Sesame Place– I was not a fan of this place when we went right after they opened. The water isn’t heated, so on overcast summer days, it can be pretty chilly. Sometimes they have Groupons available.
My smallest kiddos’ bestie is coming to stay with us for the next 10 days, and we are so stoked. I’ve got tons of fun, frugal adventures planned. I can’t wait to go get her from the airport this morning, but first- Freebies!
Here are a few ways that we will be having fun and being frugal:
The Summer Library Reading Program post can be found here.
Fun Free Summer Activities for Tweens and Teens here.
I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.
For free food resources, please refer to my comprehensive list, available here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.
National Ice Cream Day is next week!! I recommend that you download any apps required for these deals at least 1 day prior to ensure that you have the app and are all signed up for any clubs or offers. Not all of these offers are available in my specific area, but I included them because I have readers outside of San Diego.
Dairy Queen: Score a free Dilly® Bar on any order of $1 or more.
Exclusively through the DQ® app and website, DQ® rewards members can enjoy the delicious sweet treat (one per fan) from July 14 to 20. Order digitally, earn rewards, and unlock more all summer!
Dipping’ Dots: Dippin’ Dots is giving away FREE mini cups of Dippin’ Dots (any flavor!) during a two-hour window at their franchise locations. Plus, the first 100 people in line will score a super cool, collectible take-home cup, in addition to the free mini cup of Dippin’ Dots. Find your closest location here.
Marble Slab Creamery: Download their app because on July 20, loyalty members will receive a free small Ice Cream offer, valid for seven days. Find your closest location here:
Burger King: Check your app for this offer- free soft serve with a purchase of $1 or more at Burger King on National Ice Cream Day, Sunday, July 20.
Baskin-Robbins: Check your Baskin-Robbins app for an offer; offers may vary by app, including a discount on ice cream cakes or shakes.
And while there are no deals right now, check the following apps in the days before the 20th for possible freebies and deals: McDonald’s, Jack in the Box, Del Taco, Wendy’s, and Yogurtland.
And if you want to make your own ice cream at home, you can find my recipe here. It’s very easy, and you can make it your own with a few tweaks!
This week has been very hot, so the kids and I have been hiding inside enjoying the AC (set to 77 degrees). With the heat finally breaking today, we’re heading out to the pool and a few fun, frugal activities!
Here are a few ways that we will be having fun and being frugal:
The Summer Library Reading Program post can be found here.
Fun Free Summer Activities for Tweens and Teens here.
I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.
For free food resources, please refer to my comprehensive list, available here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.
And it gets better! Loyalty members(download the 7/11 app and sign up for the loyalty club) can keep the celebration going all month long by scanning their rewards information on Slurpee Day to get a coupon for another free small Slurpee drink to redeem before July 31- Valid 7/12/25-7/31/25. Limit 1 per customer.
Talk back: What is your favorite Slurpee flavor? I love a frosty Coke Slurpee, but any citrus flavor is a close second.
Tomorrow is the final day of Amazon Prime Week, and there are still a few good deals to be had. I didn’t post earlier in the week- I’ve been up to summer time shenanigans.
There are not as many crazy deals as there used to be when it was just one day, but I scoured Amazon and found some pretty decent deals on all sorts of stuff, including some items I picked up. I’ve been saving my Fetch Rewards points for an Amazon Gift Card, and I cashed out $25.00 just in time!
Select flavors of Premier Protein ready-to-drink protein shakes are 40% off, including my favorite Cafe Latte.
I learned about OnePay recently at Walmart, of all places!
If you’ve shopped in a Walmart store recently, you know that they don’t accept Apple Pay or Google Wallet.However, they do take OnePay. OnePay wallet is a digital wallet that offers 3% cash back rewards at Walmart (up to $150 spent with your debit card per month, with eligible deposits. Cashback earned as points). That cashback can be transferred to your linked cards.
OnePay is great if you don’t have really great credit. They offer a credit builder that allows you to build your credit, and there are no fees. Through the OnePay app, set aside a dollar a month for a year. Check your progress in the app, build your credit history, and you get your money back at the end of the year!
OnePay is a financial technology company; it’s not a bank. Bank services are provided by Coastal Community Bank or Lead Bank, both members FDIC. And right now, if you’ve never opened a OnePay account, you can click the link here and open an account, and you’ll earn $50 within the first 45 days. All you have to do is click the link here, open an account, and unlock cash plus in the first 45 days. This offer is good until 7/31/2025. And the fine print can be found here.
When I signed up for OnePay I got $50 cash back too. And it is currently transferring its way into my bank account. And I also get text messages from them when there are extra bonus point deals at Walmart. And I’m not shopping at Walmart often, but if I can earn points or cashback if I need to shop there, it’s definitely a bonus.
This post contains affiliate links, For more information about the use of affiliate links and partnerships, visit my disclosure page.
Summer means lots of excuses to dress up in funny clothes: Renaissance faires and festivals, Viking events, Medieval faires, Scottish Highland games, SCA events, and fantasy events! Costumes can be expensive, and with the loss of Joann Fabrics, there aren’t a lot of places to buy fabrics and patterns. Sometimes, thrifting costumes (sometimes called garb in these circles) or buying online can be more time or cost-effective than making it yourself.
Looking for basic, medieval-looking clothing pieces can help you start a wardrobe. When looking for garb options, look for natural fibers like linen, wool, cotton, silk, ramie, or rayon. These types of fabric are found in nature and are breathable. They are also easier to care for. Here are some of the items to keep your eyes open for at thrift stores.
One look that can be thrifted
Women:
Plain colored peasant blouses
Long, flowing skirts
Tunic-style tops
linen or cotton pants with drawstring waists
Plain/ solid colored long dresses
Scarves
Belts
Vests
Cloaks/capes
Pouches/drawstring purses
Knee socks
Boots
Mary janes
Clogs
Sandals
Floppy felt hats
Jewelry
Men:
Tunic-style tops
linen or cotton pants with drawstring waists
“Pirate” collared shirts
Boots (tall boots, chukka boots, combat boots)
Vests
Belts
Cloaks/capes
Pouches/drawstring purses
In addition to clothing and accessories, thrift stores are great places to look for fabric, notions, and trim. Cotton, linen, wool, silk, ramie, and rayon are great choices. 100 percent cotton top sheets are also a good choice for under tunics or for lining other garments. White linen tableclothes and curtains make great undertunics and aprons.
Local San Diego, CA, thrift stores that have a good clothing selection:
Veterans Thrift 1130 E Main St El Cajon, CA92021
Veterans Thrift 1049 Elkelton Blvd Spring Valley, CA91977
Veterans Thrift 881 Broadway Chula Vista, CA91911
AMVETS Thrift Store 999 Cardiff St San Diego, CA92114
AMVETS 3441 Sutherland St #2031, San Diego, CA 92110
Twice Treasured Thrift Store 8363 Center Dr Unit 2 La Mesa, CA 91942
Thrift Corral Thrift Store 8693A La Mesa Blvd La Mesa, CA 91942
Father Joe’s Villages Thrift 405 Broadway Chula Vista, CA91910
Father Joe’s Villages Thrift 1457 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
Valley Thrift 2085 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027 (cash only)
Assistance League of North County Thrift Store 2068 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027
Bridge Thrift 9617 Campo Rd Spring Valley, CA 91977
Bridge Thrift 4220 Balboa Ave San Diego, CA 92117
Goodwill Outlet 1466 F St San Diego, CA 92101
Goodwill Outlet 1996 Don Lee Pl Escondido, CA 92029
If you have trouble finding shoes, don’t worry. No one is going to think less of you for wearing modern-looking shoes. There are a lot of people who have to wear specific shoes for orthopedic reasons.
Look 2 for women- A long sleeved white blouse under a long jumper style dress to mimic a medieval Surcoat outfit.Look 2 for men- A Near Eastern men’s ensemble.
If the thrill of the thrift store hunt isn’t for you, but you still want to save money when looking for your first garb, there are a lot of places online to look.
I know Temu gets a bad wrap, but there are a lot of companies that sell on Temu that drop ship items from all over the US, which means quick shipping and no import taxes.
Amazon is the same- there are a lot of great pieces that are available that work great for garb.
The Amazon Store PROCOS has great linen tunics and accessories for men and women.
If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I usually receive 4-6 offers/freebies per month, sometimes more if I have time to shop. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.
In addition to the offers where they mail you a coupon for a free product, Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.
And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.
July 28 is National Waterpark Day, and if your kids are anything like mine, they love swimming and splashing.
My smallest kiddos’ bestie is coming to stay with us for the next 10 days, and we are so stoked. I’ve got tons of fun, frugal adventures planned. I can’t wait to go get her from the airport this morning, but first- Freebies!
Visit any See’s Candy location for National Lollipop Day on July 20, and you’ll receive a free lollipop — no purchase necessary.
National Ice Cream Day is next week!! I recommend that you download any apps required for these deals at least 1 day prior to ensure that you have the app and are all signed up for any clubs or offers. Not all of these offers are available in my specific area, but I included them because I have readers outside of San Diego.
Men:
Hewes Family Fun 