frugal living

9/18/17 Meal Plan Monday!

Abby H.

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I’m just posting dinners for our meal plan. The kiddos usually have a small toasted bagel with cream cheese for breakfast along with fruit.  Hubs likes Oatmeal (my recipe for an easy almost instant oatmeal mix can be found here) if he’s got time, otherwise he and I have protein shakes with frozen bananas and PB2.

Lunches for Lil’ Man are usually Peanut butter and crackers, fruit, milk, a protein muffin (aka a kid cupcake), and applesauce cup. He takes his lunch every day! Hubs usually has a protein shake or I pack him leftovers or a frozen entree.

Bitty Bird and I usually have leftovers from the night before, or soup, sandwiches, quesadillas. She eats almost anything!

We’re pretty stocked up of food for the next week or so- We’ll need milk, cream cheese, and cheese. I’ll probably hit up Costco tomorrow.

Monday:

  • D: Steak (it was a gift!), roasted broccoli, green salad, cheese toast. The kids don’t like steak, so they’ll probably have grilled cheese sandwiches on cheese toast (Lil’ Man discovered them not long ago and he told me it’s the “fancy” way to make grilled cheese).

Tuesday:

  • D:  Bean, Rice, and cheese bowls (they also have caramelized onions and peppers) This is a fav in our house. It’s healthy and inexpensive.

Weds:

  • D: Home made Red Sauce (made in the crockpot- Recipe will be posted tomorrow!) baked with cheese in Zucchini Boats. Thanks to my friend Lisa for the monster zucchini!

Thursday:

  • D:  Breakfast for dinner (probably frittata)

Friday:

  • D: Date Night! (we go out)

Saturday:

  • D:  Home made Pizza, and fruit salad

Sunday:

  • D: Leftover buffet

The menu may change, as  I pull stuff out of the pantry to rotate what we’ve got (I am trying to cut down on waste, and put the older stuff up front to get eaten first).

We’ve got a busy week with ABA Therapy three times, a Lego Movie event, a Lego event at our local Library, and a trip to Legoland on Saturday (just me and my Lil’ Man!).  I’ve made sure to fill up our snack backpack and wash out our water bottles.

Friday Freebies are back!

Abby H.
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While a flower in your mail box is cute, freebies are better!

I know most everyone likes a good freebie, so I’m bringing back Freebie Friday!!

LEGO Monthly Mini Build – Free LEGO Robot (This one is in store and you have to sign up in advance- it’s super fun!)

Free Subscription to Real Simple, Shape, TIME & More

Possible Free Samples from Healthline & Sampler

Free Small Bag of Select Dog or Cat Food at PetSmart

Free Redbox DVD Rental

Free Sample of Born Sweet Zing Organic Stevia
Free Gold Rush Panning Party with Tryazon (I applied for this one- Henry is obsessed with the Gold Rush!)

Free Subscription to Woman’s Day Magazine

Free Garnier 5sec Optical Blur + Make Cash & More from Toluna

Free LEGO Ninjago Mini Dragon at Barnes & Noble

Free Seventh Generation Disinfecting Spray

101 Free 4×6 photo prints from York Photo

Kroger/Ralphs Free Friday download is a Hormel® Compleats® Microwave Meal (your choice). This makes a great donation for food drives!

For those of you in San Diego, Geppetto’s toy stores are celebrating their 25th Anniversary tomorrow with freebies and a party at each of their locations!

The Santee Historical society is hosting a Children’s Safety faire tomorrow!

Back to School Routines and New Play Dates!

Abby H.1 Comment
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Big Man on his first day of First Grade!

Now that we’ve been back to school for about a month, we are pretty set in our M-F daily routine to get Henry off to school. And Bitty and I have set into a schedule, but she keeps asking to, “Play Wif mo’ Fwends, Mama!!”

 

We go to the YMCA 4 days week after we drop brother off at school, but that’s only 2 hours of our day.

So taking a hint from the two year old, I’ll be starting playdates 2-3 times per month at various parks across San Diego! You can find the full schedule of upcoming playdates here on our Facebook page. They are public, so please RSVP if you are interested in attending. Sometimes we’ll be joining another event that’s already planned (like story time at the local Library).

Screen Shot 2017-09-13 at 6.37.59 PMWe’ll play at the park, do fun (and frugal) crafts. It’s a great way to meet other local moms. And because I’m a MomCo Mom, there are bound to be fun giveaways and goodies to try out!

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Courtesy of Clicks by Christine/Christine Boyce

These playdates are FREE and open to anyone with kids! If you have a company that sells a product of service for moms or kids, I am always open to play date sponsorship. This can be anything from samples, sponsoring at your location, offering a discount/coupons. Email me at hewesfamilyfun@gmail.com and we can talk!

I’m also hoping to find a location where I can start hosting Couponing and frugal living seminars. If you have a church or community center that is interested in hosting shoot me an email at hewesfamilyfun@gmail.com! I tailor my talks to my audience!

My Favorite Side Hustle: Field Agent!

Abby H.5 Comments

IMG_5660Last summer, I wrote about all of my side hustles. You can read the article here.

Well I got another one to share! I’ve actually had this one for quite a while (about a year and a half), but I’ve always been hesitant to share it. Recently, I have been approached by more than a few people who are looking for ways to make money, and I decided that I was finally going to let the cat out of the bag and share perhaps, my favorite side hustle of all.

Field Agent is an app you can download for your smart phone. It’s different from secret shopping apps and websites, in that you are only shown assignments in your area, that you qualify for. All of the assignments are self assigned, which means that if you want to job you can apply for it you don’t have to email and hope they pick you- which is my big gripe with most secret shopping/audit companies.

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Different types of jobs that are available on the Field Agent App

The other thing that makes Field Agent different is that when you select the job, you have a specific time allotted for you to complete the task after you apply and are approved. The time varies based on what type of job it is, but it’s usually 2 to 4 hours from the time you choose the job and you are approved.

 

Jobs can be as simple as a photographing an end cap at a store or can be as difficult as photographing the exterior of the home to help out an insurance company.

The key to doing these jobs well is to be discreet. You’re not gonna walk into a store and loudly announced you’re here to do an audit, or that you’re here to do a secret shopper. All jobs can be completed with the use of a smartphone, as you will do the job while you are in the store in the app, and photograph using the app as well.

All jobs can be completed with the use of a smartphone, as you will do the job while you are in the store in the app, and photograph using the app as well.

I tend to do assignments when my big guy is at school, and it’s just me and the little one, although if there are higher paying gigs on weekends, I will gladly take both kids if it is a simple task.

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I haven’t made very much this year, but now that school is back in session, It’s time to earn some money!

I’ve taken a lot of time away from this year and have not been using the app to earn money as often as I should. But now that my big guy is back in school, I have been doing assignments like mad. I have earned about $40 in the past week and a half. And that’s just one to two hours a week.

They pay either through EFT to your bank account. It takes only a few days for the money to be transferred into my bank account, and then I can spend (or save) it how I please.

If you think Field Agent is something you’d like, you can check out their website here, and download the app from wherever you get apps!

 

Staying Smooth: Moisturizing & Exfoliating Body Scrub!

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Recently I posted a photo on Instagram of some of the body scrub I whipped up. I love making body scrubs, balms, and lotions. Anything I can make at home with all natural ingredients is a plus in my book.

I dislike commercially available scrubs, so often they contain silica or other “micro-beads”. They are often times not biodegradable, and they end up in oceans and streams, harming wildlife.

Screen Shot 2017-08-21 at 9.05.43 PM.pngI got quite a few DM’s asking for the recipe, so I thought I would share it.

All of this stuff I had in my house already, so you may have to go out and grab some ingredients, or just make a few substitutions, depending on what you have on-hand.

I’ve linked to some of the ingredients on Amazon (prices may change, and if you buy something from one of my links, I *might* get a small commission). Then you don’t have to leave home to shop!

This recipe makes A LOT, so, be prepared with a large container with a lid (I used a plastic coffee canister that I sterilized).

 

Moisturizing & Exfoliating Body Scrub

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Mix all of the liquid ingredients together in a bowl, set aside.
  2. Mix all of the dry ingredients in a second bowl, set aside.
  3. Add wet to dry ingredients slowly, stirring well.
  4. Store in a container with a lid, scoop out with a clean hand (or spoon) into another cup/container as needed.

If mixture feels too wet, add up to an additional 1/2 cup of salt (your choice: sea or table).

If mixture is too dry, add up to 1/2 cup coconut oil.

 

 

Super Busy Summer!

Abby H.

I haven’t had much time to sit at the computer and write lately, but we’ve been busy! There are so many free and frugal things to do in the summer, and we haven’t even done a 1/3 of what we have planned!

Here are just a few of the adventures we’ve been having (and you can try them too)!

 

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Henry’s Handiwork!

Rock Painting!  Some of you have seen pictures of the painted rocks we’ve been making, hiding, and finding all over town on my Instagram feed.  Santee Rocks was started by a local teacher to spread kindness.  There are lot of other “rocks” groups all over San Diego, and the US! We even hosting a Rock Painting party at a local park! Over 30 people showed up, painted, and played. We hope to host another one in July.

We’ve also been hitting up our local libraries for all sorts of fun events and activities. Our favorite is the El Cajon Library. They serve lunch M-F, 11:30-12:30.  Afterwards there are a variety of events and activities from special speakers, concerts, and even crafts! And they even serve an afternoon snack!

There is a small play area for kids with an interactive discovery structure, and a Duplo Wall! There is a shaded playground out front as well. It’s a great way to spend a few hours in a climate controlled place without visiting the mall or any place where you might spend money. We usually end up bringing home a few library books too.

We’ve been on adventures with friends! Playing T-ball at the park and going on the hunt for decorated rocks was the biggest hit so far.

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Playing dress up is a frequent stay at home activity. Here we have the Pirate T-Rex, trick or treating for meat.

And of course, We spend time at home, doing crafts, swimming in the community pool, playing Legos, and just hanging out!

I’m of the mind that summer doesn’t need to be packed with activities sun up to sun down. Frequently, we spend our time at home spending time together. We have friends over to play, but it’s super low-key.

I’ve taking a break from trying to pound out an article or post each day. I want to spend time with the kids and family.

What kinds of activities and adventures has you family been having this summer?

 

Summertime Plans on a Budget!

Abby H.

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School is out for us on Tuesday. That means I’ve got 67 days to fill with adventures and “excitement” as my 6 year put it. No pressure, right?

Here are just a few things we’ll be doing to have lots of fun, but not spend a ton of money.

  • Taking advantage of free community events! Our local libraries have tons of fun events during the month.  Lego Club, craft afternoons, story time for pre-schoolers, and our local library has a great slate of summer events, including a summer reading program!
  • Using passes and memberships that we’ve already paid for. For us, that’s the San Diego Zoo and the YMCA. I plan on taking full advantage of the YMCA membership daily to get the kids out of the house and playing with others, as well as swimming at the activity pool.
  • Packing snacks and drinks when we leave the house. Henry’s pre-school backpack has become our go to snack backpack. I wrote about our family snack backpack yesterday.
  • Meeting up with friends at the park to play. We love playing at the park. It’s a great way to get out the wiggles, meet new friends, and catch up with old friends. There are tons of groups on Meetup.com or Facebook. If you haven’t checked out Momco on Facebook, it’s a great way to find moms looking to meet up and play!
  • I love to arrange craft or science get togethers. The kids get to make something or try a science project and play with friends. I’m not really into Pinterest all that much, but I do have a Pinterest Board with some of the science and crafts we want to do this summer.  I try to use the supplies we have on hand. I find that a lot of the supplies can be picked up at 99 Cents Only, or cheaply at Target.
  • We’ll also be painting a lot of rocks and hiding them all over this summer. Have you heard of Santee Rocks? Both kids love it and it’s a great way to get kids out and active!  It’s an awesome Facebook Group. Learn more here.
  • The Beach! I know not everyone has the beach near them, but if you do- take advantage!  Google your favorite beach and Tide Chart and find out when low tide it. Low tide is the perfect time to hunt for shells. If you are in San Diego, or will be visiting this summer, check out Coronado for the SS Monte Carlo. It’s a sunken ship that is visible and explorable at low tide.
  • Don’t forget the $1.00 kids movies at Regal Cinemas!
  • Here are a few of my other tips for a fun, frugal San Diego Summer.

Camping with Kiddos!

Abby H.2 Comments

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As we prep for our annual family camping trip, I thought I’d share some of the fun things we do with the kids when we camp.

In addition to all of the usual camping stuff: Tent, blankets, pillows, air mattress, clothes, toiletries, Sunscreen, food, camp kitchen stuff…. You need stuff to do!

A friend and I made a huge batch of play dough last week, and we’re taking half of the batch, along with some cookie cutters, small rolling pins and other fun play dough stuff I got on my local Buy Nothing Group.

Games: High Ho Cherry-O, card games (like Uno, and a few regular decks of cards), lawn bowling.

We also have a craft box. It’s a large tote, like this one. I’ve filled it with all sorts of craft odds and ends. Mostly stuff leftover from other projects, as well as stuff I’ve gotten from Craigslist Curb alerts, and my local Buy Nothing group.  There is paper, scissors, glue, beads, pipe cleaners, paint, and so much more! The kids rifle through it and come up with some of the most interesting projects. I really believe that kids need to have free reign over creative play, so as long as I am there to make sure they are safe, they are free to create and play how they wish.

Bubbles. I make about a gallon of bubble solution, and we have all kinds of wands and stuff (Dollar tree and Target’s Dollar spot are great places to find bubble toys). We also make some out of pipe cleaners.

We also cook a lot when we are camping. We use dutch ovens to make all kinds of baked goods, including our favorite: Beer Bread. My dad has a cool clay Pizza oven (it’s this one), and we make pizzas in the late afternoons to snack on. Our favorite pizza recipe is here.

Here are a few pictures of our adventure last year:

We also of course, play at the campground play ground, go on nature hikes (and do some fun nature scavenger hunts- check out Pinterest for a bunch). We spend time with family and friends, and of course, check out all of the events and fun at the big camping event in which we are participating.

Camping is a great family activity, and here in San Diego there are so many places to camp! From the beach, to the mountains, to the desert, there are campgrounds, both private and public for low prices!

If you are a camper, where is your favorite place to camp?

Earn Free Concessions and tickets from Regal Crown Club!

Abby H.1 Comment

We love to to go to the movies, but it’s expensive!

That’s why I love the Regal Crown Club! You can sign up at your local Regal Cinemas or here online.

For each dollar you spend (on tickets or concessions), you earn points that can be redeemed on concessions, tickets, or other swag.

And if you are a Disney Movie Rewards member, link your account to earn even more points on both platforms.

Check out this great deal they’ve got going right now if you check out all three new Disney movies this summer:

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  • See any ONE of these films and receive 100 Disney Movie Rewards bonus points
  • See any TWO of these films and receive 100 Disney Movie Rewards bonus points + 1,000 Crown Club credits
  • See any THREE of these films and receive 2,000 Disney Movie Rewards bonus points + 1,000 Crown Club credits + free small popcorn (loaded directly to your Crown Club card)

Disney Movie Rewards points can be redeemed for all kinds of great stuff: Disney Gift Cards, Starbucks Gift Cards, and tons of Disney dvd’s/Blue Rays, and other merchandise! You can earn points by buying Disney movies, seeing movies in theatres, and by playing various games online and taking part in various promos.

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Regal Cinemas also has a great summer movie program. Starting in Mid June and running through the summer, Regal Cinemas shows kid and family friendly movies for just $1.00 per person on Tuesday and Wednesdays!  It’s a great way to beat the heat, and spend some time with the Kiddos!

Incredible Deal on Mastercard Gift Cards at Staples (and an Amazon GC Giveaway!)! #StaplesEZr

Abby H.

file3331271364663.jpgYou know I love a good Gift Card Deal! Right now through April 29, 2017 when you purchase $300 or more in Mastercard gift cards at Staples you will receive a $20 Staples gift card by rebate. See store for more details, find your local Staples here. What is great about this deal is you can choose different denominations of Mastercard Gift card to reach the $300.

There are so many great ways to work this deal!

  • Use your points or cash back credit card to purchase the gift cards for a double dip! Our American Express Card gives us 5% cash back when we shop at office supply stores.
  • Pick up gift cards in smaller amounts ($25) and give to your child’s teacher to help with supplies a few times before the school year ends. Did you know that teacher appreciation week is coming up??
  • Great for sending to college students or for graduation gifts!
  • Use the gift cards to stay on budget for gifts and online shopping! Because you can shop in store or online with gift cards, it’s a great way to triple dip (use a cashback online shopping website like ebates or Topcashback to redeem your gift cards. You will earn even more cash back!).

Right now, you can enter to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card! Stock up on essentials for upcoming spring break, or buy yourself something nice! Click here to enter (the Rafflecopter may not be mobile friendly).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored post, thanks to Tatu Digital Media for including me on this awesome offer and giveaway! All opinions are my own!