Author: Abby H.

Wanna Save Money in 2017?

Abby H.1 Comment

8f235f4422591a09bd341f17958e172c.jpgOne of the most common New Years Resolutions is to to save money. And it’s a good one!

Last year I wrote a series with the top ten resolutions:

 

If you feel like you are too busy to “deal with” coupons:

I hope these tips and articles help!

3D Light FX- Batman Light!!

Abby H.

A few weeks ago I posted all about the cool character lights from 3D Light FX.

I chose the Batman logo for Lil’ Man. While it’s wrapped up under the tree, I had to post about how cool it is!IMG_0826.jpg

I took it out of the package and put batteries in it to test it out, but I totally forget to get pics of it lit. Mom brain. Anyway, it’s super awesome, and I can’t wait until Christmas Day for him to open it.  The quality is really nice, and I know it’s going to last a long time.

These cool lights are sold  here, in tons of cool characters and logos. I’ll post pics once we get it up on his bedroom wall!

Earn Cashback and Gift Cards with Swagbucks!

Abby H.

Join Swagbucks!
You Can Get Free Gift Cards For Shopping, Searching and Discovering What’s Online at Swagbucks.com

Swagbucks is a great way to earn cashback and giftcards when you search, shop, or play online.

And right now, you can refer friends and earn $5!

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Have you ever heard of Swagbucks? They’re a completely free, no strings attached site that rewards you for all of the things you’re already doing online. Search, Watching Videos, Playing Games, Taking Surveys, Shopping and more – as you do these activities, you’ll earn Swag Bucks, which are reward points that you can redeem for all sorts of gift cards in the Rewards Store.

You can download their toolbar or download their OS and Android apps for more opportunities to earn. Choose the activities you like or have time for – how much you earn is up to you!

I have been using the search toolbar for all of my searches and I’ve been racking up the points!

I’ve used Swagbucks Since February 2012 and so far I’ve earned over $500! In fact, I just cashed out another 2 $5.00 Amazon Gift Cards! You can do the same!

Review of Grandbox!

Abby H.

A few weeks ago, I posted aboutGrandBox , a monthly subscription box.

GrandBox is the original monthly subscription box customized and curated specifically for seniors 65 and up. It’s the perfect gift to bring a smile to the older loved ones in your life.

Well, it was received by the kid’s paternal grandmother. And she liked it!

The box contained:

  • Holiday Wet-It
  • hand lotion,
  • d’anjou pear hard candy,
  • chocolate butter biscuit,
  • holiday patterned kleenex,
  • and a couple of candy canes!

And per my Mother in law, the TOPPER was the pics of the kids.

So if you are looking for a gift for the grandparent or other older relative in your life, check out Grandbox!

Shop and Save at Sears and K-Mart with Shop Your Way Rewards!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 8.37.57 PM.pngI’ve written about how I’ve saved money before with Shop Your Way Rewards, and here is another great deal!

If you aren’t familiar, Shop Your Way Rewards, it’s the Club Card for Sears and K-Mart (they are owned by the same company). You accrue points for each purchase, and points can be redeemed for dollars and cents off of purchases. They also have really great coupons that you can load to your account that can be used in store or online. Frequently, they have in-store only deals.

Like right now, when you spend $40 on clothing, shoes, or accessories, you’ll receive $20 in points good on your next purchase! This deal appears to be in store only.   Lil’ Man has shot up another 3 inches almost overnight, so he was in need of pants and underwear.

Now, here’s the catch- If you have points already, you can’t redeem on this deal to lower your OOP and receive the points. If you redeem points, you cannot also take advantage of earning any bonus or additional points.  At my time of checkout, I had $7.00 in points to redeem, but if I used it, I couldn’t earn my $20 in points. So, obvi (as the kids say), I saved my $7 in points..

I bought:

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Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 8.19.14 PM.pngNow I’ve got $23 and change in points to use on my next purchase.

I’ll be using those points to pick up a few holiday gifts. I am able to use Shop Your Way Rewards to stretch our family budget for clothing, shoes, and gifts.

One of the things I like about Shop Your Way Rewards is that the deals and coupons are tailored to your shopping!

You can earn more points by checking out the sweepstakes section of Shopyourway.com and enter sweepstakes. Most of the sweepstakes have an instant win section where you can win points for free!!

Points can be used at both Sears and K-Mart locations!

 

Have an awesome time at Medieval Times!

Abby H.

 

Ok, so a few weeks ago, I wrote about Medieval Times.  Right now, they have an incredible deal, CLICK HERE and use this exclusive promo code MT3629 through 2/17/17 and receive Adults for just $36.95 and children (12 and under) only $29.95.

That’s an incredible deal! Dinner at Medieval Times would make a great gift for the little knights or maiden on your gift giving list!

Lil’ Man and I headed up on Sunday with our friends, and we had a great time!

IMG_0694.jpgWhen you enter the King and his chancellor speak and knight the birthday kids, you can grab a drink at the bar (they have non-alcoholic drinks too!), and check out the horses while you wait for your show to start. Here we are sitting on the Royal thrones! Lil’ Man loves making goofy faces!

(BTW, yes, his shirt says Property of One Awesome Mom)

IMG_0703.jpgThe food was cool! You eat off metal plates and bowl with handle, no silverware (I snuck plastic spoons in- I didn’t want the kids to melt down because they couldn’t eat their soup).

We sat in the Red & Yellow Knight’s section, hence the weird orange tint to the photo of our dishes!

The show starts after you are seated (You are “sorted” into cheering sections as you enter the castle). The knights are introduced and food service begins.

The King’s feast includes garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potato, pastry of the Castle (Lemon pound cake for us!) and beverages. It was great! Our server was so cool.

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Overall, the show was great- so much excitement and drama. The kids were riveted for the entire show. They almost didn’t eat because of how much they enjoyed the show.

There were a lot of people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events.

But really, no one ever needs a reason (or excuse) to visit the King’s Castle at Medieval Times!

If you don’t live in Southern CA, fret not! There are locations all over the country!

 

Freebies at 7/11 through the end of the year!

Abby H.

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Woo Hoo! 7/11 is treating us every Monday and Friday through the end of the year! Download the 7Rewards app (just go to your favorite app store online) to your phone or other mobile device and you can start and end your work week with freebies!

Stride Gum offer valid on 11/11, 11/18, 11/25, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23 and 12/30/16 only.
Belvita offer valid on 11/14, 11/21, 11/28, 12/5, 12/12, 12/19, 12/26/16 and 1/2/17 only.

Fine Print: Quantities are limited. Check coupon in app to see if offer is still available. Limit of one offer per member per day. Program available only to members of the 7Rewards™ Program and available only at participating 7-Eleven® Stores, excluding Hawaii. Go to the 7-Eleven Mobile App for additional terms and conditions of 7Rewards.

Great Gift Card Deal at Vons! #vonssvgc16

Abby H.

You know I love a good Gift Card Deal! Right now through December 13, 2016 when you purchase $100 or more ins select gift cards (Amazon, JCP, Bass Pro, Starbuck’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Toys R Us, Kohl’s) you’ll score  $10 off your next shopping order (with $25 min. purchase at time of redemption)!

There are so many great ways to work this deal!

  • Use your points or cash back credit card to purchase the gift cards for a double dip! Our American Express Card gives us 5% cash back when we shop at grocery stores.
  • Pick up gift cards for upcoming holiday gifts, or…
  • Use the gift cards to stay on budget for holiday gifts! Because you can shop in store or online with giftcards, it’s a great way to triple dip (use a cashback online shopping website like ebates or Topcashback to redeem your gift cards. You will earn even more cash back!)
  • Don’t forget to check for coupons before you redeem your gift cards! This time of year JCP usually has $10/$25 or similarly valued coupons. And earn even more rewards when you sign up for JCP Rewards (it’s Free!).

Before you head to your local Vons, check your Vons Club deals online or through their app, and check to see if you have any other gift card deals or promotions available. I just checked my Vons app and I found these two deals under my Just4U.

So not only do you get $10 off your next purchase of $25 or more when you buy $100 in selected gift cards, but you could also score extra Gas Reward Points!

What I love about Vons Fuel Rewards Program is that I can use my earned discount at any Chevron, Texaco, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, or Carrs branded gas stations. Perfect for holiday travel by car!

I like that I can save up to .20/gallon at Chevron and Texaco Stations and up to $1.00/gallon at Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, or Carrs branded gas stations, depending on how many points I earn!

You can learn more about the Vons Gas Rewards program here.

Need to find your local Vons store? Look here. 

 

Once it’s time to redeem your $10 off coupon, don’t forget to stretch your budget further by adding exclusive coupons and deals to your Vons card through the app or Vons.com! And if you are looking for printable coupons, check out these great printable coupon resources.  And save even more money using Smartphone rebate apps like Ibotta, checkout51, and Mobisave. You can find a list of all of the money savings apps I use here.

Right now, you can enter to win a $75 Amazon Gift Card! Just in time for the holidays! Spend it on gifts, or buy yourself something nice! Click here to enter (the Rafflecopter may not be mobile friendly).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored post, thanks to Tatu Digital Media for including me on this awesome offer and giveaway! All opinions are my own!

Crazy8: 30% Off Entire Purchase Plus Free Shipping

Abby H.

I love Crazy8! They always have such great deals on kids clothes, but today, they are taking the cake! Just in time for holiday shopping!

30% off entire purchase, free shipping, plus additional 20% off with code CHEER at Crazy8 This includes $8 jeans, $8 PJs, $4 tees and more! Oh, but wait… Free Shipping all day!

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I’ve already found pants for Lil’ Man and a couple cute dresses for my niece!

10 Great Stocking stuffers for kids under $15

Abby H.

With the Holidays approaching, most of use have either stocking stuffers to purchase of at least one gift exchange to attend. I’ve collected 10 great frugal gifts that would be a great addition to any holiday! Most of these gifts call for creativity and imagination. They won’t need batteries or make horrible sounds (for the most part). These are all gifts I would buy (or have bought) for my kids.

  1. These hair bows for babies and toddlers are perfect for the little girls on your list. Bitty Bird loves hers.
  2. If you’ve got a crafty kiddo, this craft kit is a perfect choice. None of the crafts require scissors, just a little imagination and glue (we use Elmer’s white glue).
  3. Speaking of crafty kiddos, if you’ve got one on your list that likes to make jewelry, this Melissa & Doug bead set has over 200 beads, perfect for hours of creativity.
  5. Is your kiddo a budding scientist? We have this science kit and Lil’ Man LOVES it. There are 11 scientific experiments for kids to conduct (all with grown ups help).
  6. No science experiment is complete without a lab coat. Lil’ Man has this one. He even wore it at Halloween. He was Dr. Doofenschmirtz from Phineas & Ferb. You can see photos on my Instagram feed.
  7. Lil’ Man got this set last year for his birthday. It’s an awesome set. It’s super fun, and you can hatch and raise Triops. Think Sea Monkeys on steroids! And you can actually see the trips grow and live. It’s nifty. I think everyone in the family enjoyed it.
  8. These cool interlocking blocks. They are little man approved.
  9. Magnetic Mini Tile Kit. They would make cool refrigerator magnets!
  10. This super cute (and mess-free) stained glass set. I love anything by Melissa & Doug. They make very well made toys and their craft kits yield great keepsakes!

 

What kinds of stocking stuffers do you buy for your kids?