free

2021- It’s Earth Day, Y’all!

Abby H.1 Comment

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Once again, there are not too many freebies for Earth Day. Between the pandemic and stores not being open or making a lot of money, there are barely any freebies. I’m not posting deals for Earth Day, because really, do we need to go out and shop?

While the free day to visit the National Parks has passed for earth Day/National Parks Week, don’t fret. There are several other days as well. You can find the complete list here. The only National Park in San Diego is Cabrillo Monument on Point Loma. If you have a 4th grader in your home (We do!!), Check out Every Kid Outdoors. It’s a free program for 4th graders and their families to visit National Parks for free through August 2021!

The next Freebie isn’t super fun, but it might be needed. We’ve been doing a lot of deep purging and cleaning the past year, and I’ve got a bunch of papers that need to be shredded (oh hi 20-year-old tax paperwork!). Check out your local Office Max/Office Depot- Armed with this coupon (Scroll to the bottom of the page)  you can score up to 5 lbs of shredding for FREE!! This deal is valid through 4/24/2021.

And perhaps my favorite freebie this April: if you live in Southern California and have utilities with SDG&E, PG&E, or SoCal Edison, you can join OhmConnect for free and start conserving electricity and earning money (as well as saving on your utility bills). And through the end of April, when you sign up and connect your utility account (it literally takes 5 minutes), You’ll earn $25 straightaway! You can learn all about OhmConnect here. We’ve been using it for 5+ years, and have saved hundreds on our SDG&E bill, and earned almost $1000 from OhmConnect.

And once again, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…

Despite what you read online there are NO Origin Freebies, Disney Store Freebies, Free milkshakes on the west coast, Mac Freebies, Sephora Freebies, Ice Cream Freebies, or free coffee from Starbucks. 

So, that’s it. I know, it’s kinda depressing, but I’ll be on the hunt for freebies for you this week, and I’ll report back on Friday morning.

 

DIY Party Fun with Hostess with the Mostess (and a Giveaway!)

Abby H.2 Comments

Recently I learned about Hostess with the Mostess, and wow! I love throwing parties, and Hostess with the Mostess makes doing DIY parties a cinch and looks AMAZING.

There are invitations and printables for so many types of events and themes!

If you are like me, I host 5-8 parties a year (pre and post-pandemic, but the post will def. be different/smaller). Birthdays, Girls Nights, Holidays (Our family 4th of July Party is LIT). In the past, I’ve handwritten labels, signs, and all sorts of party stuff. I love doing calligraphy, but with a Design Hero All Access Pass from Hostess with the Mostess, I have access to over 120 themes to make any event or party awesome! The Design Hero All-Access Pass also includes:

  • The entire PREMIUM LIBRARY of designer printables, including new designs added regularly.
  • An easy-to-use online customizer, so you can add your own text – instantly.
  • Freedom! No waiting on others for text customization & corrections. Make the edits you want, when you want. 💪
  • TONS of creative fonts, curated & licensed for use in the Design Hero Customizer.
  • THOUSANDS of dollars worth of graphic designs – for a price specifically designed to make them accessible.

And the price- Incredible! Only $99 for a one-year pass, and my readers can save an extra $10 off with coupon code: hewesfamilyfun. If you love hosting parties, making special events even more special with customized printables (including invitations, cards, and wrapping paper), you have to check out Hostess with the Mostess!

Here are a few of the recent pieces I’ve made Hostess with the Mostess. My friend’s birthday is this week, and she loves Champagne. I made printables to go with her gift (which is a case of her favorite sparkling white wine).

Bonus! I’m giving away a one-year pass to one of my readers! Entering is easy. Leave a comment on this post with a memory of your favorite party. I’ll choose a winner on April 27, 2021. The winner will be notified via email!

 

4/16/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.
bright boxes

This week I took it easy. I picked up a couple UFC’s (Unfinished Crafts) and finished them. No pics, as they are gifts.

I’ve been working so hard for the past few months and I’ve been feeling a little burned out, so this week you may have noticed fewer posts this week.

A new year means new birthday freebies. I put together a list for 2021. Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced!

Freebies:

10 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free BBQ with Rollors Party
Free Ultra Slim Computer Monitor
Possible Free Bliss Skincare Products
Possible Free 12 Piece Makeup Pencil Set
Free Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt
Free Lamination of COVID-19 Vaccine Card at Office Depot/Max
Free Bai Boost at Select Stores
Free Lane Bryant Gift Card Giveaway
Free Planters
Free Rise Brewing Co. Nitro Cold Brew Coffee
Free AHC Sensitive Antiperspirant Pads Sample Pack
Free Dentemp Oral Care Product
Free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Magnet
Free Life is Better with Clean Hands Magnet
Free Xyron Glue Gun
Free Maker’s Mark Ambassador Gifts Every Year
Free Hunter Athletics Products
Possible Free $150 Restaurants Research Study
Free Life is Better with Clean Hands Window Cling
Free $5 Debit Card for Those Who are Vaccinated
Free Subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
Free La’Re Boudoir Beauty Body Balm & Mocha Scrub Sample
Free Moosejaw Flag
Free Sample of Michael Kors Wonderlust Sublime
Free Subscription to Cosmopolitan Magazine
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Free Urban Decay All Night Setting Spray – TikTok Users
Possible Free IL MAKIAGE Skincare Products
Free Gardening Gifts at Lowes in April
Free InfinitiPRO by Conair Luxe Pro Dryer
Free Jr. NBA Magnet
Teachers – Free School Mate Planners, Agendas, Folders & More
Free Sample of Astroglide Toy ‘N Joy

 

Deals:

My First Library Board Book Block 12-Book Set $9.59 (Reg. $16)
Fingerprint Smart Deadbolt Door Lock ONLY $134.99 (Reg $240)
Minimalist RFID Blocking Wallet ONLY $4.99 (Reg. $20)
Outdoor Tackle Box ONLY $9.88 (Reg. $19)
MUK LUKS Women’s Cheyenne Slippers ONLY $18.99 (Reg. $40)
Lunch Box Stove ONLY $34.95 Shipped (Reg. $60)
Time and Tru Women’s Feather Flats ONLY $9.00 (Reg. $15)
Mom Heart Shape Pendant Necklace ONLY $15 (Reg $75)
Comfort Insole Slip-on Sneakers ONLY $16.99 (Reg $50)
MUK LUKS Women’s Chiara Slippers ONLY $14.99 (Reg. $30)
ionvac SmartClean 2000 Robovac ONLY $99 (Reg. $180)
BioShock The Collection for Nintendo Switch $19.99 (Reg. $50)
MUK LUKS Women’s Groove Music Sandals ONLY $29.99 (Reg $60)
Rubbermaid 42-Piece Food Storage Set ONLY $19.98 at Walmart
Mom Heart Bangle Bracelet ONLY $15.99 at JCPenney (Reg $60)
Shark ION Robot Vacuum ONLY $149 (Reg $300)
Instant Pot VIVA 6-Qt 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker ONLY $59 (reg $99)

Mid-Month Coupon Round Up April 2021!

Abby H.

I was cruising my favorite coupon sites this morning and I found some great stuff.

The two sites I use the most for printable coupons are:

Here are a few coupons that have me kinda stoked:
Save $1.00 on ANY ONE (1) Garnier® Fructis® shampoo, conditioner, treatment or styling products (exclusions apply)
Save $1.00 on ANY ONE (1) Garnier® Whole Blends® shampoo, conditioner or treatment product (exclusions apply)
Save $1.00 on ANY ONE (1) L’Oreal Paris Elvive or Ever conditioner (excludes any 1oz. & 3oz. product, twin packs, value packs and kits)
Save $2.00 on any ONE (1) Degree Maximum Recovery Body Wash & Soak, Massage Bar Soap, Epsom Salt Muscle Soak, Deep Clean Bar Soap, or Body

And if you are looking for more ways to save, check out my Smart Phone App Page. It’s got all kinds of great apps to help you save and earn cash back on all of your grocery and home essential shopping!

4/12/2021: Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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The CSA emails us in advance to give us a heads up as to what may be in our boxes on Monday, so that’s helped me be able to meal prep and write up this post last night.. But I went to bed early and forgot to hit POST.

I picked up a full order from Dream Dinners on Friday afternoon, and I’ve got three DD meals planned for this week. I’m working through the freezer too, and I’m planning on making vegetable soup with some homemade stock in the freezer and some freshly frozen veggies. I freeze fresh veggies towards the end of the week so that we have room in the fridge for all of the new CSA goodies.

Veggies and fruit are delivered each Monday by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. I spend about an hour on Monday afternoon cleaning and prepping veggies for the rest of the week.

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 try to 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 a kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: The little kiddo and I usually have something quick and filling, lately it’s been sandwiches on croissants, and strawberry yogurt.  Big kid takes his lunch to school.

Dinner: Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday: Roasted loaded cauliflower, Salad, Garlic Baguettes
  • Monday:  Orange ginger chicken, rice, roasted veggies
  • Tuesday:   Vegetable Soup and Cheddar Biscuits
  • Wednesday:  Meal o’ Snacks!
  • Thursday: Chicken tikka Masala, rice, salad or veggies
  • Friday:  Pizza/Takeout Night
  • Saturday: Breakfast for Dinner (Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit)

Please stay safe you guys!

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Tryazon Event- Organize the Kids’ Clutter with Deflecto!

Abby H.

Tryazon has another really cool party/event opportunity- perfect for families that are homeschooling, distance learning, or are a teacher in school.

Clean up the kids’ clutter while fighting germs with Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Deflecto. Featuring a diverse line of antimicrobial storage and organizational products for kids specifically designed for the art, craft, and education markets. Deflecto’s kids storage now includes SteriTouch® an antimicrobial agent used to inhibit the growth of odor-causing microorganisms, mold and mildew. Durable, stackable and washable storage to keep parents and teachers organized!

Tryazon has100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack valued at $75+ with a variety of Deflecto products to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here.

If, you’ve never heard of Tryazon (pronounced Try-uh-zon ☺), Tryazon is a service dedicated to getting innovative products into people’s hands and mouths, in fun settings like the party we had today. They offer excellent product samples and savings for all who participate.

Tryazon: Host a Spin Master RC Race Party

Abby H.

There is a new Tryazon Party opportunity!

Get ready to race with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Spin Master,  featuring the BIGGEST RC Grave Digger ever – The Monster Jam, Official MEGA Grave Digger – measuring at over 2 feet long! This opportunity also includes the gravity defying Air Hogs Zero Gravity Laser race car, and the Monster Jam, Official Grave Digger Remote Control Truck with a range of up to 250 feet!

They have 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with a variety of Spin Master RC cars and other extras to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here.

If you’ve never heard of Tryazon (pronounced Try-uh-zon ☺), Tryazon is a service dedicated to getting innovative products into people’s hands and mouths, in fun settings like the party we had today. They offer excellent product samples and savings for all who participate.

We’ve had so many Tryazon sampling events and parties in the past two years.

4/9/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

By the time this post goes live, we’ll know if our kids here in my town are going back to school full-time for the rest of the year. I’m really excited for them. I have full faith in our local school district- they have the kids’ (and teachers’) best interests in mind.

The highlight of this week is that I got my first dose of the Covid-19 Vaccine (Team Pfizer here). If you are still waiting for your vaccine, or are having a hard time finding a vaccine appointment, keep at it! More vaccines and appointments are becoming more available each week.

A new year means new birthday freebies. I put together a list for 2021. Check it out here.

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced!

Freebies:

Free Subscription to LEGO Life Magazine
Free LifeToGo Sampler Pack
Free Subscription to HGTV Magazine
Free Subscription to Parents Magazine
Free Hercolubus or Red Planet Book
Free Coffee Wednesdays at Dunkin
Free Doc Hale’s Unflavored Protein Powder Sample
FREE Amazon Baby Box Samples Back in Stock
Free Mr. Lee’s Congee Rice Porridge
Free Medela Breastfeeding Product Sample Box
Possible Free Pair of Haggar Pants
Free Kratom Wave Sample Pack
Free Werther’s Original Caramels at Select Stores
Free Subscription to People en Espanol
Free Subscription to People Magazine
Free $7 from Samuel Adams Beer Starting April 12
Free Sample of Xyzal Allergy 24H
Free 3 Pack of Complete Essentials Vitamin Packets
Free Subscription to Food Network Magazine

Deals:

Sesame Street Abby’s Butterfly Maker ONLY $6.75 (Reg. $20)
Outward Hound Fun Feeder ONLY $10.75 (Reg. $20)
Electronic Interactive Alphabet Wall Chart $21.20 (Reg. $40)
Disney Ideas Book: More than 100 Disney Crafts $10.99 (Reg. $25)
KidKraft Children’s Pastel Coffee Set ONLY $8.99 (Reg. $20)
DYMO LabelWriter Labels 220-Count ONLY $16.07 (Reg. $41)
Plackers Dental Floss Picks & Travel Case ONLY $1.61 (Reg. $7)
Kids Headphones ONLY $10.99 (Reg. $17)
LEGO BrickHeadz Easter Sheep ONLY $9.99 on Amazon
Disney Moana Sound Book ONLY $6.79 (Reg. $14)
Paint by Sticker Kids: Christmas ONLY $5.02 (Reg. $10)
Martha Stewart 8-Piece Bowl Set w/ Lids ONLY $14.99 (Reg $50)
Martha Stewart 7-Pc Utensil Set w/ Stand ONLY $5.99 (Reg $22)
Heated Neck & Back Massager ONLY $31.99 Shipped (Reg $50)
Hempz Herbal Body Lotion ONLY $9.99 (Reg $20)
The Big One Solid Bath Towel ONLY $3.39 (Reg $10)
Lego Sale up to 50% Off + Extra 15% Off
Sonoma Ankle Leggings ONLY $7.99 (Reg $20)

Free Credit Score and Monitoring with Credit Sesame!

Abby H.

April is Financial Literacy Month. Part of being financially literate or aware of your financial situation is to make sure that your credit report is correct. If you haven’t taken a look at your credit report lately,  it’s time to give your finances a fresh look and get your credit in tip-top shape.

Did you know that the recent FTC study found that over 20% of Americans or 40 Million credit reports have reporting errors that are costing consumers money in credit card interest rates and loans? These reports aren’t always indicative of something nefarious like your personal data being stolen, sometimes information on your credit report may belong to someone with a similar name as yours, or someone with a social security number close to yours. Whatever the case, it’s important to check your credit report once a year at a minimum, and make sure it’s correct.

Start by making sure that your credit report does not contain erroneous information that could be impacting your credit score. Keep tabs on your credit report activities and your score by signing up for free credit monitoring and score services like Credit Sesame, so that you can easily protect your financial good standing.

Credit Sesame is 100% free and offers-

  • Receive daily credit monitoring alerts
  • Get your FREE Credit Score Monthly
  • Limit ID Theft Damage
  • Find Potential Errors Sooner
  • Access to Better Loans and  that Can Save You Money

What are you waiting for? Click here to register for free in under 2 minutes. You’ll get your free credit score and a complete view of your credit and loans. Plus, when you turn on the Credit Monitoring feature, you’ll be notified of changes to your credit profile, along with $50K identity theft insurance and live agents to help you restore your identity in case of theft. All for free. All in one place.

Celebrate Día de los Niños All April Long with The San Diego County Library!

Abby H.

 

Día de los Niños is a celebration of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. San Diego County Library extends its celebration of Día throughout April.

At 19 parks throughout the county, you can read stories and enjoy nature at San Diego County Library Story Trails! These original stories were written and designed by library staff and we are so excited to share them with you. Choose your location, choose your Story Trail! Each site has two stories for your enjoyment. To find the park closest to you, click here.

And kids and teens 18 and under can stop by your local County Library location any time in April and pick up a Dia de los Ninos activity pack! I’m taking the kids to get theirs this week!