frugal living

9/21/19- Free Museum Day!

Abby H.

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Museum Day is a one-day event in which participating museums and cultural institutions across the country provide free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. Participants are allowed to download one ticket per email address. The ticket provides free general admission on Saturday, September 21, 2019, for two people.

For those of us in San Diego County, there are 37 choices, ranging from The New Children’s Museum downtown to the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad.  You can find a list of museums near you here.

Now, if you can’t make it out to free museum day, there are museums all over San Diego County that are FREE EVERY DAY!

Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum 4203 Anderson Ave, San Diego, CA 92145

Barona Cultural Center & Museum 1095 Barona Road, Lakeside, CA 92040

Bonita Museum and Cultural Center 4355 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA 91902

Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum 3190 Lionshead Ave, Carlsbad, CA 92009

The Water Conservation Garden isn’t a museum, but it is free daily and super fun to explore. They also hold cool free events for kids and adults.

The Timken in Balboa Park is free every day. And there are select museums free every Tuesday in Balboa Park.  While you are in Balboa Park, stop by The City’s Botanical Building. It is open every day except Thursday. Admission is always free.

Make it a frugal afternoon by packing your lunch and snacks (don’t forget water- it’s going to be a hot one here in San Diego and most of the southwest next weekend)! I raid our snack cupboard and pack lots of different choices, that way everyone is satisfied.

Talk Back: Which museum in your area are you excited about checking out on 9/21/19?

 

9/16/19- Free Guacamole Day!

Abby H.

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To take advantage of this deal, show or print the coupon here. This would make a great snack with a beer or fresh lemonade.

Easy Jam Recipe: No Canning Needed!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-09-12 at 10.53.44 PM.pngOn Wednesday, I found myself with a bunch of very ripe berries.

2 cups of strawberries

2 cups of blackberries

1 cup of raspberries

1/2 cup of blueberries

Ok, so that’s a weird amount of berries, and seeing as how there were dead ripe, the only thing I could do besides freeze them is to cook them up and make jam!

Making “freezer jam” as it’s usually known is pretty easy. No pectin needed, no jars, no canning. It’s dead simple.

Ready?

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Ingredients

Equal parts chopped ripe fruit and white sugar (or you can use Splenda for baking)

Directions

  1. In a large pot (like this one) coot fruit over medium/low heat, stirring frequently, until the fruit breaks down, about 20-ish minutes
  2. Add sugar/sweetener, and stir until it has melted and the mixture is glossy and thick.
  3. Pour into a refrigerator safe container with a lid. Once the mixture is room temp, store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
  4. Spread the jam on anything!
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After it cooked down, it made about 2 1/2 cups of jam

And for those who are wondering, this is easy enough that kids can help make this, but I don’t recommend that kids do it alone. Molten fruit and sugar can cause a very painful burn on the skin.

9/13/19: Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

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Woo Hoo! Friday means Freebies and deals!

Samples/Goodies:

In Stores/Events:

Magazines:

Deals:

Urbane Cafe: Free lunch for Teachers and Staff (El Cajon and Encinitas Locations)!

Abby H.

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Various Urbane Cafe locations are offering free lunches (sandwich or salad) to teachers and school staff.

Not so small print…
  • Only one meal per ticket
  • Must have Valid Teacher ID
  • No app, phone or online orders
  • Must be present to receive the offer

The El Cajon Location is offering them on 9/17/19 and 9/18/19 at 11am. RSVP here. 

The Encinitas location is offering them on 9/24/19  and 9/26/19 11am-9pm.  RSVP here.

 

 

Please share this post with your friends and family who might benefit! Teachers and school staff work so hard- they deserve a free lunch!

Score Free stuff to review with Tryit!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-09-12 at 8.27.08 AM.pngBazaarvoice TryIt Sampling gives you the opportunity to try FREE products in exchange for your honest opinions!

As a member of TryIt you will provide authentic feedback for the products you receive. You’ll be invited to try products based on your preferences and program participation, so be sure to complete your full profile if selected to join!

Screen Shot 2019-09-12 at 10.45.40 AM.pngSo far, I’ve received Cat food for Kitty Fiona, and I’ll be reviewing a blender soon (it is set to arrive via UPS today!). You receive emails once items are available, and you have to jump into action quickly and apply as soon as you receive the email and supplies are limited for each review campaign.

I only apply to review items that we need, and man, do we need a new blender!

TryIt is legit! Click here to sign up and learn more.

Restaurant.com- $2 for $25 Certificates!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-09-10 at 6.46.40 PM.pngNow through tomorrow score a $25 restaurant.com for just $2.00 when you use coupon code TWO at Checkout. Not familiar with how restaurant.com works? Check out my post here.

 

 

*Terms: The majority of Restaurant.com-Specific Certificates are available for the advertised price. In some instances, prices may be higher. Restaurant.com Cards are separately priced. Limit of one (1) certificate per visit to a restaurant. Minimum spend requirements and other restrictions on the Restaurant-specific certificates vary and are subject to change. This promotion does not apply to previously placed orders, and cannot be combined with other promotions or offers, and does not apply to Restaurant.com Card purchases. Purchase or redemption of this offer requires that you agree to all the terms and conditions found at www.restaurant.com. Registration, including valid email address, is required for purchase. When redeeming a Restaurant.com Card, these savings cannot be applied. Offer valid from Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 1:00AM PST thru Wednesday, September 11, 2019 at 11:59PM PST.

3 Days Only: $15 Summer Styles from Tea Collection!

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Now through Thursday (9/12), get select dresses, tees, and rompers for $15 and under + free shipping on orders over $99. This is an incredible sale- Tea Collection has quality clothes for babies and kids that last. And with prices like these- you gotta shop quickly to get the best selection.

Here are a few that are in my shopping cart:

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Fine print:
$15 and under styles prices as marked. Valid on items labeled $15 & Under Style. Offer available online at teacollection.com only and valid through 9/12/2019 at 11:59 PM PST. Excludes Every Day Play Sets, Sussex Baby Sets, and third party items. Cannot be combined with other promotions. No adjustments on previous purchases. Not redeemable for cash. Limited to stock on hand. Cannot be used towards the purchase of gift cards. Discount taken will be pre-tax and before shipping. Discount applied at time of purchase will be taken off each item returned.

For free standard US shipping, use code SEPTFREESHIP at checkout. Shipping offer valid on standard US shipping only. Not valid on Canada shipping.

Kellogg’s Family Rewards: Savings, Recipes, and More!

Abby H.

Does your family like Kellogg’s Products? Check out Kellogg’s Family Rewards!

  • Purchase the KFR-participating products that you love. Easily collect points on those purchases using our three ways. Then redeem your points for awesome rewards.
  • The rewards catalog is filled with items you’ll love – from gifts cards to coupons to sweepstakes – and so much more! Plus, they add new rewards all the time.
  • A valid email address is your key to bonus offers, free points, special offers, money-saving coupons, great-tasting recipes and so much more!

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It’s so simple! I’ve been doing this rewards programs since it’s inception and I’ve earned all kinds of great freebies and high-value coupons!

Quick, Tasty Recipe: Berries Romanoff

Abby H.

Berries 2.jpgI was thinking of a way to use the berries we have on hand, and this recipe came to mind!

My friend Ana brought Berries Romanoff over for dessert the last time we had a potluck, and it’s now become a staple in our house. This is a variation on the original recipe, which calls for orange zest and Grand Marnier liqueur. This version is much more kid-friendly.

This is a quick, easy dessert that even kids love.

Ingredients:

  • 6 Cups berries- Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries, mulberries, and pitted halved cherries are all good choices.
  • 1 cup  thawed Cool Whip (or make whipped cream from scratch if you feel motivated)
  • 1/2 cup  Sour Cream
  • 1 T. orange juice
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. orange zest

Directions:

  1. Divide the berries into 6 dessert bowls, set aside.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
  3. Spoon mixture over the top of the berries and serve.

The mixture keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days, but once you taste it, you won’t be able to stop eating it.  It’s really good.