Month: June 2019

Stretch your Grocery Budget with Free Produce Distributions!

Abby H.1 Comment
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This list is only central, south bay, and east county locations. North County locations can be found on the Neighborhood Distribution Program website.

It’s a pretty common complaint that kids eat A LOT during the summer. There are lots of causes: Increased activity, change in schedules, and let’s face it- kids just eat a lot. This can increase a families grocery budget at a time when they are already spending extra money on activities for their kiddos.

I have a possible solution! Check out the San Diego and North County Food Bank Neighborhood Distribution Program! From their website, “The Neighborhood Distribution Program distributes food to thousands of individuals and families once a month at more than 20 different sites throughout San Diego County.

Distributions take place in our nonprofit partners’ parking lots. The majority of the food distributed consists of fresh fruits and vegetables which is part of the Food Bank’s Nutrition Initiative to provide healthy, nutrient-rich food to our clients.

Neighborhood Distribution Program sites welcome anyone in need of food assistance. I.D. and documentation ARE NOT required, and there are no income or asset restrictions for this program.”

You may be wondering, “But what do you get?” Well, one of the distribution points, Faith Chapel in Spring Valley posts photos on their  Meet the Need Ministry Instagram page!

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White onions, red potatoes, watermelons, honeydew melons, oranges and Washington apples were available today. And it’s not just a few of each. Each person who came through got a bag of white onion, a bag of red potatoes, 1 large watermelon, as many honeydew melons as they wanted, a bag of oranges, and a dozen apples.

This produce is often “ugly” or considered an “allowable second” (a production term used in several industries for an item that is functional but may not be perfect looking), but it’s always tasty and nutritious.

If you’ve got hungry faces that need food this summer, I recommend stopping by your local distribution at least once this summer. If you aren’t in the San Diego County area, check with your local food bank for Neighborhood Distribution Program.

Don’t forget that there are tons of free summer lunch locations all over the state of CA (for more info on San Diego locations, check out this post). Text FOOD  (Or COMIDA for a list in Spanish) to 877-877, or call 211 and you can find a list of free summer lunch locations near you.

And if you need further help, here is a post with food resources in San Diego County. If you are outside San Diego County, Feeding America has a really great Food Bank Locator.

 

Talk Back: What is your kids favorite summer snack?

Sam’s Club – Join for $45 Get $50 in Savings

Abby H.


We have a Sam’s club close by, so I just signed up for this deal!

Join Sam’s Club for $45 and get $50 in savings. GET A $20 GIFT CARD AND $30 IN INSTANT SAVINGS*

  • Member’s Mark all beef franks 3 lb. 12 ct. Discount $7.00 off
  • Member’s Mark 80/20 or 90/10 ground beef Discount $10.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns 24 ct. Discount $3.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Loaded Potato Salad 48 oz. Discount $4.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Purified Bottled Water 45 or 80 pk. Discount $3.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Cookies – 18ct. various in Deli ($5.98 retail value) Discount FREE

There are tons of awesome things about Sam’s Club, including free samples from Freeosk, in-store offers, and Field Agent frequently has audits at Sam’s Club Locations!

 

Talk Back: What’s your favorite thing from Sam’s Club?

Fetch Rewards: Earn 10,000 Points!

Abby H.

unnamed.pngI am so stoked about this offer! 10,000 points is a $10 gift card (there are 20+ brands to choose from. I usually get Amazon)

Complete 3 referrals. Get 10,000 points.

 

Get 4,000 bonus points* when you share Fetch Rewards with three people from June 13 to June 23! You know three people, right?

Here’s how it works:

  • For each completed referral, you get 2,000 points when your friend scans a valid receipt. They get 2,000 points, too!
  • Complete three referrals, get a 4,000-point bonus. 
  • Congrats, you earned a total of 10,000 points!

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To get started, click here, or download the app from the app store or wherever you get apps. Use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score points after you scan in your first receipt with Fetch Rewards. Then you can refer friends and earn up to 10,000 points!

Just by doing my usual shopping this year, I’ve earned $30 in Amazon GC trough Fetch Rewards!

 

My disclosure statement is here. I’m here to help ya’ll save money, not make a million dollars!

This Week Only! $5 off $5+ at Michaels!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-06-17 at 8.15.46 AM.pngJust in time for summer crafts! Now through 6/22/19, you can find and use a $5 off $5+ (restrictions apply of course) on the Michaels website here.

This coupon is valid in-store only. If you need to shop online, there is a 40% off any one regular price item here. It also has restrictions.

I’m taking the kids this morning to find supplies for a project to work on this week! And don’t forget that Camp Creativity is in full swing! $3 craft classes where kids can make and take a project! Details can be found here.

Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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This week starts our first full week of summer break! We’re going to be checking out some fun, free activities, including some free lunches! I stocked up on snacks and treats Friday at Grocery Outlet, so the kids will have yummy food to get them through the week.

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, so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste. If you are looking for kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

You may notice a lot of plant-based meals- We are not vegetarian, but I am trying to get more veggies into our diet. I do a lot of cooking from scratch- I find it easier to get veggies and fruit into recipes that I can have 100% control over.

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

Breakfast: Coffee with heavy cream for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids (they love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular.

Lunches are leftovers, salads, or soups for me and the Little Bit, and The Big Kid has a specially packed lunch of whatever he’s into at the time (which changes frequently).

For dinner, when we’ve got busy days (like Mondays), I’ll try and put something in the crockpot in the morning, or pull something I’ve already prepped out that can be quickly cooked.

  • Monday: Veggie curry & rice I’m making this for the first time. I’ll be posting the recipe later in the week!
  • Tuesday: Shakshuka– It’s a one dish meal (and it’s vegetarian!)
  • Wednesday:  Grilled Cheese and soup (I’ve got some leftover chicken noodle soup in the freezer)
  • Thursday: Breakfast for Dinner (pancakes and fruit salad)
  • Friday: I’m going to see my cousin play at a local tavern, so I might have a bite there, otherwise it might be leftovers.
  • Saturday: Homemade pizza night!
  • Sunday: Leftover Night

Today Only! Shutterfly Freebies!

Abby H.

I love Shutterfly– and today only, you can choose 5 out of 15 freebies with code HOTFREEBIES.

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Choose From:

  • 1 Desktop plaque 5×5 or 5×7
  • 1 Cotton Tote (limited quantities)
  • 1 Set of 12 Pencils
  • 1 Small Dog Toy
  • 1 5×7 easel back Canvas
  • 1 5×8 Notebook
  • 1 Resuable Bag
  • 1 11oz White Mug
  • 1 Photo Key Chain
  • 1 Mouse Pad
  • 1 Set of Coasters
  • 1 Metal Ornament
  • 1 Set of Playing Cards
  • 1 Placemat
  • 1 Small Luggage Tag

 

Just pay shipping/Handling & tax! To get started, click here. 

Star Wars Epic Adventures!

Abby H.

I just learned about Star Wars Epic Adventures yesterday, and I signed the kids up right away. My kids LOVE Star Wars!

When you subscribe to the Star Wars Epic Adventures for $9.99 (first month only) and receive full-color 96-page storybook, which are not available in retail stores and are exclusive to subscribers.

  • Each monthly package includes a full-color 96-page storybook, a set of 12 collectible cards, one activity book with stickers plus a large vinyl sticker, and an additional premium bonus item such as a poster or T-shirt.
  • Twelve collectible cards that provide an in-depth look at scenes from the films. The cards in the initial “Phantom Menace” package give youngsters a detailed overview of the famous podracing scene from the movie. Each set of cards comes in a unique collector’s case that combine to create a classic “Star Wars” scene when all of the sets are collected
  • A full-color activity book with stickers. Each book takes a deeper dive into the characters of the “Star Wars” universe, starting with a book titled “Jedi vs. Sith.”
  • One additional bonus gift. The first month’s package includes a four-foot poster covering the “Star Wars” adventure timeline. Large-size vinyl stickers that come with each shipment can be used with the poster to track the reader’s progress through the saga. Future gifts include premium items such as T-shirts for both adult and child, and a storage case for the collectible card sets.

 

Screen Shot 2019-06-15 at 9.44.47 AMFuture shipments are just $19.98 + $3.99 Shipping and handling, and you can cancel any time, for whatever reason!

 

Fashion Friday: Patriotic Collection 50% OFF (Starting at $7.50) With Code FIREWORKS

Abby H.

Summer Sale

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

Are you ready for this deal? This week for Fashion Friday, Cents of Style is hooking you up with their Patriotic Collection at 50% OFF With Coupon Code FIREWORKS. 

Sizes range from S-3XL and prices start at ONLY $7.50- Oh, and Free Shipping!

Hell yes! Shirts, dresses, shorts, rompers, accessories, you name it!

 

If you are interested, you best get to getting, this deal won’t last long!

Summer Sale

Friday: Freebies, Deals, and & Free Events!

Abby H.

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Friday means- Freebies, Deals, and Free Events!

Free Samples:

Free Food:

Magazine Subscriptions:

Deals:

Free Events/In-store Deals:

Save Time & Money This Summer with Online Shopping!

Abby H.13 Comments

e6d40b7bc536c9a8b6f32ebd3b6730efDo you dread taking your kids shopping in the summer? I love my two weirdos, but I dread taking them to Target, Wal-mart, basically any place I need to run errands that has toys, candy, treats, impulse buy items.

I can stick to my list and budget while shopping solo, but add my two smalls into the mix, and stuff “mysteriously” makes its way into my cart. The whining, crying, begging. It’s enough to drive me to day drink.

So, I try to shop online and do in-store pick up as much as possible. I use all of the tools available to me to save money:

Smartphone Apps 

A lot of the stores available through Mypoints and Topcashback  offer in-store or curbside pick up.

Target has their Redcard which has tons of perks. I save 5% every time I shop by using my Target Red Card.  It’s a debit card and it’s Target branded, so I can only use it at Target, just like an ATM card (with a PIN).

Today I’m running to Target to pick up an order of stuff (face wash, cotton balls, stuff like that).

Then it’s off to 99 Cents Only to refill the snack box!

Talk Back: How do you Navigate the stores in the summer while staying on budget?