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2026 California Climate Credit- Savings on Your August Utility Bill!

Abby H.

It’s that time again! On your August California Utility Bill (Which includes PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, Bear Valley, Liberty, and Pacific Power), you will receive a California Climate Credit. For SDG&E customers, the amount is $49.36. This comes off the Electric portion of your bill. 

The California Climate Credit is directly related to the State’s Cap-and-Trade Program, which requires polluters to pay for their climate pollution. Credits are distributed in April and October each year. Credits appear automatically on your bill and are designed to help utility customers during the transition to a more sustainable future.

And if you want more ways to save energy and money, check out Ohm Connect! We’ve been using Ohm Connect for over seven years, saving thousands of dollars on our power bill and earning thousands of dollars in gift cards and cash via PayPal.

French Onion Beans- Easy High Fiber Meal!

Abby H.

I’ve seen this recipe all over social media. I watched a few videos and rummaged through my pantry. Here is my version. It’s simple and so tasty!

French onion beans

Ingredients

  • Two onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil or oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder or 2 tablespoons garlic from a jar
  • 1/4 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2  teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
    Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 15-ounce cans, cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3/4 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup grated Italian cheese blend

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, add butter and oil.
  2. Once the butter and oil are melted and combined, add onions and sauté on low for about 10 minutes until onions become translucent.
  3. Add garlic/garlic powder, tomatoes, paprika, thyme, and stir to combine.
  4. Cover and cook on low, stirring occasionally for 25 to 35 minutes. Onions will become thick and jammy, and will continue to become translucent and lightly brown around the edges.
  5. Over medium heat, add beans, half-and-half, and cheese.
  6. Uncover and allow to cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it is melting and bubbly.
  7. Serve with crusty Italian bread, sourdough, or crackers of your choice.

These beans stay good in the fridge 3-4 days, however, they will not last that long. They are soo rich and smooth. And very filling,

You can make this recipe vegan by using dairy-free butter substitute, coconut milk, and dairy-free cheese.

Free Backpacks & School Supply Round Up (San Diego County)

Abby H.1 Comment

It’s that time of year- Back to school is looming. School supplies and backpacks are getting more expensive. However, there are several opportunities in the San Diego, CA area for free backpacks, school supplies, and even free haircuts for kids at selected events. For more information about each event, click the links or images (they are linked to the events).

Back 2 School Jam – Spring Valley School supplies, backpacks,  and resources.

Back 2 School Jam – Spring Valley School supplies, backpacks,  and resources.
Spring Valley Gymnasium, 838 Kempton St, Spring Valley, CA 91977
Sat, August 1, 2026 10:00 AM –1:30 PM

 NAACP’s 24th Annual Back 2 School Stay in School Rally
MiraCosta College (Clock Tower Area), 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056
Sat, August 1, 2026 10:30 AM –12:30 PM

Buddy’s Backpacks is WILDLY popular here in East County. It starts at 9am, but last year, when we drove by at 8 am, there were already over 200 people in line. If you are dedicated to attending this event, consider arriving very early.

Backpack & School Supplies Giveaway
Radiant Life Church, 10060 Carmel Mountain Road, San Diego, 92129
Sat, August 1, 2026 10:00 AM –12:00 PM

Southern Indian Health Council – Back to School Bash
Golden Acorn Casino & Travel Center, 1800 Golden Acorn Way, Campo, CA 91906
Sat, August 1, 2026 11:00 AM –2:00 PM
CCAE is in Central Escondido, CA. This is a newer event, and they have supplies for 200 students. There will be backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, and more. 

Back 2 School Jam – Lakeside.  School supplies, backpacks,  and resources.
Lakeside Teen/REC Center, 9911 Vine St, Lakeside, CA 92040
Fri, August 7, 2026 3:00 PM –6:00 PM

 

 

 

 

 

Super Saturday | CSAM ’26 Community Event Backpacks, school supplies, and resources.
County of San Diego Child Support Services, 3666 Kearny Villa Rd, San Diego, CA 92123
Sat, August 8, 2026 9:00 AM –1:00 PM

Backpack Giveaway and Family Resource Fair
The O’Farrell Charter School (outdoors lower lot), 6130 Skyline Dr, San Diego, CA 92114
Sat, August 8, 2026 8:00 AM –10:00 AM

Talk Back: If you know of other similar events, please leave a comment!

It’s Sample Thursday with PinchMe!

Abby H.

Love samples? Check out PinchMe! Join PINCHme and receive free samples that you can provide feedback on.

PinchMe is awesome! Once you are signed up, they will email you reminders when new samples are about to drop, and remind you when it’s time to leave feedback.

Answer a series of questions about your household and shopping habits in the Member Profile. PinchMe learns what you like and offers samples just for you.

Once you’ve had a chance to try the samples, complete a short feedback survey to tell PinchMe what you think of the samples.

I get PinchMe samples every month. Here is a box that I recently received.

What are you waiting for? Sign up here and get on the free sample bandwagon! I’ve gotten all kinds of awesome sample/trial size items, as well as full-sized items to try out from PinchMe!

 

Kevin’s Natural Foods for Breakfast – New TryaBox

Abby H.

Kevin’s Natural Foods is back and ready for breakfast in this Tryazon Featured TryaBox opportunity, from Kevin’s Natural Foods! Try two of the following incredible freezer scramble starters: Denver-Style Ham & White Cheddar and Spinach & Bacon Florentine. Just add eggs for a clean, delicious & filling start to your day!

Tryazon has 275 sampling spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a TryaBox with two coupons for FREE Scramble Starters from Kevin’s Natural Foods to be picked up at Target, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Giant Banners, or Hannaford from the freezer aisle to sample and review at home – no party needed!

Learn more and apply here.

 

Win a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card for National Give Something Away Day!

Abby H.

A few days ago, I posted about today being National Give Something Away Day, and I listed a few ways we can all help our neighbors.

I decided to put my money where my mouth is and give a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card to one of you!

Entering is easy and pretty quick.

Visit my Instagram Page, click on the giveaway post (which should be the most recent post), and follow the directions.

Terms and Conditions apply; all of the rules can be found here.

Freebies and Deals- 7/20 is National Ice Cream Day!

Abby H.

National Ice Cream Day is next week!! I recommend that you download any apps required for these deals at least 1 day prior to ensure that you have the app and are all signed up for any clubs or offers. Not all of these offers are available in my specific area, but I included them because I have readers outside of San Diego.

From July 13-19, DQ Rewards members can score the classic treat with any $1 purchase made through the DQ App. https://news.dairyqueen.com/announcements/details/2026/DQ-Celebrates-National-Ice-Cream-Day-All-Week-Long-with-Free-Dilly-Bars/default.aspx

Dipping’ Dots: Dippin’ Dots is giving away FREE mini cups of Dippin’ Dots (any flavor!) during a two-hour window at their franchise locations. Find your closest location here.

Baskin-Robbins: Baskin-Robbins Rewards members can get 31% off scoops on July 31, 2026, at participating shops. Waffle cones, toppings, sundaes, and delivery orders are excluded.

Marble Slab Creamery: Download their app because on July 20, loyalty members will receive a free small Ice Cream offer, valid for seven days. Find your closest location here.

Del Taco: From July 17 – 19, Del Yeah! Rewards members can get BOGO free regular shakes at Del Taco for National Ice Cream Day.

And while there are no deals right now, check the following apps in the days before the 20th for possible freebies and deals: McDonald’s, Jack in the Box, Wendy’s, and Yogurtland.

And if you want to make your own ice cream at home, you can find my recipe here. It’s very easy, and you can make it your own with a few tweaks!

June 2026 Monthly Side Quest Totals!

Abby H.

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.

June was a busy month for me to work on Side Quests. I sat down and really buckled down, as my regular day job was ending for the next two-ish months, and I wanted to ensure I had the funds for adventures with the kids.

  • MyPoints:  $30 Amazon Gift Cards
  • PaidViewPoint:  $34.20 Venmo
  • G2:  $10 Amazon Gift Cards
  • Fetch:  $10 Target Gift Cards
  • Rebates (WeStock, Peekage, Social Nature, and Aisle ):  $23.50 in Aisle Rebates
  • BrandClub:  $10.50 Venmo
  • TPT (I make worksheets/flashcards in my spare time for special ed classrooms). This side quest is definitely a slow trickle of money. I spent a lot of time over the summer making/uploading educational materials to my TPT account. $23.70
  • Verasight: $20 via Venmo

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:

Dine Out & Earn Up To $40/Month With Upromise!

Abby H.

I’ve posted about Upromise before, and it is a great way to save for college for yourself or your kids, and earn cash back. I received an email this morning that you can earn an extra $5 on top of your dining cash back rewards when you reserve and dine at a Upromise® Dining participating restaurant—for up to 8 times or $40 bonus per calendar month!

There are a lot of local resturants in my area that participate in Upromise Dining too.  Find restaurants near you here.

If you are interested in learning more about all of the great ways you can save money for college with Upromise, check out their website.

Here are all of the fine print details:

*This Reservation Completion Bonus (this “Bonus”) offer is open to all members of Upromise® Dining who: login to their Upromise Dining account, book a reservation on the Upromise Dining website via the reservations widget, check-in for their reservation directly at the participating location at the day and time of the reservation as confirmed by the third-party reservation provider, and pay the check for the dine associated with the reservation with a credit and/or debit card linked to their Upromise Dining account (a “complete reservation” or “completed reservation”). For clarity, Members must complete a qualified dine at the time of their reservation to earn this Bonus. Members must remain opted-into emails from Upromise Dining with a valid, deliverable email address to earn this Bonus. Members will receive $5 cash back rewards for each completed reservation. This Bonus is limited to 1 completed reservation per day and may be earned a maximum of 8 times per calendar month for completed reservations made within the same calendar month. This Bonus offer is combinable with other Upromise Dining bonuses. Please allow up to eight weeks from the date of a completed reservation for any bonus to post to your Upromise Dining account. Please note that some participating locations offer rewards only on certain days of the week, and you may not earn your standard cash back rewards on the day and time of your completed reservation. For complete program Terms of Use, guidelines and restrictions, and the latest rewards calendar, visit our website. Other limitations may apply. These terms and conditions are subject to change (including termination of this Bonus opportunity) in our sole discretion and without notice to you. This Bonus opportunity is for a limited time only. Void where prohibited.

6/28/2026 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgThis weekend, I am on the ball and getting the meal plan posted on Sunday!

My goal of not doing a big grocery shop was foiled last week. I ended up going grocery shopping at Walmart when I needed to order a few things for the house- like washcloths. I have no idea where they all went. It was only $40, still well below my usual weekly grocery bill.

In the summer, we get into a groove when it comes to dinners. Easy, quick foods that are tried and true.

Breakfast: The kids tend to eat cereal, a bagel, or an MBS (Mrs. Bear Special) each morning for breakfast. I usually have a proffee. I cashed in all of my points at Einstein Bros. Bagels to get a free dozen bagels. They are sliced and individually wrapped in the freezer. They are definately going to be a hit this week for breakfast.

Lunch: I’m doing lunch meal prep for the week today- Beans and Rice bowls for myself. And a batch of Mac n’ cheese for the youngest. The big kid usually doesn’t eat a big lunch. He’ll snack or have a bag of Quest Protein chips and a sandwich.  We’ll be escaping the house on some adventures. The kids will be taking advantage of the free summer lunches (find out more here) while we are out and about.

Dinner: Because of the heat, I didn’t end up making meatloaf, so we may grill burgers instead, or make Salisbury steaks. I’m not sure which.

  • Sunday:  Gyro, Rice, Salad, Naan
  • Monday: Italian Night
  • Tuesday: Something with Ground Beef, salad, and mashed potatoes

  • Wednesday: Smoothies and Charcuterie plates (this has become a Wednesday special)

  • Thursday: Chicken Quesadillas, fruit, chips

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday: Leftover Palooza