4/20/2024 Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

The 2024 Birthday Freebie post is here! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but there are additional resources outside my area as well.

I packed up my kitchen this week, and the flooring will be here next week! I am so happy that my house will be put back together soon!

Freebies:

Free Sample of ILONA Beauty Vaporwear Live Streaming Moisture
Free Ladybug Zip Pouch Bag at Natural Grocers
Free Nurishh Animal Free Cream Cheese at Select Retailers
Free CeraVe Moisturizing Cream Sample
Free Givenchy Irresistible Eau de Parfum Sample
Possible Free Full-Size BONKERS Cat Treats
Free Sample of NYX Marshmellow 10-In-1 Smoothing Primer
Free Perfect Bar After Rebate
Possible Free 6-Pack of Aura Bora Herbal Sparkling Water
Free Winged Wellness Product at Target After Rebate
Free Children’s Board Books in English & Spanish
Free Sample of Stem & Root Melatonin-Free Sleep Supplements
Free OrganicGirl Greens Salad After Rebate
Free Plant at Lowe’s
Free Sample of e.l.f. SKIN Youth Boosting Retinoid Serum
Free Cookie at Insomnia Cookies thru 4/22
Free Real Food From The Ground Up Snack Product After Rebate
Verizon Up Rewards – Possible Free $56 Fandango Super Ticket Code
Free Nike Products
Possible Free Keebler Sandies Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Free Chomps Stick at Target After Rebate
Free Box of Earth Breeze Eco Sheets After Rebate
Free Air Wick Plug in Scented Oil Advanced Gadget
Free Good Culture Probiotic Milk
Free $5 Shop Cash
Free Earth Day Craft Event at Pottery Barn Kids – Today
Free Garden Cart Planter Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
Unlock Free Disney Movie Insiders Points with Promo Codes Today
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free $10 for Signing up for JCPenney Rewards
Possible Free Hellmann’s Sandwich Plushie
Free LEGO Creativity Workshops – Sign Up Now
Now Hiring Product Testers – Get Your Name on the List
Free 2024 National Parks Entrance Days
Free Fries Every Friday at Wendy’s

Deals:

L’Oreal Elvive ONLY $1.50 (Reg. $5.49)
Vitamins & Supplements BOGO Free on Amazon
Melissa and Doug Toys up to 80% Off
Aeropostale Graphic Tees Buy 1 Get 2 FREE – Like $8.32 Each
Free La Colombe Coffee
Style & Co Women’s Boots as low as $9.93 at Macy’s
Revlon Nail Polish ONLY $0.79 (Reg $5.79)
Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) ONLY $89 (Reg $129)
DSW Shoes $10, $20 and $60 Off Coupon Code + Free Shipping
Up to 50% Off Makeup at Ulta
Cooks 6-Qt Stainless Steel Slow Cooker ONLY $22.49 (Reg $50)
 Kate Spade Lucy Medium L-Zip Wristlet ONLY $39 (Reg $139)
Crocs Two for $50 Sale
Kohl’s Jewelry up to 90% Off
Sephora Beauty Products up to 80% Off at Kohl’s

Score Free Products with Home Tester Club

Abby H.

I’ve written about Home Tester Club before, and it’s still pretty cool.

How it works: You sign up to review items and they send you something. A lot of the time they don’t notify you before 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.

Over the past six years, I’ve received home goods, personal care items, toys, and pet supplies- all for free!

Right now they are actively recruiting for the following:

 

 

Pinecone Research is Looking for YOU!

Abby H.

If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a while, you know how much I love Pinecone Research. It is an easy survey program that pays $3.00 per survey.

I received an email the other day, they are looking for new members. Signing up is easy, just start here. 

Here are the guidelines:

Must be 18+ years old, living in the US.
Must register via one of the links provided.
Must fully register and activate the membership by participating in the first link shared with them via email after registration.
Must not live in the same household as a current panel member.

I do around 5 surveys with Pinecone Research a month.

Score Free Samples from PinchMe!

Abby H.

Join PINCHme and receive free samples that you can provide feedback on.

I’ve been getting awesome samples from PinchMe for over 5 years. I love this program!

Click the banner, and sign up! Once you do, you’ll answer a series of questions about your household and shopping habits in the Member Profile. We’ll learn what you like and offer samples just for you.

Once you’ve had a chance to try your samples, complete a short feedback survey to tell us what you think of the samples. We’ll let the brands know your thoughts.

Earning Money with Surveys!

Abby H.

I’m not working this summer (other than sharing deals and fun summer crafts with y’all), so I’m trying my best to save some cash to take the kids on adventures.

One of my favorite ways to earn cash is to do surveys, here are a few of the survey companies that I use and earn with regularly.

Join Inbox Dollars free and get paid to take surveys, shop online, try name-brand products, and play games online.

You do online activities: Take Surveys, Watching Videos, Shopping, and More.

You earn real CASH!

Receive cash back from Kashkick when you read emails, complete surveys, take quizzes, refer your friend, and subscribe to special promotions.

Earnings are deposited into your Paypal account!

 

The Survey Junkie community shares feedback with brands in exchange for rewards such as cash, gift cards, and more.

    • Complete three or more surveys a day, earn as much as $100 monthly.
    • Complete four or more surveys a day, earn as much as $130 monthly.

Sharing your opinions can earn you real rewards you can use anywhere! The Survey Roundtable rewards program grows every day, all depending on what our members most want to earn.

To make the most of your opinions, you’ll first take a Personality Survey. It’s how they target  surveys to your needs and interests

Here’s what virtual debit cards ($10 and up) are currently available: Amazon.com, Banana Republic, Barnes and Noble, GAP Brands, Regal Theaters and more.

Take Surveys and earn cash, sweepstakes and prizes for your participation from SurveyClub.com.
Earn cash for participating in online surveys, private panels, focus groups, clinical trials, in-home usage tests, online bulletin boards, taste tests, and mystery shopping studies.

SurveyClub gives companies the unique opportunity to access its panelists by posting studies directly on its website.

 

Recipe: Banana chocolate chip muffins

Abby H.

I made these muffins after I discovered some overly ripe bananas chilling on the counter last weekend.

These are made with Kodiak Flapjack mix instead of AP flour. This gives the recipe a little more protein and a little more filling.

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • 6 tablespoons oil/fat of your choice (melted butter, coconut oil, avocado oil)
  • 2/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk of choice 
  • 1.5 cups Kodiak Flapjack Mix
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips of choice
Nutritional Information Courtesy of Fitness Pal

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Line muffin tin cups with cupcake liners.
  3. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except flapjack mix and chips with an electric mixer.
  4. Once the wet ingredients are fully combined, blend in flapjack mix.
  5. Stir in chocolate chips.
  6. Evenly distribute batter into lined tin wells.
  7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick/knife comes out clean after inserted into muffins.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

This recipe is not vegan. Kodiak Flapjak mix contains milk ingredients.

New Yorkers: Lower Your Con Ed bill and get a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Abby H.

Free $25 Amazon Gift CardI know I’m in California, but OhmConnect has extended its program to New York and I had to share.

I’ve been using OhmConnect since its inception, and we’ve saved so much energy (and money on our power bill) and earned hundreds of dollars in rewards.

When New Yorkers sign up, they’ll score a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card!

Get started with OhmConnect today and see for yourself why 200,000 New Yorkers are using this free, money-saving service.

As always,  I only post about products and services I personally use and I feel are a good fit for my family and my readers. Please refer to my disclosure page.

 

Reset Day Rituals: Set yourself up for success

Abby H.

I’ve posted on Instagram before about my weekend reset ritual, which, I usually do on Sundays. I wanted to share my complete rituals/routines (your choice), in hopes it may inspire you. Having all of these rituals in place really keeps the Sunday Scaries away.

Starting the week ahead of the game fills me with a feeling of success.

These may be things you already do. I feel that having these reminders all in one place is super helpful. I have these reminders set in my phone as well.


Having outfits set up in my closet is key for me. I didn’t do it last week, and I was off my game every morning- I was spending so much time deciding what to wear.

I’m tweaking my sleep hygiene routine, but, as soon as I find one that works, I’ll post about it. The older I get, the more I value my sleep.

4/15/2024 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 with online studies they are looking to fill. Here are the latest studies:

Subject: Grocery Store Options
Pays $150
Who: Adults aged 18-56 to participate in an upcoming virtual group discussion about Grocery Stores.
Location: US Nationwide Residents
Dates: April 23, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am EST (Sign in by 8:40 am EST)
Study Format: Virtual Group Discussion
Commitment: 80 minutes (plus 30 minute pre-task)
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

Subject: Skincare
Pays $200
Who: females ages 25-50 to participate in an upcoming online focus group about skincare.
Location: US Nationwide Residents
Dates: April 29 – May 1, 2024
Study Format: Online Focus Group
Commitment: 2 hours
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

Subject: Baby Monitors
Pays $200
Who: Parents and expecting parents who use Android phones to participate in an upcoming study about baby monitors.
Location: US Nationwide Residents
Dates: April 29 – June 17, 2024, (8 weeks)
Study Format: Online
Commitment: 8 weeks of product testing with three 15-minute online questionnaires.
If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

4/15/2024 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgFinally, after almost 4 months our kitchen reconstruction is beginning. Friday the 19th the demo will take place, and a few days later the reconstruction will begin. I look forward to having a full kitchen, a sink, and a dishwasher.

I did a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday and picked up some salads, fruit, and cheese.

I cleaned out the pantry and fridge yesterday to prep. I am packing up the kitchen over the next few days.

Thanks to the great freebies from Social Nature, we’ve been trying new foods lately. It’s fun to try new foods.

If you 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 good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I 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.

Breakfast: I’ve been really into protein coffee lately. It helps me hit my protein goals and keeps me full until lunch. I use premade protein shakes like these and these. The kids request bagels and fruit most mornings. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: With the kitchen being boxed up and demolished this week, our meals will be cooked in the air fryer, microwave, or cold (salads, sandwiches, etc). We have an electric skillet, so we can have grilled cheese and skillet casseroles.

  • Monday: Chicken strips, green salad, fruit

  • Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner

  • Wednesday: Soup and Grilled Cheese

  • Thursday: Snack trays (turkey, cheese and crackers, fruit, popcorn, cookies)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers
  • Sunday:  Fridge clean out night