frugal

Looking to add Fiber to your Cookies??

Abby H.

One of my goals for the year is to get more fiber into myself and the kids. The average American adult consumes about 15-16 grams of fiber per day, significantly less than the recommended daily intake of 25-38 grams (source).

Besides fruits, veggies, lentils and beans, oats also have fiber.

Making Oat flour can be done at home by pulsing rolled oats in a blender until they are a fine, smooth powder. If you don’t have the time or inclination, Quaker sells oat flour.

Here is the recipe I came up with based on my favorite cookie recipe.

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup salted butter
  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1.25 cups brown sugar
  • 1.25 cups white sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 cups oat flour
  • 2.5 cups AP flour
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter.
  3. Add sugars one at a time and mix until fluffy.
  4. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated fully.
  5. Mix in baking powder and flours. Once all are blended into the dough, add chocolate chips.
  6. Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls on cookie sheets that have been greased or are lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.  I prefer silicone baking pads.
  7. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Let cookies rest 1-2 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.

This recipe makes approx. 6 dozen cookies. If you are allergic to peanuts, you can substitute sunbutter or your favorite nut butter. Do Not use Nutella- It contains a lot of sugar and other ingredients that will throw off the chemistry of the recipe and you won’t get yummy cookies.

Regal Cinemas: Monday Mystery Movie only $9!

Abby H.

Have you heard of Regal Cinemas Monday Mystery Movie? I hadn’t until this slid into my inbox this morning! This coming Monday, 4/21/2025, you can see a NEW PG movie before its official release date for only $5, or FREE with Regal Unlimited. Plus, get a $9 combo with your ticket purchase!

You can learn more or buy tickets online here.

Our local Regal shows the Monday Mystery Movie at 7pm, so it might be too late for little kids, but it might be a fun family outing for bigger kids.

April 2025 Upcoming Clothing Swaps

Abby H.

I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kid’s wardrobes (and my own).

And as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

April means Earth Day is coming up! And that means clothing swaps!

Clothing Swap at La Mesa’s Earth Day Fair!
Join I Love A Clean San Diego for a free clothing and accessories swap during the City of La Mesa’s Earth Day Fair on Saturday, April 19th, at the La Mesa Community Garden! Swap your gently used clothes, shoes, and accessories and find your next favorite outfit while helping keep textiles out of the landfill.

La Mesa Community Garden – 5080 Memorial Dr.
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
No registration is needed – walk-ins are welcome!

Women’s Clothing Swap
Location: The Chapel at Grossmont
5651 Water St, La Mesa, CA
Saturday, April 26, 2025
10 am-2 pm
How it works:
Bring your gently used* WOMEN’S CLOTHING, accessories, shoes, etc. and trade them for items you want to take home. No selling, no buying, just swapping. You simply drop off your items on the front table and you can start shopping for items you want to take home – free! Come and drop off all the items you want to swap and leave with items that will bring value to you.
Items can include:
-Gently used* or semi-new clothing pieces
-Gently used* or semi-new shoes
-Jewelry pieces
-Accessories: scarfs, hats, purses, belts
*Items should be freshly laundered and either on hangers or laid flat in a box (not in bags, please)

Reminders:
– SWAP FOR YOU. NO LUGGAGE PLEASE. NOT FOR RESALE.
– Bring a bag to take home all your finds.
– Wear tights and a fitted blouse to easily try on clothes.

April 2025: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I usually receive 4-6 offers/freebies per month, sometimes more if I have time to shop. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

In addition to the offers where they mail you a coupon for a free product, Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

Here are just a few of the offers available now:

    • Small Batch Pasta Sauces by Sauz
    • Double Cold Brew Latte by Pop & Bottle
    • Gluten-Free Whipped Feta by Athenos
    • Natural Cleaning Solution by Cleanery
    • Mental Performance Shots by Magic Mind
    • Gluten-Free Twin Bar by Schär
    • Gluten-Free Cookies by Schär
    • Korean Chile Sauce by Mother-In-Law’s
    • Italian Protein Pasta by BRAMI

4/13/2025 All-Inclusive Day of Play: Starry Night Cinema & Resource Fair!

Abby H.

This event is back and will be an amazing time! The  2nd Annual All-Inclusive Day of Play: Starry Cinema & Resource Fair on Sunday, April 13 from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Corner Zone – 6845 University Ave., San Diego, 92115.

  • Activity Stations
  • Movie Screening Area
  • Giveaways & Crafts
  •  Family Resources
  • Networking
  • Shopping,
  • Games & more!

And as the sun sets, an outdoor screening of a family movie (title to be determined) will be shown on a large outdoor screen! Bring your chairs and blankets!

For tickets and to learn more, visit their website. 

Looking for a new fundraiser? Check out Little Caesars Pizza!

Abby H.

Did you know that Little Caesars Pizza does Fundraising? Really.

If your non-profit group is looking for a fun, easy, TASTY way to earn some money, Little Caesars is the way to go.

There are many different ways to earn money for your organization, including Pizza Kits, Cookie Dough, and Bread Kits. We’ve purchased from Little Caesars fundraising events, and the pizza kits are awesome!

Saving and Earning Money for College with Upromise!

Abby H.

I’ve had an Upromise account for almost 20 years.

It’s a great way to earn and save money for college. I used my earnings/savings to pay for my college textbooks and parking pass when I finished my AA’s after a long break from college.

The Upromise savings tools and automatic transfers let you set goals and transfer your earned rewards into college savings plans.

Receive a $5.29 bonus when you sign up for a free Upromise account.

Receive a $30 Welcome Bonus when linked to a 529 account. A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs.

Upromise® Mastercard® – Cardmembers earn 1.529% cash back rewards on purchases when their Upromise Program account is linked to an eligible College Savings Plan, or 1.25% cash back rewards on purchases if their Upromise Program account is not linked. Apply today at upromisemastercard.com

There are a lot of ways to earn money with Upromise: Shop online through their portal or add their Chrome Shopping extension to earn extra money. Upromise also has a Dining program, where you can earn cash back for dining at specific restaurants and paying with linked cards. I recently had dinner at a new restaurant with some friends and received an email that I earned cash back with  Upromise!

If you are looking for more money saving tips for college, check out my post here. 

Free and Discounted Museum Tickets with Museums for All!

Abby H.

Have you heard of Museums for All? This is an incredible program that offers those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits). You can gain free or reduced admission to more than 1,400 museums throughout the United States simply by presenting their EBT card and a photo ID.

This includes those who received the SunBucks EBT card over the summer. There are museums in every state that participate.

Some of our favorite museums include:

  1. Living Coast Discovery Center
    (Chula Vista, California)
  2. San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
    (Escondido, California)
  3. San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
    (San Diego, California)
  4. The New Children’s Museum
    (San Diego, California)
  5. Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
    (La Jolla, California)

The best part is that there are no special times or days to visit.

Easter Basket Supplies on a Budget with Dollar Tree!

Abby H.

Easter Sunday is coming up on April 20th! That gives us a few short weeks to make Easter baskets! As always, I’m looking at Dollar Tree to help me make some cute baskets full of fun for each kiddo for $25 each!

First, we’ll start with a fun basket or tote. Dollar Tree always has a wide array of baskets, totes, and fun containers.

Here are some of my go-tos for a fun Easter Basket. My kids are tweens/teens. I tend to skip toys and go straight for consumables or items I know they will use.

  • Bath Bombs (I like to shop in-store for these- the in-store selections of bath bombs is always great)
  • Body Wash
  • Lotion
  • Lip Balm
  • Beverage Mixes
  • Water Bottles
  • Hand Sanitizers
  • Playing Cards
  • Combs or a Hair Brush
  • Emery Boards
  • Candy
  • Snacks

My local Dollar Tree has a great collection of Skincare and Personal care dupes. From Bath and Body Works dupes to Bubble Skin care dupes, I always find great deals at my local Dollar Tree.

Buying Sewing and Craft Supplies Frugally

Abby H.

I love sewing. I have been creating clothing, costumes, and home goods for decades.

Losing stores like JoAnn Fabrics means turning to online retailers or looking for supplies in thrift stores, apps like OfferUp, or even on Facebook marketplace. 

Brick and mortar fabric stores have been disappearing for about the last 10 years, and for some of us stores like JoAnn fabrics were the last place that we could go in person and buy fabric to make clothes, notions like thread and sewing machine needles, and patterns.

I love shopping at thrift stores for fabric and notions, but it can be hit or miss.  I frequently pick up flat sheets to make mock ups for fitted clothing, as they are less expensive than muslin by the yard. When I need something specific, I look online for deals.

Did you know that apps like Temu and Alibaba partner with small and local businesses in addition to large overseas factories? On Temu, you can select “local warehouse stores” to shop local companies. Not only will you be shopping locally but you may experience faster shipping times. 

I recently purchased bias tape, which I needed for some upcoming projects, and I was able to find a local warehouse store that had two of the colors that I needed. And in less than five days, I had two spools of black and white biased tape in my hand. And it was shipped from Indiana, which isn’t local to me, but was at least purchased by a company in the US.

In fact, if you look at the bottom of the front page of Temu, it has a link to click where you can learn more about selling your products on Temu. It’s not just gigantic faceless mass manufactured factories overseas, anyone can sell their products on Temu.

I have purchased T-shirts in the past that have come from a small business in Orange County California through Temu. I’ve also purchased 3-D printed items from a small company in the Midwest that sells via Temu.