5/22/26 Friday Freebies and Deals

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I hope everyone has a great three day weekend! The big kid and I are off on a camping trip.

I  updated my birthday freebies for 2026- You can find the post 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!

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:

Unlock the Magic of Your Big Day: List Of The Best Free Wedding Samples & Freebies
FREE Subscription to LEGO Magazine
FREE Grill Spatula Giveaway at Lowe’s on June 20th
$1 Million in FREE Domino’s Emergency Pizzas
FREE $20 Purchase at Sephora After Cash Back
FREE Wendy’s Merch Every Wednesday at 3pm ET
FREE Mesothelioma Cookbook + FREE Shipping
Sweet Surprises: How to Score Free Chocolate
FREE Sample of Stopain Extra Strength Pain Relieving Gel
Kids Bowl FREE All Summer
FREE Buffet & Beverage for Graduates at Golden Corral
FREE $25 Purchase at Target After Cash Back
Memorial Day Freebies & Deals RoundUp
FREE Hero Micropoint Patch
FREE Moonpig Greeting Card + FREE Shipping
FREE Grüns x Popsicle Gummies
FREE Sample of New Skin Kids Liquid Bandage Paint
FREE Planet Fitness Summer Pass for Teens
FREE Sample of Vagisil Coconut Water Lily Feminine Wash
FREE Pint of HALO TOP Ice Cream
FREE Ozark Trail Soft Cooler at Walmart After Cash Back
Get Tons Of Free Stickers Online: Updated Monthly
FREE Samples of YSL Myslf Eau de Toilette Intense & Y Iced Cologne
Here Are 6 Ways To Get Free Baby Formula Samples

Deals:

Save With the Lululemon First Responder Discount: Get 15% Off
Carote 19-Piece Pots and Pans Set ONLY $39.98 (Reg $140)
50% Off Everything at Old Navy – T-Shirts, Shorts, Pants & More!
Aeropostale Jeans & Shorts Buy 1 Get 1 Free
Walgreens Photo Coupons & Promo Codes: 50% Off Gifts, 50% Off Posters & Banners, 50% Off Photo Books & More
Beautiful 4 Qt Digital Slow Cooker ONLY $25.97 (Reg $50)
Dollar General Coupons: Save Money on Gain, Dove Men+Care Body Wash & More
Disney Minnie Mouse Book & Toy Organizer ONLY $25 at Walmart
Cuisinart Toaster Oven Broiler ONLY $59 at Walmart (Reg $89)
Best Cheap Sewing Machines for Advanced and Basic Sewing Projects in 2026
P&G Rebates: Get Up to $15 For Buying Your Favorite P&G Brands
Thermos Funtainer Insulated Food Jar ONLY $10 (Reg $21)
P&G brandSAVER Coupons: Get Digital & Printable Coupons From Your Favorite P&G Brands
Tweezers Set ONLY $3.99 on Amazon (Reg $10)

Attention Walmart Shoppers: One Pay

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Have you ever noticed that Walmart doesn’t offer a tap-to-pay option? They don’t support Apple Pay or any other card or phone tapping option.

Walmart does offer One Pay, which is an app that acts as a digital wallet. Add and use your debit or credit cards. Scan the QR code from your phone’s app- it’s easy.

Some of the features that I like about One Pay are:

  • Cash back 3-5%, depending on your funding source.
  • 1 free year of Walmart+ when you sign up for and receive a One Pay Credit card (terms and restrictions apply).

Best of all- When you sign up, you can earn $50 cash back and unlock Cash+ within 45 days of joining. Cash back earned as points.

. To learn more and sign up, click here.

 

Educators and Parents: $35 in Free Books and School Supplies from First Book Marketplace!

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The First Book Marketplace is an exclusive, nonprofit online store for educators and program leaders who serve children in need. It provides brand-new books, school supplies, and educational resources at deeply discounted prices, as well as access to large-scale donated books for just the cost of shipping.

Now through May 31st, every new First Book Marketplace member who registers will receive a personal $35 credit following the MemBEAR Palooza, thanks to the Build-A-Bear Foundation.

First Book Marketplace offers a diverse selection of books on various topics for kids of all ages. I’ve gotten some great books for my kids, including books about dinosaurs, history, and music.

First Book also sells school supplies! They also offer free online resources and activities for the classroom or summer work to keep your kids’ skills sharp.

About Build-A-Bear Foundation

Build-A-Bear Foundation’s mission is to add a little more heart to life by sharing hugs, inspiring creativity, and supporting those in need. With a core focus on children’s literacy, Build-A-Bear Foundation is dedicated to supporting programs that inspire a love for reading in all kids. First Book and Build-A-Bear Foundation are on track to deliver 1,000,000 books and 100,000 reading buddies to children in need by the end of 2027.

May is Mental Health Month: Free Mental Health Resources in California

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This is a heavy topic. If you are not in the headspace to read this, please scroll on.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health care is important to everyone, regardless of age or financial situation. Depending on your health insurance situation, most insurance plans provide coverage for mental health services.

In California, BrightLife offers free behavior coaching to kids. Learn more here. 

If you are an educator, Headspace offers a free subscription for educators.

If you do not have health insurance or cannot afford your mental health copays, there is still help out there for you.

Crisis Support:

If you and your family are low-income, you may be eligible for Medi-Cal (Medicaid in California). To learn more about Medi-Cal eligibility, visit the DHCS website here. 

 

5/17/2026 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: Home Builder & Design Professionals
Who: Adults, 18+
When: June 6-17, 2026
Duration/type: 60-minute online interview (webcam required)
Incentive: $400
Where: 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: Pharmacists
Who: Pharmacists currently employed by Costco or CVS (must provide proof of company & occupation)
When: June 4th-9th, 2026
Where: Virtually, from the comfort of your home
Length: 45-mins
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: Beauty products
Who: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and New York women who use beauty products
When: May 26th-29th
Length: 90-minute webcam interview
Incentive: $250 total for pre-task + interview
Where: Online

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: Car payments
Who: Nationwide participants who have purchased a vehicle or plan to purchase a vehicle
When: May 27th-May 28th
Length: 90-minute webcam interview
Incentive: $175 digital incentive
Where: Online

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: National Voters-June 2026
Who: Registered Voters 21+ (must provide proof)
When: June 3rd, 2026
Where: Online focus group from the comfort of your home
Length: 1.75-hours (plus 15-min early group check-in: by 5pm ET)
Incentive: $150

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: Social Media
Who: Teens and adults who use social media, ages 13+
When: May 28th – June 12th, 2026
Length: 60-minute webcam interview
Incentive: $150 digital incentive
Where: Online

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: Cooking Study
Who: Adults 18+ years of age
Date: May – June
Duration/type: 1-hour Webcam Interview
Incentive: $150 digital incentive
Location: From the comfort of your home

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: Los Angeles Area Residents
Who: Adults, ages 18 and older
When: May 27 – 28, 2026
Where: Online, from the comfort of your home or office
Length: 90 minutes
Incentive: $150

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

 

 

May 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 May 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.

5/15/2026 Weekly Freebies and Deals

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The countdown to my trip out of town has commenced. Next week at this time, I will be camping!

I  updated my birthday freebies for 2026- You can find the post 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!

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:

Get Free Beauty Samples in the Mail From Dove, Hermes, Giorgio Armani and Others
FREE Sample of AESTURA ATOBARRIER365 Hydro Soothing Cream
FREE Movie Ticket to In the Grey
FREE Garden Basket Build Event for Kids at Lowe’s
FREE Kim Crawford Club Kim Party Kit
FREE Handcrafted Drink Every Monday at Capital One Cafe
FREE Fragrance Samples from Macy’s
FREE Modelo Best Seat in the House Fútbol Watch Party Kit
FREE Sample of Sustain Sport Performance Hydration Drink Mix
FREE $40 Worth of Batteries from Staples
2 FREE Movie Tickets to Power Ballad
FREE PRÉS Clean Protein Coffee
FREE Neutrogena Face & Body Sunscreen Pack at Walgreens After Cash Back
FREE Ensure Max Protein Shake After Walmart Cash
Get Free Seeds for Your Garden
FREE $30 to Spend at BEIS Travel After Cash Back
FREE Dior Fragrance Sample
FREE Salonpas Lidocaine FLEX Patch Sample
Kids’ Summer Reading Programs – FREE Books, Pizza, Push Toy & More
FREE Microchipping for Cats & Dogs at Petco
FREE Wendy’s Merch Every Wednesday at 3pm ET
Claim Cash in the $2.5 Billion Amazon Prime Class Action Settlement
FREE Goalie Game Workshop at Home Depot
FREE Sample of Dove Amino Curl Repair Mask
FREE Cone Day at Haagen-Dazs – Today Only
FREE MARÉE Beauty Products
FREE Dog or Cat Giveaway Kit & More at Target
FREE Planet Fitness Summer Pass for Teens
Top Freebies and Rewards for Good Report Cards
FREE Sample of L’Oreal Age Perfect Le Duo Serum
FREE 20 oz. Pepsi-Cola Product at Circle K
FREE Moving Box Labels from Progressive
FREE Catify Climb ‘n’ Scratch Post

Deals:

Celebrate Fri-Yay with These Fun Friday Food Deals
Char-Griller Barrel Pro Charcoal Barrel Grill ONLY $98 (Reg $130)
This Weekend Only: Underwear, Socks & Bras – Buy 2 Get 2 FREE
CAROTE Ceramic Cookware Set 16-Piece ONLY $69.99 (Reg $200)
Thursday Food Deals to Kick Off the Almost-Weekend
Macy’s 10 Days of Glam: Save 50% Off Tarte, MAC & More
How Does GoodRx Work? An Inside Look at Prescription Savings
Miracle-Gro Garden Soil On Sale for $2 at Home Depot
Our Favorite Places to Score Cheap Baby Clothes + Shop Great Deals Happening Now!
Puma Club 5v5 Animal Print Women’s Shoes ONLY $46.99 (Reg $100)
Save on 12-Pack Coca-Cola & Pepsi with These New Soda Deals For as Low as $0.41/Can
Up to 70% Off Nike Backpack – Prices as low as $9.99
Under Armour Men’s Fleece Hoodie ONLY $22 (Reg $55)
Astercook Knife Set ONLY $24.98 (Reg $79.99)

2026 Summer Reading Programs

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Summer break from school means summer reading programs from the local library systems, plus a few other places.

At the time of the publication of this post, the City of San Diego has not officially posted their information; however, I spoke to a librarian at a city library, and they said it would be almost identical to the program offered in years past.  For more information on prior years’ programs and prizes, click here.

Here are a few of our favorite summer reading programs. Unless specifically stated, the programs start on June 1st.

Book It has a summer program where kids can read and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house. Parents can enroll their kids for the summer! All logging of reading and prizes is now done on an app. Learn more here.

The County of San Diego Library’s summer reading program starts on June 1st. They have all sorts of prizes for kids and adults.

If you want your family to experience a multicultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish. The books were super useful for me in learning to read in Spanish (Beyond what Duolingo teaches).

Barnes and Noble has a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination Library, which is available in select regions, and those who live in participating areas can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.

Many of you have told me about Nothing Bundt Cake’s reading program. Books & Bundts is their youth reading program for pre-K through elementary students that celebrates the joy of reading. It’s easy and free with delicious results. Contact your local bakery to see if they are participating and to learn more.

If your kids like Chuck E. Cheese, this offer is great!  When they read every day for two weeks, they can fill out and turn in this calendar for 10 free play points!

5/10/2026 Weekly Meal Plan!

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May is a busy month for us, so it’s important to me that I plan out our meals on Sunday nights for the week.

To keep my grocery budget down, I shop at Aldi (using Instacart, I wrote about how to do it here), our local Grocery Outlet, and use cashback rebates that offer a lot of 100% back (I wrote a post about some of my favorite apps here).

I skipped a grocery trip this week- We have plenty of food, and we had a  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA box subscription drop off last Monday and have plenty of fruit and veg to get us through this week. I did a quick grocery inventory on Saturday morning to make sure we’d be ok.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee and a slice of toast with goat cheese and spicy honey.

Lunch: Monday through Friday, I pack my own and the kids’ lunches. I bring 5 lunches to work on Monday and stash them in the fridge. I pack the kids’ lunches each night before bed, except for the cold stuff and ice pack- those I put in when I get up in the morning. This week, my lunch is a fridge clean-out. I saw a friend from out of town this weekend, and I have a lot of leftovers from cooking, plus some soup my mom gave me.

Dinner: This week, dinners are pretty simple. We have busy days, so I want to spend as much time as possible with the kids. If one of the kids ends up not liking something, they can have a sandwich, a fruit, and a homemade smoothie.

This week’s available fresh fruits are: Gala Apples, cherries, and strawberries.

  • Sunday: Leftovers (We had a lot this week)
  • Monday: Cheesy Brats, chips, fruit, and smoothies

  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner (bacon and eggs)

  • Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner (I’m teaching that night)

  • Thursday: Quesadillas, beans/rice, fruit

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza and whatever leftover fruit is hanging around.

How I Lost My Meta Socials….

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On May 6th at about 2pm Pacific time, my Meta socials (Facebook, Instagram, and Threads) got hacked, and Meta suspended them.

I was at my day job, working, so I didn’t know about it until about 3pm.

I did a quick Google search, followed all the steps, but alas, I was unable to recover them.

I had those accounts for about 15+ years. My Facebook account included the page that supported my blog, as well as several groups I was a moderator/owner of. My Meta Accounts were what drove people to my blog, which is how I make most of my money on social media- which, to be honest, isn’t a lot.

So now I’m starting over from scratch. How can you help? It’s pretty simple:

  1. Like my Facebook Page.
  2. Follow me on Instagram.
  3. Follow me on Threads. 
  4. Follow me on Bluesky.
  5. Check out my Link Tree.
  6. Check out my Amazon Storefront.