saving

Gazelle: Lock-in Your Trade-In Price Before the New iPhone Arrives

Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.


Right now, Gazelle has a great deal going on…Check Out Gazelle‘s Secret Discounts for an EXTRA 10% Off Select Devices with code SECRET10

And if you are looking to upgrade or sell your phone…

With the anticipation around the new iPhone launch in early September, now is the time to trade-in their old phone at Gazelle. Offer values decline quickly when new phones are released. You can say goodbye to your old phones and lock-in their trade-in offer before it’s too late. Between September 3rd and September 17th with Gazelle‘s offer lock feature, customers can lock-in a great trade-in price and they don’t have to send their phone to Gazelle until October 18th allowing enough time for them to receive their new phones first.  Pretty cool, right??

The process is simple:

  1. Get a free trade-in quote: Go to Gazelle.com, find the gadget you want to sell and answer a few easy questions.
  2. Ship it to Gazelle: After you receive your new phone, ship your old phone to Gazelle by October 18th.
  3. Get paid! You can choose the payment method—check, Amazon.com Gift Card, or PayPal.

New SavingStar Rebates!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-06-09 at 10.00.51 PM

SavingStar has some awesome new rebates available.

If you are new to SavingStar, it’s different from traditional couponing!

What makes SavingStar different is that you don’t receive money off at the register.  The savings in held in your SavingStar account, and once you reach at least $20.00 in savings you can transfer it to your Paypal Account or donate your savings to charity!

Screen Shot 2019-07-21 at 4.09.14 PM.png

SavingStar is the first national, fully digital, grocery eCoupon service, available for free at www.savingstar.com and on iPhone and Android mobile apps. There’s nothing to clip, nothing to print. Chose offers, shop, and save! SavingStar is currently available at over 70,000 locations!

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Here are the latest offers:

Save $2.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Bubbies Mochi Ice Cream. Any Variety..Expires 10/16/2019.Save $2.00.

Save $0.50 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Del Monte Vegetable & Bean Blends. Any Variety..Expires 10/9/2019.Save $0.50.

Save $0.75 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) ORE-IDA Frozen Potatoes. Valid on 5 lb bags or larger..Expires 10/2/2019.Save $0.75.

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY TWO (2) Hershey’s Milk Chocolate. Valid on 6-pack bars. Items must appear on the same receipt..Expires 9/25/2019.Save $1.00.

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Farm Rich Grilled Cheese Sticks. Any Variety..Expires 10/22/2019.Save $1.00.

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY TWO (2) hellowater. Any Variety. Valid At Walmart. Items must appear on the same receipt..Expires 10/16/2019.Save $1.00.(Only at Walmart)

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) CLR® Mold & Mildew Stain Remover. Any Variety..Expires 9/18/2019.Save $1.00.

Save $0.75 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) TRISCUIT Wheatberry. Valid on 3.5 oz or larger, any variety..Expires 9/18/2019.Save $0.75.

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) CLR® Bath & Kitchen Cleaner. Any Variety..Expires 9/18/2019.Save $1.00.

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) CLR® Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover. Any Variety..Expires 9/18/2019.Save $1.00.

SAVE $0.75 on ANY ONE (1) DOVE® Advanced Care Deodorant (2.6-2.7 oz). (Excludes Men Care, Clinical Protection Deodorants, multipacks, trial, & travel Sz)..Expires 8/31/2019.Save $0.75.

Save $2.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Natrol Products. Any Variety. Excludes Natrol Cognium products..Expires 9/26/2019.Save $2.00.

Save $5.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Natrol Cognium. Any Variety..Expires 9/26/2019.Save $5.00.

Save $0.75 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Bob’s Red Mill Muesli Cups. Any Variety..Expires 9/18/2019.Save $0.75.

Save $4.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Bob’s Red Mill Nutritional Boosters. Any Variety..Expires 9/18/2019.Save $4.00.

Save $3.00 when you spend $15.00 on Silk® Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative.Expires 12/31/2019.Save $3.00.

Save $5.00 when you spend $25.00 on Magnum® Ice Cream Products.Expires 11/30/2019.Save $5.00.

Save $3.50 when you spend $15.00 on SKIPPY® Peanut Butter Spreads.Expires 9/19/2019.Save $3.50.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Caltrate® product.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Advil® Sinus Congestion & Pain, Advil® Allergy & Congestion Relief, or Advil® Multi Symptom Cold & Flu.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $3.00 off ANY ThermaCare® product (excluding 1ct product).Expires 9/1/2019.Save $3.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Nexium® 24HR product.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Emergen-C® product 7ct or larger.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Infant’s Advil®, Children’s Advil®, Children’s Robitussin® or Dimetapp®.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Adult Robitussin®.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY PREPARATION H® product.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $2.00 off ANY Advil® product 20ct or larger.Expires 9/1/2019.Save $2.00.

Back to School Deals!

Abby H.

Ok, so as much as I’ve been posting about summer fun and adventures, Back To School is lurking around the corner.

Here are some awesome deals and freebies:

Office Depot has a great selection of $10 backpacks, some of them (like the two above) come with pencil cases, lunch bags, and water bottles too!

Most office supply stores have great deals on markers, crayons, and markers right now too.  Deals are changing weekly.  If you don’t have time to chase deals, I’ve found a couple decent deals. Prices on Amazon change quickly, so I haven’t listed them, but you can click on each link and check them out.

 AmazonBasics Pre-sharpened Wood Cased #2 HB Pencils, 150 Pack
Elmer’s All Purpose School Glue Sticks, Washable, 7 Gram, 30 Count
Crayola Crayons Bulk, 24 Box Classpack, 24 Assorted Colors

If you are a teacher/educator, check out these three freebies:

If your kids are like mine, they lose stuff all the time, so I’ve invested in The back to school pack of label set from Mabel’s Labels.

If you need some help obtaining school supplies for your kiddos, there is help out there for you.

Free Backpacks with School Supplies at Boost Mobile

If you are an East County Area Resident (San Diego County), check out this awesome offer from the Santee Mobilehome Owners Association, INC (SMOAC) is handing out backpacks full of supplies for kids Kindergarten and up. Each backpack has age/grade-appropriate supplies.  This event takes place at the Santee Library from 10 AM until they run out. In addition, there will be free haircuts for girls and boys and many other surprises that day.

Talk Back: If you know of any free school supplies or deal, please share!

Weekend Freebies!

Abby H.2 Comments

8101f95433a1458fa8c2371f3b11b849I didn’t get a chance to post my usual Freebie Friday Round up- I was busy doing other stuff (mostly making costumes for an upcoming production of Treasure Island at Pickwick Players in Santee).

But it’s never too late for fun free stuff!

Samples

Food

Magazines

 

New Savingstar Rebates

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2019-06-09 at 10.00.51 PM

SavingStarhas some awesome new rebates available.

If you are new to SavingStar, it’s different from traditional couponing!

What makes SavingStar different is that you don’t receive money off at the register.  The savings in held in your SavingStar account, and once you reach at least $20.00 in savings you can transfer it to your Paypal Account or donate your savings to charity!

Screen Shot 2019-07-21 at 4.09.14 PM.png

SavingStaris the first national, fully digital, grocery eCoupon service, available for free at www.savingstar.com and on iPhone and Android mobile apps. There’s nothing to clip, nothing to print. Chose offers, shop, and save! SavingStar is currently available at over 70,000 locations!

Screen Shot 2019-07-21 at 4.09.26 PM.png

Here are the latest offers:

SAVE $2.00 off any ONE (1) Nexium® 24HR Product.Expires 8/20/2019.Save $2.00.

SAVE $5.00 off any ONE (1) 28 ct. or 42 ct. Nexium® 24HR Product.Expires 8/4/2019.Save $5.00.

Save $3.00 when you spend $15.00 on any So Delicious® Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative.Expires 9/15/2019.Save $3.00.

Buy ONE (1) Pure Leaf® Tea Pack (6 pack, any flavor / variety) and get ONE (1) FREE Stacy’s® Pita Thins (up to $3.00, 6.75 oz, any flavor / variety).Expires 8/30/2019.Save $0.00.

Save $1.50 when you purchase ANY TWO (2) BUSH’S® Baked Beans 16oz or BUSH’S® Savory Beans. Any Variety. Items must appear on the same receipt..Expires 8/29/2019.Save $1.50.

Save $1.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Whole Fruit® Frozen Novelties. Any variety..Expires 8/22/2019.Save $1.00.

Save $2.00 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Scotch® Brand Packaging Tape Multi-packs. Any Variety..Expires 8/21/2019.Save $2.00.(Only at Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Target, Walmart)

Save $0.50 when you purchase ANY ONE (1) Scotch® Brand Packaging Tape Singles. Any Variety..Expires 8/21/2019.Save $0.50.(Only at Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Target, Walmart)

10 Tips to Stay on Budget for Groceries

Abby H.2 Comments

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I frequently get skeptical looks, the side eye, or people thinking I’m starving my kids when I tell them that our grocery budget is $80/week.

It takes a lot of work, but it is doable. I cook a lot from scratch- it’s healthy, cheap, and I can control what goes into each dish (hidden veggies, fruit, less sugar, etc.). I can make a cheese pizza at home for less than $4, and that is enough pizza for the kids for two meals!

Here are a few of our family tactics to stay on budget:

  1. CASH! Go to the bank/ATM and get your grocery money out of the bank every week. This is a great way to start. I get $80 out of the ATM each Saturday for the upcoming weeks’ groceries.
  2. Inventory your Fridge, Freezer, and Pantry. Bonus- You’ll also find stuff that needs to be thrown out or donated. If you are looking for kitchen inventory printables, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.
  3. Menu Plan. Start by using what you’ve got on-hand. Eat food that’s on sale or in season. We eat a lot of strawberries in the summer because they are cheap!
  4. Make a grocery list. Stick to the list Don’t be afraid to substitute brands, or make changes based on what is on sale, or any in-store markdowns you find.
  5. Don’t be afraid to go to more than one store. I’m not saying run all over town, but going to two stores is OK. In our area, there are a 99 Cents Only store and a Grocery Outlet in the same shopping Center. I hit up both each week. Then, on the way home, I stop at Food4Less and buy milk (cheapest in town!), eggs, and bread (if 99 Cents Only doesn’t have the high protein bread we like).
  6. Eat Less Meat. Not only does it save money, but it’s better for the environment.
  7. Take advantage of local resources. There are a few food co-ops in our area. Additionally, there are free produce distributions too. A couple of my friends and I split a co-op lot twice a month. It comes out to less than $20 per person, and we get all kinds of cool stuff. A quick google search can help you find both in your area.  In the summer, we take advantage of Kid’s free lunches too.
  8. Coupon and/or use money-saving apps.  My complete list of apps can be found here. Right now my favorite apps are Fetch Rewards and Ibotta.  I love that I can use Fetch at any store. It helps because I shop a lot of Grocery Outlet and 99 Cents Only.
  9. Speaking of which… Don’t forget to check out stores like 99 Cents Only. There are all kinds of great bargains. Here is my list of 10 Great Buys at 99 Cents Only!
  10. Be Flexible. Some weeks you will go over budget. It happens. Sometimes you need to stock up on staples, or your family wants to eat something that isn’t on sale. Sometimes you really want to order a pizza and wings. That’s OK! Frugality is a journey, it’s not a punishment or a life of austerity and suffering. You can still live a fun, full life while being frugal.

Talk Back: Share a few of your families tips for staying on budget?

6/24/19 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

stemarie_1650skitchen

Big Kid started Summer school this morning, so he’s enjoying a few hours of learning and play away from his little sister (which I’m sure they will both enjoy- They’ve been at each other for the past few days). I stocked up on snacks and treats Saturday night at Grocery Outlet, so the kids will have yummy food to get them through the week.

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, 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, 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 heavy cream 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. The kids will be enjoying free lunches all over the county with free activities and play time before or after lunch.

For dinner, when we’ve got busy days (like Mondays), I’ll try and put something in the crockpot (I am picking up my new crockpot this week) in the morning, or pull something I’ve already prepped out that can be quickly cooked.

  • Monday: Tortellini soup- Recipe forthcoming this week!
  • Tuesday: Homemade Pizza Night (I’m prepping the crusts today and stashing the dough in the fridge overnight to proof)
  • Wednesday:  Pasta Free Lasagna 
  • Thursday: Frittata– I’ve got a lot of veggies that need to get eaten, and some bacon in the freezer!
  • Friday:  Date Night- I’m hoping for Ramen!
  • Saturday:  Chicken Korma and Cauliflower Rice
  • Sunday: Leftover Night

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

Shop Online with Affinityy and score $20!

Abby H.

I learned about Affinityy the other day and I had to try it.

Here’s the skinny:

$20 first purchase cash reward when you make your first purchase within 14 days of signup. Don’t worry, they will remind you to do so via email and on the website so you won’t miss out on your free $$.

Unlike the other cashback shopping site, Affinityy offers:

  • Earn $3 cash when you download the app
  • Up to $10 per referral of family/friends.
  • Earn $5, $10, and $20 cash bonuses the more you shop with Affinityy.
  • Receive your cash via check or PayPal

To try it out, I pulled out a JCP gift card I had been saving with $16 on it (I earned it doing an online survey- it was originally $50, but I did a little shopping a few weeks ago- Kids needed new pants!). Our crockpot died a few weeks ago (and taking along with it so really yummy pork chops- RIP chops), so I was hoping they would be on sale. Enter JCPenney in the Affinityy search bar, and click the resulting link.

Screen Shot 2019-06-23 at 9.28.05 AM.pngLucky for me, this one was on sale for $8.10! I also picked up a new bathroom rug for $5.95.

To save the shipping cost I chose in-store pick up. And I earned JCP Rewards by shopping online as well. Pretty good double dip.

Used a coupon code, and paid with my Gift card. A few hours later, I logged onto my Affinityy account and found that I had received $20 credit for my purchase and $3 for downloading the app!

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So far, it looks good! I’ll report back once I receive my money via paypal!

Talk Back: What is your favorite online shopping cashback portal?

Sam’s Club – Join for $45 Get $50 in Savings

Abby H.


We have a Sam’s club close by, so I just signed up for this deal!

Join Sam’s Club for $45 and get $50 in savings. GET A $20 GIFT CARD AND $30 IN INSTANT SAVINGS*

  • Member’s Mark all beef franks 3 lb. 12 ct. Discount $7.00 off
  • Member’s Mark 80/20 or 90/10 ground beef Discount $10.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Hot Dog or Hamburger Buns 24 ct. Discount $3.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Loaded Potato Salad 48 oz. Discount $4.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Purified Bottled Water 45 or 80 pk. Discount $3.00 off
  • Member’s Mark Cookies – 18ct. various in Deli ($5.98 retail value) Discount FREE

There are tons of awesome things about Sam’s Club, including free samples from Freeosk, in-store offers, and Field Agent frequently has audits at Sam’s Club Locations!

 

Talk Back: What’s your favorite thing from Sam’s Club?

Save Time & Money This Summer with Online Shopping!

Abby H.13 Comments

e6d40b7bc536c9a8b6f32ebd3b6730efDo you dread taking your kids shopping in the summer? I love my two weirdos, but I dread taking them to Target, Wal-mart, basically any place I need to run errands that has toys, candy, treats, impulse buy items.

I can stick to my list and budget while shopping solo, but add my two smalls into the mix, and stuff “mysteriously” makes its way into my cart. The whining, crying, begging. It’s enough to drive me to day drink.

So, I try to shop online and do in-store pick up as much as possible. I use all of the tools available to me to save money:

Smartphone Apps 

A lot of the stores available through Mypoints and Topcashback  offer in-store or curbside pick up.

Target has their Redcard which has tons of perks. I save 5% every time I shop by using my Target Red Card.  It’s a debit card and it’s Target branded, so I can only use it at Target, just like an ATM card (with a PIN).

Today I’m running to Target to pick up an order of stuff (face wash, cotton balls, stuff like that).

Then it’s off to 99 Cents Only to refill the snack box!

Talk Back: How do you Navigate the stores in the summer while staying on budget?