Author: Abby H.

2024 Summer Fun on A Budget!

Abby H.2 Comments

Today marks the first day of summer break for my kiddos. I am usually a lot more prepared and would have posted this on the blog already, but… Life happens.

I’ve got some stuff planned for summer, but not as much as I have during previous summers. I’m having surgery next week, so a lot of our activities will be more chill.

But we will be including:

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 no shade trees.

If you are looking for free summer lunches, Feeding America has a great list on its website here. 

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

Summer Movie Deals for 2024!

Abby H.

One of the kid’s favorite summer activities is to hit up the local theater for a showing of one of their favorite movies.

Big buckets of popcorn, snuck in candy (shhhh), and a drink and they are ready for 2 hours of fun in the Air Conditioning.

In my search for theater chains offering this fun this summer, several of our old friends are not participating as of the writing of this post.

Select Reading Cinemas will have the Reel Kids program, where throughout the summer (June-August) there will be kid-approved movies for the reduced price of $1/ticket!

And perhaps my kids’ favorite,Regal Summer Movie Express is back! Express tickets are just $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays featuring summer movies the whole family will enjoy. Availability varies by location. My kids are excited to see Puss in Boots, Across the Spider-verse, and Angry Birds 2.

AMC has nothing planned per their website, but they do offer discounts for students and the elderly.

Cinemark (No locations near us) has 8 weeks of Movie Fun planned. More Details can be found here.

Talk Back: What summer movies are you looking forward to seeing?

$5/$25 Coupon from Grocery Outlet

Abby H.

Just in time for summer break, when your kids are so hungry all the time. Grocery Outlet is hooking us up with a $5 of $25+ purchase!

Check your email, and get your printer ready!

Summer Grill Bundles from Dream Dinners!

Abby H.

As you are all aware,  Dream Dinners is one of my favorite ways to save time and get tasty, healthy meals on the table in 45 minutes or less!

Just in time for summer, Dream Dinners is offering Grill Bundles. The perfect easy meal plan for camping, your next vacation, or a staycation. There are two Bundles, One available in June, and the second in July.

And it gets better- If you are new to Dream Dinners, order 3 or more dinners, and get a free medium Creamy Chicken Risotto as their gift to you. Use code SHARE at checkout.

If you don’t live near a Dream Dinners location, don’t fret! New Guests can receive free shipping on their first box of 4 medium dinners as a special offer just for you. Use the code FREESHIP at checkout.

PRC: Study on Lawn Care $300!!

Abby H.

PRC aka iOpinion is a nationwide research study company. They are always running studies and looking for more respondents. They email me once a week about the online studies they are looking to fill out. This week they sent me a very specific request.

TOPIC: Lawn Care
Pays $300 Visa Gift Card
Who: California and Washington Residents, age 23+
Dates: June-July, 2024
Study Format: In-home Discussion
Commitment: 90 minutes

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

2024 Summer Reading Programs!

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Summer break from school means summer reading programs from the local library systems, plus a few other places.

Here are a few of our favorite summer reading programs. I’ve listed the prizes that I could find, but at the time this post was published, not all of the prizes were known.

Unless specifically stated, the programs start June 1st.

Book It has a summer program called Camp Book it, where kids can read, and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house. parents can enroll their kids for the summer!

The City of San Diego Library system program has published its prizes this year, and lemme tell you, it’s pretty amazing.

Children (Ages 0- 11)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Pass for 4 for The San Diego New Children’s Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland
  • Free kid’s meal from Mendocino Farms
  • Free kid’s meal from Panda Express

Teens (Ages 12-17)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland

Adults (Ages 18+)

  • Free book at participating Friends of the Library Book Sales and Used Bookstores
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • 1 reusable utensil kit

For more information or to sign up, click here. 

The County of San Diego Library summer reading program started June 1st. They have all sorts of prizes for kids and adults.

If you want your family to experience a multicultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish. The books were super useful for me learning to read in Spanish (Beyond what Duolingo teaches).

Barnes and Noble have a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination Library, it is available in select regions (sadly not available in San Diego California), and those who live in participating areas can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.

Q-Insights Study: $150 Computer Topics

Abby H.

QI-logoNOslogan.pngQ-insights is another company where I do research groups, focus groups, and online surveys to earn extra money.

They have a lot of stuff in South Orange County, and less often in San Diego County. Right now they are currently recruiting for a 1 hour virtual webcam interview.

Dates of the interviews are between June 7th to June 11th, 2024.

They are looking for Individuals aged 18 +.

This study will pay $150 for your time.

If you are interested in participating, please fill out the survey here.  If you pre-qualify a recruiter will call you to ask some additional qualifying questions.

Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area.

Part of my kitchen is done, but the contractors are waiting on two cabinets. School is over in less than two weeks, and I am looking forward to my summer of fun with the kids.

Freebies:

Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Free Kokada Coconut Spread After Rebate
Free Grilling Cooking Classes at Williams Sonoma
Free Real Food From The Ground Up Snack Product After Rebate
Free Shark FlexBreeze Fan
Free Sample of Geaux Nuts White Chocolate Crunch
Free Museum Admission for Bank of America/Merril Lynch Cardholders – This Weekend
Free Prepare with Pedro: Disaster Preparedness Activity Book
Free Celsius Energy Drink at Select Stores
Domino’s is Giving Away $10 Million in Free Pizza
Free Nurishh Animal Free Cream Cheese at Select Retailers
Free Peace Out Limited-Edition Pride Acne Healing Dots
Free Screwdriver, Work Gloves, or Cable Ties at Harbor Freight
Free Tovolo Summer Freeze Party Pack
2 Free Bottles of Barcode Fitness Water After Rebate
Free Amazon Prime for Students for 6 Months
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Sample of NYX Marshmellow 10-In-1 Smoothing Primer
Free Safe Infant Sleep DVD
Free Fries Every Friday at Wendy’s
Free Good Culture Probiotic Milk
Free Grill Gift Card Box Workshop at Home Depot
Free 5-Piece Scotch Porter Beard Collection Sample Set
Free OREO Movie Night Party Kit

 

Deals:

Covergirl Perfect Blend Pencil ONLY $0.79 (Reg $5.79)
Jordan Sneakers up to 50% Off with Extra 25% Off Coupon Code
Michael Kors up to 60% Off + New 25% Off Coupon, Purses start at $67!
Scott Toilet Paper 12-Pk ONLY $3 (Reg. $5)
Bic Flex 3 Razor ONLY $0.99 (Reg. $4.99)

SDG&E: No cost energy upgrades for your home!

Abby H.

I received this information in my email this morning, and I thought I would share it.

We took advantage of this program a few years ago. It was quick and easy. This program as easy and 1, 2, 3.

Do you want to save on your energy bills?

Get no-cost energy efficiency upgrades for your home. Whether you are a renter or owner, SDG&E’s Residential Energy Solutions Program can help increase your energy efficiency and lower your energy consumption while giving you more comfort in your home.  There are several measures that you may qualify for that are listed below.

  1. Call 1-888-272-8394 to request an appointment for an energy assessment at no cost.
  2. Receive No Cost Efficiency Upgrades.
  3. Enjoy Energy Savings.

*Synergy Companies is an authorized service provider for San Diego Gas & Electric.

*Residences located in Orange County and have SoCalGas as a fuel provider will have limited or no measures available to them

And don’t forget- You can save money and earn cash or gift cards when you save energy with Ohm Connect. Learn more here. 

 

How to prepare when Mom needs surgery

Abby H.

I will be having surgery next month, for the first time since I’ve had kids, and that’s 13 years.

I am excited because I need the surgery, but I know it’s gonna come with some downtime. I’ve been doing some research and I thought I would share some ways that I’m getting everybody and our house ready, so it doesn’t fall apart when I am incapacitated after surgery.

The Month before:

1. Talk to your insurance carrier to confirm co-pays, and work out a payment plan or apply for financial aid if needed.

2. Post Op snacks.  I will be doing some shopping over the next month and squirrel away good snacks I find on sale and putting them out the day before I head out for surgery. Snacks will be shelf stable, or things that require no preparation other than opening a package or putting it on a plate or bowl.

3. Make sure all of the bills are set up on auto-pay during the month I’ll be recovering.

4. Make some freezer meals, or set up a meal train (lean on your village if you have one). Not everyone has a village to lean on, and in that case, I suggest Dream Dinners. They have meals that need to go into the oven- perfect for post surgery dinners.

The Week Of:

5. Clean house! I don’t want to recuperate in a messy, dusty, cluttered house. In the month leading up to surgery, I am organizing the house, putting unneeded stuff away, or giving it away. The problem I’m running into is that our house is still in an active construction zone because of the water loss we sustained in January. As soon as our kitchen is done, I will have less of an issue with that.

5. Clean off the nightstand: Clean it off, declutter, and change the lightbulb in my bedside lamp- just in case.

6. Pick up your post-surgery medications if possible. If not, have them filled at the hospital pharmacy and pick them up before checking out of the hospital. Fill up your weekly medication pill boxes (if you use them). Ditto for any kiddo meds.

The Night Before:

7. Clean Bedding: In the days before, I will put clean sheets on the bed, wash the blankets, and fresh pillowcases.

8. Take an everything shower. Don’t forget any pre-op body wash that is prescribed.

9. Follow your doctor’s orders for eating and drinking.

10. Get a Good night’s rest. Aim for 8-10 hours.

The Morning of:

11. Take any pre-op shower with body wash that is prescribed.

12. Check into the hospital at the time requested- Don’t be late!

 

And finally- have comfy easy-on/easy-off clothes for after your surgery, that won’t aggravate any incisions or bruising.