Month: January 2021

Earn Rewards with DSW VIP!

Abby H.

Designer Shoe Warehouse (aka DSW) has some really great deals and rewards! While doing research for Birthday Freebies over the weekend, I discovered that DSW‘s rewards program called DSW VIP is chalk full of perks and benefits:

Donate Shoes, Earn rewards: DSW VIP members can donate shoes and Rewards to those in need through Soles4Souls and Be Strong. Your donations help keep shoes out of landfills and create better opportunities for kids and families. For each pair you donate in-store, you earn 50points (that’s halfway to a $5 reward). You can donate and earn points once a week. You can find out more details in the store.

Birthday rewards: each Year, you’ll receive a $5 off coupon to be used in-store or online. That won’t get you a new pair of shoes, but DSW has all kinds of great socks, hosiery, and personal care items in store for $5 or less.

Free Shipping: Free ground shipping on every single purchase, no exceptions. Yup. Pretty cool, right.

And right now DSW is rocking a pretty sweet sale! Check it out:

Up to 70% off Women’s Clearance
Up to 70% off Men’s Clearance
Up to 70% off Kid’s Clearance

Cents of Style Deal of the Week: COZY Sweatshirt & Hoodie Collection ONLY $19.99

Abby H.

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

Sweatshirts

It’s cold here in So Cal right now. I’m freezing my tuchus off. Cents of Style has a great deal this week, and I’ve already ordered a few new sweatshirts.

When you use Coupon Code Comfy20 at checkout, you’ll score $20 off making each sweatshirt and hoodie ONLY $19.99 + Free Shipping over $35!

I love that couple of the style have pockets- pockets are always a great choice. With sizes S-3XL, lots of colors and styles, you are bound to find something that tickles your fancy and will keep you warm!

Earn Cash with PaidViewPoint!

Abby H.

I write a lot about my side hustles and making extra money. I wanted to talk about PaidViewPoint today.

I’ve been a member for 4-ish years, and I do a couple surveys each week. Each Survey you are sent you are pre-qualified for. That means that you won’t spend 20 minutes doing a survey only to be told, “Sorry, we don’t need you!” and you don’t get paid. PaidViewPoint surveys vary in bounty/amount earned, starting at .10 and working up to $5 (I got a $5 survey last week- they are rare, but definitely worth it!).

You will receive an email when they have surveys for you, but I check my PaidViewPoint account a few times a week to see if there are any available, just in case I miss emails from them.

As you can see from above, I cashed out $18.09 in Amazon Gift Cards yesterday. I cash out about once every two months. the cash out minimum is $15.00, and they offer Paypal cash, Walmart Gift Cards, and Amazon Gift Cards, your choice.

If you are looking for a survey company that doesn’t mess around, I recommend PaidViewPoint!

 

Disclosure: I may earn a commission or reward if you click on the links above. Please see my Disclosure page here for more info.

 

2021 Birthday Freebies!

Abby H.3 Comments

I’ve been doing a lot of research over the past few weeks to get this post up before my birthday. There are tons of posts online with birthday freebies, but few of them take into consideration where you live or that there is a global pandemic going on.

So, I’m here to change that.

I live in Southern CA, all of these freebies are specifically for those of us in that area. I recommend signing up for these freebies at least a month before your birthday, so there is enough time for you to be added to their list. I have included only the freebies that I have signed up for and personally received (mostly last year, because I am just starting to get them trickling in for 2021), so there is no bunk. I have removed companies that have gone out of business (RIP Fuddruckers)/.

First up, for those of you in CA, OR, FL, MY, SC, AZ, WA, and NV, check out eBirthdayClub. There are TONS of great freebies on this site.

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Non-food Goodies:

  • Free goodies at Sephora (It changes every year)
  • DSW Shoe Warehouse – $5 off birthday coupon
  • Members of the Cost Plus World Market Explorers program get a surprise birthday gift, among other perks; you will also get a 10% off coupon upon enrollment.
  • Torrid– Members of the DivaStyle Club will receive $10 off their next purchase of $10+
  • bareMinerals (cosmetics)- The birthday freebie changes each year. Last year it was lip gloss.
  • ClearWater Cleaners (dry cleaners)
  • Aqua Clean Carwash
  • Free brow wax at the Benefit Brow Bar. It’s back. More info can be found on their FAQ page.
  • Dave & Buster’s: $10 in free game play for those in the D&B Rewards Club.
  • This is a BOGO, but I know a few people who have done this and they said it was fun- Free Trip to Catalina Island! Free round-trip travel for two with the purchase of one full fare Adult ticket on your birthday
  • My Aunt told me about this one! Join Passport to Provence to score a FREE birthday gift from L’Occitane en Provence. Also, you can score $20 off your first purchase at L’Occitane here!
  • Join the Sally’s Rewards Club and score a $5 coupon on your birthday, as well as tons of other super sweet perks!

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Free Food Noms:

  • Red Robin:  FREE burger on your birthday and all the latest Red Robin news.
  • Rubio’s   Free plate/combo (You have to download their app)
  • Del Taco  Free Shake (You also get something free when you sign up!)
  • Starbucks – Download their app and get a free birthday handcrafted beverage of your choice.
  • Baskin Robbins– Donwload their app, and you can receive a small scoop of ice cream for your birthday.
  • Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Free single scoop.
  • Sonic Drive-in: Free Medium beverage (OMG- Cherry Limeade FTW!)
  • Denny’s: Free Grand Slam for your Birthday. They also email out other freebies and coupons.
  • IHOP: Free Meal (It varies by year) on your birthday.
  • Arby’s Birthday Club: Offers a “surprise” it changes each year.
  • Dunkin Donuts Birthday Club will kick down with a free coffee.
  • Bj’s Brewhouse– Rewards members receive a free Pizookie for their birthday.
  • Jersey Mike’s: Free Sub for your Birthday! (No matter what you read online, there is no Subway or Submarina birthday Freebies- Those deals are DEAD)
  • Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt: When you sign up for a Smile-age Account, you’ll score a free Fro Yo for your B-day!  (I love Menchie’s!)
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes: Join their email list and receive a FREE Bundlet on your Birthday. (look for the link at the bottom of their website)
  • Sbarro Rewards Club: Free piece of pizza for your birthday when you purchase a drink. You’ll also get a coupon for a free slice when you sign up.
  • Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt: Free Frozen Yogurt on your birthday.
  • Sprinkles: Get a free cupcake for your birthday when you join the Sprinkles birthday club.
  • Pita Pit: Free Pita for your birthday when you join the Pita Pit E-Club!
  • Bruegger’s Bagels gives you three free bagels for your birthday. SCORE! Our family eats tons of bagels, so this is a sweet deal.
  • EBirthday Club. For CA Peeps: They have offers in San Diego, Orange, LA, San Bernadino, Riverside, and Santa Clara Counties.
  • D Z Akins
  • Mary’s Donuts– East County peeps know what I’m talking about! Free drink and TWO Donuts!
  • Habit Burger Grill’s CharClub Score a free Charburger on your birthday.
  • Panera– Sign up for MyPanera and get a free pastry or sweet on your birthday.
  • El Pollo Loco- Sign up for Loco Rewards to get a FREE birthday meal (2pc Chicken Meal or Classic Chicken Tostada Salad.)!
  • Food, but not a restaurant offer. Like Yogurt? Join the Noosa Yoghurt fan club, Cream of the Crop, and they will mail you a coupon for free yogurt for your birthday!

There are tons of other birthday freebie lists, but they may include offers that are not available here or may include stuff that I don’t consider worth it (like a free Rice Krispy treat when you buy an entree that’s $10+… That’s a hard pass from me, or the Aveda “freebie”- pay $10 and receive a product valued at $23+… No thanks).

Another deal that everyone and their mama go nuts about is Benihana Japanese Restaurant – complimentary meal up to $30 when you purchase an Adult meal at Regular Price (You must sign up for The Chef’s Table club). This used to be a FREE meal, no strings attached, but it has changed to basically a BOGO. That’s a no go for me, but it may still get you excited.

I have not included Ulta in my list because you have to make a purchase the year previous (and it needs to be a certain amount- I’ve been told different amounts by various Ulta Employees anywhere from $5-$50), so for me, that’s not a freebie. If I have to buy something to receive something, that’s a BOGO deal.

Talk Back: What is your favorite birthday freebie?

Fetch Rewards: Mix & Match Grocery Rewards are Back!

Abby H.

Fetch Rewards is hooking us up again with sweet grocery rewards!

Tons of points and lightning-fast rewards! Now through 2/21/2021, spend $15 on a wide range of popular Unilever brands and get 5,000 points*. Redeem this Special Offer up to 4X for a total of 20,000 points.

If you aren’t sure which brands are included, here is a list of brands that are made by Unilever:

Redeeming this offer is simple. Head to any of these 5,000+ participating grocery stores, buy your favorite products from these Unilever brands, and snap your receipts!

And if you are wondering how fast it is to earn Fetch Rewards, I’ve earned $20 in Fetch Rewards since 1/1/2021.

If you are new to Fetch Rewards, download the app and get started. It’s super easy! Use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score 2000 points ( that’s the equivalent to $2 in rewards) after you scan in your first receipt with Fetch Rewards. You can find Fetch Rewards in your app store.

1/25/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgMy Word- It’s cold outside! The forecast for the week here in San Diego is cold, rainy, breezy weather. I’ve planned meals around warm, filling, comfort meals.

I did my weekly trip to the store yesterday for bread, milk, eggs, and snack/lunch items.

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. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: The kiddo and I usually have something quick and filling (I’ve been prepping bean and rice bowls on Sundays for us to have during week) so we can get back to our adventures.  Big kid takes his lunch to school. He’s been digging on Bear naked protein granola in his lunch lately. It’s his new favorite.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Lasagna Soup and Sourdough toast (Dream Dinners)
  • Monday:  Hashbrowns, Egg/veggie scramble, Fruit
  • Tuesday:  Soup (we’ve got a batch of Potato Cheese soup in the freezer)/Meal of Snacks
  • Wednesday: Chicago Style Chicken, Roasted Veggies, Salad (Dream Dinners)
  • Thursday: Grilled Cheese sandwiches, Salad, Soup
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Fiesta

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Dollar Tree: Fairy Garden Goodies!

Abby H.

We are looking at a lot of rain over the next week (or two) here in San Diego. That means a lot of indoor time. I was looking for something fun for us to do this weekend, and while cruising through Dollar Tree the other night, I discovered they have Fairy Garden Supplies!

I love making Fairy Gardens with the kids.

It’s a great way to make something tangible that uses the imagination.  Create or expand your fairy world with Dollar Tree‘s NEW Enchanted Fairy Garden collection! This entire 35-piece collection is available online now for just $23,  if you can’t find them in-store. The fairy garden sets are also the perfect addition to DIY terrarium parties and resale in garden and gift shops too. I personally think they would also be a great Easter Basket idea (DIY Fairy/Spring Garden).

Don’t forget when you shop online, you can take advantage of FREE shipping when you choose to have your order shipped to your local Dollar Tree store for pickup! It’s easy, convenient, and saves you money on shipping costs.

 

1/22/2021 Friday Freebies & Deals

Abby H.
bright boxes

I’ve been going going going all week, which is why you haven’t seen a lot of blog posts. I’m glad to report that I’ve had some time to look for some sweet freebies and deals for you today! And I’m elbow deep in my updated 2021 Birthday Freebies, which should be done sometime over the weekend.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced!

Freebies:

Free Multi-Surface Disinfecting Wipes
Free Wonder Drink Prebiotic Kombucha
Free Haven’s Kitchen Fresh Sauce
Free Sample of Orgain Protein Powder
Free Year of Vooks for Teachers
Banfield Pet Hospital – Free Office Visit & Consultation
Free Subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
Free Goody Bag at buybuy BABY Stores
Free MOO Sample Pack
Free Sample of La Roche-Posay Vitamin C Serum
Free Morgan & Morgan Hand Sanitizer & Face Mask
Free Sample of Malin + Goetz Body Moisturizer
Free Bag of Canidae Dog Food at Petco
Free Llama Stickers
Possible Free Hasbro Toys
Free Wings for Your Birthday Buffalo Wild Wings
Free Whimsical Wolf Stickers
Free Hair Craft Co. Hair Clay
Free Lasko Hybrid Tower Fan with Remote Control
Free Revitalash Products
Free Hallmark Card Every Month
Free Carlson Pet Products
Free Beachwaver Dry Shampoo
Free Sample of Yes Life CBD Oil & Hemp CBD Pain Relief Cream
Free No7 Lift & Luminate Primer
Free Sample of Aveda Botanical Repair Masque
Free Madam Vice President Sticker

 

Deals

adidas Alliance II Sackpack ONLY $7 (Reg $18)
Clorox Disinfecting Cleaning Wipes 3-Pack $11.37 Shipped
60% Off Custom Engraved Dog & Cat Tags $3.99 + Free Shipping
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaners ONLY $1.17 Each at Amazon
Save $5 when you buy TWO Snuggle SuperCare Liquid Softener
Women’s Leggings as low as $8.40 at Kohl’s (reg. $26)
Apple Magic Keyboard 11-inch iPad Pro ONLY $199 (Reg $300)
Back in Stock – Clorox Wipes $2.89 at Target
Tea Tree Lavender Mint Conditioner ONLY $17.99 (Reg $43)
Ralph Lauren Pillow ONLY $7.99 at Macy’s (Reg $20)
NYX Ultimate Utopia Shadow Palette ONLY $22.75 at Ulta (Reg $35)

Flagship Research: Parents with Children ages 18 to 48 months Training Pant Study Study $150

Abby H.

This popped into my inbox yesterday, and while we don’t qualify for this study, I thought some of you might be interested.

This is for San Diego, CA area parents, so if you are out of the area, keep your eyes peeled on the blog for more info on other upcoming studies that you might qualify for.

Flagship Research is currently searching for parents that have children between the ages of 18 to 48 months that want to take part in an upcoming research study for parents with children. This is study will last for 15 days and start on Saturday, February 20th, and finish on Sunday, March 7th. If you qualify and participate the study will compensate you $150.

For this study, Flagship is looking for parents or guardians ages 18 to 59 years of age.

In order to qualify for this study, they need to ask some questions to make sure the study is appropriate for you. If you are interested, please click the link below to answer these questions online.

Click here to see if you qualify.

6 Baked Potato Toppings That Make a Complete Meal!

Abby H.

Potatoes have gotten a bad rap over the past ten years or so. Potatoes are not the enemy that they have been made out to be. They aren’t an empty vessel to top with copious amounts of butter and sour cream (although that sounds pretty tasty).

In terms of nutrition, potatoes have a lot going on for them. 1 medium-sized potato contains:

  • 25% Daily Value of Potassium
  • 18% Daily Value of Fiber
  • 70% Daily Value of Vitamin C
  • 30% Daily Value of Vitamin B-6
  • 12% Daily Value of Magnesium

Now that you know that potatoes are a healthy food choice, let’s talk about incorporating them into some healthy meals!

Here are six of my favorite baked potato toppings that make a plain ol’ potato a meal!

  1. Chili, cheese, onions
  2. Stew (This is a great use for leftover stew)
  3. Veggies with Sauce (I like the Birdseye broccoli and cheese sauce)
  4. Madras Lentils (and bonus- this is a vegetarian option)
  5. Curry (Some of these curries are vegan!)
  6. Grilled Chicken, broccoli, and alfredo sauce (BJ’s restaurant has a potato with this combo and it is SOO good and filling)

Leftovers of most varieties make great baked potato toppings. One of our favorite camping meals with a baked potato bar. Make up a mess of baked potatoes and heat up and set out any of the above in addition to:

  • Cheese
  • Sour Cream
  • Chives
  • Sauteed or grilled veggies