frugal living

7/31/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

bright boxesThis Friday’s freebies and deals are an early today because we’re busy today, and I wanted y’all to get a jump start on a frugal weekend!

But it’s never too early for freebies!

Freebies:

Deals:

San Diego, CA Area Residents: FREE Produce! Tomorrow, July 31, 2020

Abby H.

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It’s Back!! Our friends over at Faith Chapel understand that with all that’s going on in the world that some of us still need help finding healthy food during this difficult time. And that’s it not always safe for us to go to the store or hit up a farmers market.

Distribution is happening this Friday, July 31st, beginning at 10:00am.

This is a drive-thru style event, so you don’t have to leave your vehicles. This week they are getting 1 truckload of produce delivered, so they will be only be given 1 box of produce to each vehicle.  BUT- Trust me- That’s plenty of quality produce for one family.

Here is an example of what was offered lin previous weeks: unnamedNavel Oranges, Grapefruit, Plumcots, Lemons, and nectarines. All free.

Faith Chapel is located at 9400 Campo Road Spring Valley, CA 91977

California Residents: Expect a refund on your August bill!

Abby H.

CPUC.jpgThe Climate Credit that we’ve all grown accustomed to seeing on our April and October bills has been moved to August and September when most Californians have higher utility bills due to the weather.

In August and September, there will be a credit each month of $32.28 on the Electricity portion of each ratepayer utility bill.

Changing the distribution months will not change the total value of the climate credits you receive in a year. The shift will provide bill relief for customers and reduce bill volatility.

If you’re having trouble paying your utility bill and to learn more about the available resource to help you and your household, please visit sdge.com/coronavirus.

Visit Energy Upgrade California to learn about ways to lower your energy usage.

And if you want to save energy and earn money, check out my post about Ohm Connect.
What is the California Climate Credit?

This August* your utility bill will include an electric credit identified as the “California Climate Credit.” Your household and millions of others throughout the state will receive this credit on your utility bills.

In the past years, the electric credit was applied in April and October, and the gas credit was applied in April. For 2020 and 2021, the California Public Utilities Commission authorized SDG&E to temporarily shift the electric credit to be applied in August and September.

 

*Billing periods vary by utility and may not always coincide with a calendar month. If you don’t see a Climate Credit in the bill that arrives this month, it will appear in the bill you receive next month. If you are an electric customer, the electric credit will appear as a line item on the electric portion of your bill. If you are a gas customer, the gas credit will appear as a line item on the gas portion of your bill. If you receive both electric and gas service, you will see the electric and gas credits on the respective portions of your utility bill.

The CPUC regulates privately owned electric and natural gas companies and serves the public interest by protecting consumers and ensuring the provision of safe, reliable utility service and infrastructure at reasonable rates, with a commitment to environmental enhancement and a healthy California economy. For more information about our work visit www.cpuc.ca.gov. If you have a question or complaint concerning a privately owned utility, call 1-800-649-7570 or visit or visit http://consumers.cpuc.ca.gov/CABUtilityComplaint.aspx.

7/27/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’ve started doing weekly meal planning on Sundays. It’s easier to do it while I’m writing up the weekly calendar/schedule and prepping the snack box for the week.

I’ve been buying snacks in bulk and only putting weeks worth out in the snack box. It keeps us out of the stores, and its healthier. I’ve been doing this for about a month, and I’ve gotten really good at hiding the extra snacks.

So I haven’t kept up on getting snacks replenished, so I’ll be getting some new snackies this week. Otherwise, we are still ok on groceries and I’ll probably be able to skip a full grocery run.

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 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 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: Right now our local school district is serving lunch for a drive-through service for kids 18 and under M-F. It’s great because it helps stretch our budget and it gets the kids out of the house for a few minutes. They also include a cold lunch (usually cereal and milk and a piece of fruit) for the next morning. Often times, the cereal ends up being a snack for late afternoon. I’ll be posting more info about summer lunches this afternoon or tomorrow.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids (they love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

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.

We’re in the final stretch of summer vacation. Summer School is over, and so now we are left to our own devices for the next month or so.  To that end, we’ve recently started playing Pokemon Go to help get our bodies active. We go out for walks each day to try and get some monsters and steps. I love that the big kid has a pokemon Buddy in the game and as part of taking care of his buddy, he has to “walk” the buddy daily. It encourages him to get exercise and it teaches him empathy- something that can be hard for kids on the spectrum.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers
  • Monday Biscuits, Country Gravy, hashbrowns, poached eggs, and melon (I am not ashamed to admit I ate half of a cantaloupe)
  • Tuesday:Veggie Burgers or chick’n nuggets, salad or fruit
  • Wednesday: Pulled BBQ Chicken, rice, steamed veg
  • Thursday: Pizza Night (pizza and salad or fruit)
  • Friday: Shephard’s Pie (I haven’t made this in AGES, and we have all the ingredients!)
  • Saturday: leftover fiesta

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

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

7/24/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

bright boxesThis Friday’s freebies and deals are a scootch late today because we were busy busy busy today! Appointments, phone calls, and errands to run!

But it’s never too late for freebies!

Freebies:

Free Priddy Books Early Learning Collection

Free Alex’s Awesome Sourdough Pizza

Free #POSITIVITY Moshe Popack Sticker

Free Bowhunting World, Predator Xtreme & Whitetail Journal Mags

Free Medela Breastfeeding Product Sample Box

Mack’s Free Ear Plug’s Giveaway – Every Weekday at 11am EST

Free Sample of Breathe Right Extra Clear Nasal Strips

Free Coffee Wednesdays at Dunkin

Free Nike Products

Free Samples of SmartyPants Vitamins

Free American Express Open for Business Kit

Free Jockey Products for Bloggers

Free Carton of a2 Whole Milk

Free Antibiotic Ointment

Free Iced Tea at McAlister’s Deli – Today

Free Sample of Astroglide Lubricant

Free Drink at Blaze Pizza

Free Beverage with Peet’s Peetnik Rewards

Free Kingsford Flavored Charcoal

Free Peanuts Prize Pack

Free Sample of Enfagrow Neuropro

Free $20 If You Have a Fishing or Hunting License

Free Discover the World Classroom Posters

Free Subscription to Women’s Health Magazine

Free Smart ID Pet Tags

Free Disney Bedtime Character Calls

 

Deals:

Expo Dry Erase Fine Tip Markers 8-Count ONLY $6.49 (Reg. $14)

Mott’s Fruit Snacks 40-Count ONLY $5.25 shipped

Munchkin Ocean Squirts Bath Toy 8 Pack ONLY $5 (Reg $12)

The Big One Solid Bath Towels ONLY $2.44 Each (Reg. $10)

Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens 12-Count ONLY $8.88 (Reg. $21)

Cra-Z-Art Washable Glue Sticks 2-Count ONLY $0.25 at Walmart

 

Apply for a Chatterbox for Dove Beauty Bar

Abby H.

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The Dove Beauty Bar does more than clean your skin – it gently but effectively cleanses and cares for skin, leaving it soft, smooth and radiant. It’s time to say goodbye to that dry, tight feeling that ordinary soaps can leave behind and make the switch to Dove Beauty Bar! Incorporate the #1 Dermatologist and Pediatrician recommended bar into your family’s daily cleansing routine and #ShareDoveLove.

This Chatterbox is only open to residents of the contiguous US.

If you’re selected as a Chatterbox, you’ll get a great Chat Pack:

  • 1 Full-sized Dove White Beauty Bar
  • 1 Full-sized Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar
  • 1 Full-sized Dove Purely Pampering Mango Butter Beauty Bar
  • 1 Full-sized Dove Pink Beauty Bar
  • 1 Full-sized Dove Gentle Exfoliating Beauty Bar
  • 1 Full-sized Dove Go Fresh Cool Moisture Beauty Bar
  • 1 Dove Beauty Bar information card

NOTE: If you’re selected as a Chatterbox, you will be receiving 6 Dove Beauty Bars in your Chat Pack. Please try your favorite variants and share the others with your friends!

Apply now and if selected, they will deliver a Chat Pack right to your doorstep. You don’t have to throw a party, but you’ll want to celebrate when it arrives! After you try Dove Beauty Bar, chat about your experience, share your opinions and post a review on the site. That’s it!

Get the chatter started! Apply now.

unnamed.pngIf you are new to Chatterbox or Houseparty by Ripplestreet, learn more here. Houseparty by Ripplestreet is one of my favorite Word of Mouth marketing companies!

Glasses and Contacts Freebies & Deals!

Abby H.

When you or a loved one wear glasses or contacts, you are always on the prowl for a good deal or freebies.

Since I’ve got two bespeckled family members, I’m on the lookout constantly!

Here are a few deals and freebies that I’ve come across lately.

Warby Parker has a great offer- for some of us, it’s hard to know what kinds of frames look and feel good on our faces. It’s as easy as 1, 2,3.

  1. Pick 5 frames – Warby Parker will mail them to you for free.
  2. Spend 5 full days with’em – Then send them back with our free shipping label.
  3. Find your favorite – Buy now from $95 or pay over time with Affirm.

Having used Warby Parker before, their glasses are great, and their service is amazing! We bought glasses online, and later when they needed to be adjusted (helpful tip: Don’t roughhouse with kids when you are wearing glasses), we took them to our local Warby Parker store and they “tuned up” the glasses FOR FREE!

If you prefer contacts, Waldo has a great trial offer. I wrote about it here.

If you wear glasses, you have to have a eyeglass repair kit. You can usually score a free one when you get new glasses (Warby Parker sends a little one when you purchase glasses from them, along with a cleaning cloth), but sometimes you need a little more.

Enter this comprehensive eyeglasses repair kit from Amazon. I bought it for my mom for Christmas last year. She told me she needed one, but was having a hard time finding one in stores. It has everything you might possibly need to repair glasses! the screwdrivers have comfort grips too!

And of course, you gotta keep your glasses clean, so here is a great freebie offer: Free Lens Cloth & Cleaner at Walmart Vision Centers 

If you need help getting glasses or vision exams for your kids, check out Vision to Learn. They operate in 13 states and partner with the Boys and Girs Club, offering free eye exams and eyeglasses for kids.

If you are 65+, you can obtain a free eye exam from Eye Care America. Kids 6 months-1 year can obtain a free eye exam from InfantSEE.

And if you are wondering what to do with all of the old eyeglasses in your house that are no longer your current prescription…. The Lions Club helps recycle eyeglasses and get them into the hands of the needy. You can find out more about how and where to recycle your unwanted eyeglasses here.  I also recommend checking with your local optometrist’s office. They frequently partner with local Lion’s Clubs to collect old glasses. You could help a person in need get the glasses they can’t afford!

What are your tips for saving on glasses and contacts?

**This post may contain affiliate links, for more information about how we use affiliate links, please visit our Disclosure page.**

 

New Deals from Checkout 51!

Abby H.

 

unnamedCheckout 51 is one of my favorite cashback shopping apps! Most of the deals/cashback rebates are not store specific, so I can save at stores that don’t accept coupons, like Grocery Outlet and 99 Cents Only.  You can also stack with store sales and discounts.

This week on Checkout 51, there is a great selection of products, including some yummy frozen desserts to beat the heat.

frozen.jpg

 

New to Checkout 51? Check out my post with more details here.

MY SPY- On Amazon Prime!

Abby H.

unnamed.pngThe kids and I saw My Spy in the theater right before the stay at home order was put in place. It was super cute and both kids (5 & 9) loved it. And now you can watch it at home on Amazon Prime or at a local drive-in theater with your kids!

Drive-In Theater Listing

My Spy follows JJ a hardened CIA operative (Dave Bautista) who has been demoted and finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, named Sophie (Chloe Coleman) where he has been sent undercover begrudgingly to surveil her family. When Sophie discovers hidden cameras in her apartment, she uses her tech-savviness to locate where the surveillance operation is set. In exchange for not blowing JJ’s cover, Sophie convinces him to spend time with her and teach her to be a spy. Despite his reluctance, JJ finds he is no match for Sophie’s disarming charm and wit. The hilarious actioner is directed by Peter Segal from a script penned by Jon and Erich Hoeber and stars Dave Bautista, Chloe Coleman, Kristen Schaal, Parisa Fitz-Henley and Ken Jeong. Producers are Chris Bender, Peter Segal, Jake Weiner, Robert Simonds, Gigi Pritzker, Dave Bautista and Jonathan Meisner.

There were a few times where the violence was a little intense for the kids, but the physical comedy, explosions, and jokes made up for that.

My son loves Kristen Schaal (You may know her as the voice of Mabel from Gravity Falls, and Louise from Bob’s Burgers), so he was hooked after I showed them the preview.

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If you are looking for a fun, family-friendly action movie to entertain the kids this summer, check out My Spy

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2020 Summer Lunch Programs for Kids (And Other Free Food Resources in San Diego)

Abby H.

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I am usually sooo much more on top of these free lunch posts, but…well, life has been a little crazy around here, and all over the world.

Better late than never, so, here we go. In past years schools, libraries, and community centers have hosted these free lunches, this year, however, the list of facilities has decreased.

GUHSDIf you don’t find any facilities near you offering free lunches, I recommend contacting 211, they may have more updated information.

table of hopeAnd if you are in need of food for your entire family, but you find yourself not qualifying for P-EBT or other social services, I recommend that you check out Facebook. There are tons of local groups of neighbors getting together setting up Tables of Hope. In San Diego, there are several. Tables of Hope are small groups of neighbors that have set up food distribution tables within neighborhoods to help those who might be experiencing food insecurity.

Churches and community organizations are offering free food distributions that require no proof of need, like Faith Chapel in Spring Valley. They are offering free produce each Friday through mid-August. You can find out more info here.

And the San Diego Food Bank is continuing their neighborhood distributions– Lots of produce and goodies are available each week. No proof of need or residency requirements.

There are all sorts of organizations looking to help families in need.

Even if you are not in dire need, if you need help stretching your budget, these resources are here for you!

Talk Back: How are you stretching your food budget this summer?