frugal

Join the Shmear Society & Get $5 Off Your Next Order at Einstein Bros. Bagels

Abby H.

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Hey- Do you like bagels? We do, more specifically, Big Kid does. If you cut him open, he’d be at least 55% bagel.

If you have a bagel connoisseur in your home, consider joining the Shmear Society from Einstein Bros. Bagels. When you join and make a purchase, you’ll score $5.00 off your next purchase. That’s a tasty breakfast!

They have an app too! And Shmear Society Members score a birthday freebie too.

So year, my carb lovin’ friends, there is no reason not to join!

 

*Disclaimer- I get $5 if one of you does this deal. And I know you all want to. Because… Cream Cheese.

YMCA of San Diego County- Cyber Monday Deal!

Abby H.

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We love our local YMCA- They have great exercise classes, awesome free events for members and the community, open gym for the kids to run and play in the gymnastics area three times a week, an activity pool that is open in the spring and summer, and I could go on and on.

We go to the Y 4-6 times a week for exercise and so the kids can play and socialize- this is a HUGE help during school breaks because the kids club/child watch has great programs and play opportunities- and it’s included in the price of membership. And it’s so much more than the kid’s area at most chain gyms. The folks at child watch and kids club do crafts, lead games, read stories, and teach the kids how to play new games, and take them into the gym area to bounce on the huge trampoline!

Today Only, December 2nd- Cyber Monday, New members pay no joining fee if they join online using our special My Y Code CYBR19. Your friend will save up to $60! And if you are a member and your friend mentions your name at sign up,  you’ll get a free month of membership! If you are going to sign up, mention my name, Abby Hewes. Any way we can save money helps our families bottom line!

For our family, YMCA is definitely frugal: for $75/month, I am able to go to the gym for 2 hours a day and the kids can go to play and have fun. Any of our other local gyms can’t touch that price, and they don’t have the other programs or benefits.

The YMCA offers scholarships and reduced monthly membership fees for military families, families that receive WIC, and many other programs- don’t forget to ask about them!

And if you are the parent of a special needs kid, let me tell you that our local Y has the most wonderful, caring staff that cares for all kids. My big kid is autistic and he loves going to Kids Club to hang out and play. He also loves the monthly Kids Night at the Y.

Dave & Buster’s Holiday Deals!

Abby H.

main-module-6-2.jpgThis is a great deal, even if you don’t plan to give it as a gift!

When you download the new Dave & Buster’s app (in the App Store or Google Play), you’ll score 50% off your first purchase. This offer ends 12/4/19.

 

If you need to buy a gift for someone on your list who loves video games, yummy bar food, and tasty drinks, this second deal is pretty good too! Buy a $50 Gift Card and get a $10 Free Game Play Card.

sub-module.jpg I love this deal because you can buy this as a gift, and keep the $10 card for yourself/your family and keep it for when you need a family night or a date night out, especially when you combine it with some of the deals/values below.
Here are a few everyday deals you can take advantage of:

The Eat and Play Combo is a great deal.

I recommend joining the Dave & Buster’s Rewards Club.  I love taking the kids during the summer when we get coupons.

  • $10 FREE Game Play with $10 game play purchase for joining
  • MONTHLY EMAIL SAVINGS and a first look at what’s new (the past few months it’s been deals like $20 free when you load $20 on a card!)
  • EARN $10 FREE Game Play for every $100 spent in-store†
  • PROTECTION for lost or stolen cards when registered online
  • 24/7 ONLINE ACCESS to your Power Card® or Power Tap® chip, ticket and Rewards point balances

Family Recipe: Cocoa Brownies

Abby H.

01389.jpgI love this brownie recipe- it is so versatile, and if you bake at all, you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry.

This recipe is so frugal, so much less than the $3-$5 for a brownie mix.

You can add chocolate chips, mint and chocolate chips (my kids favorite), and they are so moist and rich, there is no need for frosting!

Cocoa Brownies (makes 1 8×8 or 9×9 pan)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. shortening or room temp. butter ( DO NOT USE SPREAD/MARGARINE/OLEO*)
  • 1 c. white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 T. Vanilla
  • 2 T. Milk
  • 2/3 c. AP Flour
  • 1/2 c. Cocoa powder
  • 1/2 t. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 t. salt
  • Optional: 1/2 c. chopped nuts, chocolate chips, mint/chocolate chips, peanut butter chips (your choice)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the fat (shortening/butter) with an electric mixer until it’s fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add sugar and beat until combined.
  4. Add one egg at a time until combined well.
  5. Add remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in any mix-ins (nuts or chips).
  6. Pour into the greased baking dish and bake 20-30 minutes. 20 for 8×8, 30 for 9×9.

Substitutions

  • If you are Gluten Free, you can use 1 for 1 GF flour
  • To make the dish dairy-free, use your favorite dairy-free milk.
  • The reason that spread/margarine/oleo isn’t used is because of its high water content. It will give the brownies a watery/smooshy texture.

Fall Recipe Round-Up!

Abby H.

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Thanksgiving in the US is just a few days away, and for most of us, it means cooking a HUGE feast to share with family or friends.

I wanted to share with you some of my family’s favorite fall recipes- They are all pretty tasty, and easy to make. Some are great for Thanksgiving dinner, and some are just tasty fall recipes.

11/25/19 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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This week is Thanksgiving here in the US, so the kids are off school all week, and I’ve got tons of fun stuff planned! Zoo, making Turkey Cookies with the kids and my niece, playing at the park, and of course, daily visits to the YMCA. Meals will probably be light because we’re super stoked for all the yummy treats on Thursday.  I’m taking this dish on Thursday!

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.

You may notice a lot of plant-based meals- We are not vegetarian (well, the big kid is, but the rest of us aren’t), but I am trying to get more veggies into our diet. I do a lot of cooking from scratch- I find it easier to get veggies and fruit into recipes that I can have 100% control over.

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 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.

Lunches are leftovers, salads, or soups for me and Bitty. The big kid takes his lunch to school, but once in a while, I can convince him to buy his lunch.

For dinner, when we’ve got busy days (like Mondays), I’ll try and put something in the crockpot in the morning, or pull something I’ve already prepped out that can be quickly cooked. Last week I did a lot of veggie prep and I’ve got a bunch of bags of veggies in the freezer for meals this week.

  • Monday: Breakfast for dinner: Smoothies and Dave’s Killer Bagels with Cream cheese.
  • Tuesday: Quesadillas, green salad, fruit
  • Wednesday:  Chicken and Veggie soup
  • Thursday:  THANKSGIVING FEAST WITH FAMILY
  • Friday:  Some sort of Thanksgiving leftover based meal (perhaps a Moist Maker Sandwich- Friends fans know what I mean)
  • Saturday:  Pizza time (also salad will be served)
  • Sunday:   Leftovers, as per usual

I had someone ask me how we always have enough of anything for leftovers. I always cook enough of the main dish for 6-8 servings, that way we have leftovers for lunches later in the week or leftover night. And really when you make stuff like soup, it’s hard to make a batch of soup that only feeds 4 people.

Talk Back: What are you planning to cook this week?

5 Gifts for Dinosaur Fans!

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. My whole family loves dinosaurs, I think the cat may even like them.

While searching through a couple sites yesterday, I found some awesome, funny, and cheeky dino-themed gifts that would make any dino lovers dream come true.

lady dino.jpgThis Victorian Velociraptor shirt is awesome- and because it’s on Zazzle, you can get it in any size, for any age. Prices vary, but through tonight at midnight save 40% off with coupon code CARDSANDMORE.

If fancy lady dinosaurs aren’t your speed, don’t fear, Zazzle has tons of cute, funny, even scary dinosaur shirts, including officially licensed images from Jurrasic Park.

dino lamp.jpgTwo Words: DINOSAUR LAMP. Ok, maybe I love this because I have an 8-year-old dinosaur lover in my house, but this lamp is 100% awesome. There are several options available at various price points, but tonight through midnight save 20% off with code CARDSANDMORE.

This next item I have and wear frequently. It’s this rocking T-rex skeleton necklace. Channel your inner Mrs. Frizzle!

Speaking of Mrs. Frizzle, while I was looking for new leggings on Amazon last night, I came across this company, Cow Cow. They have Dinosaur Leggings. Not just one or two patterns, but over a dozen different patterns from dino skeletons to realistic dinos, to cartoony looking dudes. I may have added several designs to my Amazon Wishlist.

Now the title of the post says TOP 5, but really, there are so many great dino gifts, that I had to share one more.

Dinopillow.jpgShutterfly has tons of great dinosaur-themed gifts, including school supplies (folders, binders, backpacks), customizable puzzles, aprons, cups, plates, and so much more!

Shutterfly is having a 50% sitewide sale that ends tonight at midnight! No Coupon Code Needed!!

2019 Veteran’s Day Freebies

Abby H.

a480c0f99b8b6578a86a997c14a14036.jpgTomorrow is Veteran’s Day, and there are so many companies that want to show their appreciation for those who have served.

Below are just a few, the complete list of over 100 freebies for Veteran’s Day can be seen here.

  • Starbucks – Free coffee
  • Subway – Vets and active military get a free six-inch sub on November 11 at select locations
  • Olive Garden – Free meal
  • On The Border – Free meal
  • Denny’s – Free Grand Slam on Nov. 11th
  • Dairy Queen – Free medium Blizzard
  • Dunkin Donuts – Free donut
  • BJ’s Restaurants & Brewhouse – Free Entree & Dr. Pepper

In addition to a free meal, There are many museums and amusement parks are offering free admission, including the USS Midway located in San Diego, CA. As a special thank you for your service, the Midway and Qualcomm have partnered to offer Active Duty and Veterans and up to three (3) additional family members FREE admission to visit the historic USS Midway Museum.

  • Visitors must present their Military ID / show proof of service at the Midway’s ticket booth to receive offer.
  • Offer valid now through November 17th.
  • The Midway is open daily from 10am – 4pm.
  • This promotion does not apply to online ticket purchases.

National Parks are waiving their admission price on November 11, 2019 to everyone!

11/8/19- Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

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It’s Friday, and holy moly, do I have a busy weekend coming up! The Skyline Swap tomorrow morning, then I am off to a blogger mini-conference to meet with some new brands and bloggers.

But first, let’s dive into some freebies!

Full Cart- Pantry Staples for Less!

Abby H.

 

fullcartlogo.pngI learned about Full Cart from Reddit. After doing some internet sleuthing, I have come to the conclusion that Full Cart is a great deal for those who do not have discount stores like 99 Cents Only or Grocery Outlet nearby. You can choose from one of three packages full of shelf-stable pantry staples that are quick and easy to cook.

Good news for vegetarians, they have options for you too!

Full Cart offers three packages:

Custom Box $22.99

What’s Included**

  • – 30 lunch/dinner servings
  • – 22 side dish servings
  • – 5 breakfast servings
  • – 8 snack servings
  • – 3 fresh produce items

Signature Box $19.99

What’s Included

  • – 28 lunch/dinner servings
  • – 8 side dish servings
  • – 10 breakfast servings
  • – 2 snack servings

Essentials Bag $14.99

What’s Included

  • – 25 lunch/dinner servings
  • – 10 side dish servings
  • – 5 breakfast servings

Typical items include:

Instant Oatmeal Packets, Macaroni and Cheese Kits, Stroganoff Meal Kits, Mashed Potatoes Kits, Red Lentil Jambalaya Meal Kits, Italian Veggie Pasta Meal Kit
(Bulk Bag), Loma Meat Free entrees, Tuna in pouches, Spanish Rice Meal Kit, Cheesy Pasta Meal Kit (Bulk Bag), Italian Veggie Pasta — Tomato Flavor Meal Kit
(Bulk Bag), Chicken Noodle Soup Meal Kit (Bulk Bag).  These items change frequently, so when you order, you may have other options!

Now clearly, this isn’t all that you need, you’ll still need additional items to make most of the kits/meals Full Cart sells, but any of these packages are a great way to stock your pantry for less. The meal kits area great Starting point for cooking tasty, nutritious foods for your family.

The best part is that there are always coupons and promo codes to bring down the shipping price further.  Because Full Cart is a non-profit, the food is free, all you pay for is for shipping. Coupon codes are to help you save on the price of shipping. Right now use coupon code AHEWES at checkout to save $3.00.  Coupon Codes are emailed out frequently when you sign up for Full Cart’s email list. You can sign up here.

Shipping prices vary on where you live, and I’ve seen reports on Reddit that depending on the coupon code, which food box you choose, and your area, boxes of food were delivered for as low as $8.00.

Talk Back: Have you tried Full Cart? What did you think?