freebie

SDG&E: Get Paid To Plant a Tree!

Abby H.

This popped into my inbox this afternoon and I thought I would share. This is such a great idea and you do not have to be a homeowner to do it!

Trees and plants provide important environmental, health, and community benefits. SDG&E’s Community Tree Rebate Program is designed to build our region’s tree canopy in neighborhoods where trees are needed most to clean the air, conserve water, and provide shade canopy to help reduce energy usage.

Qualifying SDG&E customers can receive a $35 rebate for planting or potting 1- or 5-gallon tree/plant species, up to five (5) rebates annually. You do not need a yard to qualify, as trees or other plant species can be planted in large containers on outdoor balconies or patio areas.

• Check your eligibility
• See what trees/species qualify
• Purchase up to five eligible trees or plant species; only 1- or 5-gallon sizes are eligible.
• Plant and purchase the tree(s) or plant specie(s) at your home by 10/31/2022 – make sure to keep your receipts!
• Take one photo per tree/specie planted in the ground or in a sufficient container.
• Upload application with receipt(s) and photo(s) to our tree rebate portal by 11/15/2022.
• Receive $35 rebate per tree/specie.

While this program is for a limited number of San Diego County Zip Codes, if you live outside the Zip Codes for this program, you may be eligible for other tree programs. More information on other programs may be found here.

Fetch Rewards: School’s back & points are everywhere!

Abby H.

I’ve been a fan of Fetch since 2017, and my love increases each day.

And now that Back to School season is in full swing, Fetch has some great deals and potential freebies!

Not long ago, I posted about the General Mills Good Rewards in the Fetch Rewards App. They are adding more (and better) deals, especially for the back-to-school season. Breakfast, lunch, snacks- Your kiddos are going to be noshing to their hearts’ delight, and you’ll be saving the big bucks.

If you aren’t already using Fetch Rewards, signing up is quick and easy! You learn more when you check out my post here. Find the Fetch Rewards app in your app store, and when you download it and scan any receipt, use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score 2,000 bonus points. I’ve earned $158 so far in 2022 just by purchasing my regular groceries and scanning all of my receipts (grocery, mass merchandiser, gas receipts, restaurants, you name it).

 

Free Food Resources for August 2022(San Diego County)

Abby H.

Woo! A new month means a reminder about all of the free food options there is here in San Diego County.

Keep in mind there are still supply chain issues, so there may not be a lot of food at some distributions, especially those that serve a large portion of the community.

I recommend showing up a little early with a bottle of water and a book and waiting in line. Time passes quickly in these lines, and it’s a great time to learn from others about community food options. Remember to socially distance and follow local masking regulations.

You can find resources here for Central and East County, and Here for North County.

Our friends at Faith Chapel are super ahead of the game and sent out information regarding their 2022 food distributions early on in the year.

If you are located outside San Diego County, call 211. If you are not familiar with 211, here is their website and it can point you in the right direction.

San Diego Food Bank Distributions for August 2022 can be found here. Enter your address (or just your zip code) and the map will show you all of the distributions in your area or closest to you. You can filter by the days of the week to find food when you are available. If there is an income requirement/limit to participate, each location/listing will say such. You can learn more here about the Feeding San Diego Together Tour.

Neighbor distributions are intermixed with the San Diego Food Bank Distributions, however, they have no income requirements, and you come as you are. These Distributions are primarily fruits & veg, however, some locations may also distribute canned goods, dairy, and bread.

If you know of other resources, please leave a comment! And feel free to share this post with anyone you may know in need.

August Sprouts Farmers Market Monthly Freebies!

Abby H.

Sprouts is hooking us up and helping us stay healthy! Every month on the Sprouts app in the Digital Coupon section, there are between 4-6 free items (they are marked “SAMPLING PROGRAM”).

Quantities are limited on the app, so if you are interested in any of these, I recommend that you add these coupons (by opening the Sprouts app, click on digital coupons, and click on each coupon in the lower corner where the little green circle is) to your app ASAP.

Not all Sprouts locations will have these freebies, so I suggest trying larger Sprouts locations in your area.

These are full-sized freebies- not small sample-sized products. they are located in the store with the other products of the same type.

Not all accounts will receive all the same products.

8/1/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis weekend was a busy 48 hours. Martial arts, mental health appointment, birthday party, tie dye prep, and I got up early yesterday (thanks to the kids) and spent a few hours prepping and roasting veggies, making sweet rolls, and reorganizing the fridge and freezer.

Summer break is here! We’ve got all sorts of adventures planned, you can check out some of our adventures here.

This week is going to be leaning a lot on the prep I did yesterday and a few casseroles in the freezer. I’m hitting up the grocery store for just a few things we need, and I should be able to stay out of the store the rest of the week.

No CSA boxes until the weather cools down and I can be home when the boxes are delivered. With the heat and the lack of shade on my patio, if we aren’t home when it’s delivered, some of the more delicate foods can spoil.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods. I received a few more coupons over the weekend, so I’ll visit Sprouts sometime this week to pick up the new foods. I’m focusing on snacks and treats from Social Nature.

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.

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. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. This is really helpful for the summer when for some reason, kids are starving all the time.

Dinner: I’ve got a couple casseroles/freezer meals this week, and other than that we’re eating easy and quick stuff so I can spend time playing, coloring, building legos, and swimming, which is the plan for the week.

  • Monday: Chicken nuggets, Buttered noodles, fruit, cheese & crackers

  • Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo bake, roasted veggies, salad

  • Wednesday: Salad, quesadillas, fruit

  • Thursday: Chicken Pesto Lasagna, fruit, salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday: Baked mac n’ cheese, salad, fruit

7/29/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

This week was a little slow for me. I have eustachian Tube Disfunction, my head is stuffed up and I feel like I’m underwater. Thankfully, one ear “popped” and the tube drained this morning, so I’m feeling a little more human.  I’ve been trying to follow doctor’s orders and relax and rest. It’s hard.

Big kid is done at camp and now we have 4 weeks of nothing to do. They are really looking forward to it.

If you are looking for some frugal adventures for this summer, check out this post.

Mask Mandates are changing constantly in California and can vary by city and county, so please do your part if you are going to any in-person freebies.

2022 Birthday Freebies are here!

Freebies

Free Rosary
Free Zeal Creamery Fresh Grass-Fed Chocolate Milk
Free Infantino Baby Products
Free Sample of YSL Beauty Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara
Free Organicville Organic Ketchup
Free Gatorade Zero with Protein at Kroger
Free Bang Cookies & Brownies
Free Vitamin C Clay Mask + $25 Amazon eGift Card
Free Like Air Puffcorn Snack from Sam’s Club
Free Sample of Clinical Skin Vitamin C Pro-Collagen Serum
Free 256GB SSD at Micro Center
Free Eggland‘s Best Superior Hero Party Kit
Huggies Rewards Free 4000pts for an Amazon Gift Card
Free VFW Still Serving Dog Bandana or Patch
Free B.Shaye Happiness Nail Polish
Free Makeup, Bath or Manicure Set
Free Timberland Products
Free $10 Every Friday with Samuel Adams
Free Wireless Zone Backpack & School Supplies Giveaway
Free Fragrance Samples from Macy’s
Free Key at a MinuteKEY Kiosk
Free Woolite Darks Laundry Detergent at Select Stores
Free Pink Bath Set
Free TruCup Coffee Sample
Free Access to MyHeritage Ancestry Tools for 2 Weeks
Free Makeup Brush Set
Free Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for Xfinity Rewards Members
250 Free Kool Rewards Points
Free Lawn Mowing Simulator PC Game
Free Cirque du Soleil 60 Minute Specials
1-Year Subscription to Apple TV+

 

Deals

Muscle Tank Tops for ONLY $7.99 (Reg. $16)
Cushioned Cloud Slides ONLY $23.99 (Reg. $36)
Glass Food Storage Containers ONLY $6.34 (Reg. $16.13)
Wireless Earbuds ONLY $19.99 (Reg. $39.99)
Bed Sheets ONLY $23.99 (Reg. $40)
Gap Home Bath Rug ONLY $12.90 (Reg. $19.98)
Ugg Women’s Slippers ONLY $35 (Reg. $120)
The North Face Apparel up to 65% Off
Birkenstock Dupes starting as low as ONLY $13.99
Barbie Pool Set ONLY $8.27 (Reg. $20)
Self Inflating Camping Mattress ONLY $25 (Reg. $60)
Segmented Velvet Ottoman ONLY $12 (Reg $48)
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Wild Sage Utility Cart in Iris ONLY $16 (Reg $80)
Amazon Basics Magnifying Vanity Mirror ONLY $13.78 (Reg $21)
Disney Kermit & Piggy 2-Piece Plush Set ONLY $8.02 (Reg $20)
Folding LED Desk Lamp ONLY $9.99 (Reg $30)
Igloo SpongeBob 7-Quart Cooler ONLY $18.88 (Reg $40)

Faith Chapel: 7/31/22 Backpack Giveaway!

Abby H.

This popped up in my inbox last night. I know a lot of you are keeping tabs on school supply and backpack giveaways, and Faith Chapel in Spring Valley has got you covered!

For those of us who start back to school early, this backpack giveaway is perfect.

This Sunday, July 31st, Faith Chapel will be giving out 400 FREE stuffed backpacks! Details will be shared during our 10:30am service so plan on attending. Registration begins as early as 9:30am.

Students must be present to receive a backpack.

Come to Faith Chapel’s main campus to register, enjoy the service, then receive the stuffed backpacks with school supplies.

Faith Chapel
9400 Campo Rd.
Spring Valley, CA 91977

And don’t forget that Faith Chapel hosts two Neighborhood Distributions per month! To learn more, check out my post here. 

2 Upcoming Clothing Swaps in San Diego!

Abby H.

I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids wardrobes (and my own).

There haven’t been too many clothing swaps since the pandemic started, but I have found two coming up that are going to be GREAT!

Saturday, August 06, 2022, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Foothills Church 365 W Bradley Ave, El Cajon CA

The women’s ministry is hosting a FREE clothing exchange! You can swap gently used women’s & children’s clothing and infant essentials. They have limited space, so please no toys or books. There will be no childcare available, so keep that in mind. If you want to drop off items early, Look for the bins in their lobby. I’m dropping off items tomorrow.

August 27, 2022 Porchlight Community Services, Inc. 8888 Clairemont Mesa Blvd Suite B San Diego, CA
Clothing Swap
From their site “We invite you to be part of our SWAP PARTY! Bring clothing, accessories, personal hygiene, or toiletries, OR you’re welcome to donate a bag of canned/shelf-stable food to participate. *Expired food will not be accepted*”

This is a fundraising event, donate what you can ($5 suggested) or you can bring canned goods to donate on the event date to participate. We will gladly accept them on the day of the event.

Please drop off items to swap in advance: 8/25 Thursday 10 am-5 pm or 8/27 Saturday *Before 9 am.  For more information, check out the event page here. And to learn more about Porchlight Community Services, check out their website.

And if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post from earlier this year here.

7/25/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgSummer break is here! We’ve got all sorts of adventures planned, you can check out some of our adventures here.

This week the big kid is off each morning to Home Base Ranch. His class goes there throughout the year, and I thought it would be good for him to go this summer as well. Thanks to our caseworker at TMI, we got this camp funded for him. Regional Centers are supported to fund recreational activities for their clients, but that process was a disaster.

Despite having no voice and feeling run down, I went grocery shopping this morning. I started with a pickup order at Target (I had a gift card), then hit up Grocery Outlet (where I got the majority of the groceries for the week), and stopped into 99 Cents Only, but that was bust. All of the produce was overpriced and in really gross shape. Next, I hit up Vons. They are having a sale on Taylor Farms salads this week, and I really like them. I also grabbed grapes and strawberries.

No CSA boxes until the weather cools down and I can be home when the boxes are delivered. With the heat and the lack of shade on my patio, if we aren’t home when it’s delivered, some of the more delicate foods can spoil.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods. I’ve got a few coupons to redeem for snacks and treats from Social Nature this 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.

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. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. This is really helpful for the summer when for some reason, kids are starving all the time.

Dinner: It’s hot, I am relying on our crockpot and cold foods a lot this week.  I’m trying to keep the oven off. With the cost of food going up, you may notice that a lot of the food we are eating

  • Monday: Nuggets, fruit, cheese & crackers

  • Tuesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, rice or noodles, veggies

  • Wednesday: Salsa Chicken, Rice, Beans, Salad (Didn’t end up making it last week)

  • Thursday: Protein shakes, fruit salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday:   Cinnamon rolls, eggs, fruit

Getting Ready for Back to School: Health Edition

Abby H.

The Back to school shopping crazies will start in a few weeks with sales and deals, but one thing we’ve done this summer to help with Back to school is getting everyone in tip-top health!

I made sure the kids are seeing all the doctors/specialists over the summer to minimize appointments during the school year.

Here in California vision and dental insurance is included under health insurance plans for kids 18 and under. To learn more, check the back of your kid’s health insurance card for phone numbers.

The kids saw the dentist and had eye exams. New glasses were ordered through the optometrist that are part of the vision insurance (one pair every 2 years from a list of specific frames), and we get the paper prescription for our family binder. 

I order extra pairs of glasses through online discount retailers such as EYEBUYDIRECT. A lot of online discount retailers have inexpensive kid’s glasses that can be less than $20 a pair, which is great to have on hand because we all know, kids tend to break stuff.

EYEBUYDIRECT prices start at $6 for select frames!

I also had the kids see any specialists that they needed to, in our case they needed to go to the podiatrist.

And of course, we took care of behavioral/mental health appointments and medication checks over the summer as well. And all future mental/behavioral health appointments are after school or on weekends.

The next health component that I am working on is getting our family first aid kit up to snuff, and that will be a separate post over the weekend.