have been freezing seasonal produce where I can. Beans are about $3 a kilo and the frozen product over $5 a kilo so saving a bit there too.
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