apps

Kids Eat Free at Rubio’s Thursdays in July!

Abby H.

When you join the Rubio’s Rewards Program (download the app found wherever you get apps), you can score a FREE KIDS MEAL every Thursday in July.

Sounds like a pretty decent deal to me, especially if you and your munchkin like Rubio’s!

For Rewards Members Only. Offer valid for one (1) free kids’ meal with purchase of any entrée. Entrées include two taco plates, burritos, salads, bowls, Shrimp Trio, and The Coastal Trio®. Excludes tasting plates and kids’ meals. Not available for third-party delivery orders. Not valid with any other offer or discount. One offer permitted per transaction. Upcharges for extras and premium items may apply. No substitutions. No cash value. Valid at participating restaurants only. Only valid on the following days: 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, and 7/31/2025

Score Free Groceries with Rebates!

Abby H.

Rebates have been around forever.

I remember my grandmother doing rebates when I was a kid. However, nowadays, you don’t need to send in a form with proof of purchase/UPC and a receipt; most rebates can be completed online or via text.

Sometimes you get lucky and get 100% back rebates, making your item free. You will find a lot of those with apps and websites like:

Ripple Street has tons of reFUNd programs where you can buy a product and receive the purchase price back. These are only available via their app.

If you consume alcohol, check out BYBE.  It is available in most states. This app has rebates for beer, wine, and liquor.

Here are a few current rebates I found out about this week while starting my Back to school shopping:

It’s back! 7/11 is Free Slurpee Day!

Abby H.

July 11, 2025 marks a special day for 7/11!  Tastebuds across the country are in for a treat on Friday, July 11 (7/11), when the world’s largest convenience retailer celebrates its 98th birthday by offering a free small Slurpee drink at participating 7-Eleven®, Speedway® and Stripes® locations nationwide ( *Valid only on 7/11/25. Available while supplies last. Offer good at participating 7-Eleven, Stripes and Speedway stores. ©2025 7-Eleven, Inc. All rights reserved.).

And it gets better!  Loyalty members  (download the 7/11 app and sign up for the loyalty club) can keep the celebration going all month long by scanning their rewards information on Slurpee Day to get a coupon for another free small Slurpee drink to redeem before July 31- Valid 7/12/25-7/31/25. Limit 1 per customer.

Talk back: What is your favorite Slurpee flavor? I love a frosty Coke Slurpee, but any citrus flavor is a close second.

Earn Cashback Shopping at Walmart with OnePay!

Abby H.

Have you heard of OnePay?

I learned about OnePay recently at Walmart, of all places!

If you’ve shopped in a Walmart store recently, you know that they don’t accept Apple Pay or Google Wallet.  However, they do take OnePay. OnePay wallet is a digital wallet that offers 3% cash back rewards at Walmart (up to $150 spent with your debit card per month, with eligible deposits. Cashback earned as points).  That cashback can be transferred to your linked cards.

OnePay is great if you don’t have really great credit. They offer a credit builder that allows you to build your credit, and there are no fees. Through the OnePay app,  set aside a dollar a month for a year. Check your progress in the app, build your credit history, and you get your money back at the end of the year!

OnePay is a financial technology company; it’s not a bank. Bank services are provided by Coastal Community Bank or Lead Bank, both members FDIC. And right now, if you’ve never opened a OnePay account, you can click the link here and open an account, and you’ll earn $50 within the first 45 days. All you have to do is click the link here, open an account, and unlock cash plus in the first 45 days. This offer is good until 7/31/2025. And the fine print can be found here.

When I signed up for OnePay I got $50 cash back too. And it is currently transferring its way into my bank account. And I also get text messages from them when there are extra bonus point deals at Walmart. And I’m not shopping at Walmart often, but if I can earn points or cashback if I need to shop there, it’s definitely a bonus.

This post contains affiliate links,  For more information about the use of affiliate links and partnerships, visit my disclosure page. 

 

Win 3 Months of FREE Rent with Piñata!

Abby H.

I discovered Piñata Piñata while listening to a true crime podcast yesterday while I was exercising.

Piñata is the world’s first and only rent rewards platform that gives you rewards for paying rent and is free.

If you join the $5/mo Piñata membership between May 1 – June 30th, you will be automatically entered to win 3 MONTHS OF FREE RENT!

For just $5/month, Piñata reports your rent payments to all three credit bureaus—giving your credit the boost it deserves. This is an amazing benefit, especially if you rent from a private party!

Enroll in the $5/month Piñata membership and enter the giveaway automatically to win 3 months of rent (up to $4,500 in total)! Sign up today here.

Even when it’s not rent day, Piñata gives renters exclusive deals and discounts to help you save on everyday expenses from CVS and Costco to Best Buy and Sprint to Papa John’s and Disney World. You get an average of $4,000 in yearly savings. You can also get cash back on special deals from your favorite brands.

Giveaway ends June 30th, 2025.

Earn Money This Summer with Surveys!

Abby H.

Even though I’m working summer school this year, pay day is net 30, meaning I won’t receive most of my summer pay until the end of August.  I need a little extra cash to take the kids on fun adventures, and snacks cost money! I try to spend 30 minutes a day doing surveys, usually early in the morning after the cat has demanded her breakfast, before the kids have woken up.  Here are some of my favorite survey companies:

PaidViewPoint– They only send you surveys that you qualify for, so there is no wasted time. Payout is only $15.00, so I make a payout about once a month. It’s not tons of work, and every little bit helps!

Pinecone Research: Get Paid $1-3 per survey!– My favorite survey company. $1-3 per survey you complete and they only send you surveys that you are already pre-qualified for!

I’ve been a member of Swagbucks for years, and it’s an easy way to earn free gift cards and cash.

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, Watching Videos, Shopping, and More.

You earn real CASH!

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.

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.

$5 and $10 Clearance at JCP!

Abby H.

JCP is the master of clearance. They have incredible clearance online and in-store, and right now, JCP has clearance for the whole family starting at $5!

If you are looking for inexpensive cotton shirts to tie dye or craft with, this clearance sale is a great time to stock up. I know craft stores that sell cheap shirts, but I love these shirts instead:

If you are looking for more information about tie dying, check out my post here.

Save More with Walmart Cash!

Abby H.

Have you heard of Walmart Cash? I just learned about it today. I don’t shop there too often, and it seems like a good program for those people who shop at Walmart with regularity.

Similar to Ibotta, when you shop through the Walmart App, or on the website, visit the Walmart Cash page and clip any offers that appeal. When you purchase those items, you will receive Walmart Cash. Amounts vary by products, and offers change frequently. These offers cannot be stacked with Ibotta.

Here are a few of the current offers.

You can redeem your Walmart Cash on your next purchase, or you can head over to Money Center or Customer Service to cash out- you’ll need the Walmart app or be logged onto the website on your mobile device. More info can be found here.

Free Mental Health Resources in California

Abby H.

This is a heavy topic. If you are not in the headspace to read this, please scroll on.

Mental health care is important to everyone, regardless of age or financial situation. Depending on your health insurance situation, most insurance plans provide coverage for mental health services.

If you do not have health insurance or cannot afford your mental health copays, there is still help out there for you.

Crisis Support:

If you and your family are low-income, you may be eligible for Medi-Cal (Medicaid in California). To learn more about Medi-Cal eligibility, visit the DHCS website here. 

 

Freebies and Deals for Teacher Appreciation Week!

Abby H.

Teacher Appreciation Week starts on May 5th, 2025. It is always the first week in May.

This year, it seems there are a lot fewer straight-out freebies and more discounts and BOGOs. Most of them require downloading an app—keep this in mind and be prepared to do a little legwork. And have your staff badge with you to take advantage of these deals!

At the time this article is posted, many freebies and deals that were available in previous years have not yet been confirmed for 2025. Be aware that if you see other articles with information to double-check that they are confirmed for 2025. I spent a lot of time going down rabbit holes and ending up at dead ends.

My absolute favorite deal is one that you can combine with coupons, store deals, and rebates apps (like Ibotta, Fetch, etc.): Vons’s/Albertson’s is offering Teachers a discount of 10% off their groceries (exclusions apply), May 3-6. With the rise in grocery prices, this offer may be the most practical.

Join Sonic’s Teachers’ Circle via their app before May 5 to unlock a whole slew of freebies to use between May 5 and May 9. You’ll receive exclusive rewards like a BOGO Sonic Blasts, entrees, or cheeseburgers, free large drinks or slushies, and a free small side with an entrée purchase. This is a legit offer, and sometimes Sonic has other in app offer throughout the year for teachers too.

15% off at Michaels. This is another one that is valid all year. It’s perfect for all kinds of teachers. I love this because teachers need supplies all year, and Michaels has great deals. You can use this online and in-store. It takes a little bit to be verified, but it’s worth it!

Not a freebie for everyone, but if you like Chipotle, this one might be right up your alley.  Teachers who verify their employment status at teacherthanks.chipotle.com between April 30 and May 12 will be entered for a chance to receive a free entree e-card. Chipotle will choose 100,000 winners who will be notified the week of May 13.

Office Depot/Office Max: They offer Discounts and additional bonus offers when you sign up and verify your teaching status through their website.

Staples: Similar to Office Depot’s offer, Staples is offering 20% off in-store purchases with an app coupon and a teacher ID.

Apple: This is a great offer- Apple offers educators and support staff a discount on a new Mac or iPad through the Apple Education Store. To take advantage of this offer, verify your educator status to unlock the discounted pricing.

In past years, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Insomnia Cookies,  McDonald’s, and other restaurants have offered freebies or discounts for teachers with an ID. If you are looking for specific freebies, I recommend reaching out to brands or restaurants directly. For year-round discounts and offers, check out the NEA website.