Hello Cheapskaters,   I hope you have all had a fabulous week. And welcome to all our new Platinum members, and to our new newsletter readers. We are so glad you have joined us. Before I get carried away with the week's news, from today until 8pm on Sunday 21st March, Concession Memberships have been reduced to just $18.25 for a full year of Platinum membership. If you hold a concession card (Pension,HCC, Veteran's Affairs, even a Student Concession) you can upgrade your free membership to a Platinum membership for just $18.25, a saving of 27% off the regular concession joining price. To get this special price you must use the Concession Membership application form and enter a relevant concession number.  Click here to upgrade your membership now.  I have had a very exciting week, thanks in part to one of our fabulous forum threads and to an interview I gave to A Current Affair on the mystery of shrinking groceries.  There has been a discussion going on in our Member Forum on this very topic so when I was asked if I was aware of it I was able to say not only was I aware of the problem but Cheapskaters all over the country were and were talking about it. The story aired last night, 17th March, and the response was almost instant. My inbox has been flooded with emails with examples of disappearing contents, with everything from toothpaste to coffee, the good old TimTam through to gravy powder. I've also had some critical comments sent to me and it's those I would like to comment on. Let's be clear here: decreasing the size of the product whilst maintaining the price at it's original level is a price rise. You are paying more for less of the product. For any manufacturer to say that they are decreasing package sizes to protect the health of their customers is the worst excuse for a price increase that I have heard in a long time. If those  same manufacturers were at all interested in the health of their customers they would look very carefully at the ingredients used in their products and make appropriate changes. Then, and only then, would they perhaps be able to justify a price increase with that reasoning. The Paddle Pops that started the discussion have been altered to enable them to be sold in school canteens, for no other reason and most certainly not because Unilever are concerned with our children's health. By the way there is a MOO Paddle Pop recipe in the Recipe File and I can vouch for them, they are delicious and cost a lot less than $1.20 each! I have no problem with business making money. That is what they are supposed to do. I do however have a problem with sneaky, underhanded tricks and misleading, half true statements.  If you would like to read the statements issued by Cadbury and Unilever (makers of Paddle Pops) you'll find them here:   http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=1028528 Here are just a few of the emails we have received from Cheapskaters recently: Just been watching ACA and your segment on the reduction of weights of products. Has anyone noticed the blatant thievery re: weights, that is happening to the single units of gravy mixes? They vary from 25gms to at the very best 40gms and yet all sport the same ridiculous rip-off price.  Just thought I might like to pass that one along if it has not already been noticed.  Cheers, Elizabeth Cambra Thankyou for your input on Wednesday night's story on ACA re grocery downsizing, a hobbyhorse of mine for yonks.  Do they really think we don't notice? I'm glad the whole story came to light last night.  Let's hope the manufacturers take note that we're not stupid and we do take note and shop accordingly! Patricia Proud Hi Cath, Just wanted to let you know we loved your interview last night about the shrinking groceries. I am going to take more care now with looking out for companies that are downsizing their products and will do my best to look for alternatives in the future when I see this happening with our regularly purchased items.  Jen P When things are tough and money is tight..there is always something to learn or read on cheapskates..I love it, and am never too busy to surf the Cheapskates pages. Thanks so much every one. Its such a good help, and there is always another way. Julie R Thanks for the newsletter. I really enjoy reading them.   Cheers and keep up the great work. Ingrid Eddy Thank you for sending me the daily tips. Judith Toohey Love getting your newsletter, was reading through this addition (10:10) and looking forward to trying the biscuit recipe, love trying out the suggestions and hints in your newsletter. Michelle Parsons   Thanks for all the really helpful tips.  Keep up the wonderful work, I am on another website similar to yours, but it is more geared to young families, and I can relate better to Cheapskates. Regards Hazel Don't forget our Concession Membership sale ends on Sunday night at 8pm.  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.

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Cheapskates Tip of the Week

This week's winning tip is from Hannah McLaren. Hannah has won a one year Platinum Cheapskates Club membership valued at $29.20 for submitting her winning tip. Meter Reading Challenge Slashes Power Bill Approximate $ Savings: $300-$600 Per Year    When we received our electricity bill a year ago I almost fell over. So I thought about how I could reduce it. I already did the normal things like turning lights off etc, so I decided every night I would turn every power point off in the house when I went to bed. I couldn't see if this was helping so I decided I would write down the meter reading every week. At the end of each week I go out to the meter box and write down the reading. I managed to reduce my bill from $700 to $400 in one 3 month block. I found by going out and writing down the reading I was more conscious about the electricity and would think about whether or not I really needed something on. Now the whole family is involved and wondering how much we have reduced the reading by this week! Congratulations Hannah, 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

Penny Pinching Pizza We love pizza and often have it for lunch or a quick tea on a busy day. Many years ago we found that buying pizza just wasn't going to give us value for money and so we began our search for the perfect penny pinching homemade pizza. When the kids were little we could get away with two large pizzas and still have some leftover for lunch the next day (or the midnight munchies if Wayne couldn't sleep). As they grew so did their pizza consumption and so our quest became more urgent. Over time we came up with a base that we like. Quick, easy and very cheap (we make a large margarita for $1.82), this pizza base can be used for the traditional round pizza or baked on a Swiss roll tin to make an oblong, ideal for parties because you can cut it evenly into bars or squares. Our homemade pizzas have been so popular they have become standard fare at every class party, family get together and youth club supper. You don't need any special equipment to make the base, but if you have a food processor then it does make the job a little easier on the arms. Pizza night in our house is also self-serve night. We put out the toppings and everyone makes their own individual gourmet pizzas and for well under $1 each. Leftovers freeze (I like to double wrap them in cling wrap then store them in an airtight Tupperware container, it helps to keep them just cooked fresh) and can be pulled out for a lunchtime treat, quick snack or dinner on the run. I often make smaller, saucer sized bases for individual pizzas. They make great lunchtime surprises or quick snacks. Try making your own pizza bases. If you don't like them you can always go back to your usual pizza but I'm pretty sure the taste and the big savings will convince you that penny pinching pizzas are good. Penny Pinching Pizza Base Ingredients: 2 cups plain flour – 30c 2 tbsp olive oil – 30c 1 cup warm water 1 tbsp dry yeast – 5c 1 tsp sugar – 1c Method: Dissolve the sugar in ¼ cup of the warm water and then add the yeast. Put aside to ferment – about 5 minutes. Process the flour and oil for a few seconds until it becomes crumbly. Add the yeast mixture and process. Slowly pour in the remaining ¾ cup water. Process until a dough ball forms. Continue processing for 30 seconds. Turn the dough out onto a floured board, cover with a damp tea towel and let it sit for 10 minutes. At this point you can freeze the dough in a ball to use later on or cover with a damp tea towel and let it sit for 10 minutes before pressing into a Swiss roll tin, using the palm of your hand. Try not to roll it with a rolling pin (or Marmite jar) as it toughens the dough. Top with your favourite pizza toppings (we love tomato sauce, oregano and grated cheese and tomato sauce, slice mushrooms, pineapple pieces, sliced onion and olives topped with grated cheese). Bake in a hot oven for 15 – 20 minutes until the base is browned and the topping is bubbling nicely. Suggested toppings: Tomato sauce, oregano and grated cheese Tomato sauce, sliced mushrooms, sliced capsicum, pineapple pieces, sliced onions, slice olives and grated cheese Tomato sauce, shredded chicken, pineapple and cheese Tomato sauce, shredded ham and beaten egg Some sweet toppings: 200ml cottage cheese, 1 tbsp honey, ½ cup crushed pineapple and crushed mint Cottage cheese topped with apricot halves and covered with a mix of sour cream and a beaten egg. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Yummo. There are over 700 other great money saving meal ideas in the Recipe File

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Last Weeks Question

  

Last week's question was from Tereasa, looking for ways to recycle formula cans. Tess M answered Firstly, make sure you wash out and dry the tin, then glue the lid down. Make a hole in the top (with scissors or a sharp knife) and viola! Your own home made money tin. You could even paint in or glue pictures of what you are saving for to the outside for motivation. Megan Hall answered My husband used our milk powder tins in the shed. They are ideal for large screws and bolts plus all those odd shaped items which seem to accumulate in the mans domain. It keeps them clean and dust free as there is a lid. Place a label on the outside so you know what is inside. They stack on top of each other.    Pauline Bonfield answered It's been a long time since I've needed to buy baby food but we are still using the empty cans! Cover the cans with pretty contact - great for storing all sorts of kid's toys: jigsaw puzzles, little sets of dolls clothes, Polly Pockets, etc. Use in pantry for storage as they are already food quality. Grudgingly spare some for the garden shed for nuts, bolts, nails etc. Handy for storing pens, pencils. Safe, robust sand and water toys. Drill holes in the bottom and use to pot plants. Don't throw them out whatever you do - years later you will be wishing for more!   Robyn Dowen answered Another use is to make a toy for babies. Put some small pebbles or something similar that will make noise into the tin. Make sure the lid is stuck on, use contact adhesive or a very strong tape so that baby can't get the small pebbles out and swallow them. Then decorate the outside of the tin with a bright contact or paint. It is great fun for baby to roll it backwards and forwards to mum and dad.    Kate Richards answered A friend's baby was given a wonderful toy - an old formula tin, with a hole cut in the plastic (careful with sharp edges), then lots of different scrap fabric linked together and stored inside. The baby could pull the fabric out the top (like tissues from a box, but much less destructive!). Easy to reload, and really entertaining. Use different fabrics for texture (velveteen, satin, lace - as many colours and textures as you can get).    Gillian El Gawly answered Those tins make great gift wrapping! Wash out the tins and plastic lids. When dry, use craft glue or double sided tape to cover the tins with pretty wrapping paper, strips of ribbon or ric rac etc you may have sitting in the cupboard. Add sequins, buttons, beads - anything that you may have left over from other craft projects. Be really creative. You can see similar tins (paint tins) decorated at scrapbooking shops where each tin costs about $10 plain and undecorated and up to $35 decorated. Decorate according to the occasion. They make great 'wrapping' for small items such as t-shirts, small toys, lollies, soaps and toiletries. They are easy to transport as the items inside are protected and can't fall out.   Gloria answered  Like you, I saved all my formula tins (to my husbands dismay!) However they have come in extremely useful. Our most practical use was when we had heavy rains flood the yard and our garage. We used the tins as sturdy 'feet' to lay wood (old doors)on to lift all our garage items off the floor. Enjoy yourself creating something different with your tins. Iris Carden answered For the kids - punch holes in two tins, thread long strings through for handles and you have a pair of stilts. For the kitchen - wash and dry them well, cover in pretty con-tact, and you have new canisters for flour, sugar, etc.

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

Tess asks We are looking to repaint our house (as its been at least 15 years since last painted) with not much to spend. We are cutting the cost by painting it all ourselves. We would prefer to change the colour scheme but it is too expensive from what we could find. We can repaint the same colour but it is looking a bit dated (light peach/pink walls, dusky pink curtains, lighter shade for bench tops and door knobs). Does anyone have any ideas that could save us money, they would be greatly appreciated!

Do you have the answer? If you have a suggestion or idea for Tess 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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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 Cheapskates Club Platinum Member's Centre containing thousands of ideas to save you money, time and energy. Join the Cheapskates Club today

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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