PRC: Paid Research session about Streaming Services!

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 is the latest study:

 

 Streaming Services-September-2023

  • Incentive: $150
  • Who: Consumers 18-34 who’ve canceled Max or Hulu in the past 6 months
  • When: September 26, 2023
  • Length/Pay: 1.5-hrs group & 30-minute mandatory homework
  • Where: Online in the comfort of your own home
  • If you are interested in participating, complete the intake survey here. If you pre-qualify, a recruiter from PRC will contact you via phone.

9/15/2023 Weekly Freebies!

This week was long. I’m having some health issues that are making me really tired, so early bedtimes and rest have been my go-to after school each day.

The 2023 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.

This week we are sticking only to the freebies, of which there are tons!

Freebies:

Free Box of Prime Bites Protein Brownies After Rebate
Free Sample of Santana Snacks
Free One and Done Game Night Party Pack
Free Fish or Chicken at Long John Silver’s on September 19th
Free Sample of AERIN Rose De Grasse Rouge Fragrance
Free Mananalu Purified Water After Rebate at Whole Foods
Free Pack of Once Again Cracker Sandwiches
Free Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation Sample
Free Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Purées Chatterbox Kit
Free Belle Aroma ScenTrio Petite Wax Warmer
Free $10 Fanatics Gift Card for Xfinity Rewards Members
Free Ninja Transfers Premium DTF Transfers Sample Pack
Free PetSafe Pet Products
Free Kroger Sample Box
Free Sorion Cream or Soraresal Cream Sample
Free Airpod Case
Free BobaBam Instant Boba Drink Kits
Free Member’s Mark Better Nut Bar at Sam’s
Free Gratsy Halloween Box
Free Coffee Every Day in September at Scooter’s Coffee
Free Konscious Foods Plant-Based Sushi Rolls
Free Bag of Stellar Snacks After Rebate
Free La Roche-Posay Anthelios Gentle Lotion Kids Sunscreen
Free Mulay’s Italian Meatballs
Free Sample of Millie Moon Diapers
Free Nespresso Vertuo Next Deluxe Coffee & Espresso Machine – Apply to Try
Free Sample of CeraVe AM Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen
Free Rishi Tea & Botanicals Organic Rishi Tea
Free Prepare with Pedro: Disaster Preparedness Activity Book
Free bareMinerals Beauty Product for Your Birthday
Free Sunsweet Growers Trail Mix Bites
Free Motorola Phone Cases & Protectors
Free Battery Powered Whitening Toothbrush
Free Nature Valley Savory Nut Crunch Bar
Free Jar of TBJ Gourmet Deep South Tomato Jam After Rebate
Free Queso Week at Moe’s Southwest Grill
Free Purple Ladybug Sparkling Crafts Party Pack
Free iPhone Phone Cases & Protectors

Italian Meatball Soup Recipe

I posted about this soup earlier in the week on Instagram. It’s easy to make and is super filling. The best part is that you can make it as simple or elevated as you want, and as your budget allows

If you like to make everything from scratch, make your own meatballs and tomato soup. On a financial or time budget- use premade. I double-checked and all ingredients are available at Dollar Tree, so even the tightest budget can try it!

Italian Meatball Soup

Ingredients:

  • 8-12 meatballs (I used these Smithfield Power Bites)
  • 1 can/jar Tomato Basil Soup (I used Rao)
  • 1 14.5oz can salt-free diced tomatoes
  • 6 Oz (half of a 12 oz. bag) frozen onion and pepper blend (I used my slap chopper to make the onions and peppers much smaller pieces)
  • 1T butter or oil
  • 1T minced garlic 
  • 2T chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 1T of the oil 
  • 1c. pasta shape of your choice (I used medium shells)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • parmesan cheese

Directions:

  1. In a deep pot, warm oil and saute the frozen onion and pepper until the onions are translucent and fragrant about 10-15 minutes.
  2. Add in garlic, and sundried tomatoes and it’s oil and stir frequently, until garlic is fragrant.
  3. Add in the soup, bay leaf, meatballs (mine were frozen), and canned tomatoes.
  4. Allow soup to cook covered on medium/low for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Pour uncooked pasta into soup, turn to low, and cover again. cook on low for about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.
  6. Top each serving with parmesan cheese as desired.

This recipe makes 4-6 servings. It can be easily doubled or tripled.

Tips:

  • It freezes well also.
  • It can be made vegan or vegetarian. Use vegan/vegetarian meatballs and soup.
  • GLUTEN FREE: Substitute GF Meatballs and Pasta

It’s Souptember- Soup Recipe Round up!

It’s September! Cooler weather is ahead- and while it’s still hot here, I’m ready for soup. To celebrate Souptember, here are just a few of my favorite soup recipes:

Family Recipe: Albondigas (Meatball Soup)
 Veggie Cheese Tortellini Soup
Crockpot Chili Recipe 
Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Colonial Chowder
Veggie Soup 
Chicken Fajitas Soup 
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Potato Cheese Soup
Hearty Veggie Soup
Chicken Tortellini Soup
Veggie Tuscan Soup
Homemade Chicken Soup
Zuppa Tuscana Soup CopyCat Recipe
Chicken Corn Chowder
Roasted Onion and Caramelized Onion Bisque
Butternut Squash Bisque
Beef Stew
Harvest Veggie Ravioli Soup

 

9/4/2023 Weekly Meal Plan

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis long holiday weekend has been chill. We swam, deep cleaned bedrooms, and did our weekly reset. We reset today, and the extra day off was really needed. Back to school hit us hard.

I made big batches of vegetarian chili and chicken noodle soup yesterday for this week and beyond. I put a quart of each in the freezer for later.

The freezer and fridge are organized and the meals are planned for the upcoming week and beyond.

Our Yasukochi Family Farms  CSA box is delivered on Mondays. It arrived about 2:30 today, and I was ready to dive in and get prepping!

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you who 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 (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 a Cliff Bar, fruit, and bagels for the littlest kiddo. The big kid has 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. The big kid brings his lunch every day (The same thing every day), and the little one buys her lunch about half the time.

Dinner: I’m making sure to start our meals with lots of veggies. With the rising costs of meat, we get most of our protein from using meat as an addition to our meals, not the main component. I realize this may not work for all families, but it helps us immensely.

  • Sunday: Chicken noodle soup, green salad, cheese toast
  • Monday: Chef Salad or protein shakes (big kid isn’t a big salad fan), and fruit
  • Tuesday:  blistered tomatoes w/ pasta, garlic bread (recipe forthcoming)

  • Wednesday: Vegetarian Chili, cornbread, fruit salad

  • Thursday: Protein shakes and fruit trays

  • Friday: Takeout night
  • Saturday:  Leftover night

Q-Insights Online Shopping Study – It pays $125

QI-logoNOslogan.pngQ-insights is another company where 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 in San Diego County. This upcoming survey takes place virtually!

They are currently recruiting for an online focus group.

The study will run from Sept 12th  – Sept 14th and it will pay $125 as a thank you for your time.

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

How to fight the Sunday Scaries

You know the feeling, it’s Sunday afternoon, about lunchtime, when you realize you have to go back to work tomorrow.

But you don’t wanna go to work. You’re not ready to go back to work. There are dishes to do, and laundry, do you even have anything for lunch this week?

Here is how I fight the Sunday Scaries and ensure our school/work week goes off mostly without a hitch.

I reset the house. Put away all the stuff that’s hanging about in the common living areas. The kids pick up their toys, books, and the worn socks that somehow are littering the living room. Collect all the trash from the little trashcans in each of the bedrooms and bathrooms, and take out the kitchen trash and recycling too. I set the robot vacuum to go through all the rooms in the house. (Full Disclosure- I received the robot vacuum about 18 months ago to review and it is the most decadent thing I own. I feel like Jane Jetson every time I use it).

I refill all of our meds for the week. If you follow me on Instagram, you seen the pictures of when I post my refill shenanigans. It takes about 15 minutes, and it’s just a good way for me to make sure that we have enough for the next 10 days or so, and that everyone will start and end their day with the medicines that they need.

I refill the snack/lunch bins in the cupboard. Make sure we have enough drinks, snacks, and lunch goodies for the week. This goes for both the kids and myself. Because I am taking lunch from home. Regardless of what I’m doing during the day, I always have lunch in an insulated container, and a few bottles of water.

I update all of the calendars. I pull the calendars off of the bedroom and kitchen walls and update them with any new appointments or things that need my attention for the following week or so. I try to sync the paper calendars with the calendar on my computer/phone.

Pull together a week’s worth of outfits. This one is really important for my neurodivergent family members, and myself cause I’m pressed for time in the morning. Also if you or your kids have “must-wear “ outfits for the week make sure they are clean and ready to go. I hang up my clothes by outfit in my closet. And the night before I pull an outfit out and then hang underwear and a bra off the hanger and hang it from a command hook on my closet door. And then I go shove a pair of clean socks into my shoes so that I am already to go in the morning. My kids also set out their outfits the night before including socks, shoes, and any accessories.

Clean out backpacks and purses if you haven’t done so on Friday afternoon. This one only applies during the school year for the kids.  Go through folders, and clean out lunch boxes/lunch bags. I also take this time to pre-pack the shelf stable/non-perishable lunch items in the kid’s lunch bags/lunch boxes and leave them on the counter overnight, and then the next morning, I finish packing the perishable/cold items in their lunch boxes with the cold packs.

Meal plan/meal prep for the week. I do dinners and lunches. Sometimes I’ll meal prep breakfast if I know I’m going to be short on time in the morning (that is usually when there are spirit weeks at school and I have to spend extra time in the morning helping the kids with their crazy hair, or whatever the spirit week theme is).

Change the sheets and pillowcases. This is in my opinion, the way to ensure a good sleep on Sunday nights. It is changing the sheets, and I spray the pillows with lavender “sleep spray“.

I write up my weekly care task list.  It is in the notes section of my phone, and it’s a checklist that I can easily check off completed items.

Fresh Baked Bread Any Time!

I love to cook and bake. I love freshly baked bread. I’m kinda over the poppin’ fresh dough boy’s crescent rolls and Italian loaves. I don’t have time to make bread from scratch on weekdays. I recently discovered Wildgrain. I ordered our first box last week and it will be arriving soon (I’m stoked).

Wildgrain offers a monthly subscription box that’s shipped to your door and contains bake from frozen breads, artisan pastries, and even fresh pasta! When you sign up here you can score free croissants for life

What is exciting for my family is the ability to customize- Wildgrain’s new customizable subscription box features NEW multiple box types including:

  • A mixed box where you can pick your own delicious loaves of Wildgrain bread, pasta, and pastries.
  • A pastry only box where you are able to grab choice Wildgrain pastry options.
  • A bread only box where you can snag all your fave Wildgrain bread loaves.
  • A new Vegan bread-only box!

Wildgrain will continue to offer the same favorite seasonal and rotating add-ons they have always had. Now you can just add more of your favorites into your own customizable box!

Free Shipping- That’s right… Wildgrain orders SHIP FOR FREE? No matter where you live in the U.S. or how many “extras” (like those yummy chocolate croissants) you add on, Wildgrain boxes always ship for free! Let your audience know today!

 

To learn more or order a box yourself, check out Wildgrain here. 

Weekly Round-up of Research Studies from PRC!

PRC aka iOpinion is a nationwide research study company. They are always running studies and looking for more respondents. They send me an email once a week with online studies they are looking to fill. Here are just a few:

STOPIC: ocial Media Study
$120 Digital Incentive
90-minute Webcam Group
Online from the comfort of your home or office
September 7th – 14th, 2023
Social Media Study Survey Link —> https://forms.gle/EkUJDwjk7tikLhDh7

TOPIC: Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) Patients *Proof of diagnosis will be required
Males and Females Aged 18-75
September 13th-28th at various times
60 minutes/ $125
Web-based Telephone *You will need to be at a computer with high-speed Internet access during the entire interview.
Thyroid Eye Disease (TED) Patients Survey Link —> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CMHWCMZ

TOPIC: Entertainment Study
$150 – $275 Digital Incentive
Nationwide Residents
90-minute Webcam group; some participants will have a mandatory pre-task
September 19th, 2023
Online from the comfort of your home or office
Entertainment Study Survey Link —> https://forms.gle/KxtUAWjDEb8jDjh28

TOPIC: Home & Lifestyle Choices
$200 OBB / $100 IDI / $150 Group
Adults 18+
90-minute Online Bulletin Board and possibly Virtual Group Discussion (if selected) or 60-minute Individual Virtual discussion (if selected)
Online
September 7th – 20th, 2023
Home & Lifestyles Choices Survey Link —-> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HomeChoices

TOPIC: Nicotine
Incentive: $125 digital incentive (1.5 hour individual interview)/ $150 digital incentive (2-hour group interview)
Nationwide nicotine users
1.5 hour individual interview OR 2-hour group webcam interview
Online, from the comfort of your home
September 12th – September 14th, 2023
Nicotine Survey Link —> https://forms.gle/cEW92CTReafV4y8w5

TOPIC: PTSD
$175 digital incentive for completion of the online interview + $50 for qualifying proof of diagnosis
Nationwide residents diagnosed with PTSD (Documentation confirming diagnosis is required to participate)
90-minute webcam interview
Online, from the comfort of your home
September – October 2023
PTSD Survey Link —> https://forms.gle/mMZvHsNAzmBCVEao6

Weekly Freebies and Deals!

We made it through the first week of school! Yesterday we went to BrickFest and it was a blast!

This morning is a little quiet, so I decided to post some freebies and deals. I promise- Now that school is in session, I’ll get back to posting more!

The 2023 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.

Freebies:

Free Holiday Themed Tissue Paper

Free Sample of Glossier You Eau de Parfum
Free Subscription to Cigar Aficionado Magazine
Free Abbot’s Butcher Plant-Based Meal After Rebate
Free Format Games Game Night Party Pack
Check Your Inbox for a Free Maybelline Lipstick
Free National Park Pass for 4th Graders
Free GoodWheat High Fiber Pasta
Free Iceberg IndestrucTable Tryabox
Free Sample of YSL MYSLF Fragrance
Free 4-Pack of ZICO Coconut Water
Free 12 oz. Pumpkin Power Meal Smoothie at Smoothie King
Free 7-Cup Food Processor or 9-Cup Continuous Feed Processor
Sign up for a Free Healthy Snack Box
Free Bud Light or Budweiser 15-Pack or Larger After Rebate
Free Gratsy Savory Trailblazers Box
Free Nike Products
Free Pepsi After Rebate
Free Giant African Snail Temporary Tattoo
Free Sample of Breathe Right Extra Strength Strips
Free Fruity PEBBLES or Cocoa PEBBLES Waffles After Rebate
Free Dude Wipes at Sam’s
Free Sample of Stopain Extra Strength Pain Relieving Gel
Free Bob’s Red Mill Snack Bar
3 Free Pouches of Hartz Delectables Licking Cat Treats
2 Free Movie Tickets to The Good Mother – Select Locations
Free Coffee Maker
Free Doggie Sundaes at Bruster’s
Free Mini Emergency SuperAlert ID Tag
Free Axe Fragrance Samples
Free Chickpea Organic Pasta Coupon
Free Sample of CLIF Kid ZBar
Free Food & Drinks at Circle K
Free Signature SELECT Pretzel Twirls at Select Stores
Free Purina SuperPet Smart ID Tag
Free Mullet Cut at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop
Free Hashrowns & Waffle at Waffle House
Free Abstract Art Craft Event at Michaels
Free Ocean Spray Snack Chatterbox Kit
Free Solely Fruit Jerky
Free Sample of SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier

 

Deals:

Amazon Save $5 on Three Beauty Products
Pioneer Woman Shower Curtains as low as $5
Pioneer Woman Sheets ONLY $11.28 (Reg $29.22)
Coach Wristlet’s up to 70% Off + 20% Off + Free Shipping
Shein 15% Off $49 + Free Shipping
Gabbys Dollhouse Bakey with Cakey Oven ONLY $16.79 (Reg. $29.99)
KidKraft Kids Medium Wooden Vanity & Stool ONLY $74 (Reg $146)
Laugh & Learn Baby To Toddler Camper Walker ONLY $27.99 (Reg $53.99)
New QVC $50 Off Coupon Code + Free Shipping
Finishing Touch Flawless Vibrating Roller ONLY $7.20 (Reg $19.88)
Conair Ceramic Hot Brush ONLY $18.31 (Reg $69.99)
Hot Tools Pro Artist Black Gold Hair Dryer ONLY $38.99 (Reg $119.99)
Adidas Women Running Sneakers for $21 (Reg $65) + Free Shipping
Hot Wheels Interactive Display Case ONLY $13.68 (Reg $53)
Children’s Place 80% Off Clearance + Extra 20% Coupon Code
Micro Touch Titanium Trim ONLY $10.59 (Reg $29.99)
Crystal Light Sugar-Free 60ct Packets ONLY $8.98 (Reg $16.64)
Farberware 23pc Mix & Measure Baking Set ONLY $19.97 (Reg $52.66)
Better Homes & Gardens White Porch Swing ONLY $98 (Reg $198)
Five Piece Dining Table Set Wood Metal Table ONLY $155 (Reg $595)
Olay Oil Minimizing Clean Toner ONLY $5.49 (Reg $10.98)
Crest 3D White Daily Whitening Serum Kit ONLY $10.79 (Reg $35.79)
Mens Speed Stick ONLY $0.75 (Reg $3.19)
JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless Headphones ONLY $39.95 (Reg $99.90)
Natrol Sleep + Immune Support Melatonin ONLY $3.38 (Reg $17.99)
Movie Tickets on Sale for ONLY $4 Today – ALL Movies
Pepsi Brand 12pk Cans of Soda ONLY $2.69 (Reg $7.19)
Disney Backpacks as low as $21 (Reg $50)
Multi Mini Donuts Maker ONLY $39.99 (Reg $79.99)
Allure Beauty Box ONLY $10 ($125 Value) with Coupon + Freebie
Asher Springs Outdoor 2-Piece Loveseat Sofa Set ONLY $124 (Reg $347)