2026 Summer Fun with Kids on a Budget

Abby H.Leave a comment

Today is the last Monday of school for my little kid.

I know a lot of you have kids who are out of school already, and you may be wondering how you can keep them busy without going broke.

I’ve got some things planned- different from other years, now that my posse is older. Here are some of the ways we’re having fun and staying cool.

Kids Bowl Free (only my younger kid qualifies, but it’s still a great program).

Summer Reading Programs. Between the City and County libraries, and Bookit, it’s going to be awesome!

Discount Summer Movies– It’s all second-run movies, but some of these are my kids’ favorites. Plus movie theatre popcorn and AC!

Balboa Park still offers Free Tuesdays at various museums in the park. If you or your kids have an EBT card, check out Museums for All. 

Both the City of San Diego and County of San Diego Library systems have fun events planned for kids and adults.  Some of the events my gang is looking forward to:

If you are looking to beat the heat and need something free, check out the Waterfront Park downtown. They have a great splash pad area for kids, a really fun playground, and a big grassy area for picnics. The only downside is the lack of shade trees.

There are a bunch of municipal pools in San Diego that have open swim times, and a couple that have splash pads!

If you are looking for free summer food for kids and families, check out my post here. 

And beyond that, if you are looking for free and low-cost food resources, check my page here.

6/7/2026 Weekend Freebies and Deals!

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I’ve been really busy this week- Gearing up for the final week of school for my littlest kid, and I am costuming a play that starts in July, so I am knee deep in costume prep! I’ll post more about the play once the official notice and information is available.

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

Free Perfume Samples You Can Get Right Now
FREE Salonpas Lidocaine FLEX Patch Sample
FREE Car Wash for First Responders at GO Car Wash
FREE Full-Size Pack of WaterWipes Feminine Wipes
FREE Emergen-C Samples + Sticker Giveaway & More at Target
FREE Lipton Fusions Lemonade Iced Tea
FREE Box of Splenda
$1 Million in FREE Domino’s Emergency Pizzas
FREE Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Set at Sephora After Cash Back
FREE 22 oz. Iced Tea at Raising Cane’s
FREE Sample of Diptyque Eau des Sens Eau de Toilette
FREE Hallmark Card Every Month
FREE Is It a Stroke Magnet
FREE Frazil Slushie Every Friday in June
We Found The Best Birthday Freebies For Kids
FREE innisfree Energy Sheet Mask
2 FREE Movie Tickets to The Furious
FREE The Forward Bar
FREE Vanilla Shake at Wayback Burgers on June 20th
FREE Fishing Days 2026
FREE Sample of CeraVe Anti-Dandruff Hydrating Shampoo
Join Ask Mom for Product Tests and Survey Cash
Chipotle Summer of Extras – FREE Chipotle, Points & More
100,000 FREE Pints of Kroger Ice Cream on June 19th
Get Free Nike Gear: How to Become a Nike Product Tester
10 Ways to Save Big on Pet Food Delivery Services + Get Free Shipping
FREE Svinka Hand-Drawn Art Postcard
FREE Bedsure Dog Bed
FREE Starbucks Coffee or Cookie for Target Circle Members on June 23rd
FREE Reward Every Week with Panda Express Wok Wednesday
FREE Sample of SheaMoisture Silk Press in a Bottle
FREE Sample of SHEBA Perfect Portions Kitten Food
FREE Ello Flip & Fill Insulated Water Bottle at Walmart
FREE Fragrance Samples from Macy’s
FREE Animal Creatine HMB+ Powder
53,000 FREE Chipotle Burritos After the NBA Finals
FREE Goalie Game Workshop at Home Depot
FREE Sample of Chomps Original Chicken

 

Deals:

Save With the Lululemon Military Discount: Get 15% Off
Kohl’s Clearance Sale is at 85% Off – Deals as low as $1.35 after Extra 50% Off
Kohl’s Sandals as Low as $8 – Lowest Price of the Season
Ann Taylor Coupons & Deals: 50% Off Coupon + Extra 40% Off Clearance
Amazon Hand Soap 6-Pack on Sale for ONLY $3.75 – That’s $0.62 Each
Womens Casual Dresses as low as $9 on Amazon

Upcoming JCP Kid’s Craft Events for June & July!

Abby H.Leave a comment

I’m all about fun, free (and cheap) summer 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 June 13, 2026, from 11 AM to Noon, and kids can create a Super Hero Plaque.

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

On July 11, 2026, from 11 AM to Noon, kids can come create a bug or safari animal magnet.

Kids aren’t the only ones who get something.  Parents/Adults score a 10% off coupon, which can be combined with another coupon. JCP Coupons can be found here.

JCPenney hosts a fun craft event in-store for kids on the second Saturday of each month.  They are easy for kids and a fun, free activity.

While you are there, make sure to join their Rewards Program. There are a lot of great benefits, and it’s free to join. I do a lot of our shopping at JCP. They are very size-inclusive, have great prices/sales, and support diversity in the communities in which they are located.

In-store events are only where local mandates allow.  All kids must be accompanied by an adult.

2026 Summer Lunch Programs for Kids (And Other Free Food Resources in San Diego)

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I’m back with as many free summer lunch resources as I could find for 2026! I’ve been finding these resources and posting them for 7+ years. I hope these resources stretch your summer budget.

Y’all know I love to keep everyone’s kids fed.

The San Diego Unified School District has partnered with the San Diego Parks and Recreation to have food available at neighborhood schools and Recreation centers throughout the city of San Diego. The complete list of locations can be found here. Times vary by location.

Feeding San Diego has a list of locations in San Diego County offering free food for kids 0-18 here.

Feeding San Diego has many other programs to help families and individuals all over San Diego County. You can learn more about all of their programs here.

Lunch at the library: The City of San Diego library has two locations participating; more information and hours/times can be found here.

County of San Diego library locations include Ramona, Casa de Oro, and Spring Valley. Check to see if your county library branch is participating here.

Lunch at the Park is hosted by several libraries throughout the City of San Diego!

To find schools near you participating in free summer lunches for kids, the California Department of Education website has a map for the entire state of CA, separated by County with free lunch locations for children.

And if you are low-income or meet certain requirements, check out California’s Summer EBT program, known as SUN Bucks. Families will get $120 for each eligible child to buy groceries during the summer. SUN Bucks will not affect immigration status. If you have received SUN Bucks previously, make sure your mailing address is current with your school and with the county, so your SUN Bucks are sent to the right place! Most families will begin receiving their SUN Bucks cards in mid-June through August. SUN Bucks Helpline (household inquiries): (877) 328-9677

If you need assistance feeding yourself and/or your family beyond these free meals, and you are looking for free and low-cost food resources, check my page here.

FREE Frazil Slushie Every Friday in June

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It’s back for 2026! Free Frazil Friday! If you aren’t familiar, a Frazil is a cold slushy drink available at gas stations and convenience stores nationwide.

Every Friday in June, you can score a free Frazil Slushy drink at a convenience store near you. To find your local participating location, click the link here. Many Jackson’s locations have Frazil machines.

If you are wondering about flavors, here is a complete list- most locations only have 2-3 flavors.

Lemonberry
Smashberry
Pina Colada
Orange Cream
Tiger’s Blood
Simply Mango
Blue Razzmatazz
Georgia Peach
Green Apple
Lemon Ice
Tangerango
Horchata
Lemonberry
Root Beer Float
Wildberry
Bermuda Triangle
Rock N’ Roll
Limonade
Smashberry
Pina Colada

This is a great summer freebie to add into your weekly rotation of freebies and deals in June!

Tryazon- Bring home the fun with a Messy Table Game Night

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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!

Bring a new lineup of great games home with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Messy Table Games! Founded by Eric Olsen, the game designer behind Flip 7 and Glyphics, and his longtime friend Jeff Argast, Messy Table Games brings fun, new games to your table. Tally Up! is a fast-paced, easy-to-learn game where every player decides how far to push their luck. A Lotta Axolotls is a one-of-a-kind card game. Booty Dice is another fast-paced game where you aim to be the last pirate standing!

They have 50 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack for free with a variety of games from Messy Table Games to share with friends and family!

 

Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/messy-table-game-night-party/

Enjoy Reading Magazines? Magazine Deals No Credit Card Required!

Abby H.Leave a comment

I love reading, and I love magazines, but they are so expensive. bPerx has a treat for all of us!

Once I’m done reading them, I collect them for a friend who does collages as part of her therapy practice. These magazines are perfect for collages too!

Ready to Claim Your Magazine Gifts? We just need a little info to get your gifts ready. No credit card required. The following subscriptions are gifts from bPerx.

Fine Print: US only, not available for Minnesota addresses. Users must be of age 18+ with a valid USA postal address and a valid email address.

I’ll be posting more offers like this as I find them!

Got Wide Feet?

Abby H.Leave a comment

Hey there. I see you have wide feet, too. It makes shopping for shoes really hard.

Having wide feet and Plantar fascitis is like a double whammy, so I’ve been really careful about the sneakers I wear.

I don’t have much call for “fancy shoes” or heels in my day-to-day life.

I’ve been collecting websites and shoe brands that make and sell good-quality, wide shoes.

Many of these websites have coupon codes and sales. Stores like JCP have loyalty clubs you can join for free.

Here are a few of my favorite places to get wide shoes and some of my favorite brands. I hope this helps!

Brooks Running. They have great wide and double-wide running shoes that aren’t ugly.

Zappos. Not just sneakers, but all sorts of wide and double-wide shoes. I picked up some sandals from Zappos last summer.

Orthofeet. From their website: “Orthofeet products deliver the relief and protection to stay active, with innovative features from customizable support and a pressure-free fit, to easy-opening closures, advanced therapeutic materials, and the low-impact walking comfort of the Ortho-Cushion™ System.” I have a pair of their sneakers. They are very roomy in the toe box. IYKYK.

Shoebacca. A friend sent me this website, and they have quite a collection of wide and extra-wide shoes. Best Part: Free ground shipping, free return shipping, 110% price matching

Skechers. They have a store in my city, but I’ve never bought shoes for myself there because they only sell shoes in wide sizes (and not in my gigantic foot size), if you have smaller, wide feet, they have some pretty good deals in-store and online.

JCPenneys. It’s my go-to store for most of my non-thrifted clothes and shoes. They have a great selection online (and sometimes in their larger physical locations) of wide and extra-wide shoes. Not just sneakers, but sandals and heels too.

And Finally, Crocs. Yeah, I know. They are kinda ugly, but it’s more than what you are thinking of. The Crocs brand sells a lot of different types of shoes, and they are very comfy. Not all sizes and styles come wide.

Advanced Opinions: Upcoming Project on Health Conditions June 2026 (Up to $225)

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Advanced Opinions (AO) is another Market Research company that emails me about studies and surveys.

Right now, they are recruiting for a new study on Health Conditions.

Dates: June 11 -June 17, 2026

Compensation: $75+ (if chosen) for full-participation

Open to  ages 18-59 years of age

This is an ONLINE Project, you can only participate using a computer with a working webcam and a working mic, and you will be required to wear working headphones or working earbuds during the session. 

Part 1 – if selected – $75 Compensation if selected and for full participation
Online Survey: Length: 45 minutes
Must have high-speed internet AND use a desktop/laptop computer to complete the survey. Must have a Webcam to participate in Part 2, the follow up Webcam Group.
Cannot use a smartphone or tablet.
Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox (Internet Explorer is not compatible).

Part 2 – if selected – $150 Compensation if selected and for full participation
Follow-Up Webcam Group: After completion of the online survey, some will be selected to participate in a 90-minute Webcam Group. If selected, you will be notified by email.

 

To be considered for this study, view the list and complete the pre-screener here.

Freebie: Healthy Snack Box!

Abby H.Leave a comment

Y’all know I love a good freebie. I found this deal this morning and had to share.

Get a Free Healthy Snack Box! They’ll send you a box filled with delicious, healthy snacks, and all you need to do is let them know what you think. Shipping is free. No credit card required EVER!

What’s the catch? There isn’t one. Brands just want to hear what you think of their products.

I signed up for one this morning and I’ll post pictures on my Instagram and Facebook Page as soon as it arrives. If you sign up for it too, let me know. I’m curious to see if everyone gets the same snacks.