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October 2026 Monthly Side Quest Totals

Abby H.Leave a comment

Quests require compasses and treasure chests, right?Why am I referring to them as “quests” and not “hustle“?

Hustling indicates moving quickly to earn money. This year, I’m doing a little bit every day, approximately 20 minutes on small surveys and small tasks. I may earn less daily, but overall, I can use small tasks to earn more through compounding.

October was busy! I spent a lot of time doing stuff around the house- purging closets, cleaning the garage, and helping my youngest with their Halloween Costume.

  • MyPoints:  $10 Amazon Gift Card
  • PaidViewPoint:  $13.88 Venmo
  • Fetch:  $10 in Barnes and Noble Gift Cards
  • Rebates (WeStock, Peekage, Social Nature, and Aisle ):  $38.94 in Aisle Rebates, $10.97 in WeStock Rebates, and $2.79  in Social Nature Rebates
  • TPT (I make worksheets/flashcards in my spare time for special ed classrooms). This side quest is definitely a slow trickle of money. $16.00
  • Verasight: $20 via Venmo
  • Ibotta: $24.30 Paypal
  • Online Research Study: $15.00
  • Class action lawsuits (I use SettleMate to help me find ones that I might qualify for): $4.30
  • ShopHerMedia (The affiliate company I work with occasionally- this amount is 11 months’ worth of commission): $50.86

I spend about 20-30 minutes a day completing surveys, scanning receipts, and other tasks. It doesn’t take long, and it helps take a small load off our summer budget.

As always, the links above may be affiliate links, and I might earn money or points if you join any of the above apps or activities. This helps support my blog and family.

If you are interested in my full list of money-saving/money earning activites, I encourage you to check out:

How to Plan for Thanksgiving on a Budget

Abby H.1 Comment

Thanksgiving in the US is in four weeks, and it can be a very expensive endeavor. Here are some ways you can still throw a tasty feast for family and friends without going into the red.

The free Thanksgiving dinner items from Ibotta start 11/3/26, with a new item dropping weekly.

In the past, these free items have included: stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy mix, pie, instant mashed potatoes, and cornbread mix.

Many other cashback apps will partner with companies to offer cashback and discounts on traditional holiday meal ingredients as well. I recommend you check out my app page here to download a few of my favorites.

Aldi is doing their Thanksgiving meal deal again this year! This contains all of the ingredients for a dinner for 10 people for $39.00! It’s a really great way to save money and have a traditional feast menu.

Start by making your menu. Not all dinners are the same. Some Thanksgiving meals include foods from a family’s cultural background, while others stick to the traditional Thanksgiving foods. After your menu is made, shop your kitchen before you head to the store. You may already have some ingredients on hand. Instead of buying everything all at once, buy a few items on your weekly trip to the store. This spreads out the expense of the meal over several weeks.

Consider a potluck meal. Ask friends and family members to bring a side or dessert. Friends who are not culinarily inclined can be asked to bring drinks.

Forgo expensive dishes or dishes that are not very popular (looking at you, green bean casserole. I’m not a fan).

If you are having a small dinner or don’t want leftovers, consider a roasted chicken instead of a whole turkey, or a turkey breast. Both are smaller and more cost-effective.

 

Talk Back- How do you save money on traditional holiday dinners?

 

Procter & Gamble: Holiday Savings Rebate!

Abby H.Leave a comment

Have you heard?

Now through November 30, 2026, Procter and Gamble is offering some new rebates! Participating brands include Tide, Downy, Olay, Bounce, Bounty, Charmin, Crest, Prilosec, Pepto-Bismol, Always Discreet, ZzzQuil, Herbal Essences, and Gillette. For the full list of brands included, go to the rebate page here.

There are three tiers of rebates:

• Spend $20, get a $5 reward
• Spend $50, get a $15 reward
• Spend $75, get a $25 reward

If this rebate isn’t your cup of tea, but you still want to save money, check out Procter & Gamble’s website here for more savings like:

  • Over $100 in P&G digital coupons you can send straight to your Coupon24 app.
  • Answer quick surveys and scan receipts when you purchase P&G products to earn points you can redeem for digital rewards and more.
  • P&G Good Everyday is your hub for exclusive P&G savings. Unlock exclusive coupons and rewards like entries into monthly sweepstakes.

October is National Pizza Month!

Abby H.

October is National Pizza Month, so I thought I’d share with y’all some of our favorite pizza stuff: recipes, pizza swag, and even ways to save money on ordering pizza.

Goodness knows we have pizza about once a week (Friday take-out night is usually pizza), so I have all kinds of tips and tricks.

If you are new to making your own pizza at home, here is a list of my must-haves, including ingredients and kitchen tools!

Need a break from cooking and want to order takeout? Here are a few suggestions for saving money and/or earning cash back on your next pizza night:

  • Domino’s has its Piece of the Pie rewards club. For every $10 spent, you earn 10 points; once you reach 60 points, you’ll earn a free pizza. More details can be found here.
  • If Pizza Hut is more your style, they have Hut Rewards. Earn 2 points for every $1 you spend. They have several different rewards, depending on point values. From breadsticks (75 points)  to a Large pizza (300 points), there is something for everyone.
  • Little Caesar’s has an app with various deals, and they also have a merch shop with all sorts of cool stuff. They are the Official Pizza of the NFL; with Football season coming to a close soon, there may be some playoff deals afoot.
  • GrubHub: One of the perks of Amazon Prime is that you get a free subscription to GrubHub+ with $0 delivery fees on orders over $12 and reduced service fees.
  • 7-Eleven : Seriously- their app has all sorts of deals on pizza, both by the slice and whole pizzas.  Get up to $15 in value when you download the 7-Eleven app, including 1,800 points, 11¢/gal off fuel, & more.

Amazon Haul- Unbelievable Deals from $2.99!

Abby H.

 

Have you heard of Amazon Haul? Think Temu-style deals and prices, but offered via Amazon. All kinds of unbelievable finds from just $2.99. Everyday staples, viral trends, clothing, beauty items, and electronics– everything you want. To learn more about their shipping time frames and how to score free shipping from Amazon Haul, click here. 

I discovered Amazon Haul after looking for new USB chargers for work. I found this 6-piece set of 2-meter-long charger cables for less than $10!

Whether you are looking for a stocking stuffer for the upcoming holidays, filling a goodie or boo basket for your kids, or just want to buy yourself a little something fun, I recommend Amazon Haul

 

Fetch Rewards App Fetchtopia is back 10/21-10/27!!

Abby H.

Fetchtopia is back October 21-27th! During that time, there will be extra rewards, higher point payouts per dollar spent at featured restaurants (e.g., up to 120 points per dollar), bonus points on online purchases through the app, and extra point bonuses for completing mobile gaming tasks- just to name a few of the opportunities to earn more points.

If you are new to Fetch, now is a great time to sign up, so you won’t miss any of the points. Points can be redeemed for gift cards- I’ve been cashing out my points for Barnes & Noble Gift Cards all year. It’s going to make Holiday Shopping a breeze.

If you are still unfamiliar with Fetch, learn more here. It’s my go-to app for scanning receipts and earning gift cards.

Earn Money This Fall with Surveys!

Abby H.

It’s that time of year when we start thinking about end-of-year holidays, gift-giving, parties, and new clothes. All of those things cost money. I’m buckling down on my survey taking to earn a little extra money for end-of-year and holiday fun.  Here are some of my favorite survey companies:

Online Surveys with Mypoints– I consistently earn $5-$10/day in Amazon or Target Gift Cards doing MyPoints surveys. Here is a post about how I earned Amazon Gift Cards with MyPoints surveys.

PaidViewPoint– They only send you surveys that you qualify for, so there is no wasted time. Payout is only $10.00, so I make a payout about 1-2 times a month. It’s not tons of work, and every little bit helps!

Pinecone Research: My favorite survey company. Great payouts for each survey, and they only send you surveys that you are already pre-qualified for! And you get $5 when you sign up!

I’ve been a member of Swagbucks for years, and it’s an easy way to earn free gift cards and cash. Right now, when you sign up, you’ll score $10 FREE!

Members join for free and will have access to all of our earning verticals, including, but not limited to, watching videos, shopping for cash back, taking surveys, and redeeming special offers.

Swagbucks is the web’s leading rewards platform, dedicated to providing FREE gift cards to its 12+ million members.

Choose from top retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, PayPal, and tons more.

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, Watch Videos, Shop, 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!

 

And I post market research and focus group invitations from PRC and AO Opinions at least once a week, so keep your eyes peeled for those opportunities as well. Don’t forget to check out my monthly “Side Quest” Posts for more ways I earn cash and gift cards each month!

10/6/2026- National Taco Day Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

Did you know that National Taco Day is 10/6/26? To celebrate, there are a lot of really good freebies and deals to take advantage of.

I included deals that are available in Southern California, if I’ve missed any, please feel free to leave them in the comments.

Del Taco On Tuesday, October 6th, Del Taco is celebrating National Taco Day with 60¢ Snack Tacos (limit five per offer). They have Taco Deals all month long!

Jack in the Box: Jack in the Box app users get two free tacos with a minimum $1 order on October 6.

Rubio’s Coastal Grill: Rewards members can get a free taco with any purchase on Oct. 6.  rubios.com.

Taco Bell: The fast-food giant is partnering with Duolingo for its Global Taco Day promotion, featuring Duo, the language platform’s owl mascot. A new Duo Habanero Sauce in multilingual packets will be included in any Doritos Locos Tacos order. Rewards members can get one free month of Duolingo through the Taco Bell app Oct. 1-6, and they can win one of 1,000 Duo plushies in Taco Bell’s Tuesday Drop at 2 p.m. Oct. 6. tacobell.com

And my personal favorite: Sombreros!

On 10/6 from 10am-8pm,  registered  Sombrero’s  Rewards members will have a free taco loaded to their account with any purchase of a taco (or an menu item valued at $6+).

Freebies and Deals- 9/29/2026 is National Coffee Day!

Abby H.

Next Monday, 9/29/2026, is National Coffee Day. In the past, this meant free coffee flowing like water.

This year, there are a few fewer offers, but the available offers are pretty good.

I’ve separated the list into two categories: the first is offers that are available in the San Diego/Southern CA area (where I am), and the second is the rest of the country.

I am unable to confirm these beyond finding them online, so if you go into a store and it’s not an available deal, please let me know.

FYI- Many of these deals require a purchase.

If you are unsure if a local coffee shop or coffee chain in your area is participating, check the app or ask in your local store.

Deals available in San Diego/Southern CA:

  • Klatch Coffee: This National Coffee Day, score a free Competition Cappuccino at Klatch Coffee when you apply an in-app promo code. Limit one per guest. Offer valid in-app only. Locations in San Diego County are at Sprouts Grocery Stores.
  • Paris Baguette: FREE medium hot or iced coffee for Rewards members with any purchase on 9/29/2026. You will need to download their app to access this freebie.
  • Einstein Bros. Bagels: Free Hot Coffee with any purchase in the app ONLY. This isn’t only on 9/29/2026; this freebie is currently available in the Einstein Bros. app.
  •  Dunkin’: Rewards members can get a free medium hot or iced coffee (excluding cold brew and nitro cold brew) with an eligible purchase made through the Dunkin’ App.
  • Panera Bread: 9/29 & 10/1: Panera Celebrates National Coffee Day with deals on Unlimited Sip Club Memberships – new and lapsed subscribers who sign up by October 10 can choose from:  $5/month for 4 months of Unlimited Sip Club OR  $99 Annual Unlimited Sip Club Subscription for one year.
  • 7-11: 7Rewards loyalty members can snag a large coffee for just $1.49. To go with their coffee, customers can also grab 7-Select Mini Donuts (in Chocolate, Cinnamon Sugar, Crunch or Powdered Sugar) for just $1.
  • Circle K: Inner Circle Rewards members a free medium hot or iced coffee at any of the 7,000 Circle K locations. The deal is redeemable through the Circle K app.
  • Dunkin’:  A free coffee with any purchase on the app for Dunkin’ Rewards members.
  • Jamba:  $3 Small Cloud Whip Topped Blended Coffees are available all day. The offer is valid in-store only.

Score Sweet Freebies with Your Library Card!

Abby H.
Courtesy of https://arthur.fandom.com/wiki/Library_Card

September is Library Card Sign-up Month! If you don’t have a card, it’s one of the easiest things you can do to open the door to free (and cheap) entertainment.

Not only can you check out books in the library, but you can also gain access to apps like Libby, where you can borrow digital books, audiobooks, and digital magazines.

The following benefits are available from the San Diego County and City of San Diego Library networks. Check with your local library to see what benefits and events they host!

Get out on the Town: Reserve free or low-cost family day passes to local museums and attractions (like the New Children’s Museum, Museum of Us, and San Diego Museum of Art) using your San Diego Public Library or San Diego County Library card.

Get into Nature: CA State Library Parks Pass: Check out a physical vehicle-entry pass for free admission to participating California State Parks for 14 days. 

Digital Research Databases: Use your library card for free access to online subscriptions, language learning software, and digital archives.

Skill-Building & Wellness Classes: Access free instructional classes covering healthy aging, programs for adults with disabilities, and wellness activities like yoga or meditation.

Learning for the whole family: ABC Mouse is available for free with your library card, and it’s a great resource for young kids. There are resources for kids of all ages, including help with homework!

Free Events: Most local library systems host free events. Our local branch hosts activities for kids, families,  teens (laser tag once a month at the library after hours!), and seniors. There are tons of events every month– scroll through and find something that interests you!