food

Kids Eat Free at Rubio’s Thursdays in July!

Abby H.

When you join the Rubio’s Rewards Program (download the app found wherever you get apps), you can score a FREE KIDS MEAL every Thursday in July.

Sounds like a pretty decent deal to me, especially if you and your munchkin like Rubio’s!

For Rewards Members Only. Offer valid for one (1) free kids’ meal with purchase of any entrée. Entrées include two taco plates, burritos, salads, bowls, Shrimp Trio, and The Coastal Trio®. Excludes tasting plates and kids’ meals. Not available for third-party delivery orders. Not valid with any other offer or discount. One offer permitted per transaction. Upcharges for extras and premium items may apply. No substitutions. No cash value. Valid at participating restaurants only. Only valid on the following days: 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, and 7/31/2025

7/19/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

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.
  • The Summer Movie Deals can be found here.
  • Don’t forget about Cheap Stuff to do with Tweens and Teens here.
  • Kids Bowl Free is back for 2025- More info 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.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

Freebies:

FREE RYZE Coffee, Chai, Hot Cocoa & More
2 FREE 5×7 Photo Prints at Walgreens
Get Free Catalogs by Mail: No Credit Card Needed
FREE Capri Sun Single Serve Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Sample of Nature’s Recipe Wet Dog Food
FREE Hallmark Card Every Month
FREE Internet for 5 Years and a FREE Hotspot for Students
Free 20 oz. Bottle of Starry Soda
FREE Svinka Art Postcard
FREE Royal Canin Chewable Supplements for Puppies Chatterbox Kit
FREE 4-Pack of Gutzy Fruit & Veggie Pouches After Walmart Cash
FREE Movie Ticket to The Home
FREE L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil
FREE Wireless Zone Backpack & School Supplies Giveaway (Closest Location in SoCal is Ontario)
FREE Food at SONIC Every Friday Through August 29th
FREE Promensil Peri-Menopause Supplements
FREE Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Acne Patch
Possible FREE Bag of Lay’s Potato Chips

 

Deals:

Sandals & Flip Flops From $2.99 at JCPenney
P&G Coupons: Get Digital & Printable Coupons From Your Favorite P&G Brands

7/20/2025 National Lollipop Day- Celebrate with See’s!

Abby H.

Visit any See’s Candy location for National Lollipop Day on July 20, and you’ll receive a free lollipop — no purchase necessary.

Flavor availability may vary by location, but here are the flavors you may have to choose from:

Chocolate
Vanilla
Butterscotch
Sugar Free Butterscotch
Café Latté
Cinnamon

Freebies and Deals- 7/20 is National Ice Cream Day!

Abby H.

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!

Score Free Groceries with Rebates!

Abby H.

Rebates have been around forever.

I remember my grandmother doing rebates when I was a kid. However, nowadays, you don’t need to send in a form with proof of purchase/UPC and a receipt; most rebates can be completed online or via text.

Sometimes you get lucky and get 100% back rebates, making your item free. You will find a lot of those with apps and websites like:

Ripple Street has tons of reFUNd programs where you can buy a product and receive the purchase price back. These are only available via their app.

If you consume alcohol, check out BYBE.  It is available in most states. This app has rebates for beer, wine, and liquor.

Here are a few current rebates I found out about this week while starting my Back to school shopping:

7/12/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

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.
  • The Summer Movie Deals can be found here.
  • Don’t forget about Cheap Stuff to do with Tweens and Teens here.
  • Kids Bowl Free is back for 2025- More info 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.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

Freebies:

FREE Sample of Sheba Perfect Portions Kitten Food
FREE Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Face Scrub After Walmart Cash
10 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints at CVS
FREE Sample of Vetality Twist + Lick SimPill Gel
Calm and Cozy: Free Baby Sleep Music for Restful Nights
FREE Lunchables PB&J Chatterbuy Kit
National French Fry Day Freebies & Deals Round Up
FREE Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Set at Sephora After Cash Back
Get Free Beauty Product Samples With Topbox Circle
FREE Sample of Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
FREE Sample of PopTopz Pre-Roll Tubes
FREE Welch’s Juicefuls Fusions Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Sample of ACANA Lickables Cat Treats
FREE Sample of Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum Sample
FREE Sample Bag of IAMS Puppy Food
FREE $20 Purchase at Home Depot After Cash Back
FREE Splish Splash Water Park Splash Pad at Walmart After Cash Back
FREE Ghost Fragrance Samples
FREE LYSOL Wipes at Target Chatterbuy Kit

 

Deals:

Top 10 Grocery Store Coupons This Week
The Pioneer Woman 2-Slice Toaster ONLY $13.79 at Walmart (Reg $29)
Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823 Wireless All-in-One Printer ONLY $79 (Reg $150)
SKIMS Discount Codes & Coupons: Up to 60% Off an Order of Panties, Bras and Shapewear
Target Women’s Tees and Tanks As Low As $3.50! TODAY ONLY

Potluck Dish Round Up

Abby H.

Summer means potlucks, picnics, barbecues, and all sorts of fun events with family and friends.

If you’re looking for a new dish to bring, here are some of my favorite recipes to share.

Food As Medicine Initiative: Free Food with Medi-Cal

Abby H.

In California, those who have Medi-Cal may be eligible to receive free food delivered to their home if they have certain health conditions.

Several programs partner with Medi-Cal that deliver pre-cooked meals or fresh fruits and veggies. To qualify, check with each program listed below. Each program has its own perimeters and availability.

The following programs appear to be available throughout Southern California. I recommend verifying that they are available in your county.

To find out about the Food is Medicine movement and medically tailored meals, I recommend checking out the California Food is Medicine Coalition and the California Department of Health Services website here.

If you have questions, it’s best to contact your Medi-Cal provider, as they know all of the details of your specific plan.

If you need help finding free or low-cost food resources near you, check out my page here.

It’s back! 7/11 is Free Slurpee Day!

Abby H.

July 11, 2025 marks a special day for 7/11!  Tastebuds across the country are in for a treat on Friday, July 11 (7/11), when the world’s largest convenience retailer celebrates its 98th birthday by offering a free small Slurpee drink at participating 7-Eleven®, Speedway® and Stripes® locations nationwide ( *Valid only on 7/11/25. Available while supplies last. Offer good at participating 7-Eleven, Stripes and Speedway stores. ©2025 7-Eleven, Inc. All rights reserved.).

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.

July 11-National French Fry Day Deals and Freebies!

Abby H.

I’m all about freebies, and I love French fries, so this freebie post is perfect.

7/11 is National French Fry Day. French fries aren’t French. Some say they were invented in Saratoga Springs, New York. Some say it was Thomas Jefferson who brought them back after his time in France. Regardless of where they are from, tomorrow you can grab some crispy, salty goodness.

I recommend downloading the apps for any of the restaurants that you may be visiting for free/cheap fries. More information and deal details are usually available via the apps.

Fast food:

Burger King: Royal Perks members can score free fries this Friday. More details on the app.

McDonald’s: The app has all sorts of good deals, including an offer good for a free medium order of fries with any purchase of $1 or more every Friday through the rest of the year.

Wendy’s: Check the app for a free order of fries of any size with any purchase on Friday.

Sonic Drive-in: Free tots or fries with any purchase via the app. The Sonic app has all sorts of great deals every day, including half-off sodas and limeades. The app limits you to one discount per purchase.

Del Taco: In the app, get a free regular fry with any purchase on July 11. Orders must be placed with the rewards app or online (to redeem the offer in the app, go to the “Rewards/Your Offers” section and save the deal, then opt to either Checkout or Order in Person). I love Del Taco crinkle cut fries with sour cream and Medium hot sauce mixed together.

Jack in the Box: download the app and get free fries on July 11 with any order placed in the app.

There are all sorts of deals and freebies for other restaurants for National French Fry Day; these are just a few available in my area.