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!

3/23/25 PRC Research Study Round Up!

Abby H.

PRC aka iOpinion is a nationwide research study company. They are always running studies and looking for more respondents. They email me once a week about the online studies they are looking to fill.

Please note that PRC requires proof of identity for all studies!

Topic: Teens/Young Adults and Parents – Your Opinions Needed!
Format: Online Discussion Board
Date of the study: March 1-31, 2025
Duration: There will be 1-2 activities every month (12 months)
Incentive: Up to $200 (Amazon Gift Card)
Please note the link will open to C+R Research and not a PRC Global Market Research survey link. Click on the button below to answer the pre-qualification survey. If you pre-qualify, a representative from C+R Research will contact you.
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

Topic: Restaurant Orders
Adults aged 18-70.
Format: Virtual Focus Group
Date of the study: April 2, 20205
Duration: The group will last 90 minutes
Incentive: $150 – $275; depending on the group assigned and qualifications
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

Topic: Kitchen Food Supplies
Adults aged 18-65
Format: Online Focus Group
Date of the Study: April 3 & 4, 2025
Duration: The group will last 90 minutes
Incentive: $150
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

Topic: Home Projects-April 2025
Adults aged 24-47
Format: Online Individual Interview
Date of the study: April 8 & 9, 2025
Duration: The interview will last 1.5 hours + a short pre-task
Incentive: $175
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

Topic: Men’s Health Conditions
Males aged 18 and older.
Format for Part 1: In-home Interview
Format for Part 2: Online Session via Webcam
Date of the Study: To be determined
Duration for Part 1: The in-home interview will last 4 hours
Duration for Part 2: The online session will last 30 minutes
Incentive: $500 (Part 1) + $75 (Part 2)
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

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.

Fun, Free, & Frugal Events for Kids & Families in San Diego, CA

Abby H.

With better weather and Spring Break on the horizon for most of us, it’s time to get out of the house and find some fun, free stuff to do!

San Diego is full of fun outdoor adventures. If you are looking for places to take your kids for some hikes or walks, Hidden San Diego has a list of 40 kid-friendly hikes here. Hidden San Diego also has some amazing information about San Diego’s history, locations to explore, and even some creepy lore surrounding America’s Finest City.

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know about the JCPenney Kids Zone free crafts that occur every second Saturday of the month in selected JCPenney stores.

You probably also know about the Home Depot Kids Workshop, which takes place every second Saturday of the month. However, some stores do one every single week; you just need to check your local Home Depot store to find out.

Did you also know that Lowe’s Hardware store does a similar activity on the third Saturday of each month? 

Lakeshore, the educational store, holds free kids events, including storytime with Pete the cat and sensory events.

If you are in the eastern part of San Diego County, the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College offers free admission on Fridays from 9am-4pm.

While not always free, Michaels offers in-store classes for both Kids and adults. Sometimes, the classes are free, and sometimes there is a class fee (usually $15 or less). Classes run for about an hour, and you need to take something really cool home with you.

The San Diego Craft Collective at Liberty Station has a free class on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 6 PM.

Don’t forget their resident free days at Balboa Park every single Tuesday.

If you’re looking for more fun, free events, check your local shopping center or mall. Parkway Plaza in El Cajon has a free kids event every month. It usually involves a craft and some sort of fun games where you can win prizes. 

Groupon always has discounted admissions to local attractions like Legoland, Birch Aquarium, and indoor trampoline/play places.

 When I find more, I will definitely post more. 

Where do I find good, quality freebies?

Abby H.

I’m always on the lookout for good, quality freebies. What I mean by that is items that have value. Not just monetarily, but items that I will use. That can be anything from free food to a brand new washing machine and dryer.

A lot of of the freebie programs I have used in the past are no longer around (Example Tryit berged with Influenster), so those are not included in my list; however, here are some that I use today and recommend to others.

This list does not include rebate apps or anything where there is any sort of out-of-pocket where you are reimbursed later.

JCPenney All-Star advisors: While this program is around, I don’t think they are currently accepting any new members. I couldn’t find any info online about how to sign up or join their waiting list.

Home Tester Club is pretty cool. They are one of my new favorites. You sign up to review items, and they send you something. A lot of the time, they don’t notify you prior to shipping. you’ll get a package in the mail, and a few days later, you’ll get an email notifying you that you were selected and a link to the survey to complete once you have sampled the product. I’ve received all sorts of great skincare, cosmetics, food, and clothing from Home Tester Club.

Tryazon: The kids and I have been participating in Tryazon events for 5-ish years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, organizational products, and food.

Influenster: To get all of the products and free stuff offered by Influenster, you have to download the app.  When they send an offer for a free product, you have to jump on it right away. Their offers go fast! I’ve gotten clothing, cosmetics, perfume, and household appliances through Influenster.

Ripple Street: this company rebranded recently and was previously known as House Party. You can learn about them here. 

Smiley360  is a Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing website. Sign up for campaigns and you will receive samples to use, and coupons to share with friends. Report your sharing and earn points! I’ve received Laundry detergent (full-sized bottles), vitamins, supplements, tampons, and razors in the past.

If you are looking for apps or companies that offer 100% rebates on food, check my post here.

Talk back: What is your favorite website for getting free stuff?

3/17/25 PRC Research Study Round Up!

Abby H.

PRC aka iOpinion is a nationwide research study company. They are always running studies and looking for more respondents. They email me once a week about the online studies they are looking to fill.

Please note that PRC requires proof of identity for all studies!!!

Topic: Military Affiliation- March 2025
Who: Consumers 18-80
When: March 26-27th, 2025
Where: Online focus group from the comfort of your home
Length: 1.75-hours (plus 15-min early group check-in)
Incentive: $125 for the group, extra $25 if you join 15+mins early
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

 

Topic: Beverages.
When: The study will take place March 1-31, 2025.
Who: Males and females aged 15-22 and parents with kids aged 8-17. If you qualify for the study, you will participate in an online discussion board with 1-2 monthly activities (12 months). 
Once the study is completed, you will receive up to $200 (Amazon Gift Card) as an incentive for participating.
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.