The Week that Was 27th November 2016

It's been such a long while since I posted my frugal accomplishments. We have been frugal, super frugal in fact, as we've had some huge medical bills to pay. But Maree has been asking me to post again, so here is what I've accomplished in the last week to save money, time and energy.

Gratefully accepted some seedlings for the garden. My garden was non-existent, I haven't been able to get out to it so I let it go over winter and spring. Joy's gift inspired not only me but Wayne and the boys to get out and help me prepare for summer and autumn plantings.

I was jumping with joy when Wendy brought us a 5kg bag of potatoes. We've been out of potatoes for about three weeks. I gave in and bought four last week for our roast, otherwise we've been eating rice or pasta. Wayne was grinning from ear to ear when he saw the bag in the kitchen.

We had roast potatoes with our tea on Sunday night. I made potato salad for tea on Monday - 38 degrees is definitely salad weather.

Made a quadruple batch of Miracle Spray. This should last us a year. It takes about two minutes longer to make a bulk batch and I know it's done.

Went to a used stamp sale and brought home a stamp pad ($5, and it's brilliant, they normally sell for around $30 each), two sets of stamps I've been looking for and best of all four free magazines. I've already scanned the mags so I don't lose the images. They'll be great for inspiration for card making.

Made and sold a birthday card to a friend of Hannah's. $8 into my craft kitty.

Made and sold a Christmas card - $15 into my craft kitty.

Wayne used the pressure cleaner to clean the barbecue on Sunday and the job was done in about 20 minutes. So much easier. It's all spiffy now and ready to use again for the summer. We barbecue just about every night during Daylight Saving time, it really helps to keep the house cooler.

Monday was hot - 38 degrees! I was up super early to turn on the fans and close the windows, blinds and drapes and the house stayed cool.

Wednesday was AJ's birthday so he chose dinner - enchiladas. Whew! Chicken has been so cheap we've been eating lots of it, and I was sure he'd ask for a roast or silverside. I used Mountain Bread from the freezer to wrap the enchiladas and made my own sauce. Dinner for six for under $6!

Bought four packs of coffee pods from Aldi on Wednesday - 20% off. I now have enough to last me a year.

Rearranged a flower arrangement that was looking sad. Put a single red rose in our bedroom and some pretty pink dahlias in the loungeroom. Another week of enjoying these beautiful flowers.

Cooked all our meals from scratch using ingredients from the pantry, fridge and freezer.

Redirected the washing water from the rain barrel to the soaker hose on the back grass. Not a lot of grass to water, so the washing water keeps it green.

I've just MOOed a twist'n'pop Christmas card for an order, It was specific in colour and embellishment so I had to get busy with scissors and wrapping paper to create the designs for the panels.

This is the card I made as an order. While I was on a roll I made another one and it's available in my Etsy shop.

Last night I MOOed a marinade for our dinner using up a little honey, some ginger, kecap manis (hence the little honey - kecap manis is very sweet). We decided to switch around the meal plan (again!) and have honey soy chicken. I had onion, capsicum and carrot to add as veggies but it needed more so I added some peas and corn from the freezer - you should've heard the boys! Anyway I used what I had to Make Our Own and it must've been good because all the plates were clean and there wasn't any left.

And as a treat Wayne and I enjoyed lunch out today. We took a trip up into the hills and spent a lovely couple of hours together, without interruptions. It was bliss and now we are both ready for the week ahead.

What did you do to save money, time and energy this week?

Cath's Meal Plan 27/11 - 3/12/2016

This week we will be eating:

Sunday: Roast Lamb

Tuesday: Fish, wedges, salad

Wednesday: Honey Mustard Chicken, rice

Monday: Chicken pie, veggies

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: MOO meat pie, chips, gravy

Saturday: Hamburgers

I'm Raving about Coffee, Again!

I love my coffee, you all know that. And I love my Aldi coffee maker. If you want to be correct, it is an Expressi Coffee Capsule Machine. I buy the Expressi pods and enjoy my daily brew for around 57 cents a mug! Yes, a mug! And it is perfect, strong and hot and plentiful - just the way I love it.

I'm raving about coffee again because the Aldi newsletter popped into my inbox on Friday and low and behold the Express machines are on sale again as a Special Buy from this coming Wednesday, 23rd November. I know I have one, actually I have two, but that's a story for another post.

Aldi's gorgeous Limited Edition Aqua Expressi Coffee Pod Machine

The units on sale on Wednesday are just gorgeous. They really are a special buy, because they're in a stunning bright red and a really pretty aqua. It is beautiful and of course loving blues and greens as I do it really is calling my name! These are both limited editions, and at $79.99 would make a wonderful family Christmas gift (that's how I got mine originally). The pods are $5.99 a box of 16, making them 37c each. They make great Christmas presents too.

But, and this is what you'll see me stocking up on come Wednesday morning, Aldi are having the pod six pack bundles on sale again, for just $27.99 (or 29 cents a capsule). That's 20% off! And making them an even better value Christmas gift, or a super deal for stockpiling.

According the Aldi website the pod bundles  are available in Valetta, Milano, Chai Latte, Calabrese (my all-time fave) and Abruzzo (my second favourite strength).  Making my daily brew with a (bought on sale) pod and milk, in my favourite mug will cost me just 49 cents - beat that *** insert favourite coffee shop***!

These days I have just the one coffee, in the morning, before I start my day, so it needs to be good, full of flavour, strong, easy to make, mess-free and cost effective. And that's what my Expressi machine and pods are.

If you're a coffee devotee and haven't tried them, I recommend you do - and before the Special Buys are sold out.

If you're looking for an amazing gift for a coffee devotee, I can recommend the Expressi range - from the machine to the pods to the coffee syrups to the milk frother. They all make wonderful gifts, on their own or teamed with some yummy homemade biscuits (Cranberry Hootycreeks or Grandma's Shortbread come to mind).

I'll stop here, but I could keep going - I really do love my Expressi Coffee Capsule Machine and the Calabrese pods.

The Joyco Hamper

I've just watched the segment on Channel 7 news (here in Melbourne) about Christmas hampers.

I was shaking my head - surely no one really believes these hampers are saving them money or even good value?I've spent a lot of time over the years talking about hampers and how to put together one that is customised to suit your tastes and needs and the Tip Store has a whole section devoted just to hampers.

And then I remembered the Joyco Hamper. Joyofquilting is a long time Cheapskates Club member (she's also the inventor of Miracles Spray) and a few years ago she posted her template for her very own Joyco Hamper.

Joy starts her Christmas grocery shopping early in the year, buying and stockpiling non-perishables and baking supplies and she uses her very detailed hamper template.

I usually start my Christmas shopping in September and have it all finished when I do the November the shop. The bonus for me is that I buy enough to keep me out of the supermarket until it's time to do the March grocery shop the next year.  I pretty much buy six months worth of groceries over three months.

Why? Mainly because I loathe shopping in the heat and battling crowds during December and January doesn't appeal either - I want to enjoy our summer holidays.

Having the Joyco Hamper template to work off helps me to remember to include the Christmas treats on my shopping lists. Things like ham, turkey, chocolate almonds, drinks, nuts, extra dried fruits, even the bon bons and candles for the table.

And I can assure you my version of the Joyco Hamper doesn't cost anywhere $800, or even $400 a la the DIY version on the news. No siree!

I budget $120 for our hamper and it includes all of the above, plus the extra veggies, serviettes, cheeses, dips, crackers, olives, pudding and cake ingredients and so on.

Enough of my rambling, the  point of this post is to share the Joyco Hamper template with you - just click here to download your copy..

As we Cheapskaters have been known to say, "make it your own".  Use it as is or add or delete according to your needs.

And smile as you shop for your Joyco Hamper because you'll be saving an absolute bundle.

Cath's Meal Plan 2 - 8 October 2016

This week we will be eating:

Sunday: Roast Lamb

Monday: Shepherd's Pie, veggies

Tuesday: Sausages & onion gravy, mash, veggies

Wednesday: Chicken pot pie, veggies

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: Meatloaf, mash, gravy, veggies

Saturday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup

Cath's Meal Plan 25th September - 1st October 2016

An easy week of meals coming up, most of them are already done and in the freezer. All that will be needed will be to cook the veggies and heat the savoury.

I usually prep the veggies as I buy them and then put them in green bags in the fridge. They'll keep for up to two weeks like this and it only takes a few minutes on shopping day to get them done.

And with daylight saving started my cooking will be even easier - Wayne gets to barbecue during daylight saving time, pure bliss for me!

This week we will be eating:

Sunday: Roast Chicken with baked potato, sweet potato, broccoli, zucchini, carrots and gravy

Monday: Rissoles, veggies, mash, onion gravy

Tuesday: Beef casserole, sweet potato mash, green veggies

Wednesday: Chicken Chilli, corn bread

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: Soup, toasted cornbread

Saturday: Corn fritters, salad

Double Choc Scones

Double Choc Scones

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, cold
1 tbsp coconut oil, cold/firm
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Prepare baking sheet with baking paper.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. The mixture will be uniform when ready.

Use a fork or pastry blender to cut in the butter and coconut oil. The mixture will resemble crumbly lumps with no large lumps remaining. This should be done as quickly as possible so the butter and oil don’t start to melt.

Add milk to the mixture and stir gently (I use a butter knife for this) just until combined. It will look dry and crumbly and that’s okay.  Move dough from bowl to baking sheet and form a rounded loaf. Be careful not to work the dough too much because the heat from your hands will melt the fats.

Divide the loaf into 8 wedges with a floured knife. Do not cut all the way through the bottom. Stop about 1cm from the liner. Top with all of the chocolate chips and press them gently into the mounded dough.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in preheated oven until golden brown.

Revamp Jewellery and Wear It

​Approximate $ Savings: $100

I have so much costume jewellery that does not match i.e. I have necklaces that don't match earrings and bracelets and some that don't match any outfit so don't get worn at all. Work out which pieces you don't wear and why. Then you can revamp them by changing the centre pendant, removing the pendant, re-beading, etc. Swap with your friends. If you have a favourite piece, keep it in mind next time you purchase a new garment. Combine with another tip - add the details of your accessories to a notebook so when shopping you can ensure you buy something that you can use!
Contributed by Leah

Meal Plan 4 - 10 September 2016

I'm looking forward to this week's meal plan, mainly because they're all things I like. They're all easy too and very simple and cheap meals that use basic pantry ingredients.

We're having roast lamb on Sunday (and I'll get another roast dinner from it) for Father's Day. It will be studded with garlic cloves and rosemary springs, drenched in lemon juice and then slow cooked on the barbecue. I serve this lamb with roasted vegetables: potato chunks, sweet potato chunks, carrot chunks, zucchini and onion and steamed greens (broccoli this week, it was only 79c a kilo last week).

This week we will be eating:

Sunday: Roast Lamb

Monday: Swedish Meatballs, mash, cream sauce, cranberry jelly

Tuesday:  Slowcooker stroganoff, noodles, veggies

Wednesday: Chicken pie, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: Meatball Sliders

Saturday: Soup and crumpets

Buying Produce Locally and in Season is Green and Saves You Money

To combine green living with frugal living, buy your fresh produce locally while it is in-season.
Buying locally involves buying your produce from local farmers' markets, produce stands and co-ops, rather than big box supermarkets. Buying in-season involves buying the fruits and vegetables that are ripening and being harvested right now. Both strategies save you money.

Grab these benefits by buying locally:
1.Eco-friendliness. Buying locally is more eco-friendly because the produce doesn't have to be shipped or transported into your local area by plane or truck. Grocery stores obtain their produce from all over the country and world, and the long-distance transportation translates into the use of more pesticides, gas, oil, and energy.

2.Local economy. You can also stimulate the local economy by buying locally, because you're supporting local farms and farmers rather than growers all over the world. When you buy locally-grown produce, every part of the process is local. You're supporting local growers, transportation, and merchants, which boosts the economy in your city and state.

Enjoy these benefits of buying in-season produce:
1.Taste benefits. When you buy your produce in season, you won't be disappointed with the taste. Fruits, especially, only ripen properly and taste their best during the seasons in which they thrive. When you buy produce off-season, the quality of the flavor will be compromised.

2.Cost benefits. Seasonal food tends to be significantly less expensive than out-of-season produce, primarily because far less effort is required to bring you in-season produce. In the proper season, fruit can grow on its own, requiring less time and labor. This translates into the most cost-friendly produce to stock your kitchen with.

3.More variety. If you follow along with the seasons rather than shopping for the same produce over and over, then you'll enjoy a much richer and more varied collection of different vegetables and fruit. From this variety of produce, you can find new ways to experiment and enjoy new recipes.

Buying in-season, local produce is one of the greatest things you can do when shopping for your family. You can provide your family with the best tasting, most nutritious food while also saving money.

Old-Fashioned Household Products for your Spring Cleaning Project

Back before chemicals and factories were the norm, cleaning products were composed mostly of household items for a natural, pure and wholesome cleaning effect. Nowadays, with women so busy working and taking care of family, grabbing a bottle of something store bought may be easier; but women today also realise and recognise the importance of all natural cleaning products for their household as well as their families.

Although there are a host of cleaning products that are made from all natural household products that are just right for your spring cleaning project, here are a few of the cheapest and most common:

· Vinegar has many uses other than just dressing salads. For cleaning purposes, vinegar is one of the best known and best loved old-fashioned household products for cleaning and shining mirrors and glass. Measure 2 cups of water and ½ cup of white vinegar and mix in a large bucket. Grab some old newspaper, scrunch it up, and dunk the newspaper in the bucket full of mixture. Go at your windows and mirrors like there is no tomorrow. You will receive a streak-free shine every time and using newspaper offers the benefit of no leftover paper towel lint.

· Vinegar is also an old staple outside the home as well. It can be mixed with dishwashing liquid and placed in a clean, empty spray bottle so that you can spray the weeds in cracks and crevices around the outside of your house. The vinegar causes the weeds to die off and the soap assists the vinegar in adhering to the weeds.

· Pouring vinegar down the drain once a month will shine and sanitize your sink pipes.

· Bicarbonate soda has many uses and one of the most common is to deodorise your refrigerator. Place an open box of bicarb soda (small box will do) in the back of your refrigerator and this will absorb odours, giving your refrigerator a clean, fresh scent.

· Bicarb soda mixed with water and used with a scrubbing brush makes an excellent paste for scrubbing away soap scum from your tub and tiles.

· You can also add lavender sprigs or lemon oil as well as dishwashing liquid to bicarb soda to create a nice smelling, all-purpose cleaner. Always spot test an area before using anything, whether store bought or naturally made, on fabrics, carpets, clothing and painted surfaces.

· Placing bicarb soda in a burnt pot or pan with water and bringing to a boil can assist in dissolving burnt on food.

While vinegar, bicarb soda, lemons and sprigs of lavender are earth friendly and non-toxic, they also add the additional benefit of being cost effective.

Being able to save money while saving the planet by using these items is a win/win situation for your home, family, the environment, and your purse as well.

Short notice I know but I'm talking to Christine Anu tonight at 8:10pm

I'm about to talk to Christine Anu (Evenings with Christine Anu) on ABC 702 (Sydney) tonight at 8:10pm.

We'll be talking about stress and money and the relationship between money and stress - something I think we've all experienced at some point in our lives.

Tune in if you can get 702, or listen live on your computer/mobile device   http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/programs/listenlive.htm

Mega Grocery Savings by Savvy Shopping

Cheapskates Members know how to shop. They know how to find a bargain: the stores to frequent, the time to be there and which items to concentrate on.

These savvy shoppers are so tuned into getting a grocery bargain that they even know the time of day different items are marked down! And they make sure they are there to snap up the best deals.

There are some simple guidelines that will help you with your mark-down bargain grocery shopping, ensuring you’ll always get a good deal.

1. Know the regular price of the item
2. Check to see if it’s on your shopping list. If it isn’t, is the item something you use regularly?
3. Will you be able to use it before the Use By date?
4. If not, do you have the capability to freeze it, store it, dehydrate it, bottle it?
5. Will you be able to use it within a reasonable period of time? There’s no point in storing 15 cans of furniture polish if you only polish your furniture once a year!

Here’s some advice from Cheapskates Club Members:

Double Up 

When doing your grocery shop, for the week/fortnight. Double up on a staple, such as tea or sugar. Put them in a separate place, and in a couple of months, you will have nearly a whole shopping list of staples. I usually treat myself, with the savings, to something special. I also do the same thing with specials if I can afford to.
Contributed by Josie

Easy Ways to Cut Down on Your Grocery Bills 

Make sure you take a good look at your weekly supermarket catalogues before you head to the supermarket. This way you can save lots on washing powder, toilet rolls etc. If you need to buy nappies or wipes also keep an eye out in the catalogues (supermarket, Target, Kmart, Big W). I have compared just about every price in Sydney for nappies and wipes and I find the cheapest time to buy them is when Kmart have 15% off storewide or Woolworths have Huggies Bulk Box Nappies on special for $29.99. Also for meat talk to your Butchery Dept at your supermarket and find out when they reduce their meat (when it only has a few days left on the expiry date). The meat is still fine, and you just have to put it into the freezer. For fruit and veggies take a trip to your Asian greengrocer - they have a fantastic variety and are much cheaper (if in Sydney try Cabramatta) Hope this helps.
Contributed by Olivia

Freeing Up Cash

Today's Tip of the Day is one after my own heart. When Disaster Struck the first thing we did was switch to a cash budget using the envelope system. In those day's I'd go to the bank every second Thursday and withdraw the cash we needed for the next two weeks. I'd have to go into the bank because I wanted the right change for each envelope. The night before banking day I'd sit down with the budget and work out exactly how much I needed to withdraw and the currency needed.

Then, when I finally made it home, I'd sit down at the kitchen table with a cuppa and sort the money into the envelopes. Those envelopes lived in a drawer in our bedroom. When I needed grocery money I'd take what it from the grocery envelope, petrol came from the petrol envelope and so on.

It may be old fashioned but it works and it is a great way to control your money and your spending.

Freeing Up Cash

When I started out seriously budgeting, we had 2 school aged children, credit card bills, mortgage, car payments as well as everyday living. We both work full time and weren't getting anywhere fast or had any spare cash so I set up an envelope system for my bills I split it all up into fortnightly amount (that's when we get paid) and started putting the money away. For the first twelve months it was hard but if you persevere it will get easier. I now can make double payments on the house, have cleared the car payment, credit card bills, have just sent my husband to Germany for a holiday with his family and have spare money in the bank. I have never felt more in control of our money than I do now. Our children don't miss out on anything and now our son works he realises the value of money and saves his up. He has already purchased a car for when he gets his license.
​Contributed by Presley Dostal

In-a-Hurry Vegetarian Lasagne

This lasagne is so quick to put together, it's perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, and so very tasty that no-one will even notice that there's no meat! Serve it with a big green salad and garlic bread for a really delicious meal.  You'll have everyone  coming back for seconds.

In a Hurry Vegetarian Lasagne

Ingredients:
6 large lasagne noodles
1 jar of tomato based pasta sauce
200g low fat cottage cheese
2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp of dried parsley

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.  In the bottom of a 22cm x 33cm baking dish place 3 uncooked noodles. Spread half the pasta sauce over the noodles and then carefully spread  all the cottage cheese on top of the pasta sauce. Top with 1 cup of the grated cheese. Repeat, ending with grated cheese. Sprinkle on parsley. Cover tightly with foil and put into a pre-heated oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook a further 10 - 15 minutes until the cheese begins to brown.

I Made My Own Rubit Scrubit and Saved!

​
I was looking at these little gadgets at the Papercraft Expo over the weekend. No, I didn't buy one. I use wet wipes to clean my stamps (and I clean them each time I use them so they don't stain). I don't have a lot of stamps, but the ones I have get a lot of use so I may well try Veronika's idea out. I just need to hunt through the house to find a case to keep it in (I have a stash of microfibre cloths I can use)!

I Made My Own Rubit Scrubit and Saved!

Approximate $ Savings: $26

As an avid stamper my rubit scrubit (stamp cleaning pad) was getting very tattered and wasn't doing the job. A friends sister-in-law has just joined a stamping party plan, and was keen to show off all her goodies (and maybe book a party or two!). I really loved the stamp cleaning device they had, a swish black case with microfibre cleaning power. But at $30, I thought I could do with my old pad a little longer. Back at home, the brain started ticking over, and I found my tin of watercolour pencils, and emptied them into another container (recycled of course) and when we went shopping purchased 2 cheap microfibre cloths for my tin - I had to trim the cloth to it and glue it to the tin and found instead of being one cloth, it was folded over and hemmed, giving me two cloths for the price of one! As well as a spare! I now have a very effective stamp cleaner, the only compromise is it's a coloured cloth, not a black one, so you can see the ink when it comes off the stamp, but with a saving of $26, I think I can live with that!
Contributed by Veronika

Meal Plan 28 August - 3 September 2016

Perfect scrambled eggs on toast - great for breakfast or a quick dinner

Sunday: Roast Chicken

Monday: Chicken nachos

Tuesday: Stir-fried vegetables & Singapore noodles

Wednesday: Sweet Chilli Pasta Bake

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: Apricot Chicken, mash, veggies

Saturday: Scrambled Eggs on toast

Meal Plan 21 - 27 August 2016

Tandoori Chicken and crunchy coleslaw

Sunday: Roast Beef

Monday: Tandoori chicken, rice, salad

Tuesday: Satay chicken & fried rice

Wednesday: Black bean and corn enchiladas

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: Pizza Pockets

Saturday: Toasted sandwiches & tomato soup

The Week that Was 14th August

It has been a very frugal week here,  I spent $23 on Thursday to buy milk, cheese, eggs and some fruit and salad veggies and that was the total money spent this week.

Swapped the meal plan around. Used chicken from the freezer and the veggies were in the fridge and the rice was in the pantry so no additional.

Cooked some rhubarb. Hannah made an apple and rhubarb crumble and put some in a container to have with breakfast and froze two tubs for more crumbles or breakfasts.

Made a batch of MOO yoghurt. Flavoured it with a tin of passionfruit pulp from the pantry. It had been there a while and needed to be used. Yum!

Topped my car up when petrol was 101.07c/litre. I drove past my usual petrol station to one about a kilometre further down the road, same brand, but 30 cents a litre cheaper.

Made sure I used my membership card to get 15% off prescriptions this week.

Used some biscuit crumbs from the freezer to make a base for a slice. I empty the biscuit jar into a Tupperware container in the freezer before washing and refilling. It takes a while to get enough crumbs to make a slice but I'm not buying biscuits just to crush them for a slice.

Pulled the buttons of some old work shirts of Wayne's and added them to the button jar before cutting the shirts into rags for the shed.

Hannah gave both her brothers haircuts. This didn't really save me any money but it saved AJ and Tom $30 each.

Cut up a whole pumpkin from our stockpile and made soup. I'd been thinking about it for a couple of days and when I picked it up I noticed it was starting to go soft around the stalk - good timing and delicious soup.

Dried the washing outside on one day, by the fire the other days.

Kept the thermostat set at 15 degrees, so the ducted heating stayed off  most days. The fire was enough to keep the house warm.

What did you do to save money, time and energy this week?

Meal Plan 14 - 20 August 2016

Cottage Pie - perfect comfort food and a great way to use up a little bit of mince

Sunday: Roast Chicken

Monday: Sausage casserole, mashed potato, steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Cottage Pie

Wednesday: MOO meat pie, mash, veggies

Thursday: MOO Pizza

Friday: Chicken stir-fry and rice

Saturday: Enchiladas