easy – Page 49 – Hewes Family Fun

San Diego, CA area Residents: Save on your SDG&E bill!

August 16, 2018August 16, 2018Abby H.1 Comment

Looking for more ways to saving money on your power bill without doing crazy stuff like turning off your water heater when you aren’t home and unplugging everything (including your fridge) during the day? Ok, so I’ve been watching episodes of Extreme Cheapskates on Netflix (and it’s scary what people will do to save a few bucks), but I did find out about a great legit program that can help San Diego, CA area residents!

The Energy Savings Assistance Program can help lower your monthly bill, while making your home more comfortable.

We had SDG&E come out when we lived at our last home, and they replaced our lightbulbs, checked our fridge and microwave to make sure they were energy efficient. They also gave use low flow shower heads, sink nozzles, and they are sent out a contractor to do some landlord approved improvements (replace the worn weather stripping) to make our home a little more energy efficient.

You may rent or own, and if you qualify, SDG&E’s authorized contractors will come to your home and may provide a variety of services. Apply Online or schedule an appointment at 1-866-597-0597. If you are eligible for the Energy Savings Assistance Program, you are also eligible for a CARE savings of 20% on your monthly bill.

If you don’t qualify for that program, you can also check out other ways to save on the SDG&E website, such as changing you plan (yes, there are various plans and pricing structures), and there is a “My Energy Overview” where SDG&E will give you realistic suggestions and tips on how you can lower your electricity and gas consumption to save money.

I went through it today, and made an action plan based on how much I want to spend out of pocket, how much time I have to invest, and how handy we are. As you can see, none of the stuff is too expensive our crazy, and if i do all of it, we’ll be save up to $771 per year!

As you can see, I’ve already done some of the items on the list, some will take getting used to- including leaving reminder notes in areas (I’m putting a sticky on the washer to remind myself to switch the water level/washer setting and water temp as needed).

And one thing that I find super helpful- We signed up for Ohm Connect a few years ago and it texts and/or emails you when you should conserve more power due to the demand on the power grid. It’s a win-win situation: You save money on your power bill, and you earn points from Ohm Connect that you can cash out for Paypal, Amazon or Target Gift Cards, OhmConnect store credit (to buy energy efficient thermostats, smart plugs, etc.) You can learn more about OhmConnect here.

What are your tips for keeping your power bill low?

**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you click on links or make purchases. However, I only post about stuff that I like and use for my family.

Meal Plan Monday 7/16/18

July 16, 2018Abby H.

stemarie_1650skitchen

The heat is finally starting to break around here, which is a good thing. I am looking forward to eating hot food again. Our bbq died (we can only have propane grills at our HOA, because of insurance purposes, and really, having a grill with a shut off is probably good thing here).

Breakfasts are usually the same for us: Protein shakes for grown ups, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. We have plenty of protein shake fixins’- I buy the over ripe bananas, peel and slice them pop them into ziploc bags, and freeze them for smoothies and protein shakes. I also keep sandwich ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular.

Lunches are leftovers, salads, or a protein shake for me and the Mister, and The Big kid has a specially packed lunch of whatever he’s into at the time (which changes frequently). Bitty Bird eats whatever I’ll feed her.

For dinner, when we’ve got busy days (like Mondays), I’ll try and put something in the crockpot in the morning, or pull something I’ve already prepped out that can be quickly cooked.

Monday: Breakfast sandwiches on the homemade sourdough English Muffins my mom made over the weekend, and fruit salad.

Tuesday: Crockpot chili. We’ve got lots of beans in the cupboard, so I’m using them up!

Wednesday: Chicken Tetrazzini, asparagus, fruit

Thursday: Bean, rice, and cheese bowls

Friday: Pizza and salad

Saturday: Hamburgers, salad, and fruit

Sunday: Leftover night!

What are you having this week for dinner?

New Month, New Coupons!

July 5, 2018July 5, 2018Abby H.

Now that we’ve settled into July, it’s time to post about some of the new printable coupons! Last month I posted that the coupons weren’t that great. This month, they are slowly but surely getting better to ramp up for back to school.

Here is your monthly reminder! A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

Coupons.com (printable an e-coupons),
Redplum (printable),
SmartSource (Printable),
SavingStar (E-Coupons)

One of my favorite website is the Sunday Coupon Review. It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks! New offers are added on the Smartphone Savings Apps all the time!

Here are just a few of the new coupons that have me excited:

This coupon is great if you have a Dollar Tree location near you. These little boxes are $1.00 each and contain 8-10 packets. With this coupon, it’s like buy three, get one free!

If you use this coupon, check your Target app to see if there is a cartwheel/savings deal in addition to this coupon- The best way to save money is to stack deals.

Perfect for Back To School Shopping, especially if your school is peanut-free or you have a peanut allergy in your home.

These cookies are so delicious.

And if you live in California, check out the CA Dairy Board’s website! Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and look for this:

You can print two coupons per computer, every thirty days. It’s a great way to save a little bit of money if you already purchase milk and other dairy products.

What coupons or deals are you excited about?

New Month, New Coupons!

June 2, 2018Abby H.

I’m a day late, I totally forgot it was the beginning of the month!

Here is your monthly reminder! A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

Coupons.com (printable an e-coupons),
Redplum (printable),
SmartSource (Printable),
SavingStar (E-Coupons)

Here are just a few of the new coupons that have me excited:

The kids love this cereal, esp. straight from the box.

There aren’t too many new coupons this month, sadly, however, if you check out the Smartphone apps link above, you’ll find that there are plenty of ways to save and earn money. I recently cashed out $20 on Ibotta and $25 on Dosh!

True Citrus – Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be True Sweepstakes

May 15, 2018May 15, 2018Abby H.

16191_201601216_a_truecitrus_flat_logo We love True Citrus at our house- It’s a great way to add a little Citrus flavor to water without adding calories or sugar! Did you know that in addition to lemon and lime powder, they also make Lemonade and Limeade in various flavors!

truecitrussweepstakes1

If you you are new to True Citrus, or are a long time fan, check out their awesome sweepstakes. True Citrus – Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be True Sweepstakes

The #HealthyHappyTrue Sweepstakes was created by True Citrus to celebrate how people live their healthiest, happiest and truest life possible.

Entering provides the chance to win a grand prize including a $10,000 cash prize, a Vitamix Professional Series Blender ($600 value), Fitbit watch ($200 value), a True Lemon thermal water bottle and a sampling of all True Citrus products.

To enter the sweepstakes and for details on how to increase chances of winning, visit http://www.truelemon.com/be-healthy-be-happy-be-true-sweepstakes through June 15.

ENTER HERE

Interested in trying True Citrus for yourself? Save 40% on your order at www.truelemonstore.com by entering the code TRUEFAMILY40US at checkout.

Keep an eye out on my Instagram feed for some cool, tasty beverage recipes using True Lemon and True Lime in the next week or so! I’ll be taking some camping with us next weekend.

Earn 3000 Points from Fetch Rewards!

March 8, 2018March 8, 2018Abby H.

FetchRewards_Logo Fetch is amazing! I love it. I’ve earned over $20 in rewards since August 2017- I usually get Amazon Gift Cards. If you’re not familiar with Fetch Rewards, there is a run down here.

Right now,
Get 3 friends to sign up with your referral code, and scan a valid receipt by
Sunday, March 11th, and you’ll receive 3,000 Bonus Points!

That’s on top of the 2,000 you already get for each friend. That’s 9,000 points for 3 friends! Not to mention, they also get 2,000 points for using your referral code.

Here’s how it works. . .

Step 1: Invite at least three friends to join Fetch Rewards.

Step 2: They sign up with your referral code and each scan 1 valid receipt by 3/11/18.
Valid receipts are any receipt that ends up Completed (not Rejected). Receipts don’t need to be Completed by 3/11/18, but must be scanned by then.

Step 3: You get 3,000 bonus points if three friends complete a valid receipt!
The 3,000 bonus points will be awarded on Tuesday, March 13th. You will be notified via email.

If you aren’t already using Fetch Rewards, find Fetch Rewards in your app store. Use my code ND2TB when you sign up and you’ll score 2000 points after you scan in your first receipt with Fetch Rewards.

If you use my code, I’ll get 2000 points when you do. Win/Win, right? Honestly, my disclosure statement is here. I’m here to help ya’ll save money, not make a million dollars!

Trade-in Your Old iPhone and Earn Cash with Gazelle!

February 27, 2018February 26, 2018Abby H.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Have an old iPhone that you’re no longer using or that you want to upgrade? Trade it in for cash at Gazelle! I’ve done it now three times and it’s a super simple process!

Gazelle makes it so easy to trade-in used iPhones and other smart devices for cash. In fact, it can be done in three easy steps.

• Step 1: Select your iPhone from a list of options on Gazelle’s “Trade-In” page. Simply answer a few questions and Gazelle will provide you with an offer for your device.

• Step 2: For items worth $1 or more, it’s free to ship your device to Gazelle. Once your trade-in is received, the device is inspected to make sure its condition matches your evaluation.

• Payment: If the device matches your description, Gazelle will pay you in the form of a check, an Amazon.com gift card, or via PayPal. Payment takes about a week once Gazelle receives your device.

No other company does as much to help consumers sell their used iPhones or purchase high-quality, gently-used devices as Gazelle. Trade your old iPhone in for cash today!

2/26/18 Meal Plan Monday

February 26, 2018Abby H.

The batteries in my mouse died this morning, and we spent the day running errands, and of course.. I forgot the batteries. So, on the way home from group ABA therapy (which was at Chuck E. Cheese today- Woo hoo!), we finally got batteries!

I’m just posting dinners for our meal plan. The kiddos lately have been having protein pancakes (I like Kodiak Cakes mix- it’s yummy and very versatile) with butter and Peanut butter. Hubs likes Oatmeal (my recipe for an easy almost instant oatmeal mix can be found here) if he’s got time, otherwise he and I have protein shakes. We mix it up, and have different flavors and mix in all kinds of stuff into our shakes, so as not to get bored. Here area few of our favorite recipes.

Lunches for Lil’ Man are usually Peanut butter and crackers, fruit, milk, a protein muffin (aka a kid cupcake), and applesauce cup. He takes his lunch every day! Hubs usually has a protein shake or I pack him leftovers or a frozen entree.

Bitty Bird and I usually have leftovers from the night before, or soup, sandwiches, quesadillas. She eats almost anything!

Monday:

D: Leftover Pizza From Chuck E. Cheese, Applesauce, and carrot sticks.

Tuesday:

D: roasted chicken and veggies- I’ve got tons of marinated chicken in the freezer. I’m trying new combinations of veggies and chicken roasted in the oven.

Weds:

D: Turkey Meatloaf and mashed cauliflower with cheese and caramelized onions.

Thursday:

D: Cheese toast and soup.

Friday:

D: Date Night

Saturday:

D: Family night in- Not sure, but we sometimes have breakfast for dinner (pancakes and eggs)

Sunday:

D: Chef Salad/leftover buffet. I love chef salad because you can just put whatever you’ve got in the fridge in the salad.

The menu may change, as I pull stuff out of the pantry to rotate what we’ve got (I am trying to cut down on waste, and put the older stuff up front to get eaten first).

2/20/18 Meal Plan… Tuesday?

February 20, 2018February 20, 2018Abby H.

The past two days have been CRAZY. Yesterday was a holiday, so.. no school or therapy. In the morning we hosting a rock painting and hiding event. The kids painted, played and had a great time. Then in the afternoon, we went to an afternoon playdate at KidVentures sponsored by NFAR. Afterwards, we were hungry and pooped out from a very busy day of play, so we stopped at Denny’s!

Bitty Bird and I usually have leftovers from the night before, or soup, sandwiches, quesadillas. She eats almost anything!

Monday:

D: Denny’s!

Tuesday:

D: Southwestern Chicken Stew

Weds:

D: Roasted chicken and veggies- I found some cool recipes in the most recent EatingWell Magazine, and this is one.

Thursday:

D: Grilled cheese and soup ( I really want to make soup from scratch- It’s been super cold here lately). Maybe Colonial Chowder, I’ll post the recipe, whatever I choose.

Friday:

D: Date Night- Probably Himalayan food, since we’ve both been craving it.

Saturday:

D:The kids and Daddy are having pizza, I’m going to an influencer event where there will be tasty noms.

Sunday:

D: Chef Salad/leftover buffet

The menu may change, as I pull stuff out of the pantry to rotate what we’ve got (I am trying to cut down on waste, and put the older stuff up front to get eaten first).

Family Recipe: Chicken Divan

February 6, 2018February 5, 2018Abby H.

Chicken Divan is also known as chicken and broccoli casserole, but we just call it yummy at our house. You can bake it in the oven, make it on the stove top, or cook it in the crockpot. I’ll give you all three cooking directions.

My family loves it!

The original recipe calls for rice or noodles, but I use Quinoa.

Chicken Divan

Ingredients:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp butter
4 cups of broccoli (Fresh or frozen, your choice)
2 cups white sauce, or 1 can Progresso Recipe starters (I prefer the roasted garlic, but the mushroom is good too)
3 cups cheese, divided (I like cheddar, but gruyere or swiss is good too)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed or toasted (You can substitute in 1 cup uncooked white rice instead)
2 cups chicken broth or water
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Crockpot

Saute onions in butter on the stove until softened and clear. About 5 minutes.
Place all ingredients except 1/2 c cheese, all water, and quinoa in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. add quinoa and water/broth, turn on crockpot to high for 1-2 hours, or until quinoa is cooked. Top with cheese and serve.

Stovetop:

Saute onions in butter on the stove until softened and clear. About 5 minutes.
Add chicken and continue to cook until chicken is no longer pink.
Add remaining ingredients except 1/2 c cheese, and cook covered on medium/low for 15-25 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the quinoa. Top with cheese and serve.

Oven:

Saute onions in butter on the stove until softened and clear. About 5 minutes.
Add chicken and continue to cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from heat.
Mix in remaining ingredients except 1/2 c cheese, and pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the quinoa. Top with cheese about 10 minutes before it’s ready, and continue to bake.

Serves 6-8.

Never made white sauce? Here is a pretty basic recipe.

You can also substitute in 4 cups Winter Blend (1/2 cauliflower, 1/2 Broccoli), or another veggie that you prefer.

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