3/25/2023 Weekly Freebies and Deals

Abby H.Leave a comment

Spring break starts next Friday at 2:01pm! WOO HOO!

This week has been busy, as usual. I’ve started back at the gym after a 3-year hiatus and plan to slowly regain my upper body strength.

The 2023 Birthday Freebie post is here! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

There are some pretty sweet freebies this week- Let’s Dive In!

Freebies:

Free Subscription to Bon Appetit
Free Coca-Cola Bottle Opener at Select Stores
Free AUVI-Q Back-to-School Kit
Free Hungry Buddah Keto Bars
Free Member’s Mark Coffee Pods at Sam’s
Free Bloomingdale’s Little Freebies Box
Free Blue Light Laser Pen for Wrinkles & Acne
Free Drink of Your Choice at Wawa
Possible Free Jan Marini Skincare Samples
Free Flock Chicken Skin Crisps After Rebate
Free 2023 Our Lady Calendar
Free Keds Stickers
Free ZenBiome Cope & Sleep Supplements
Free HOP WTR After Rebate
Free Seaworld Teacher Fun Card
Free Gain Fireworks Scent Boosters at Sam’s
Free The Good Patch Wellness Patch Sample
Free Happy Sloth Co. Sticker
POPSUGAR Dabble – Free Beauty Products
Free Dog Grooming Tools
Free L’Oreal Everpure Bond Strengthening Pre-Shampoo Treatment
Free Royal Canin Kitten Chatterbox
Free Simply Smartfood Popcorn at Stop & Shop
Free Truly Grass Fed Cheese at Publix
Free 8.4 oz. Can of Red Bull at Big Lots
Free Everyone Is Welcome Here Poster for Teachers
Free Goodles Mac & Cheese
Free Sample of Downy Unstopables at Sam’s
Free Haig Delicacies Dips at Ralph’s After Rebate
Free Pete & Gerry’s Pasture-Raised Eggs
Free Hartz Nature’s Shield Flea & Tick Dog Shampoo
Free Pom-Pom Chick Wreath Craft Event at Michaels

Deals
Ulta 21 Days of Beauty: 50% Off Boxum, IT Cosmetics & Benefit
Buzz Lightyear Figure ONLY $3.29 (Reg. $11.99)
Free Wet n Wild Cosmetics – Last Day
Home Edit Bento Box Food Storage Container ONLY $11.98 (Reg $20)
ChuckIt! Indoor Roller Dog Toy Ball ONLY $4.48 (Reg. $9.99)
Better Homes & Gardens Canister 3pk ONLY $10.97 (Reg. $18.28)

3/19/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.Leave a comment

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to Meal planning on Sundays. We receive an email on Saturdays from   Yasukochi Family Farms letting us know roughly what will be in our CSA box that is delivered on Monday afternoon.

Sunday I tend to prep proteins, make a batch of soup (incorporating a majority of the leftover veggies from that week’s CSA box), take stock of the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and lay out our basic meal plan for the week.

Today I’ll be making a few big batches of soup- half to go in the freezer, and half to serve this week. I may also make a batch of spaghetti sauce too.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: Lots of veggies this week! We’re running low on meat, and with the price of it increasing, we’ll be enjoying plenty of vegetable-based meals this week.

  • Sunday: Chili on baked potatoes, roasted asparagus (kids will be having baked potatoes dressed to their preference)
  • Monday: Soup and salad (or protein shakes and salad)

  • Tuesday:  Vegetable Soup and Cheese Toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday: Ramona’s Mess (Recipe coming up this week), fruit salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers

1 Month Free Panera Unlimited Sip Club

Abby H.Leave a comment

It’s Back!

This is a pretty good deal, especially if you live near (or work near) a Panera.

If you redeem your Panera Unlimited Sip Club daily during your monthly subscription, that works out to about 30¢ per day. Subscribe now and get your first month free. After that, it’s just $11.99/month (plus tax).

Any Size, Any Flavor-Includes unlimited hot coffee, iced coffee, and hot tea. Plus you’ll receive $0 Delivery Fee all year, and a FREE custom calendar from Shutterfly.

Get any size, any flavor once up to every 2 hours, with unlimited refills while you’re in the cafe. That means plenty of coffee to pair with your favorite bagel, breakfast sandwich, or sweet treat. YUM!

And it’s super easy to use when you order. Redeem your subscription like a MyPanera Reward at the register, kiosk PaneraBread.com, or on our app. Add an eligible beverage to your cart and will be automatically redeemed upon checkout.

Unlimited Sip Club members score benefits like Sip Club Saturday deals, VIP challenges, and more.

To sign up or learn more, click here.

Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.Leave a comment

It’s been a busy week! The Big Kid turned 12, and we’re celebrating tomorrow with friends, and we had a family dinner with pizza and ice cream cake on Wednesday.

I’m taking a very in-depth certification course while working full-time (between 2 jobs), so I haven’t had much energy to blog. My blogging journal is FULL of articles and ideas. I’ll have many posts coming up, especially during Spring Break.

The 2023 Birthday Freebie post is here! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

There are some pretty sweet freebies this week- Let’s Dive In!

Freebies:

Free Not Your Mother’s Curl Talk Sample
Free Inside Movie Ticket
Free Hershey’s Kisses at Select Stores
Free Sound Sparkling Water After Rebate
Free Dude Wipes at Sam’s
Free Pretzel with the Wetzel’s Pretzel App
Free Pint of Eclipse Ice Cream After Rebate
Free Movie with Universal Pictures All-Access
Free Exploding Kittens for Kids Focus Group Games Pack
Free 2-Pack of Sambucol Black Elderberry Syrup
Free Gratsy Box
Free Scar & Stretchmark Treatment
Free Sample of Clinique Moisture Surge
Free Barnes & Noble Gift Card for Xfinity Rewards Members
Free He Gets Us Hats & T-Shirts
Free Gain Fireworks Scent Boosters at Sam’s
Free PLEZI Kids Juice Drink
Free Core Oat + Adaptogens Nutrition Bar After Cashback
Free Member’s Mark Better Nut Bar at Sam’s
Free Pom-Pom Bunny Art Craft Event at Michaels
Free Subscription to Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
Free Subscription to Town & Country Magazine
Free 11pc. Cookware Set
Free YSL Y Eau de Parfum Sample
Free Cleveland Kitchen Sauerkraut & Kimchi
Free Box of Magic Spoon Cereal After Rebate
Free Subscription to HGTV Magazine
Free Hair Styling Product + $50 Amazon eGift Card
Free Subscription to ELLE Magazine
Free Happy Hippo Kratom Sample
Free 12.5 oz Dr. Teal’s Hand Soap at Big Lots
Free Degree Dry Spray Sample
Free Pair of Mack’s Ear Plugs – Every Weekday
Free Core Bar After Rebate
Free 8pk BelliWelli Snack Bars After Rebate
Free Can of Surely Non-Alcoholic Wine at Boisson After Rebate
Free Hydrocolloid Blister Bandages
Get on Betty Crocker’s Free Sample List
Free BIC EasyRinse Men’s Razors at Walmart After Cashback
Free $10 Uber Ride Credit
Free Stur Antioxidant Water Enhancer After Rebate

 

Deals:

PLAYMOBIL Back to the Future Hoverboard Chase ONLY $18 (Reg $45)
Blue’s Clues & You! Clean-Up Time Play Set ONLY $18 (Reg. $42)
Blues Clues Wooden Pull-Back School Bus ONLY $11.62 (Reg. $27)
Barbie Dreamtopia Slime Mermaid Doll ONLY $12 (Reg. $20)
Armor All Ultimate Car Care Gift Set ONLY $22.88 (Reg. $36.36)
Decorate Your Own Wooden Magnets Craft Kit ONLY $16.35 (Reg $30)
Jergens Shea + Cocoa Butter Body Lotion ONLY $4.87 (Reg. $10.49)
Jay Leno’s Garage Wash & Gloss Set ONLY $29 (Reg. $70)

3/25/2023 KPBS Be My Neighbor Day!

Abby H.

My kids loved Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood when they were tiny. I watched Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood when I was little. I love the lessons of kindness, sharing, and how Daniel and the whole Land of Make Believe gang live and work together to make their world a better place.

So imagine how excited I was when KPBS reached out to share Be My Neighbor Day.

In celebration of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (DTN) and PNC Grow Up Great® (an initiative of The PNC Financial Services Group), Fred Rogers Productions is working with PBS stations across the country to host Be My Neighbor Day community events. Building on the values and themes of DTN, the events are used as an opportunity for member stations to collaborate with new and existing partners while promoting local volunteerism, family engagement, and community development.

KPBS is excited to join forces with local community partners to host San Diego’s first-ever Be My Neighbor Day on Saturday, March 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the KPBS station on the San Diego State University campus. Young children (ages 0-8) and their families will celebrate kindness and learn how their neighbors are working to improve our region’s natural environment (and preserve the planet!) through interactive displays and meaningful activities. Current exhibitors include America’s Finest Charter School, Climate Science Alliance, Girl Scouts San Diego, Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego, Living Coast Discovery Center, Salk Education Outreach, San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, and the SDSU Office of Energy and Sustainability.

If you and your family want to check out Be My Neighbor Day, click here.

Up to 15% Off Select Devices at Gazelle!

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

With Spring around the corner, a new refresh is due! Be sure to shop Gazelle’s latest sale with options on latest iPhones and Google Pixel devices. Now through Monday 3/20, Gazelle is offering up to 15% OFF latest devices including all iPhone 14 models! No code is required, see below for select models.

  • 15% OFF
    • iPhone 14
    • iPhone 14 Plus
    • iPhone 14 Pro
    • iPhone 14 Pro Max
    • Google Pixel 7
    • Google Pixel 7 Pro
  • 10% OFF
    • iPhone 13
    • iPhone 13 Mini
    • iPhone 13 Pro
    • iPhone 13 Pro Max
    • Google Pixel 6
    • Google Pixel 6A
    • Google Pixel 6 Pro
  • 5% OFF
    • iPhone 12
    • iPhone 12 Mini
    • iPhone 12 Pro
    • iPhone 12 Pro Max
    • iPhone SE 3rd Gen
    • iPhone SE 2nd Gen

 

Additionally, the latest bonus offered for the Trade-in store, is also available now through Monday 3/20. Get a 10% BONUS on all tablets. Offer Applies on single model only.

These offers runs for a limited time, so if you are in the market for a new to you phone, check out Gazelle today.

You can sell your unwanted smartphones and laptops to Gazelle to earn money! I’ve sold a couple of our old phones and iPads to Gazelle. It’s a great way to earn some cash and keep electronics out of landfills.

Tax Time is Here- Save up To 20% on Turbo Tax!

Abby H.

You may find it hard to believe, but tax season is in full swing! I’ve got a couple ways for you to save money on filing your taxes, and some tips to make it a little easier.

I already prepared and filed our taxes using Turbo Tax online. It’s quick and they walk you through everything. Because of our tax situation, we are unable to do our taxes for free, so for my family, TurboTax is the best/easiest solution. If you want to try Turbo Tax out, here is a link where you can receive up to 20% off any paid online federal product!https://turbo.tax/tyscae8e

If you make $72,000 or less, check out the IRS Free File.

If you aren’t sure what you need to file your taxes, here are just a few pieces of paperwork you may need (depending on your tax situation):

  • W-2’s- one from each of your jobs
  • 1099’s: if you are an independent contractor
  • DMV paperwork (if you don’t have this, then the VIN and license plate # from your car, and go here– CA only, I’m sure other states may have something similar).
  • Receipts for any tax-deductible donations
  • Receipts for any medical expenses (co-pays, prescriptions)
  • Paperwork from your Mortgage Company regarding your interest paid
  • Paperwork regarding your property taxes paid
  • Dependents’ Social Security Numbers
  • IRA Year-End Statements
  • Interest Statements from banks

I start a folder (like this one) each year and I put all of the paperwork in it as it comes into the house. Then, after we do our taxes, I print a copy out, pull out all of our supporting documents, put them into a manilla envelope, write the year on the front, seal it, and stash it with our other past years’ taxes. We keep 10 years’ worth of tax records, just in case.

Talk Back: Have you done your taxes yet?

Weekly Round-up of Research Studies from PRC!

Abby H.

PRC aka iOpinion is a nationwide research study company. They are always running studies and looking for more respondents. They send me an email once a week with online studies they are looking to fill. Here are just a few:

Topic: Printer Supplies

Incentive: $150-$200, dependent upon qualification
Who: Printer Users
Location: Online WEBCAM via Zoom
Length: 2 hours
Date: March 13th, 2023
Take Survey >> https://forms.gle/2QV6h7vYL2vKAtuW7

Topic: Recycling and Sustainability Habits

Incentive: Between $10 – 250 per month (paid monthly) – most months will range $50 – $125
Who:  Adults, 18+ years
Location: Year-long Online bulletin board
Duration: Between 20 minutes – 3 hours per month
Date(s): March 2023 – March 2024
Take Survey >> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8HWVNWS

Topic: PC Users  

Incentive: $100-$250, dependent upon qualification
Who: Computer users, ages 18+
Location: Online WEBCAM via Zoom
Length: 30-90 minutes, dependent upon qualification
Date: Various dates March 2023
Time(s): Various Times
Take Survey >> https://forms.gle/5qgT2YKPfM5UUMyA6

Topic: Grillers- March 2023

Incentive: $200
Who: Adults, 30-60
Location: Comfort of your home
Duration: 2-day online discussion board (2-hrs total)
Date(s):  March 22-23, 2023
Take Survey >> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GDMHKBP

 

March is National Craft Month! Free Crafts & Crafting Deals!

Abby H.

Did you know that March is National Craft Month?

It’s one of our favorite months of the year. We are definitely a crafty family. While I was researching for this post, Bitty Girl was drawing Gatcha girls at the kitchen table, and Big Kid was drawing maps for the dragon game he’s making.

For those of you who love crafts too, check out this sweet deal from Craftsy–Celebrate National Craft Month at Craftsy! Get your 1-Year Premium Membership for only $2.49, originally $97!

Craftsy also offers a lot of free classes. Here are just a few that I love:

3/5/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’m back to Meal planning on Sundays. We receive and email on Saturdays from   Yasukochi Family Farms letting us know roughly what will be in our CSA box that is delivered on Monday afternoon.

Sunday I tend to prep proteins, make a batch of soup (incorporating a majority of the leftover veggies from that week’s CSA box), take stock of the pantry, fridge, and freezer, and lay out our basic meal plan for the week.

We have a lot of soup in the freezer. Like… 6 different types. We’re having a lot of soup this week. Thankfully, it’s soup weather, and everyone enjoys soup.

I’m planning on a few batches of roasted veggies to be served throughout the week as well.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101-style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: We’ve got Soup several times for dinner, which is great. All I have t0 do is take it out to defrost the morning of!  And I have one Dream Dinner remaining, so we’ll be having it this week as well.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers
  • Monday: Dream Dinner, roasted veggies

  • Tuesday:  Soup and Cheese Toast

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese (the typical Wednesday night dinner)

  • Thursday: Soup, roasted veggies, toast

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Salad Bar Night