frugal

December 2021: New Month, New Coupons!

Abby H.

file000786402730Here is your monthly reminder!  A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

The printable coupon market is slowly coming to an end. Smartsource no longer offers printable coupons, and you may notice that there are fewer coupon inserts in your Sunday newspaper. This is in favor of more offers available on apps. But if you love printable coupons….

  • Coupons.com (printable coupons, e-coupons, and a cashback app)

One of my favorite websites is the Sunday Coupon Review.  It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks! New offers are added on the Smartphone Savings Apps all the time!

December means saving on baking ingredients, giftable items, food storage (for all those cookies and leftovers!), and cold/flu OTC meds.

For a complete list of types of foods and items that will be on sale, check out this post on the cycle of sales.

Here are a few of my favorite new coupons:


Save $1.50 on any ONE (1) bag of Truvia Sweet Complete® Granulated All-Purpose, Confectioners or Brown Sweetener
Save $0.75 When you buy FOUR (4) Avocados From Mexico

Free Food Resources for December 2021 (San Diego County)

Abby H.

A new month means that it’s time for the monthly update of free food resources in San Diego.

With over 20 holidays and celebrations taking place in December, there is plenty of need. Here are a few Christmas/Holiday events where free toys/food are available.

Some food banks and charities will have extra distributions this month.

Keep in mind there are still supply chain issues, so there may not be a lot of food at some distributions.

You can still find resources here for Central and East County, and Here for North County.

If you are located outside San Diego County, call 211. If you are not familiar with 211, here is their website and it can point you in the right direction.

San Diego Food Bank Distributions for November 2021 can be found here. Enter your address (or just your zip code) and the map will show you all of the distributions in your area or closest to you. You can filter by the days of the week to find food when you are available. If there is an income requirement/limit to participate, each location/listing will say such.

Neighbor distributions are intermixed with the San Diego Food Bank Distributions, however, they have no income requirements, and you come as you are. These Distributions are primarily fruits & veg, however, some locations may also distribute canned goods, dairy, and bread.

Super Pantry Locations can be found here (this listing is countywide). The San Diego Foodbank website also has resources for Diaper banks, free food resources for seniors, and more.

All kids in public school K-12 in the State of California are eligible for free breakfasts and lunches at school. More information can be found here. 

If you know of other resources, please leave a comment! And feel free to share this post with anyone you may know in need.

Give the Gift of Creativity with Craftsy (and FREE CLASSES)!

Abby H.

If you have a hard to shop for person on your gift-giving list this holiday season, I recommend the gift of creativity!

Craftsy has some amazing deals this Cyber Week!

All Classes and DVDs are 75% off with coupon code CYBER75 at checkout.

 

If you are new to Craftsy and want to check it out, they also offer a lot of free classes. Here are just a few that I love:

 

Fetch Rewards: Here’s 1 more day for 4,000 Extra Points

Abby H.

Get receipt rich with your friends!

Earn an extra 4,000 points when you invite a friend to Fetch and they snap a receipt. Head to the app and share your referral code through 11/30/2021!

And right now there are some really great bonus point offers!

If you haven’t signed up for Fetch Rewards yet, or want to learn more, check out my post here. Find the Fetch Rewards app in your app store, and when you download it and scan any receipt, use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score 4,000 bonus points. I’ve earned over $275 in rewards in 2021 alone, just by purchasing my regular groceries and scanning in all of my receipts (grocery, mass merchandiser, gas receipts, restaurants, you name it).

It is simple, takes minutes, and the points really rack up!

 

11/29/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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Kids are back to school and I am back to work this morning!

After a week without any trips to the store, last night I broke down and did a big shop. I found some really cool spice blends at Grocery Outlet and 99 Cents Only, so we’ve got some yummy stuff planned over the next few weeks.

Now that the fridge is working, I’ve been buying a few condiments every trip. This week it was Salsa and Chili/ketchup.

I am pulling everything out of the cupboard this week to do an end-of-year overhaul/purge. Anything that is not expired that we won’t eat I’ll be donating. There is a blessing box about a mile away, and I’d love to fill it up. And of course, anything expired will get pitched. We have a super narrow and deep cupboard, so sometimes stuff gets pushed towards the back and forgotten about.

And I’ve been getting a lot of really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

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 try to 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 a kitchen inventory printable, I have made my own and you can find them for sale here on my Etsy Store.

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 are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. The Ancient Grain bagels from Einstein Bros. are the current family favorite. I pick them up on Mondays when a dozen is only $7. I slice them and freeze them to keep them from going bad too quickly.

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year, but so far, there is nothing on the menu that appeals to the kids.

Dinner: I am planning some great meals this week. I’ll try and batch cook tomorrow morning (sides, roast veggies, cookies) before work.

  • Monday: Nuggets, fresh fruit (orange and apple slices are on tap), cheese, and crackers
  • Tuesday: Meat loaf, mashed potatoes, garlic bread, veggies
  • Wednesday: Beans, Rice, quesadillas, fruit or salad
  • Thursday:   Vegetarian Enchilada casserole (I’ll post a recipe this week)
  • Friday: take out (Usually pizza and Chinese food)
  • Saturday:  Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Shakshuka, garlic bread, salad

Please stay safe you guys!

11/29/2021 Free Chili Cheese Fries at Wienerschnitzel

Abby H.

Looking for a freebie tomorrow while you are shopping those Cyber Monday Deals?

Wienerschnitzel has you hooked up. Score a free order of Chili Cheese fries when you order online tomorrow. Use promo code FREECCF.

Offer valid 11/29/21 only. At participating locations. One FREE Regular size Classic Chili Cheese Fries with any purchase per guest and not valid with any other discounts or offers. Not valid for Bacon Ranch or Thousand Island Chili Cheese Fries. Must add Regular size Classic Chili Cheese Fries to order. Add-ons and modifications extra. No substitutions.

Penzeys Spices: $50 Gift Card only $35

Abby H.

This is my favorite deal!! Through tomorrow, 11/27/21 at midnight, $50 Penzeys Spices Giftcards are only $35! 

These are not available for pick up, but gift cards ship for free!

If you have home cooks or bakers in your life, this deal makes the BEST holiday gift!

*Penzeys Embrace Hope Gift Card Offer Details
Not available for Curb-Side Pick-up. Cannot be used on the date of purchase. Not applicable to prior sales, not valid with other offers. Not for resale. While supplies last. Standard shipping rates apply. Offer ends midnight Saturday, November 27, 2021.

11/26/2021 Friday Freebies!

Abby H.

Better late than never, right? I promise I Was not out Black Friday shopping today. I was doing some crafts and taking the kids to the zoo, finished up with dinner with my mom (dad is still in the hospital).

I’ll have some good deals and money-saving posts this weekend and next week. So glad the kids are going back to school on Monday. I love them, but… this week has been brutal.

If you are looking for birthday freebies, fret not! I put together a list new for 2021- Check it out here.

The List of Freebies is small this week, but there are all sorts of great deals coming up. I’ll have breakdowns and such coming up!

Freebies:

Ulta – Free BECCA Cosmetics Plumping Lip Balm for Your Birthday
Free Pair of 2 Carat Diamond Earrings $79.95 Value
Free Pinkizh Pink Clay Mask, Applicator & Konjac Sponge
Free Sample of TBH Kids Shampoo & Conditioner + Hair Scrunchie
Free CeraVe Baby Moisturizing Cream or Shampoo
Free Conair Reflections Lighted Mirror or Selfie Ring Light
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Free Large Fries at Checkers and Rally’s on 26th – 28th
Free Maddy’s Sweet Shop Shortbread Snaps

 

November 2021: 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 get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

  • Mac & Cheese By Freak Flag Organics
  • Frozen Wraps By Cool Beans
  • 100% Plant-Based Pork By OmniFoods
  • Sunflower Cream Cheese By Spero Foods
  • Notco Plant-Based Milk Alternative
  • Plant-Based Spicy Nuggets By Alpha Foods

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, meat-free foods frequently.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck, there are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

Rubio’s Black Friday Deal: Taco Cheer Holiday Box & Giveaway!

Abby H.14 Comments

It’s the most wonderful time of the year- Time for gift giving and tacos!

If you have a taco lover in your life, check out this sweet (mostly savory) deal from Rubio’s Coastal Grill this Black Friday.

 “SPREADING TACO CHEER” GIFT BOX AVAILABLE FROM RUBIO’S COASTAL GRILL

Cozy Collection Includes Fleece Blanket & $30 in Rubio’s Meal Cards 

Rubio’s Coastal Grill is offering a limited-edition “Spreading Taco Cheer” holiday gift box, specially curated for the ultimate taco fan. Available beginning on Black Friday, November 26, boxes can be purchased at www.rubios.com. Each gift box is $49.99, plus tax & shipping, (valued at $120), and features a unique collection of hand-selected items, perfect for a tacos & chill night this holiday season. The box includes:

  • $30 in Rubio’s free entrée cards, redeemable at any Rubio’s location
  • A 50″ x 60″ fleece blanket
  • Beanie with custom-embroidered taco
  • Lined, 5″ x 7″ notebook
  • 18-oz mug, perfect for sipping cocoa
  • Exclusive dessert taco recipe card, created by Rubio’s culinary team

“Last year’s gift box sold out in 24 hours,” said Rubio’s Co-Founder Ralph Rubio. “This year,  we’ve created the ultimate box for taco fans and expect the boxes to go quickly. Our “Spreading Taco Cheer” box is filled with specially curated items to send holiday warmth and good vibes to family and friends this holiday season.”

I’m giving away one of these fabulous boxes to one of my readers! Entering is easy, leave a comment on this blog post with your favorite kind of taco! I’ll choose a winner on November 28, 2021 in the evening. You will be notified via email.

 

Thanks to Rubio’s Coastal Grill for this sweet deal and giveaway!