Hello, another week has flown past already! The days just fly by in summer, there is so much to do around home.  We have had a heatwave, like just about everywhere, this past week so all the outside jobs have been piling up and we haven't been enjoying the outdoors like we usually do during the summer holidays. Today was so much cooler so we packed a picnic lunch, collected by six year old niece and went to Ruffy Lake Park for a couple of hours. The park was packed, as usual, but it's such a great place. The playground is great for the kids, the bbq and picnic facilities are brilliant and even the toilets (very important when you have kids with you) are well maintained and clean.  It was a lovely break and best of all totally free! Now the Christmas craziness is over, it's time to get back on track and one way to do that is to stop spending. That's hard to do when you are on holiday and have children who want to be entertained so free fun or at the very most, frugal fun is essential. A picnic in the park is one way of having free fun.  Parks are great for day trips. Those with playground equipment can keep youngsters entertained for hours on end. Hiking trails offer opportunities for exercise and exploration. Most parks have picnic facilities, so you can pack a lunch instead of eating out. If you choose the right park you can even take the family dog for a play. For those days that are too hot or too wet or everyone is just too tired, a Home Cinema day is ideal. Borrow a DVD or two that you haven't seen, pop some popcorn, give everyone a drink, line the chairs and lounge up cinema style, close the curtains and enjoy the movie! Everyone enjoys a good movie and watching at home isn't boring if you turn your lounge room into a cinema.  And it's a low cost treat too, less than the price of one movie ticket! We are off on holiday tomorrow, for ten days.  This means that if you email me I may not get back to you straight away. I will be checking mail each morning, so please be patient, I'll get back to you as soon as I can.  Tip of the Day and your weekly newsletter will still happen, I've made sure of that, I don't want you to miss any good money, time and energy saving tips. 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.

3

Cheapskates Tip of the Week

This week's winning tip is from Vicki Pilson. Vicki has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership valued at $29.20 for submitting her winning tip. One Chook, Three Family Meals Approximate $ Savings:     $400 approx. per year  Instead of buying my chickens already cut up, I buy a whole chicken and cut it up myself - and use the whole chook. From Safeway, for example, already cut free range chicken can cost from $9.50 (thighs) to $16.50 a kilo (breast). At Safeway, a whole free range chicken costs $6.50 a kilo ($5.49 on special), while at Aldi it can also be as low as $5.50 a kilo. I cut the breasts up whole, separate the thighs (which can be used for dishes such as bbq chicken, casseroles, curries etc, or you can remove the chicken from the bones and turn into chicken mince), the rest of the chicken I throw into a pot for stock, which is very easy to make and saves heaps (it essentially becomes free, especially if you grow your own herbs and veggies). With a good size chicken you can get up to 3 meals out of it, (for a family of 4 - primary school age kids) a huge saving. A large chicken can cost around $11, not bad for three meals. The dog also gets lucky, as he eats the chicken skin, then the leftovers of the stock (minus the bones).   Congratulations Vicki  I hope you enjoy your Cheapskates Club membership.

The Cheapskate's Club website is over 2,000 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 Tuesday, so enter your great money, time or energy saving idea now!

4

Submit a Tip

Share your favourite hint or tip that saves money, time and energy and be in the running to win a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club valued at $29.20. Remember, you have to be in it to win it! Enter your tip here

5

Money Saving Meals

No Bake Biscuits and Slices Don't worry about baking in the heat, you can still have yummy homemade treats if you make them the no-bake way. Don't be afraid to try the generic equivalents of the ingredients listed, they work just as well as the brand names. Cookie Balls Aldi have a chocolate cream biscuit that is almost a Delta Cream. At aroun half the price if you shop at Aldi, give them a try in this recipe. Ingredients: 2 packets chocolate cream biscuits (Delta Creams, Oreo style) 250g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened 500g white chocolate melts, melted Method: In a large mixing bowl, combine crushed cookies and cream cheese to form stiff dough. Roll into balls and dip with a fork in melted white chocolate. Let rest on waxed paper until set. Store in the fridge. Makes 3 dozen cookies. No Bake Jam Drops These no bake treats are really delicious. Try using half Weet-bix and half rolled oats for a nuttier treat. Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups crushed Weetbix 2 tablespoons of honey 1 cup of softened butter 1/2 cup of icing sugar Strawberry  jam Method: Mix butter, icing sugar and honey together until smooth.   Stir in the cereal thoroughly.  Place a large piece of baking paper on a flat baking dish and spoon the mixture on to the paper in small serving amounts. Lightly pat the small mounds down.  4. Add a small dollop of your favourite jam in the centre of the cookies.   Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Store in air-tight container in the fridge.  Makes approximately 3 dozen jam drops. Clinker Slice This brings back memories of childhood, clinkers were a favourite lolly with the neighbourhood kids. Ingredients: 1 pkt Clinkers 1 pkt Malt O Milk biscuits 1/2 tin condensed milk 125g butter 150g block milk chocolate Method: Crush biscuits and clinkers in food processor. Put condensed milk and butter into a small saucepan and stir over low heat until butter is melted. Pour over biscuit mixture and stir to combine. Press into a baking paper lined slice tray and refrigerate until set (minimum two hours). To make the topping melt the block of chocolate and pour over slice. Return to fridge to set. There are over 700 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File

6

Last Weeks Question

  

Last week's question was from Liz, looking for a way to clean a sticky residue off a stained timber deck. Lisa Wermenycz answered Use eucalyptus oil. It takes off sticky marks when applied with an old rag and will restore the wood with oil nicely. Try a small area and work in small patches rather than try to rush it and attempt it all. Rae Poole answered Cover the masking tape with eucalyptus - could use a spray can of eucalyptus. Put glad wrap over the sprayed area & seal the plastic - could put length of rod or similar with weight on top. The idea is to seal the eucalyptus onto tape, so it can penetrate & do its magic. I did this once with dried paint on a fine knitted jumper & it worked. I put the jumper in a plastic bag to seal it!!. It took some time but it worked. From my experience the secret was to seal the air out , thus preventing the eucalyptus from drying out, until it had softened the problem component completely. It might mean you have to repeat process, but its worth a try. Good luck.  Lynne Fimeri answered Use Shellite on a piece of rag on the masking tape and glue. Shellite is a solvent that will take off the masking tape but will also dissolve the oil. You will need to re-oil where the masking tape was. Shellite is available at hardware stores.  Lynda Golland answered My husband is a carpenter and he thought using dishwashing detergent would remove it. Try a small area first. Pamela Lambird answered Oil of any sort will loosen adhesive. If the wood is light in colour, use a clear oil like mineral oil or WD-40. And in the future when you want to provide a hopscotch area use an old carpet runner. If the carpet slips on the deck flip it over and use the backing to create the game design.

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 a question

7

This Weeks Question

Lena asks "I am having problems with the seals around the fridge and freezer doors as they don't always stay closed when the door is closed. Sometimes I find the doors ajar. I was hoping not to have to replace them. If I do have to replace them does anybody know how I can get some cheap ones? Thanks in advance ."

Do you have the answer? If you have a suggestion or idea for Lena let us know, and your answer could be published in our next newsletter. You'll also be automatically entered into our Tip of the Week competition, with a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club as the prize. Click here to send your answer

8

Join the Cheapskates Club

Join the Cheapskates Club for just  $29.20 for the first year ($18.25 to renew) 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. Join the Cheapskates Club today

9

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I change my email address? This one is easy. If you area Platinum member login and click on the Edit Profile button, then on Change Password. If you are a Silver member 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. How Did You Get on Our List? You signed up to receive our Free Newsletter at our Cheapskates Journal Web site or at the Channel 9 Money Expo. We never add names to our list unless you have voluntarily opted in.

10

Contact Details

The Cheapskates Club - Showing you how to live life debt free, cashed up and laughing! Cheapskates Club PO Box 4232 Ringwood Vic 3134 www.cheapskates.com.au info@cheapskates.com.au