8/6/2026 Friday Freebies and Deals

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This week was so busy- appointments, fun adventures, and a mountain of laundry.

We’re on the downward slide to the first day of school!

My Birthday Freebie list can be found here. The list mostly offers what you can find in Southern California.

If you live outside Southern California, check out this list: Free Birthday Stuff: Get The Best 100+ Freebies on Your Birthday!

Looking for some summer fun for you and the kids? Here is my list of frugal fun activities in San Diego County.

For free food resources, please refer to my comprehensive list, available here.  It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are available outside my area.

Freebies:

1 Million FREE Dunkin’ Refreshers on August 10th
Free Birthday Stuff in 2026: Get The Best 100+ Freebies on Your Birthday!
2 FREE Movie Tickets to Nimrods
FREE Sample of La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer
FREE $25 to Spend at Old Navy
FREE Air Wick Plug-In Scented Oil Warmer Device After Walmart Cash
FREE ARM & HAMMER Power Sheets Chatterbuy Kit
Kids Bowl FREE All Summer
Don’t Miss this Sam’s Club Membership Deal – a Half-Price Membership!
FREE Dragon Herbs Sample Pack + FREE Shipping
FREE Sample of Fancy Feast Gems
FREE ICEE on August 18th
FREE Reward Every Week with Panda Express Wok Wednesday
The Ultimate Guide to Free Toothpaste Samples
FREE Full-Size Oh No Flo Menstrual Cramp Soothing Oil
Big List of 110 Restaurants to Get Free Food
FREE Whopper at Burger King
FREE SmartGames IQ Puzzles Party Pack
Get Your Free Teeth Whitening Samples: A Brighter Smile Awaits

Deals

Flash Sale: Up to 70% Off Women’s Shoes, Handbag and More at Macy’s
Sam’s Club Membership Benefits: Tips and Tricks to Save More at Sam’s Club
Top 43 Restaurants with Senior Discounts: Updated 2026
Lululemon Factory Outlet Stores – Your Favorite Brand at a Fraction of the Cost!
10 School Supplies to Get at Walmart.com to Avoid the Crowds
Back to School Sale on Amazon as low as $0.50
Petco Sale – Buy 3, Get 1 FREE All Dog Treats & Chews
Maximize Your Home Improvement Savings with the MyLowe’s Rewards Program
Farberware Disney 3-Piece Nonstick Mickey Head Cake Pan Set ONLY $19.34 (Reg $43)
wet n wild Enhance and Define Megawear Mascara ONLY $2.00 (Reg $4.00)
JoyJolt Disney Winnie the Pooh 4-Piece Drinking Glasses ONLY $23.99 (Reg $50)
Juicy Couture 4-Pc Viva La Travel Size Eau De Parfum Gift Set ONLY $25 (Reg $50)
Semi-Annual Intimates at Kohl’s – $29.99 & Under + Coupon!
Kids Shoes 30% Off at Target
Looking For An Alternative to Crocs? Check Out These Knock Off, Fake Crocs at the Lowest Prices
How to Coupon at Target (SO many EASY Ways to Save Even More At Target!)
Subway BOGO Deal: New Subway Coupons for August
The Children’s Place – Up to 77% Off All Shorts
What’s the Best Time to Go to Costco for Hassle-Free Shopping?
JCPenney Home Sale – Up to 50% Off + Extra 30% Off w/ Coupon
Kids & Baby Sale at Old Navy: Deals & Steals From $6
Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day 3-Pack ONLY $8.98 Shipped on Amazon (That’s $2.99 Each!)
Toys Clearance at Walmart as low as $4.97 (Reg $10)

Tryazon Review: Kevin’s Natural Meals!

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Recently, I was selected to try two of Kevin’s Natural Foods family-size meals.

I love Butter chicken, and I was stoked that it is one of the four varieties.

The Four Varieties include:

  • Butter Chicken
  • Lemongrass Chicken
  • Pesto Chicken Pasta
  • Teriyaki-Style Chicken

I found the entrees at Sprouts, but I know Target also sells them.

This meal was so easy to put together. One skillet, 10 minutes, and lunch was served. I added naan and a fruit salad as sides to round the meal out. It made four pretty substantial-sized lunches.

The frozen kit contains: tender chicken breast strips in a creamy tomato curry paired with green peas and brown rice.

What I love is that it’s made with chicken raised without antibiotics, it’s  Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, contains 18g of protein per serving, and has 0g of added sugars. And my kids liked it.

To find the store carrying Kevin’s Natural Foods near you, visit their website. And if you are a frugal friend and want to try Kevin’s Natural Foods frozen meals and save money, check out this 50% off rebate via Aisle. This is a limited-time rebate.

Tryazon- SmartGames IQ Puzzles Party!

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I’ve been a fan of Tryazon for about 7 years. It’s an amazing company that works with manufacturers of toys, games, food, and recreational/sporting goods. Manufacturers supply their goods to consumers to try out and review for free.

The kids and I have received toys, games, craft kits, and art supplies to test and have fun with.

Right now, Tryazon has a fun toy sampling opportunity to apply for!

 

Test your logic IQ with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from SmartGames! 

SmartGames is back with their IQ Deluxe  Logic puzzle games designed for older audiences (14+). Each game comes with a full spectrum of puzzles from easy-starts to expert-level brain workouts to test your logic, planning, and spatial reasoning! Introducing IQ Star, IQ Square, IQ Pentagon, and IQ Circle. Each has 120 challenges for fresh and exciting problem-solving fun!

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack for free with a variety of IQ Deluxe Logic Games to share with friends and family!

Learn more and apply here. 

Walmart: School Supplies starting at .25!

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I know we just finished school and there is a vast ocean of time before we need to buy supplies; however, Walmart has already dropped the prices on classroom supplies.

Seriously, from Crayola markers, to pencils, Filler paper, spiral-bound notebooks, highlighters, and crayons. I’ve already placed my order!

And if you aren’t sure what is going to be on your kids’ back-to-school list, here are a few things that classrooms always need:

  • Glue sticks
  • Erasers– the ones that go on the end of pencils are always a hit with my kids. The large pink ones usually end up getting stabbed with pencils and not used as erasers. I have no idea why.
  • Pencils- Ticonderoga are the best pencils. They cost a little more, but they last longer and don’t break as easily (in my experience).
  • Tissues
  • Disinfecting wipes- The first month back at school is peak illness time. We are all getting to know each other and new germs are popping up left and right.
  • Whiteboard markers – In most classrooms these days, kids have their own whiteboards (in place of scratch paper), so whiteboard markers are a must.

This post contains affiliate links, to learn more about how affiliate links work, check out my disclosure page.

8/32026 PRC Research Study Round Up!

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PRC is a nationwide research study company. They are always conducting studies and seeking additional respondents. They email me once a week about the online studies they are looking to fill. Research studies are a great way to earn a little extra money, and most of them can be completed from the comfort of your own home, using your computer or laptop.

Topic: Feminine Urinary Incontinence
Who: Females, 45 and older
When: August 14 – August 31, 2026
Where: From the comforts of your home
Length: 14-days product test + two pre-use and two after-use questionnaires online
Incentive: $350

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

Topic: Breast cancer
Who: Breast cancer patients
When: August 12th-August 13th, 2026
Where: Online
Length: 60-minute webcam interview
Incentive: $175

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

Topic: Personal Care Products
Who: Adults, 25-70 yrs old
When: August 12-13, 2026
Where: Online Discussion Board
Length: 2 Days (90 min)
Incentive: $175

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

Topic: Business Security Decision Makers
Who: Adults, 18+ years of age
When: August 10-14, 2026
Duration/type: 45-minute online interview (webcam required)
Incentive: $350
Location: From the comfort of your home or office

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

Topic: Household Appliances
Who: Adults, 18-64 yrs old
When: August 24-27, 2026
Length: 45-minute online diary + 2-hour virtual focus group
Incentive: $300 ($100 pre-work + $200 focus group) MUST COMPLETE ALL REQUIREMENTS
Location: From the comfort of your home or office

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

A few notes about PRC:

It is recommended to use Google Chrome or Firefox to complete the pre-qualification survey.
Only one participant per household.
Their surveys are open to U.S. Residents.
Incentives are paid via Digital Incentive unless otherwise stated.
To participate in any study that requires a webcam, please use a laptop or desktop computer ONLY—No smartphones or tablets.
If you use ChatGPT or any other AI assistance for your responses/feedback during any of the research projects, please keep in mind that you will not receive compensation and will be removed from the database.
If you pre-qualify, a PRC Global Market Research recruiter will contact you via phone.

July 2026 Monthly Side Quest Totals

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Quests require compasses and treasure chests, right?Why am I referring to them as “quests” and not “hustle“?

Hustling indicates moving quickly to earn money. This year, I’m doing a little bit every day, approximately 20 minutes on small surveys and small tasks. I may earn less daily, but overall, I can use small tasks to earn more through compounding.

July was so busy overall, but I made time for my side quests. I think it might have been my best month to date!

  • MyPoints:  $30 Amazon Gift Cards
  • PaidViewPoint:  $26.75 Venmo
  • G2:  $20 Amazon Gift Cards
  • Fetch:  $30 in Barnes and Noble Gift Cards
  • Rebates (WeStock, Peekage, Social Nature, and Aisle ):  $30.50 in Aisle Rebates
  • BrandClub:  $10.50 Venmo
  • TPT (I make worksheets/flashcards in my spare time for special ed classrooms). This side quest is definitely a slow trickle of money. I spent a lot of time over the summer making/uploading educational materials to my TPT account. $18.25
  • Verasight: $10 via Venmo
  • Receipt Hog: $10.00 Paypal
  • Class action lawsuits (I use SettleMate to help me find ones that I might qualify for): $22.26
  • Evidation: $10 via Venmo
  • Gist: $20 Amazon Gift Card
  • In-Person Research Study: $200
  • Recycling Bottles and Cans: $30

I spend about 20-30 minutes a day completing surveys, scanning receipts, and other tasks. It doesn’t take long, and it helps take a small load off our summer budget.

As always, the links above may be affiliate links, and I might earn money or points if you join any of the above apps or activities. This helps support my blog and family.

If you are interested in my full list of money-saving/money earning activites, I encourage you to check out:

Fall 2026 Clothing Swaps!

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I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap that will have clothes in all of our sizes.

And as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

Here are the Fall 2026  Clothing Swaps in the greater San Diego, CA area:

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

Let’s Go Girls SD also hosts clothing swaps frequently. Check out their Instagram page.

August 2026: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

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 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I usually receive 4-6 offers/freebies per month, sometimes more if I have time to shop. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

In addition to the offers where they mail you a coupon for a free product, Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, PayPal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

This month, there aren’t a ton of free/100% Cashback offers available, but I’ve listed them below.

  •  Seasonal Valencia Oranges by Sunkist
  • Zero Sugar Collagen Tea by Pretty Tasty
  • Non-GMO Macadamia Nuts by Mauna Loa
  • Avo Oil Tortilla Chips by Xochitl
  • Wild Tuna in Olive Oil by Rio Mare
  • Solely Organic Fruit Jerky by Solely

There are a lot more offers for BOGO or a percentage off, including brands like Daiyo, Ripple, Calafia Farms, SunButter, Back to Nature, and Javvy Coffee, to name a few.

If you are looking for other rebate sites, similar to Social Nature, check out Aisle,  WeStock, or Peekage.

Upcoming JCP Kid’s Craft Events for August and September!

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I’m all about fun, free (and cheap) activities for kids. JCPenney has two events coming up that fit the bill! Check out these fun, free crafts from JCPenney’s.

Visit the Kids Zone inside JCPenney on August 8, 2026, from 11 AM to Noon, and kids can create an axolotl pouch. The Craft includes a pencil pouch, markers, and a small notebook. Great for back to school!

If you are busy that day, there is an event in September!

On September 12, 2026, from 11 AM to Noon, kids can come create a cabin picture frame.  This craft includes wood sticks, foam pieces, glue dots, a marker, and a magnet.