Author: Abby H.

November is Military Family Month at the YMCA!

Abby H.

ymcaOne of the things I love about the YMCA is that they support military families with discounts and special programs. Through November 11, The San Diego County YMCA’s are directing 50 percent of new-member join fees toward financial assistance for military families.

Military families get extra membership benefits at the YMCA, including a waived join fee ($60 value), 10% off monthly membership fees, and access to child care referrals and the Exceptional Family Member Program for Navy families who have children with special needs.

If you haven’t checked out your local YMCA location recently, The Y will be free and open to all during regular hours, Monday, November 11. Veteran’s Day is just one of the many free community days the Y has throughout the year.

We love our local Y. With 2 hours of childcare each day, so I can exercise (or really, sometimes I just want to take a shower in peace), or make phone calls/catch up on emails/write in the newly remodeled lobby of our local Y (#nomomshame, I see lots of other moms do it too before or after their workouts), free classes, events, and weekly open gymnastic so the kids can play and get wiggles out- no matter the temperature outside, there is something for every family.

I’ve always got free passes too- so if you can’t make it on Monday, November 11, 2019 to your local Y, let me know and I can slip some passes your way!

Full Cart- Pantry Staples for Less!

Abby H.

 

fullcartlogo.pngI learned about Full Cart from Reddit. After doing some internet sleuthing, I have come to the conclusion that Full Cart is a great deal for those who do not have discount stores like 99 Cents Only or Grocery Outlet nearby. You can choose from one of three packages full of shelf-stable pantry staples that are quick and easy to cook.

Good news for vegetarians, they have options for you too!

Full Cart offers three packages:

Custom Box $22.99

What’s Included**

  • – 30 lunch/dinner servings
  • – 22 side dish servings
  • – 5 breakfast servings
  • – 8 snack servings
  • – 3 fresh produce items

Signature Box $19.99

What’s Included

  • – 28 lunch/dinner servings
  • – 8 side dish servings
  • – 10 breakfast servings
  • – 2 snack servings

Essentials Bag $14.99

What’s Included

  • – 25 lunch/dinner servings
  • – 10 side dish servings
  • – 5 breakfast servings

Typical items include:

Instant Oatmeal Packets, Macaroni and Cheese Kits, Stroganoff Meal Kits, Mashed Potatoes Kits, Red Lentil Jambalaya Meal Kits, Italian Veggie Pasta Meal Kit
(Bulk Bag), Loma Meat Free entrees, Tuna in pouches, Spanish Rice Meal Kit, Cheesy Pasta Meal Kit (Bulk Bag), Italian Veggie Pasta — Tomato Flavor Meal Kit
(Bulk Bag), Chicken Noodle Soup Meal Kit (Bulk Bag).  These items change frequently, so when you order, you may have other options!

Now clearly, this isn’t all that you need, you’ll still need additional items to make most of the kits/meals Full Cart sells, but any of these packages are a great way to stock your pantry for less. The meal kits area great Starting point for cooking tasty, nutritious foods for your family.

The best part is that there are always coupons and promo codes to bring down the shipping price further.  Because Full Cart is a non-profit, the food is free, all you pay for is for shipping. Coupon codes are to help you save on the price of shipping. Right now use coupon code AHEWES at checkout to save $3.00.  Coupon Codes are emailed out frequently when you sign up for Full Cart’s email list. You can sign up here.

Shipping prices vary on where you live, and I’ve seen reports on Reddit that depending on the coupon code, which food box you choose, and your area, boxes of food were delivered for as low as $8.00.

Talk Back: Have you tried Full Cart? What did you think?

California Residents: Unclaimed Property and Money!

Abby H.2 Comments

This is the postcard we received over the weekend. On the back is information about the State Controller’s Office, and how they are holding over NINE BILLION DOLLARS in unclaimed property (that includes money).

I checked the website and found about $27 in my name! I filled out the forms, printed them, signed them,  made copies of my ID, and mailed it all off this morning.  In 120 short days (or so, per the website), I should get my money.

It’s free to search, free to claim your property, so it is 100% worth 5-10 minutes to see if you’ve got anything waiting for you!

Click here to get started!

 

Looking for a Job? 2020 Census is Hiring!

Abby H.2 Comments

1569165357224The 2020 census is right around the corner!

That means the government is hiring for all sorts of positions to help get the census completed!

Positions provide:

  • Excellent pay ($16.50-$22.50/hr)
  • Flexible Hours
  • Paid Training
  • Close to Home

To learn more or apply, click here. I found out about this opportunity last week and I know that a lot of you are looking for part-time or temporary jobs to earn some quick cash.

I may be applying for one of these positions to earn some extra cash to help pay for a new car.

 

11/4/19 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

stemarie_1650skitchen

The littlest kiddo and I went grocery shopping on Friday, and man did we stock up! I went over budget by about $10 again this week, but we picked up some pantry staples that we had run out of. They will last at least a month, so I’m not too concerned.

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 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 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 (well, the big kid is, but the rest of us aren’t), 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 Bitty. The big kid takes his lunch to school, but once in a while, I can convince him to buy his lunch.

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. I did a little meal prep over the weekend, chopped and bagged veggies soups and chili, and made cookies for the kids.

  • Monday: Breakfast for dinner: Egg scramble with bacon, cheese, and veggies, hot cocoa
  • Tuesday: Leftover chicken tetrazzini, I made a huge batch last week.
  • Wednesday: Vegetable ravioli soup (recipe this week)
  • Thursday:  Taco-dillas (Quesadillas made with taco fixings), beans & rice
  • Friday: Vegetarian chili (I made a double batch last week and frozen part of it).
  • Saturday: I’ve got two events on Saturday, so I’m going to grab pizzas on the way home.
  • Sunday:   Leftover-palooza.

 

Talk Back: What are you planning to cook this week?

MommyCon San Diego is 20 Days Away!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-10-10 at 8.32.03 PM.pngAre you ready? MommyCon San Diego is just 20 days away!

This multi-day event features amazing shopping, interactive workshops, inspirational speakers and so much more. I loved the goody bag that I got last year! And of course, no event for moms (and dads) is complete without a snack station with all kinds of tasty snacks and drinks from some of the sponsors.

To  buy tickets and get more info go to MommyCon.com and use code “MTAH19” for 10% off!

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Here are a couple of classes that will be available to attend:
Friday is for VIP ticket holders only:

2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m VIP Registration
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. How Onbuhimos Inspired Naked Panda Designs & Giveaway! ***VIP Session***
4:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. The Parenting Letdown ***VIP Session***

Screen Shot 2019-03-29 at 12.20.20 PMSaturday:
Registration opens at 8:30am
Exhibitor Hall opens at 9am

10AM:
Room 1
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Managing the Motherload

Room 2
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Nurturing the Development of your Baby’s Brain through Movement and Exploration

Room 3
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Potty Training: Answers to When? Why? and How?

Sleep Consultations
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Sleep Consultation: 0-12 months

11:15AM:
Room 1
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
What to Feed Your Baby, presented by Stonyfield Organic

Room 2
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
What to Eat When You’re Expecting, presented bythe Weston A. Price Foundation

Room 3
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Play-Based Learning for Infants

Sleep Consultations
11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Sleep Consultation: 12-24 months

12:00-1:00PM- Lunch Break

1:00PM:
Room 1
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Preparing for your Breastfeeding Journey, presented by Kindred Bravely

Room 2
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Dental Ages Every Parent Must Know, presented by The Super Dentists

Room 3
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Babywearing 101: From SSC’s to Wrapping, presented by Ergobaby

Sleep Consultations
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Sleep Consultation: 24 months

2:00PM:
Exhibitor Hall
2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Ultimate Giveaway

Exhibitor Hall
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Shopping Break

3:00PM:
Room 1
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Peaceful Parenting

Room 2
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Your Baby’s First Year with Homeopathy, presented by Boiron

Sleep Consultations
3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Sleep Consultation: All Ages Q&A

11/1/19 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

file000845666076Better late than never, eh? I had some hellacious adulting to do today, so as a result all my blogging got pushed aside until the kids were asleep and dishes were done.

I’m surprised at the number of free events this weekend, but I think that maybe in part because Halloween was on Thursday, so let’s get started!

Events/In-store goodies:

Free PetSmart Sample Saturday Event

Free Sample of Downy Unstoppables at Sam’s

Free Air Wick Scented Oil Warmer at Walmart

Free Box of Facial Tissue at Big Lots

Free Hot Wheels Breakfast Event at Pottery Barn

Free Magical Reading Wand at Lakeshore Learning

Free American Eagle at Home Depot

Panera Members – Free Bagel Everyday in November

Free Holiday Kickoff Party at Disney Store

 

Free Samples:

PINCHme – Possible Free Michel et Augustin Cookie Squares

Free Sample of Cheers Hangover Relief Supplement

Free Collagen Peptides

Free $50 Gift Card with Hyundai Test Drive

2 Free Keep Girls Safe Buttons

Free Sample of PooPeePads Dog Pads

Free Organics Family Grass Kids Whey Powder

FREE Amazon Baby Box Samples

Free Q Drinks Carbonated Mixer Beverage

Free RADIUS Children’s Toothbrush

Free Sample of Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain

 

Deals:

Crystal Love Necklace Jewelry Set ONLY $2 Shipped

Mickey Mouse 90th Anniversary ONLY $5.69 at Amazon

Fisher-Price On-The-Go Breakfast Toy ONLY $4.90 (Reg $10)

Reusable Collapsible Silicone Straws ONLY $5.12 (Reg. $16)

LEGO City Arctic Exploration Set ONLY $6.23 at Amazon (Reg $10)

Munchkin Portable Diaper Caddy ONLY $7.11 (Reg. $25)

Fisher-Price Smart Scan Word Dash ONLY $11.12 (Reg. $30)

New Month, New Coupons!

Abby H.

file000786402730Here is your monthly reminder!  A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

One of my favorite websites is the Sunday Coupon Review.  It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks! New offers are added on the Smartphone Savings Apps all the time!

Here are a few of my favorite new coupons:

Save $1.25 on any ONE (1) 1850® Ground or Whole Bean Coffee Product

Save $1.50 on ONE (1) jar of Mezzetta® Pasta Sauce, 16.25 oz or larger

Save $2.00 Any ONE (1) JOHN FRIEDA® Product

Save $3.00 when you spend $18.00 on KLEENEX® Product.Expires 12/31/2019.Save $3.00.

Save $5 when you purchase $25 of Kellogg’s® Cereals (8.4 oz. or Larger, Any Flavor, Mix or Match).Expires 12/30/2019.Save $5.00.

Sonic Drive-in: .50 Corn Dogs on Halloween!

Abby H.

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Looking for a frugal, tasty dinner for tomorrow night? The thought of cooking after trudging with the littles all over town trick-or-treating making you twitch? Sonic Drive-In to the rescue!

Tomorrow is all about tricks, treats and Corn Dogs. Celebrate Halloween with $0.50 Corn Dogs all day.
Make this treat even better when you add half-price Drinks and Slushes to your app order.**
No promo code needed!

*$0.50 Corn Dogs: Each Corn Dog is $0.50. Tax not included. Offer valid only on October 31, 2019, at participating SONIC® Drive-In locations while supplies last. Not good in conjunction with Combos or any other offers. Not valid with third-party delivery services.

**Happy Hour Any Time: Get ½ Price Drinks and Slushes Every Time You Order in the SONIC® App. Includes Soft Drinks, Iced Teas, regular Lemonades and Limeades, Frozen Lemonades and Limeades, Ocean Water® and Famous, Real Fruit and Candy Slushes. Add-Ins cost extra. Excludes Mini size, Ice Cream Slushes, Combos, Wacky Pack® Kids Meals and other offers. Discount based on menu price. Mobile Ordering available only at select locations. Offer good for a limited time only at participating SONIC® Drive-Ins.

Frugal Home Repairs…

Abby H.

DSC_0039.jpg

Drip…Drip…Drip. Just the thought of that sound gets my hackles up! Recently, our master bathroom faucet started to drip. In a matter of a few days, the drip became a tiny stream.

Armed with our trusty Home Depot Repair guide, I looked through the plumbing section and found the section that applied. I headed off to Home Depot to buy a faucet puller.

Sometimes home repair manuals aren’t enough. Thankfully there are so many great videos on Youtube. These videos are often made by professional plumbers or tool/hardware companies. They can be a very valuable resource, especially if you are a visual learner.

This is the video that was the most helpful. Step by step directions, helpful tips, and it was realistic as to how much work it would take.

I am a DIY-er from way back, but even I know my limitations. Working as a team, we were able to take the faucet apart, install the new part and put it back together. Now it’s dripping a lot less.

The problem isn’t 100% fixed, but we’re still working on it. That’s the other thing about DIY home repair- Sometimes it’s not a quick 5-minute fix. Sometimes it’s a multiple-day, multiple trip to the hardware store, watching lots of Youtube videos, googling the same question in different ways.

This was the 3rd home repair I had tackled in the past 6 months. The other two were pretty easy, relativity speaking (replacing the flushing mechanisms in two separate toilets- both were different).

Here is my advice if you endeavor to tackle home repairs:

  • Google is your friend. Look up information before you get started.
  • Youtube can be a lifesaver! Check out multiple videos, especially videos made by professionals.
  • Check out the home repair book selection at your local library. While I linked to the book we used on Amazon, most branch libraries have all sorts of books on home repair.
  • Ask the dudes at the hardware store. The guy in the plumbing section of our local Home Depot told me he was a plumber, but he retired and picked up a couple shifts at Home Depot a week to keep busy. He gave me a bunch of tips, talked me through the process, and congratulated us on doing a job ourselves.
  • Hit up your tribe! Post a request for help on Social Media, shoot an email out to your peeps. You would be surprised how many people have done their own home repairs and may have tools to borrow, tips to share, or can lend a hand.

Talk Back: Are you a DIY Home pro, or are you intimidated by a toolbelt? Brag about your best home repair!

 

 

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