6/19/2024 Weekly Freebies and Deals

This week was a whirlwind! I’m looking forward to our adventure today- We’re going to The Wave Waterpark in Vista.

If you are looking for stuff to do this summer, check out my 2024 guide to a fun, frugal Summer Break. It’s San Diego County-specific, but there are many great ideas if you aren’t local to me.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

My comprehensive list can be found here if you are looking for free food resources. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Mini-Treehouse Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
Free Perfect Bar at Aldi
Possible Free Afia Foods Falafel Bowls
Free Good Culture Probiotic Milk
Free Nurishh Animal Free Cream Cheese at Select Retailers
Free Sample of AlchemyTT Nourish Scalp Oil!
Free Simply Lemonade with Raspberry ReFUNd with Ripple Street
Free Sunday Riley Good Genes All-in-One Lactic Acid Treatment Sample
Free Sample of Obagi Medical ELASTIderm Facial Serum
Free Snack Smart for Back-to-School Party Pack
Free Taco Bell Dips ReFUNd with Ripple Street
Free Stur Water Enhancer at Target
Free Taco Bell Kits ReFUNd with Ripple Street
Free 6-Piece Chicken Nuggets Every Wednesday at Wendy’s
College Students Eat Free on Thursdays at IKEA
Free Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Testing Ruler
Free Virtual Pet Check-Up with Petzey from Purina

Deals:

Free $15 Target Gift Card with Purchase of Two Select Diapers
ProFit Handheld Percussion Massage Gun ONLY $36.99 (Reg $75)
50% Off Everything at Old Navy
Kate Spade Sadie Envelope Crossbody ONLY $79 (Reg $279)
Discovery Mind Blown Kids Toys up to 67% Off
Cooks 2 Quart Air Fryer ONLY $24.99 at JCPenney (Reg $60)
Aeropostale Jeans Buy 1 Get 1 Free
Cooks 3-Piece Frying Pan ONLY $17.99 (Reg $50)
Nike Kids up to 70% Off + Extra 25% Off
Walmart Toys up to 75% Off
North Face Outerwear up to 58% Off

Got Dirty Clothes? Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent Sale!

 This deal is only good until Saturday night at 11:59, and for me, this is a RUN DEAL.

This week at Walgreens, all 27.5-28 oz bottles of Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry detergent are on sale for only $1.99/each.

They are usually $7.49/each, but let’s face it, I’d never pay that much. With this sale price, each load of laundry costs.07-.09 per load!

They have 5 varieties:

No coupons are needed, and you can order online and do curbside pick up (with a minimum order of $10.00) so you won’t have to step foot in the store! If you have Walgreens cash, you can use it, and this deal combines with any “Earn $X when you spend $Y” offers you might have in your Walgreens account (check online or in their app).

My Recent Cash Outs from Cash Back Apps

I’m not earning Benjamins, but every little bit helps.

I’ve been meaning to post this for a few weeks, but I have been recovering from surgery, and trying to take the kids on short adventures.

You guys know how much I love a good cashback app, and here are some of my recent cashouts, and how I’m coming on reaching the payouts on a few more apps.

 

Cashback apps where I have almost reached the threshold for payout: 

  • Ibotta: right now I’m at $23.75
  • Drop: they ran out of gift certificates/rewards so I will try again on Thursday. They release a limited number of each week. Right now I have enough points to cash out $25 worth of rewards. It has taken me almost 2 years. I count this is one of my very passive apps to use. 

If you are interested in learning more about the cashback apps, I use, check out my cashback app page here. Many of the apps I use are affiliate-linked, so when you sign up for them, you will receive a bonus for first-time use, and I will also receive a small bonus. Think about it as buying me a Slurpee, or buying my kids a donut. 

For more information about the use of Affiliate links, check out my disclosure page. 

Aisle: Cash back Rebates at your fingertips!

Have you heard of Aisle? It’s a cash back program, where a majority of the products available have 100% back rebates.

It’s super simple:

  • Visit Aisle. Enter your zip code to find rebates available near you.
  • Select your rebates, enter your cell number, and Aisle will text you a reminder and details on how to submit your rebate (it’s via text).
  • You can also enter your zip code and they’ll text you the three closest stores that sell the product!
  • Purchase the products, snap a pic of your receipt, and text it.
  • Money is paid via Venmo or Paypal.

Here are just a few of the brands: HOP WTR, Stur, Unite Bar, Pop & Bottle Functional Oat Milk Lattes, Yesly Enhanced Still Water Beverage, B.T.R. Nation Dark Chocolate Brownie Superfood Bar, August Tampons And Pads, Dark Chocolate Coconut Zing Bar, and hundreds more!

If you are looking for more Cash Back apps, check out my list of favs here!

My Top Ten Grocery Items to Buy at Dollar Tree

Now that The 99/ 99 Cents Only has closed, and inflation continues to cause the price of groceries to skyrocket,  more of us frugal shoppers will be headed to Dollar Tree. I’ve been doing more shopping at Dollar Tree since The 99 changed over from 99 Cents Only a few years ago.

One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that you can buy items from their website in bulk. That means if you love, for example, Powered Drink Mixes, you can buy a whole case (12 packages) for the same price as in-store. This is one of my Top Ten items, in case you were wondering.

Here are my top ten must-buys at Dollar Tree and their price that other nationwide retailers:

1. Belvita dupes These come in a couple different flavors. Brand name Belvita biscuits and store brand varieties can cost between $2.99-$4.99 depending on the retailer.

2. Frozen onions and peppers, sometimes called stir fry blend. Dollar Tree sells them in 12 oz bags for only $1.25 each.  The same items can cost between$1.99-$2.72 depending on the retailer and brand.

3. Prime, Monster, and other energy drinks. This is a big savings strategy if you like energy drinks. You can buy Monster, Prime, Rockstar, and other brands online by the case! At Dollar Tree, they are only $1.25 (plus any CVR), and other retailers sell energy drinks $2.99-$4.00 depending on the retailer and beverage.

4. Boost Protein drinks. Dollar Tree sells them individually, but most stores sell multi-packs that break down to $2.50-$2.75/each drink.

5. Instant beverage powders, as mentioned above, you can buy an entire case of one flavor online, or go to the store and see all the varieties. They retail in stores for $2.00-$3.99 per box depending on flavor and retailer.

6. Hungry Jack Pancake Mix. This is a favorite in my house. It’s great for pancakes, and waffles, or you can make baked pancakes. Our favorites are from Dollar Tree Dinners on TikTok.  a 16 ounce box is only 41.25 at Dollar Tree vs. $2.72 at Walmart.

7. Spices- This is one where you need to go into your local Dollar Tree. Brands like Kingsford, Tajin, Mortons, Fresh Success, Kraft, and more. There are single spices, spice blends, and seasoning kits like Taco Seasoning and Chili seasoning. These are all available for $1.25 each, whereas other stores charge $1.50-$5.00 depending on blend and retailer for the same items. 

8. C&H brown sugar, 16 oz. This is a pretty good value at just $1.25, my local Target has it for $2.99. 

9. Pillsbury frosting. I usually make my own frosting, but sometimes, in a pinch, you need a can of frosting. Most Dollar Tree locations have a selection of flavors for $1.25 a can. Other retailers sell the same size can for $1.99-$2.49 depending on the retailer.

10. Full-size boxes of cereal. This is one where you need to go into your local Dollar Tree. Varieties and availability differ by location. Recently our local Dollar Tree had Family sized Cheerios varieties for just $1.25 a box! Meanwhile, full-size boxes of cereal can cost upwards of  $7.99 depending on variety and retailer.

 

Talk Back: I’d love to hear about your favs and must-haves from Dollar Tree!

 

This post contains affiliate links, to learn more about how affiliate links work, check out my disclosure page.

This Week’s Meal Plan!

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI forgot to hit Publish on this post on Sunday night and just discovered it in my drafts. Oops.

We are back in the kitchen, and I will be posting pics of it on Instagram this week. I absolutely love my new kitchen. It has tons of counter space, and cabinets, and my new dishwasher is 1000 times better than the old one.

I picked up a bunch of stuff that was stashed in my mom’s chest freezer that I was unable to make without a kitchen, so the only grocery shopping I did this week was for some milk and plain bagels for the girl child.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I 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.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. We eat lunch at home most of the time over the summer. Sometimes we take advantage of the kid’s free summer lunches (info here).

Dinner: I’m back in the kitchen again and the CSA boxes are coming weekly. I’ve got all kinds of plans for batch-cooking soups and stews over the coming weeks.

  • Sunday:  Dream Dinners (Chicken Tarragon with roasted potatoes)
  • Monday: Smoothies or Protein shakes and snack trays
  • Tuesday: Grilled Cheese sandwiches (cheese of your choice), fruit, chips

  • Wednesday: Sloppy Joes, chips, fruit, and veggies with hummus

  • Thursday: Chicken nuggets or a veggie burger, fruit, and chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza

Family Recipe: Chow Mein Hotdish

My mom made some recently and sent some home with me!

OK, so growing up we used to have this like once every few weeks. It’s quick, it’s easy, and I swore that it was a family recipe.

When researching this recipe, I then found out that apparently, this is a hot dish that’s made all over the Midwest. And according to my mom, it’s in tons of church cookbooks.

This recipe is pretty simple, and it’s delicious, and it is kind of weird. And definitely not at all Asian.

Chow mein hot dish 

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon of dehydrated toasted onions, or 1/4 diced white onion
  • one can of cream of mushroom soup
  • half a can of cream of mushroom soup filled with water
  • One cup of uncooked rice
  • Two ribs of celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 small can of water chestnuts slices, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can of chow mein noodles

Directions

  1. In an electric skillet over medium heat, cook and crumble ground beef and onion.
  2. Add all remaining ingredients except chow mein noodles.
  3. Cook on medium stirring often until rice is tender.
  4. Remove from heat, top with chow mein noodles, and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

If you want to add extra veggies, add 1 cup sliced mushrooms when cooking the meat and onion.

You can cook this on the stove, but I’ve always cooked the majority of my hot dishes in an electric skillet. I’m not sure why. Probably because my entire family does.

Some people like this served with a little bit of soy sauce, but I find that the condensed cream of mushroom soup is salty enough as it is.

7/12/2024 Friday Freebies and Deals!

This week has been the week of doing important stuff. Doctors appointments, repair people fixing things I can’t and phone calls. So many phone calls. And the girlchild’s bestie is coming to stay with us for a week next month- WOO HOO!!

My 2024 guide to a fun, frugal Summer Break can be found here. It’s San Diego County-specific, but there are many great ideas if you aren’t local to me.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area.

Freebies:

Free Donut Every Tuesday & Free Iced Coffee Every Friday in July at Krispy Kreme
Apply to Be the AmericInn Cheesiest Family & Get Paid $15,000
Free Chicken Tender at Raising Cane’s July 27-30th
Free Olyra Breakfast Biscuits After Rebate
Home Depot Kids’ Workshop: Free Workshop for Kids
Free 4-Pack of PROTALITY Shakes
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Simply Lemonade ReFUNd with Ripple Street
Free 5-hour ENERGY Inspired Energizing BBQ Sauce on July 16th
Free ProGel Retractable Gel Pen at Staples
Free Super Fun Family Time Game Night Party Pack
Free Garnier Fructis Hair Filler + Vitamin Cg Shampoo & Conditioner Samples
Free Victoria Beckham Beauty Fragrance Samples
Free 6-Piece Chicken Nuggets Every Wednesday at Wendy’s
Score a Subscription to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine – No Credit Card Needed
Free Big Mac at McDonald’s
Free Bottle of Botania After Rebate
Free Kyo-Dophilus Probiotic Trio Sampler
Free Velveeta Queso Dip Chatterbuy Kit
Possible Free SmartWhale Bidet Toilet Seat (MUST LEAVE AMAZON REVIEW)
Free Subscription to LEGO Life Magazine
Free Reusable Mesh Produce Bag
Free Toys R Us Play Day Event on July 20th LOCATIONS ARE INSIDE MACY’S STORES
Free Perfect Bar at Aldi
Free Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea reFUNd with Ripple Street
2 Free Bags of Undercover Snacks Chocolate Quinoa Crisps After Rebate
Free 1-800-QUIT-NOW Notepads
Possible Free Sweet Surprise from Keebler

 

Deals:

Target Circle Week: Free $15 Gift Card with Purchase of $50 Worth of Household Products
Blackstone Duo Griddle & Charcoal Grill Combo ONLY $147 Shipped (Reg $229)
Amazon Prime Day 2024 Coming July 16-17
Covergirl Perfect Blend Pencil ONLY $0.79 (Reg $5.79)
40% Off Everything at Old Navy
Walgreens Complete Home Products Buy One Get Two Free
Starbucks 50% Off Handcrafted Drinks – TODAY 7/12
Select General Mills Cereal ONLY $1.49 (Reg. $6.29)

SeaWorld: Free Tickets for U.S. Military Veterans!

This deal is back, but only through July 31st! To show their appreciation for those who have served our country, SeaWorld San Diego is offering FREE tickets to SeaWorld San Diego for U.S. Military Veterans and up to three friends or family members. You can also purchase up to six additional tickets at 50% off.

Get your tickets by verifying your military status through GovX.com here. All tickets must be used by July 31, 2024.

If you live near another SeaWorld, check their website for a similar deal.

Tryazon: Free Sticki Rolls for Back-to-School Party Pack

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

 

Tryazon has another opportunity available! Apply for the chance to receive 1 of 100 FREE Sticki Rolls for Back-to-School Party Packs.

Hosts selected for this party will receive a party pack with a combined value of $60+, containing the following items:

  • Sticki Rolls Sticki Bands
  • Sticki Rolls Sticki Book
  • Sticki Rolls Sticki Station
  • 3 Promo Packs
  • Party Host Guide to help you plan and carry out the party!

Tryazon allows you to try various products (and keep them) in a fun way and it’s totally free! Apply, host a party & share exciting products with your friends and family.