March Sprouts Farmers Market Monthly Freebies!

Abby H.

Sprouts is hooking us up and helping us stay healthy! Every month on the Sprouts app in the Digital Coupon section, there are between 4-6 free items (they are marked “SAMPLING PROGRAM”).

Quantities are limited on the app, so if you are interested in any of these, I recommend that you add these coupons (by opening the Sprouts app, click on digital coupons, and click on each coupon in the lower corner where the little green circle is) to your app ASAP.

Not all Sprouts locations will have these freebies, so I suggest trying larger Sprouts locations in your area.

These are full-sized freebies- not small sample-sized products. they are located in the store with the other products of the same type.

Not all accounts will receive all the same products.

This month the following items are available:

  • Keto Krisp Almond Butter & Blackberry Jelly Plant-Based Bar
  • Bitchin’ Snack Products
  • Copper Cow Coffee Pour Over Latte Kit
  • Endangered Species Chocolate Caribou Bar
  • Nairns Flat Bread Cracker

I only got the Keto Crisp freebie this month. 

 

Mabel’s Labels Annual Birthday Sale – Save up to 40%! #ad

Abby H.

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

Mabel’s Labels is celebrating its birthday and they want you to join the party with a huge month-long sale! Each week they will be discounting a new best-selling product at a whopping 40% OFF!

This annual sale is one of their best and features BIG savings on our most popular kids’ name labels and tags.

NEW PRODUCTS ADDED EACH WEEK!

Tag Mates™ are laundry-safe, peel-and-stick clothing labels that require no ironing or sewing. These discreet laundry labels are an easy way to keep your family’s clothing organized and from being misplaced at daycare, camp, and school. Simply apply the durable custom clothing labels to care tags on everything from clothes to soft toys, blankets, and towels.
Small option includes 70 labels.
Large option includes 72 labels.

Don’t forget to check this link for new sale products throughout the month.

Upcoming Kidney Disease Project $75

Abby H.

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that I get information from. Right now they are recruiting for an upcoming research study on the topic of Kidney Disease.

  • To be considered, complete the pre-screener survey here.
  • Compensation: $75 (if chosen)
  • Open to: Kidney Disease Sufferers
  • Thursday, March 3rd or Friday, March 4th 2022
  • Times Currently Available: 9:00AM-7:00PM ET (1-hr)

3/1/2022 National Pancake Day at IHOP

Abby H.

It’s National Pancake Day! Traditionally known as Shrove Tuesday, This is the last Tuesday before Lent. More information about the holiday can be found here.

It’s time to celebrate today at your local IHOP. Today only, you get a FREE short stack of pancakes from 7am – 4pm** at your local IHOP®! In return, we encourage you to donate to children’s hospitals.  Dine-in only. One free short stack (three buttermilk pancakes) per guest.

If you can’t make it again, Get 20% Off Your First Online Order With Code IHOP20^.

**Hours may vary by restaurant. Contact your local IHOP for more information.
§For a limited time. Hours of availability and price, participation and selection may vary by location. Dine-in only, except at limited locations. Tax and gratuity excluded. Not valid with other discounts, coupons or offers.

 

New PinchMe Samples Drop 3/8/2022

Abby H.

Sample Tuesday is Coming 3/8/2022- Mark your calendars, set an alarm on your phone!

Don’t have any idea what I am talking about? PinchMe! Join PINCHme and receive free samples that you can provide feedback on.

PinchMe is awesome! Once you are signed up, they will email you reminders when new samples are about to drop, and remind you when it’s time to leave feedback.

Answer a series of questions about your household and shopping habits in the Member Profile. PinchMe learns what you like and offer samples just for you.

Once you’ve had a chance to try the samples, complete a short feedback survey to tell PinchMe what you think of the samples.

I get PinchMe samples every month. Here is what arrived at the end of June for the June 2021 boxes. The One Bar was really good.

What are you waiting for? Sign up here and get on the free sample bandwagon! I’ve gotten all kinds of awesome sample/trial size items, as well as full-sized items to try out from PinchMe!

2/28/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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This week I lagged on the meal plan, and as a result, this post is a little later than usual.

I chopped, peeled, and prepped fruits and veggies this afternoon after work.  Our veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $28, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal. They email a preview of what will be in the boxes over the weekend, so I can start thinking about what I’d like to make.

This week I also got a jar of Strawberry jam. I can’t wait to slather it all over popover (recipe coming up this week).

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the 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.

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. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

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- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’m leaning heavily on the CSA box this week, Dream Dinners, and what we’ve got in the house. I didn’t do a big shop this week, just milk and popsicles.

Utility Rates Going Up: Tips to Save

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2017-11-09 at 1.26.41 PM.pngFor those of us in San Diego County- you’ve probably read or heard by now, we have the highest utility prices in the ENTIRE COUNTRY. Not something to be too proud of.

I’ve been researching ways for us all to save money on our bills, and I promise that none of them are too kooky. No turning off your hot water heater, sitting in the dark, or wearing dirty clothes. Some of the things I found in my research were… sketchy.

We’re going to hit up all the areas of your home, And yes, we do all of these things in my home.

The Thermostat: The memes about parents controlling the thermostat are real. For Serious.

  • Turn your thermostat to 72-75 degrees, or better yet, turn it off. For most of us in Southern California, it’s usually flip-flop weather or sweater weather. We only turn on the heat when we know it’s going to be cold (like 55 or below), or turn the AC on when it’s going to be 90 or above.
  • Install a smart thermostat. We have an Ecobee, and there is an app for our phones to control the thermostat, so if I know it’s going to be hot or cold, I can set the thermostat to keep the house comfortable upon our return from time away.
  • This brings me to my next point- Utilize Ceiling fans and box fans to circulate the air in your home. Did you know there is a setting on your ceiling fan for summer, and the opposite direction is for winter? The counterclockwise rotation of the fan pulls warm air up and forces cool air down, perfect for the summer!
  • Is it going to be cold? Close your windows, but leave your drapes/blinds open. The sun will shine through the windows and heat up your home (A little, not like a sauna). You may still need socks, a sweater, and pants. These two tips may keep you from having to turn on your heater.
  • Is it going to be hot? Close the drapes/blinds early in the day before the weather heats up. Use fans to circulate to cool air. If it’s going to be dangerously hot and you have to be at home, close the windows and get the thermostat to 72-75. 75 degrees doesn’t sound cool, but when it’s 90+ degrees outside, it feels amazing.

Water Heater:

  • Your water heater does not need to be turned all the way up. Gen X-er’s will remember this PSA from Tweety Bird. Turn down the temperature on your water heater.
  • Make sure that your water is in good repair, that the closet or area in which it is housed is clean and free of debris or anything flammable. In California, the water heater needs to be up off the ground and braced with earthquake bracing straps.

Laundry:

  • Only run full loads of laundry.
  • Utilize the various cycles on your washer to make sure an appropriate amount of water (and the correct temp) are being used.
  • Use the correct amount of soap/detergent (more is NOT better). If your clothes are not getting clean the first time, that is also a waste of electricity/gas.
  • Line or hang dry clothes if the weather permits. We live in a 2nd-floor condo that does not permit external drying lines, but we have a retractable laundry line in the laundry closet where we can hang up clothes that are labeled tumble dry low or hang dry. It was very easy to install.
  • Lacking space? We also have a collapsible drying rack too.  We use it for pants mostly. It folds up and lives in the laundry closet when not in use. When we are using it, it is in the bathtub (mostly to keep the cat from messing with it).

All over the house:

  • Keep the lights off during the daytime. Open the drapes/blinds and take advantage of the natural light.
  • Going into a room with no natural light (like the bathroom or kitchen)? Turn the lights on when entering, and flip them off when you leave the room.
  • Unplug devices/appliances when not in use. Obviously, I’m not talking about your fridge, washer, or dryer. Toaster ovens, microwaves, and unplugging the cellphone and other device chargers when not in use. Most devices still draw power when not in use but remain plugged in. If you don’t want to go around plugging and unplugging, you can invest in smart plugs, like these. We have these on our Toaster Oven, microwave, printer, TV, Nordic Track, and PS4.

Programs to save money:

  • SDG&E has several programs to help you save money on your bills. CARE and FERA are programs that can save you 18-30% on your bills. More information and how to apply can be found here.
  • If you are a senior and have qualifying medical equipment in your home, you may qualify for a medical baseline discount from SDG&E. More information and how to apply can be found here.
  • Screen Shot 2016-08-03 at 5.02.27 PM We use OHM Connect to save additional money on our SDG&E bill. Once you sign up, you will be alerted when the demand for energy increases. If you cut down on power usage during those peak times, you will not only reduce your power bill but also receive points from OHM Connect that can be redeemed for cash back via PayPal or gift cards (I usually get Target Gift cards). Ohm Connect is available in CA, Texas, and New York!

 

Tax Time is Here- Save up To 20% on Turbo Tax!

Abby H.

You may find it hard to believe, but tax season is in full swing! I’ve got a couple ways for you to save money on filing your taxes, and some tips to make it a little easier.

I already prepared and filed our taxes using Turbo Tax online. It’s quick and they walk you through everything. Because of our tax situation, we are unable to do our taxes for free, so for my family, TurboTax is the best/easiest solution. If you want to try Turbo Tax out, here is a link where you can receive up to 20% off any paid online federal product!

If you make $72,000 or less, check out the IRS Free File.

If you aren’t sure what you need to file your taxes, here are just a few pieces of paperwork you may need (depending on your tax situation):

  • W-2’s- one from each of your jobs
  • 1099’s: if you are an independent contractor
  • DMV paperwork (if you don’t have this, then the VIN and license plate # from your car, and go here– CA only, I’m sure other states may have something similar).
  • Receipts for any tax-deductible donations
  • Receipts for any medical expenses (co-pays, prescriptions)
  • Paperwork from your Mortgage Company regarding your interest paid
  • Paperwork regarding your property taxes paid
  • Dependents Social Security Numbers
  • IRA Year-End Statements
  • Interest Statements from banks

I start a folder (like this one) each year and I put all of the paperwork in it as it comes into the house. Then, after we do our taxes, I print a copy out, pull out all of our supporting documents, put them into a manilla envelope, write the year on the front, seal it, and stash it with our other past years’ taxes. We keep 10 years’ worth of tax records, just in case.

 

Talk Back: Have you done your taxes yet?

Join the Disney Movie Club and get 4 Disney Movies for $1!

Abby H.

I love sharing this deal. We’ve been members of The Disney Movie Club for a decade (at least).

We always select the DVD + Bluray +Digital download sets. That way we can share the movie with friends or family, and the downloaded movies are available on household devices (perfect for when we travel and there is no wifi).

    • Get Started With 4 Movies For $1.00 Each And Start Building Your Disney Dream Collection.
    • About every 4 weeks we’ll notify you of the new Featured Title. If you want the Featured Title, do nothing – it will be sent to you automatically. If you want a different movie or nothing at all, simply let us know within 10 days.
  • Cancel Anytime After Buying Any 4 Movies At Regular Price within 2 years. Starting at $19.95

Oh, and this deal gets better- Each movie you select comes with a Disney Movie Insiders Points Code- Earn Points and redeem them for Disney-related gifts, DVDs, gift cards, and more. I try to post free codes weekly when I find them online.

Boost Iron Levels Naturally with Lucky Iron Fish

Abby H.

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.

Improve your iron levels naturally with this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity. The Lucky Iron Fish® is a simple, reusable, and effective cooking tool that adds extra iron to your daily foods or drinks. Iron is the nutrient that helps blood move oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, and it helps muscles store & use oxygen. Without adequate iron, you may feel fatigued, prone to illness, dizzy, and more. Lucky Iron Fish is easy to use, and just ten minutes is all that is needed to get a significant portion of your daily recommended iron.

Tryazon has a total of 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with a selection of Lucky Iron Fish products, to sample and share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/lucky-iron-fish-spring-cooking-party/