New PinchMe Samples Drop 10/19/2021

Abby H.

Sample Tuesday is Coming 10/19/2021- 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!

Family Recipe: Frito Surprise!

Abby H.1 Comment

It’s not a surprise. And I can’t believe I’ve never posted this recipe before. My grandma invented it one summer, driving across the country in a Winnebago full of kids, my grandfather cruising the highways and byways of America.

It’s similar to Frito Pie, but it’s a little beefier. Ya know, when you have seven growing kids, you gotta add a bit more.

My friend Kara asked for the recipe yesterday, and I thought I’d share it.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef (you could use ground turkey, but honestly this recipe is not anywhere near healthy)
  • One can of Hormel chili with beans (It has to have beans)
  • One bag Fritos
  • 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
  • one canned sliced black olives, rinsed and drained
  • Two tomatoes diced
  • One avocado, pitted and sliced
  • sour cream
  • salsa

Directions

I like cooking Fritos Surprise in an electric skillet, but you can cook it on the stovetop in a regular skillet.

  1. Crumble and fry the ground meat (drain as needed).
  2. Add the chili and cook until heated through.
  3. Top with Fritos and cheese.
  4. Cook on low until cheese is melted.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Add tomatoes, olives, and avocados.
  7. Dish out portions and top with sour cream and salsa as desired.

It serves about 6-9, depending on how much you eat. And it’s really good. In true grandma fashion, serve it with fruit salad and bread and butter.

Savage X Fenty- 2 Bras or Bralettes for $29!

Abby H.

I am in love with Savage X Fenty! They are size-inclusive, and have a great array of styles. I’ve been a member of their monthly club for over a year. The quality is great, and I love that they make lingerie in my size.

And right now when you take their Style quiz, you can score two bras or bralettes for $29 plus 50% off all other items!

Shop or ‘Skip’ – The choice to shop is yours! Shop, or log into your account to ‘Skip the Month’ by the 5th of each month, and you won’t be charged. If you don’t ‘Skip’, your payment method will be charged $49.95 on the 6th of each month and you will receive one VIP Member Credit valued at $49.95. Your VIP Member Credit goes into your account to spend or save. It can be used on purchases of $49.95 or more and must be used in full in order to be redeemed. Your credits will never expire

Save Everyday As An Xtra VIP – As an Xtra VIP Member you’ll save up to 25% on every full-priced style.

Saving Money with the Target App!

Abby H.

This post isn’t what you are thinking it is. The Target App is great, don’t get me wrong. There are coupons and discounts available, and you can shop through the app for store pick up, or curbside pickup.

But one of my favorite parts of the Target app is that you can scan barcodes to see if Target carries the item, and how much it costs. I use this feature to my advantage a lot. I love shopping at 99 Cents Only, but recently they have started carrying tons of items that are way more than 99 cents.

To see if these offerings are actually a good deal, I use the scan barcode feature of the Target App to see how much the items are at Target- That gives me a good idea if it’s a good deal or not. The app will also tell me if there are coupons or discounts within the Target app to make the cost at Target even lower.

Recently, on a visit to 99 Cents only, I found a couple items that I was interested buying, but I wasn’t sure if they were a good value or not. I pulled out my phone, opened the Target App, and scanned.

In each of the cases above in the pictures, the items at 99 Cents Only are a good deal. I also use this app at Grocery Outlet, Dollar Tree, and Sprouts. Why Sprouts? Sometimes their prices can be a little high. Since I use my Target Red Card, I get an additional 5% off every purchase.

If you’re not a Target shopper, check out my post here with more savings tips shopping at the Bullseye!

10/11/2021 Weekly Meal Plan & Life Update

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgWe are starting week three with no full-size fridge and no freezer. Still living that #coolerlife.  We did buy a mini-fridge last week, so we are able to keep some fresh food in the house. Milk and creamer and drinks live in the cooler in the kitchen. I’m hoping the warranty company makes up their mind this week and we can get our new fridge. Life without condiments is rough, y’all.

We’ve been eating a lot of shelf-stable stuff (beans and rice, crockpot chili), and I’ve been hitting the store solo to pick up salad kits, and bananas, and apples. Last week we ended up having the share a lot of our CSA box as I wouldn’t store some of the items in the cooler without freezing/damaging the more delicate items.

The CSA box will be here today while I’m at work. I’ll do the prep work this afternoon/evening.

Veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, 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.

I’m super stoked that I’ll be getting flowers this week too as my add-on. Look over at my Instagram and Facebook for pics later today.

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: Until this fridge debacle is over, I won’t be doing any meal prep beyond the stuff in the CSA box. We’re trying to eat up as much of the produce as possible. We’re eating a lot of salads early week, and more hardy stuff (roasted potatoes and baked apples with grilled cheese and soup) towards the end of the week, with our usual Friday night takeout. I want a new fridge- I miss bacon!

  • Sunday: We had bowls from El Pollo Loco, and the kids had leftover pizza.
  • Monday: Roasted Veggies, Salad, Quesadillas- Produce is delivered today and I roast up a pan of veg as soon as I can!
  • Tuesday: unknown
  • Wednesday: unknown
  • Thursday:  unknown
  • Friday:  Takeout Night
  • Saturday: Leftovers (if we have any)

Please stay safe you guys!

Book It is back!

Abby H.

Book It is back for the 2021-2022 School year!

Book It is still alive and well! Enrollment is now open for the 2021-22 BOOK IT! Program year. Parents can now enroll their homeschool children!

It’s quick and easy. teachers can enroll their individual classes, parents can enroll homeschooled or distance learning kiddos.

My kids love Book It (just like their mama did!). It’s a great way to encourage reading and share a tasty, nostalgic memory.

Make Tracking even easier for your kiddos too- download and print tracking calendars for each kid!

 

Q-Insights Exercise Survey $150!

Abby H.

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Q-insights is another company that I do research groups, focus groups, and online surveys to earn extra money.

They have a lot of stuff in South Orange County, and less often San Diego County.   Most of their studies these days have been virtual.

Right now, Q-insights is looking for males between the ages of 22-60 to participate in an online focus group on the topic of Exercise and physical activities.

This study will run from October 13th to October 14th and you will be compensated $150 as a thank you for your time if you are selected.

If you are interested in participating please fill out the pre-screener survey here. 

10/16/2021 DC Kids FanDome!

Abby H.

Looking for something fun for the kiddos to do next Saturday? Check out the DC Kids Fan Dome!

The ultimate global fan experience and streaming event to celebrate your favorite DC Super Heroes. Kids and their parents will explore the DC Multiverse with Robin and the Teen Titans, catch sneak peeks of upcoming DC animated shows and immerse themselves in at-home digital activities all in a safe, kid-friendly environment. The event will be co-hosted by social media sensation and Cartoon Network’s first musician in residence, Nandi Bushell.

 

If your child loves Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and other DC Super Heroes (and DC Super-Villains!), they won’t want to miss it! 

Event Name: DC Kids FanDome

Event Type:  Virtual/Online

Cost:  Free

Ages:  All ages

Date:  Saturday, October 16, 2021

Start Time:  9:00 AM PT

URL/Location:  DCKidsFanDome.com and the DC Kids YouTube

 

Q-insights Irvine Automotive Survey Pays $150 for 90 mins

Abby H.

QI-logoNOslogan.png

Q-insights is another company that I do research groups, focus groups, and online surveys to earn extra money.

They have a lot of stuff in South Orange County, and less often San Diego County. Recently, they have had a lot of surveys about newer high-end cars.

Right now, Q-insights has a new survey being held in Irvine on October 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 that is 90 minutes long and pays $150.

They are looking for males and females ages 18-59 who own or lease one of the following vehicles 2016 or newer that was purchased or leased new. Please note you will be required to show original vehicle registration when onsite.

If you have one of the vehicles listed below, please visit complete this pre-screener survey here.

Your vehicle must be 2016 or newer and you must provide original registration.

Audi e-Tron
Chevrolet Equinox
Chevrolet Impala
Chevrolet Malibu
Chevrolet Traverse
Chevrolet Trax
Chrysler 300
Honda Accord
Honda CR-V
Honda HR-V
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Kona (gas)
Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai Tucson
Kia Cadenza
Kia Optima
Kia Soul
Kia Sportage
Kia Telluride
Lexus ES
Lincoln MKZ
Mazda CX-3
Mazda CX-30
Mazda CX-5
Mazda CX-9
Mazda6
Nissan Altima
Nissan Maxima
Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan Rogue
Polestar
Subaru Crosstrek
Tesla Model 3
Tesla Model X
Tesla Model Y
Toyota Avalon
Toyota Camry
Toyota CH-R
Toyota Highlander
Toyota RAV4
VW Atlas
VW ID4
VW Passat
VW Tiguan

Earn up to $50 referring friends to Venmo!

Abby H.

If you use Venmo, check out this offer!

Head to the You page of the app and tap Invite Friends, Earn $5. Then, using the share link, invite 10 new peeps to Venmo—old roomies, pet sitters, even Dad.

Everyone you refer will earn $5 for signing up after you make a bank- or card-funded payment of at least $5 within 14 days.

You’ll get $5 for each person that you refer, and can earn up to $50 from this offer. Score! I use Venmo to pay friends back for coffee, when we split the bill, and the lady who does my pedicures!

And if you haven’t signed up for Venmo yet, check it out here.

 

This post contains affiliate links,  For more information about the use of affiliate links and partnerships, visit my disclosure page.