Hello Cheapskaters, Welcome to the Cheapskates Club newsletter. This is number ten for the year - already in double digits. I know it's clichéd but time really is flying by. We had a long weekend here in Victoria this past weekend and boy was it a doozy. I am sure that by now you have all heard of the amazing and absolutely terrifying hailstorm that struck Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.  We have some damage, a few broken tiles, wet ceilings and carpet and a real mess in the garden but compared to what some have suffered it's nothing. I was listening to a lady on the radio on Monday, almost 48 hours after the storm and there was still ice in the hail nets over her orchards! The storm knocked lots of figs off the tree, which meant more jam making. I love fig jam and usually manage to make about thirty 500ml jars each year and still have fresh figs to share. It's so easy to make, and so nice on bread with cream or on hot toast for breakfast.  Last Saturday's storm finished off the figs for this year and as fresh figs don't keep very well it was a jam making session straight away.  The result is another 6 jars of jam for the pantry. Yum. The recipe I use was my great-grandma's. She taught my grandmother and my mother and of course mum passed it on to me. Hannah wrote out the instructions while we were waiting for the jam to cook. That's five generations of women who have all used the same recipe. I guess that's what you call a genuine old family recipe :) If you'd like to try it, I have included it in On the Menu this week. Here are a few of the emails I've had this week: "I really enjoy the Cheapskates website and the great work that you all are doing, well done :)"  Tania :) "The Cheapskates website is excellent and a real help for us struggling on a low single income. All the best."  Yun Si :) "Many thanks for the fantastic work you do. I just wanted to let you know I read a tip about selling your own home in the latest newsletter  (09:10)and followed it up (neiljenman.com.au).  I had a phone call the next day offering to send me their free information book (I had requested they email me a copy but they said the hard copy would be good to keep).  They said they would help us if we needed it and were only a free phone call away.  Not only will it save us a lot of money, but I think it will be a rewarding experience.  Good luck and keep up the good work - you are helping a lot of people out there!"  Hazel Payne "For years I have prayed to be frugal yet generous with the little I have. I read your book Debt Free Cashed Up and Laughing and applied many of its principles to my daily life and it has helped me immensely."    Laurian Whyte 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.

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Cheapskates Tip of the Week

This week's winning tip is from Kellie Pointon.  Kellie has won a one-year membership to the Cheapskates Club for submitting a winning tip. Be creative when mulching your garden! Approximate $ Savings:     $2500    We live on a 5 acre part-bush, part-garden block and were looking into buying pine bark and weed mat to mulch our garden and keep the weeds down. However given the size of our garden, we would need at least 60 cubic metres of bark to cover the garden and at $42 per metre, there is no way this one income family could afford to spend over $2500 on the garden (not to mention how much the weed mat would cost)! So we decided to rake up all of the fallen eucalyptus & other leaves from the bush part of our block, load it on to the trailer and spread a thick layer of this bush mulch over newspaper all over our garden instead. The result (although we are only half way through) is no weeds, a much tidier yard and bush area, a long lasting mulch (parts of it have been down for over a year with no weeds) and some extra exercise for us! Plus we have a use for all of the old newspapers that were destined for recycling or rubbish!   Congratulations Kellie, 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!

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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

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Money Saving Meals

Fig Jam This is the recipe, copied straight from my recipe book. Grandma Curtin's Fig Jam Recipe Ingredients: Fresh figs Equal weight of white sugar Juice of one medium lemon Method: Wipe the figs with a damp cloth. Quarter figs and place in a very large saucepan. Jam needs lots of room to boil, so the fruit should only fill one-quarter of the pot. Add the lemon juice. Lightly crush the figs to release the juice. Slowly bring the figs to a boil. The juice from the fruit will boil and soften the fruit. When the fruit is soft turn the heat down and add the sugar in one lot. Stir until the sugar dissolves then turn up the heat and bring back to the boil. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, skimming any foam off the top. After 10 minutes do a jell test.  If the jam isn't ready boil another five minutes and test again. Continue in this way until the jam sets, it should take no longer than twenty minutes. Pour jam into hot sterilized jars and seal. When it has cooled enjoy it on toast or pancakes. Some tips on jam making: 1. Use dry, barely ripe (preferably under-ripe) fruit. 2. Use a large, wide saucepan or stockpot, preferably aluminium or stainless steel. 3. Fruit should be partly cooked before adding the sugar. 4. Bring fruit to the boil slowly, to avoid burning and sticking. 5. Use a wooden spoon for stirring, although a slotted metal spoon is ideal for skimming. 6. Add warmed sugar, the helps the sugar to dissolve faster and prevents lowering the temperature and possible over-cooking of the fruit. 7. When sugar is added boil as rapidly as possible. Rapid boiling improves the colour and flavour of the jam and should continue for at least 10 minutes until setting point is reached. 8. Skim with a metal slotted spoon or stir in a lump of butter about the size of a walnut when the jam is cooked. If skimming, only skim once. 9. To test jam put a tiny amount on a saucer. When cooled it should form a skin on top. 10. Jam jars can be any jar that is clean, dry and unchipped. Jars should be sterilised and warmed in the oven to prevent cracking when the hot jam is poured in. 11. Seal immediately with jam covers (Kleer View Preserve Covers from hardware and supermarkets) or warm paraffin wax or wait until jam is completely cold. Never seal lukewarm jam. Click here to print the tip sheet "Tips for Making Great Jams"

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Last Weeks Question

  

Last week's question was from  Shayne, looking for recipes for lime marmalade and jams. Beck Heyfron answered I found a brilliant lime meringue pie recipe in a magazine - it is truly awesome! The filling is basically lemon butter with the lemon substituted (obviously!). This is the recipe for just the filling - you can find lots easy recipes online for the shortcrust pastry shell and the meringue. Lime Pie FIlling Ingredients: 1/2 cup cornflour 1 cup caster sugar 1/4 cup lime juice 3/4 cup water 50g unsalted butter 3 egg yolks 2 tsp finely grated lime rind Method: Place cornflour and  caster sugar in a medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in lime juice  and cup water over medium heat. Continue whisking for about 4 minutes or until the mixture is thick and smooth with a paste-like consistency. The "tackier" the better - my first try was too runny. Remove from heat and whisk in unsalted butter, egg yolks and lime rind.  If making the pie, allow mixture to cool for 10 minutes before adding to the case and refrigerating for 2 hours, or until filling has set firm. If using as a spread, allow to cool for ten minutes before transferring into small, sterilized jars with lids. Keep refrigerated, consume rapidly (like THAT will be a problem!) Enjoy!      Note:  You will probably use three standard limes for the juice, and those three limes produce just about the right amount of rind - don't waste a fourth one! - Catherine L., answered This is a really quick and easy marmalade. Recipe can be doubled if you have enough limes. Lime Marmalade Ingredients: 1kg limes 7 cups water 1 1/2kg sugar      Method: Wash limes and slice thinly. Place sliced limes, any reserved juice and water into a china, glass or plastic basin, cover, stand overnight.  Next day, pour limes and the water  into large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes until rind is tender. It is important to cook fruit gently at this stage.  Remove mixture from heat; using measuring jug, measure mixture into large basin, return lime mixture to large boiler. Allow 1 cup sugar for each 1 cup of measured lime mixture. Place sugar in large baking dish, place in slow oven (100 degrees Celsius) for 10 minutes, stirring several times to warm through.  Warmed sugar  dissolves in the  more quickly, resulting in clearer jam. Bring lime mixture to boil. Take off heat and  add sugar all at once. Stir until sugar is dissolved completely – do not allow to boil again until this happens; do not stir after marmalade boils. Return to heat and bring marmalade to the boil, boil rapidly, uncovered. Place a saucer in the freezer for 10 minutes, before testing marmalade. After marmalade has been boiling rapidly for 12 minutes, remove from heat; allow bubbles to subside, drop a teaspoonful of marmalade on to a cold saucer, return to freezer for a few minutes to cool. If marmalade is not jelled enough, return to heat, cook further 3 minutes, test again in the same way. Marmalade should be jelled within 20 minutes; stand 5 minutes to allow fruit to settle. Pour into hot sterilized jars, Store in cool dark place. Michelle Curtin answered Microwave Kiwi Lime Jam Ingredients: 4 kiwi fruit, peeled and trimmed Zest of 1 lime, slivered 3/4 cup white sugar 2 tbsp lime juice Method: Cut kiwi fruit into quarters lengthwise then cut into 2cm cubes. Combine  with remaining ingredients in a deep 4 litre microwave-safe casserole, and stir well. Cook, uncovered, on high for 5 minutes. Stir; return to the microwave, and cook until thick, approximately another 6 minutes. Do a jell test. If marmalade is not ready, cook a further 2 minutes and test. Let the marmalade to cool to room temperature; then cover tightly and keep refrigerated. Keeps for one week. Frances Gordon answered Lemon Lime Marmalade Ingredients: 5 sliced limes 1 sliced lemons, unpeeled, seeded 3 1/2 litres  water 9 cups sugar Method: Combine lime and lemon slices and water in large pot. Bring to boil and boil 20 minutes, or until peels are tender. Drain and measure liquid. Add enough water to make 3 1/2 litres liquid, then combine liquid, fruit and sugar in pot. Bring to boil and cook rapidly until mixture jells.  Pour boiling hot into hot sterilized jars and seal.

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

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This Weeks Question

Tereasa asks "I have milk power tins, plenty as have twins, any ideas on what to use them for, seems like a waste to bin them all the time."

Do you have the answer? If you have a suggestion or idea for Tereasa 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

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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.

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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