Secret Shop and have fun with Amusement Advantage!

Abby H.

Y’all know I love to secret shop!

I learned about Amusement Advantage from some friends who have had a blast doing secret shopping and having adventures with their families. Amusement Advantage has all sorts of fun shops: movie theatres, amusement parks, museums, and more! They have opportunities to do secret assignments in almost every state of the US and most of the Provinces in Canada.

From their website: “We only evaluate attractions, amusement locations, and entertainment facilities.  Our shops give you the opportunity to have fun with friendly and family and include reimbursement for you and some of your guests’ expenses, and in most cases, a little extra cash profit or extra free tickets for your time and efforts.  Click here to see a list of locations we are currently shopping.  Curious what other shoppers say about our company?  Click here to see reviews from other shoppers just like you!”

If you want to check out Amusement Advantage and see if there are opportunities near you, click here. If you decide to sign up, use my email akeen02037@gmail.com as a referral. We’ll each get a little something extra.

Nothing Bundt Cake: BOGO Bundtlets this Week Only!

Abby H.

This awesome offer appeared in my inbox, and it’s too good not to share. Check your email to see if you received this offer too!

Now through Sunday, 6/29/2025, when you buy one bundlet in-store or online (not through the app) for in-store pick up, you can get one free with the coupon code BOGOJUN25. This offer is valid at select locations only. Double-check when ordering online to see if this is honored at your local store.

If you want to shop in-store, you’ll need the barcode from the email.

Oh, and don’t forget when you are in the store to ask about their Books and Bundts summer reading program. Your kids can earn free cake by reading this summer.

For other summer reading freebies, check out my post here.

Legoland Water Park: Kid Tested, Family Approved!

Abby H.

Last month, Legoland had a summer pass sale, and I took advantage of it, knowing it would be an awesome way for us to spend some time outside having fun this summer.

We used the passes for the first time on Friday to visit the Legoland Water Park.

We’ve never gone to the water park before, and it was pretty fun. Like some parts of Legoland, there are areas of the water park that are great for smaller kids, great for families, and some areas perfect for bigger kids. Here is a map of the park.

We spent a lot of time at the Chima area in the wave pool.

It is a walk-in pool, and the deep end is only 5 feet. The waves come on every 5 minutes, preceded by an alarm. The kids had an amazing time swimming in the waves (yes, we brought their goggles) and lazing in the shallow end.

We rented a locker for $16 and stashed all of our stuff- towels, snacks, dry clothes. We didn’t hunt for pool chairs on the deck because we arrived at 1pm; however, there were tons of chairs still available.  I wanted to splash and play in the water with the kids, not sit and watch!

The water slides were also a hit with the kids- I didn’t go on them because my rash guard has a zipper and you can’t have a zippered suit on the water slides (It can scratch the slides). That was cool with me- I waited below in the pool area.

The park wasn’t overcrowded, and there was plenty of water and space. There are tons of fun little areas to splash, relax, and build!

Both of these posts are full of tips for having the best time at Legoland!

Right now, Legoland California has a decent deal on 1 or 2-day park hopper passes.

Or if you only want to visit Legoland,  1-park passes start at $89!

No pics of the kids this time, but we did spot this Lego Monkey outside the backside of the Lego Hotel!

Remember, parking starts at $35 for the day. For our family, it made the most sense for the kids to get the summer passes and for me to get an annual pass that included parking. Based on how much a 1-day ticket costs and how much we paid, we only have to visit Legoland 4 more times before our passes pay for themselves. We’ve already got plans for our next visit!

6/22/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

This week has been full of shenanigans. We hit up the Legoland Water Park on Friday. We took advantage of their summer pass deal (no longer available), which allows us to visit Legoland, the water park, and the Sea Life Aquarium as often as we’d like through September!

We took snacks and water, and had a blast.

We also slept in late, made cookies, and did crafts. The adventures continue on!

Here are a few ways that we will be having fun and being frugal:

  • The Summer Library Reading Program post can be found here.
  • Fun Free Summer Activities for Tweens and Teens here.
  • The Summer Movie Deals can be found here.
  • Don’t forget about Cheap Stuff to do with Tweens and Teens here.
  • Kids Bowl Free is back for 2025- More info here.

I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

For free food resources, please refer to my comprehensive list, available here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

Freebies:

Dorel Home Products – FREE Coffee Table, End Table, Nesting Tables, or Vanity Desk with Flip-Out Mirror
FREE Sample of Hemp Heart Protein Powder
FREE Sol de Janeiro Body Cream at Ulta After Cash Back
FREE Sample of Breathe Right Extra Strength Strips
FREE EstyBeauty Perfume Sample
FREE $20 Venmo Cash from Truly on July 4th
5 FREE Greeting Cards & $10 Gift Card from Ink’d
FREE Paint or Stain Sample at Lowe’s
FREE Lemonhead Ropes on Rainy Fridays Through August 29th
FREE Brutus Broth Yappy Hours Party Pack
FREE Sample of Trinny London Take Back Time Elixir Serum
Target Baby Registry – FREE Welcome Kit In-Stores
FREE Food at SONIC Every Friday Through August 29th

Deals:

Kenzie Card Case Crossbody ONLY $55 (Reg $199)
Insignia 32-Inch Fire TV ONLY $69.99 Shipped (Reg $130)
Viva La Juicy Gold Couture Perfume ONLY $38 (Reg $106)
The Pizza Hut BOGO Hacks You Need to Know (Yes, You Can Score FREE Pizza!)

Free Frazil Fridays in June!

Abby H.

Free Frazil Friday is tomorrow!

Every Friday in June, you can score a free Frazil Slushy drink at a convenience store near you. To find your local participating location, click the link here.

 

There are lots of locations in Southern California- in fact I found two close to Legoland, which is where the kids and I are going tomorrow!

 

 

6/19/2025 PRC Research Study Round Up!

Abby H.

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

Topic: Insects
Who: Adults, 18-65 years old, residing in Southern California
Dates: June 23 – July 25, 2025
Format: Online Discussion Board – MUST LOG on each day to answer questions (5-10 minutes/day)
Duration: 4-5 Weeks (depending on qualification)
Incentive: $400-$500 (depending on qualification) + $150 (if chosen for 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.

Topic: Small Business Decision Makers
Who: Adults, 18 and older
Dates: June 30 – July 9, 2025
Format: Online Focus Group
Duration: 1 hour + pre-task
Incentive: Interview $300 + Pre-task $50

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: Travel Options
Who: Adults, 18 and older
Dates: June 25 – July 2, 2025
Format: Online Discussion
Duration: 3 hours
Incentive: $325

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: Homeowners
Who: Adults 18 and older
Dates: Various dates and times in July 2025
Format: Online Board + In-person Shop-Along (if chosen)
Duration: 90-minute online board, across 4 days, if chosen, an additional 90-minute in-person shop-along
Incentive: $150-$375 Digital Incentive

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: Social Media Creators – August 2025
Who: Video Content Creators who earn money on their platform
Dates: OLBB: August 5-6, 2025 / Interview (if chosen): August 12-13, 2025
Format: Online Bulletin Board (OLBB) / Interview (if chosen)
Duration: OLBB: 75 minutes over 2 days, if chosen for the interview: 45 minutes
Incentive: OLBB: $275 / Interview: $200

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: Medical Treatments & Decisions
Who: Adults 18 and older
Dates: June 30 – July 18, 2025
Format: Online Discussion
Duration: 60 minutes
Incentive: $125

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: Health Insurance
Who: Adults 18-59 years old, who reside in Southern California
Dates: June 23-26, 2025
Format: Online Discussion
Duration: 90 minutes
Incentive: $200

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

A few notes about PRC:

It is recommended to use the web browsers Google Chrome or Firefox to complete the pre-qualification survey.
Only one participant per household.
Our surveys are open to U.S. Residents.
Incentives are paid via Digital Incentive unless otherwise stated.
To participate in any study that requires a webcam, please use a laptop or desktop computer ONLY—No smartphones or tablets.
If you use ChatGPT or any other AI assistance for your responses/feedback during any of the research projects, please keep in mind that you will not receive compensation and will be removed from the database.
If you pre-qualify, a PRC Global Market Research recruiter will contact you via phone.
Due to the many survey responses, PRC can only contact those who seem to fit well.

Free Summer Mentor Support in Santee!

Abby H.

If your tweens/teens are feeling a little meh this summer and could benefit from support, check out this great free offer from Live Well San Diego, the County of San Diego HHS, and Fred Finch.

Available three times a week at various locations throughout Santee, this program is open to all kids in grades 5-8. No prior registration needed.

If you are looking for mental health resources in California, check out my post here.

Celebrate Southwest Airline’s Birthday with Deals!

Abby H.

Y’all- This deal has the potential to be amazing!
Southwest Airlines is celebrating its birthday with low rates- One-way as low as* $39.

Here are some of the most important fine print details:
*21-day advance purchase required. Book by 6/19 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Cont. U.S. travel valid 8/5-12/17/25.

Thanksgiving Travel? End of Summer Travel? Wanna just escape your home for a weekend or longer? Is Vegas calling? Whatever and wherever, it’s a great time to pack a small carry-on/personal bag and head out of town!

 

And if you are a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member, this deal gets better- You can use your points!

The rest of the fine print:

Cont. U.S. travel to/from Hawaii, intl., and San Juan, PR valid 8/17-12/10/25. Interisland HI travel valid 7/8-10/1/25. Cont. U.S. blacked out 9/1, 10/13, 11/24-11/26, and 12/1. Cont. U.S. travel to Hawaii, intl., and San Juan, PR blacked out 8/28-9/2 and 11/20-11/24. Cont. U.S. travel to Hawaii, intl., and San Juan, PR blacked out 8/28-9/2 and 11/28-12/2. Interisland HI blacked out 9/2. Nonrefundable. Seats, travel days, and markets are limited. Fares are valid on nonstop service where indicated; if not indicated, fares are valid on single connecting service. Points bookings do not include government fees of $5.60 per one-way flight. Additional fees may apply.

 

 

Advanced Opinions: Upcoming Project for Teens on Video Games $250!

Abby H.

AO Opinions is another Market Research company that emails me about studies and surveys. Currently, they are recruiting for a new study on video games for teens.

This is a great opportunity for your teen to make a little extra money this summer!

To be considered for this study, view the list and complete the pre-screener here.

  • Format: Online Group (Must use a working Computer with a working webcam and a working mic)
  • Open to Teens 15-19 ONLY (teen must fill out the form to be considered)
  • Date: Friday, June 27, 2025
  • Start Time: 9:15AM Eastern Time
  • Length: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Mandatory Pre-task will be required (will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete)
  • Compensation (if chosen):  $200 + $50 for completing a mandatory prework

PRC has a new PAID Research session for Homeowners! $150-$375

Abby H.

PRC aka iOpinion is a nationwide research study company. They are always running studies and looking for more respondents.

PRC Global Market Research is managing a study on Homeowners. We seek to engage in discussions with homeowners aged 18 and older who live in the following states: Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Louisiana, California, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Arizona. If you qualify for the study, you will be required to participate in a 90-minute online bulletin board session over four days. Some participants will be chosen to attend a 90-minute in-person shop-along. The study will take place in July 2025 on various dates. Compensation would be $150-$375.

If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.