food

2/11/2023 Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

I’m sick y’all. I have a sore throat. I can’t speak. I think I might have gargled hot asphalt. I lose my voice about once every few years- I guess it’s my time.

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.

There are some pretty sweet freebies this week- Let’s Dive In!

Freebies:

Free Sample of Decorte Liposome Repair Serum
Free Dude Wipes at Sam’s
Free Member’s Mark Coffee Pods at Sam’s
Free Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream Sample
Free Sour Patch Kids at Select Stores
Free We Stand Together Bracelet, Pin & Window Cling
Free Dior Capture Totale Le Serum Sample
Free Vote Vets America’s Military Sticker
3 Free Magazine Subscriptions
Free Violife Vegan Cheese at Select Stores
Free Costa Coffee Flat White Ready To Drink Iced Coffee
Free Watercolor Heart Frame Craft Event at Michaels
5 Free Wings at Wing & Rings on Sunday
Free Welch’s Juicefuls A Burst of Joy Chatterbox Kit
Free Hartz Home Protection Odor Eliminating Dog Pads
Free Custom Fido Alert Pet ID Tags
Free Anti-Friction Body Powder
Free ThermaCare Heatwrap
Free Sample of La Roche-Posay Toleriane UV SPF Moisturizer
Free Ralph Lauren Polo Blue Fragrance Sample
Free NotCo Plant-Based Burger Patties
Free Medium Coffee at Dunkin in Greater Philadelphia Area
Free Biore Hydrocolloid Acne Patches
Free Coffee or Tea at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Free Verb 10th Anniversary Ghost Oil
Free Mezcla Plant-Based Protein Bars
Teachers – Free Art in the Classroom Posters
Free Small Plate at California Pizza Kitchen
Free Air Wick Essential Mist Starter Kit at Walmart
Free Pepsi Zero Sugar After Rebate
Free Duffle Bag for DSW VIP Members
Free Panda or Sloth Valentine at JCPenney -This Saturday
Free Tiny Tate’s Bake Shop Cookies at Publix
Free Sample of Nexwear Pads

Deals:

Alex and Ani up to 70% Off
Scoop Women’s Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater ONLY $8 (Reg. $34)
Olaplex Hair Products Buy 2 Get 1 Free + Extra Coupon
Smarter Biotin 5000mcg 2pk ONLY $2.26 (Reg. $22.26)
Reebok Walkawhile Women’s Shoes ONLY $26.99 (Reg. $60)
George Men’s Synthetic Pull On Short ONLY $4 (Reg. $15.98)
Little Tikes Cozy Ice Cream Truck ONLY $62.99 (Reg. $119.99)
Kate Spade Mulberry Street Lise Satchel ONLY $89 (Reg $379)
Hair Biology Hair Care ONLY $6 (Reg. $9.99)
Cuisinart 12pc Knife Set ONLY $14.99 (Reg. $50) + Free Shipping

2/4/2023 Weekend Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

Yesterday was my birthday, and I got to celebrate with my kiddos and mom. I had dinner with a friend, and in true Gen X style, we went to the mall after dinner.

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.

There are some pretty sweet freebies this week- Let’s Dive In!

Freebies

Free Blue Buffalo Bluephoria Treats Chatterbox
Free Terra Origin Nutraceutical Supplements & Powder Samples
Free Starburst at Select Stores
Free BIC EasyRinse Razors at Walmart After Cashback
Free Llama Stickers
Free Super Bowl LVII Prep Party Weekend Event at Lowe’s
Free Gratsy Box
Free Pitaya Foods Jackfruit Bite-Sized Pieces
Free Joyce Meyer Talk It Out Journal
Free Sample Pack of Vitafol Ultra Prenatal Vitamins
Free Drinks at Panera
Free Duffle Bag for DSW VIP Members
Free Sample of Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum
Free Froyo at TCBY on Feb. 6th
Free Zyfe Soap Sample
Free Box of Cure Hydration at Walgreens After Rebate
Free Subscription to Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
Free Pitaya Foods Watermelon Bite-Sized Pieces
Free 3-Pack of Aqulius Safety Glasses
Free Lollipops
Verizon Up Rewards – 100 Free Starbucks Stars
Free Mush Overnight Oats at Sprouts
Free Happy Hippo Kratom Sample
Free 30-Day Sample of Ubiquinol CoQ10 Softgels
Free Moonshot Organic Crackers
Free Pizza from 7-Eleven for the Big Game on 2/12
Free Cannabiva CBD Sample
Free Goodles Mac & Cheese
Free RESPAWN by 5 Gum at Circle K After Rebate
Pork Products Class Action Settlement
Free Museum Admission – Bank of America/Merril Lynch Cardholders
Free Cheez-It Puff’d at Sam’s
Free Michel Germain Sexual Noir Eau de Parfum Sample
Free Pitaya Foods Avocado Bite-Sized Pieces

 

Deals

Disney Princess Kid’s Tent ONLY $26.97 (Reg. $50.98)
Dr. Brown’s Newborn Gift Set ONLY $69.99 (Reg. $99.99)
Battery Daddy Storage Case & Battery Tester ONLY $9.99 (Reg $20)
VTech Pop-a-Balls Push Bulldozer ONLY $15.49 (Reg. $27.99)
Crayola Sprinkle Art Shaker ONLY $16.06 (Reg. $26.19)
Cadet Gourmet Triple Chews ONLY $1.81 (Reg. $6.50)
Sweet Seams Soft Rag Doll Minnie Mouse Set ONLY $5.72 (Reg. $20)
70% Off Muk Luks ONLY $9.99

National Soup Day is February 4th!

Abby H.

February 4th is National Soup Day! This is probably one of my favorite days of the year.

Soup is an inexpensive, filling meal. It works with any dietary restrictions, and you can cook it on the stove or in a crockpot.

Here are just a few of my favorite soup recipes:

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

Recipe: My Favorite Pasta Salad!

Abby H.

In my recent post about hosting a mermaid-themed party, I mentioned that we will be serving pasta salad.

One of the things that I love about pasta salad is that it’s so flexible.

Basically, all you need is a pound of pasta (your choice) cooked per package directions, drained, and rinsed. After that, whatever you add is up to you.

  • I use 1 cup of dressing to start. Usually, I use zesty Italian-type dressing, but if you are a pesto lover, 1 jar/can of pesto and a few tablespoons of your favorite oil (I like avocado oil) is excellent. Red or green pesto, whatever your preference is. If you are serving vegetarians, avoid red pesto because it contains anchovies.
  • 1 cup of diced cheese- Mozzarella, or mozzarella pearls, or cut up a couple string cheese sticks.
  • 2 cups vegetables, cut into bite-size pieces.  Bell peppers, broccoli, black olives, tomatoes (either grape or cherry), and fresh, shelled peas are some of my favorites.
  • Optional, but tasty: a bunch of fresh basil, cut into ribbons (chiffonade).

Mix all ingredients together, and store in a tightly closed container for at least 4-6 hours prior to serving.

This recipe serves about 8-10 as a side dish, less as a main dish. If you need to add meat to this, as a can or 2 pouches of chunk tuna, drained and rinsed.

Planning a Mermaid/Under the Sea Themed Party? Dollar Tree To The Rescue!

Abby H.

I’m working on planning a mermaid-themed party for a certain little girl in my house. Thankfully, Dollar Tree has some great supplies on the cheap! These are available in-store and online.

First off, check out these cool iridescent shell-shaped eggs. Perfect for hiding candy or tiny gifts like bracelets or rings. In the store, there are a lot of beaded necklaces, like there.

There are mermaid-themed party paper goods too. Plates, cups, and napkins. One thing I love about Dollar Tree is that with the rising costs of everything, I’m able to host cute themed parties and stay on budget.

I’m loving these cute mermaid buckets, they would be great for goodie baskets. If you aren’t sure what to put in them, I’d suggest mermaid facial masks, nail polish in “mermaid” colors- there are tons of colors in stores, mermaid tail shaped hand soaps,  Nail art sets, nail files (there are ocean/mermaid themed ones in the stores, and bath bombs- some stores have mermaid tail-shaped bath bombs. All locations have bath bombs in various scents and sizes.

Don’t forget to hit up the home decor area to look for beach, ocean, and mermaid themed signs.

As for snacks and menu, we’ll be serving:

  • Strawberry lemonade, complete with frozen strawberries (available in the stores) as our beverage.
  • Cold Pasta Salad using shell pasta (recipe is forthcoming)
  • Goldfish crackers
  • Fresh Fruit cut into star shapes- Watermelon, pineapple, apple (with a hole cut in the middle where I remove the apple core)

I love using the plastic “crystal” serving ware from Dollar Tree too. It makes the party look fancy, without worrying about little hands breaking anything special or vintage.

And for those wondering, we only invite 4-6 of Bitty’s good friends to parties. I can’t have a house full of 20+ kiddos. My neighbors would never forgive me. We may have a viewing of The Little Mermaid while we eat.

And of course, I’ll be making invitations on Canva for free, saving the image as a PDF, and either printing them out to hand out or emailing them to friends parents/guardians.

2023 Birthday Freebies!

Abby H.1 Comment

I’ve been working on this list off and on for over a month. The birthday freebies are starting to trickle into my inbox. Sadly, there aren’t many additions this year, and there are more than a few previous offers/deals that are no longer available.

Remember to read the fine print for these offers. Most of them are for adults, ages 18+ (19 in some states). Some offers require the coupon/offer be printed out, and some you can just show your phone.

This guinea pig is ready for some freebies.

First off, if you live in CA, OR, FL, NY, SC, AZ, WA, and NV, check out  eBirthdayClub. There are TONS of great freebies on this site.

Non-food Birthday Goodies:

Free Food Birthday Goodies:

  • Roundtable Pizza: Download their app, sign up for their rewards, and they will add a free personal pan pizza and 20 oz soda for your birthday (Received in 2023)
  • Red Robin:  FREE burger on your birthday and all the latest Red Robin news.
  • Rubio’s   Free plate/combo (You have to download their app)
  • Del Taco  Free Shake (You also get something free when you sign up!)
  • Starbucks – Download their app and get a free birthday handcrafted beverage of your choice on your birthday only.
  • Baskin Robbins– Download their app, and you can receive a small scoop of ice cream for your birthday.
  • Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – Free single scoop.
  • Sonic Drive-in: Free Medium beverage.
  • Denny’s: Free Grand Slam for your Birthday. They also email out other freebies and coupons.
  • IHOP: Free Meal (It varies by year) on your birthday.
  • Arby’s Birthday Club: Offers a “surprise” it changes each year.
  • Dunkin Donuts Birthday Club will kick down with a free coffee.
  • Bj’s Brewhouse– Rewards members receive a free Pizookie for their birthday.
  • Jersey Mike’s: Free Sub for your Birthday! (No matter what you read online, there is no Subway or Submarina birthday Freebies- Those deals are DEAD)
  • Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt: When you sign up for a Smile-age Account, you’ll score a free Fro Yo for your B-day!  (I love Menchie’s!) Received in 2023
  • Nothing Bundt Cakes: Join their email list and receive a FREE Bundlet on your Birthday. (look for the link at the bottom of their website) Received in 2023
  • Sbarro Rewards Club: Free piece of pizza for your birthday when you purchase a drink. You’ll also get a coupon for a free slice when you sign up.
  • Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt: Free Frozen Yogurt on your birthday.
  • Sprinkles: Get a free cupcake for your birthday when you join the Sprinkles birthday club.
  • Bruegger’s Bagels gives you three free bagels for your birthday. SCORE! Our family eats tons of bagels, so this is a sweet deal.
  • D Z Akins
  • Mary’s Donuts– East County peeps know what I’m talking about! Free drink and TWO Donuts!
  • Habit Burger Grill’s CharClub Score a free Charburger on your birthday.  Received in 2023
  • Panera– Sign up for MyPanera and get a free pastry or sweet on your birthday.
  • El Pollo Loco- Sign up for Loco Rewards to get a FREE birthday meal (2pc Chicken Meal or Classic Chicken Tostada Salad.)!

And as always-

There are tons of other birthday freebie lists, but they may include offers that are not available here or may include stuff that I don’t consider worth it (like a free Rice Krispy treat when you buy an entree that’s $10+, looking at you Noodles & Co.  That’s a hard pass from me, or the Aveda “freebie”- pay $10 and receive a product valued at $23+… No thanks).

Another deal that everyone and their mama go nuts about is Benihana Japanese Restaurant – a complimentary meal up to $30 when you purchase an Adult meal at Regular Price (You must sign up for The Chef’s Table club). This used to be a FREE meal, no strings attached, but it has changed to basically a BOGO. That’s a no go for me, but it may still get you excited.

I have not included Ulta in my list because you have to make a purchase the year previous (and it needs to be a certain amount- I’ve been told different amounts by various Ulta Employees anywhere from $5-$50), so for me, that’s not a freebie. If I have to buy something to receive something, that’s a BOGO deal.

January 2023: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

Parmesan Crisps by Joyfull Bakery
Cruelty-Free Body Wash by The Seaweed Bath Co.
Premium Sparkling Tea by Sparkling Botanicals
Kids Juice Drink by PLEZI
Plant-Based Milk by Koita Foods
Meatless Nuggets by Quorn Foods
Plant-based Chicken Alternative by Sweet Earth Foods

And More!

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, and meat-free foods frequently.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck, there are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

1/14/2023 Weekend Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

I started this post last night, but then I had to scurry to prep for all the rain we are getting over the next few days. For some reason, all of the umbrellas are in the detached garage? Who knows.

This week has been busy with work, appointments, and applying for some big campaigns for the blog, including several that will feature giveaways!

Don’t forget all of the 2022 Birthday Freebies! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday. I am currently on the hunt for new 2023 birthday freebies!

Freebies:

Free Koita Foods Plant-based Milk
Free Neora Health, Skincare or Hair Care Samples
Teachers – Free Panda Express Awards & Coupons
Free Coffee at Royal Farms Every Monday
10 Free Chuck E. Cheese’s Tokens
Free Item at Taco Bell
Free Stevia In The Raw Sample
Free Set of CWPPRA Postcards
Free You Are Here Bookmarks
Free Subscription to Elle Decor Magazine
Free Lane Bryant Gift Card Giveaway
Free 2-Year Subscription to Sports Illustrated
Free Sample of Hartz Delectables Licking Cat Treats
Free Natru Care Skincare Sample
Free Sunwink Sparkling Tonic
Free CanDo Keto Krisp Protein-Rich Snack Bars at Walmart
Free ZENB Gluten Free Pasta Recipes
Free Sample of CeraVe AM Moisturizing Lotion with Sunscreen
Free Sour Patch Kids at Select Stores
Free Hanalei Lip Balms
Free Sample of Bio-Kult Probiotic
Free belVita Blueberry Breakfast Biscuits at Sam’s
Free HOP WTR After Rebate
Free Sandwich with the Potbelly App
Free Pretzel with Ben’s Pretzels App
Free Decoupage Mason Jar at Michaels
Free Box of Cure Hydration at Walmart After Rebate
Free Stitch Your Own Penguin Pillow at JCPenney
Free Iced Coffee Maker
Free 2023 Our Lady Calendar
Free Free2b Foods Allergy Friendly Chocolate Cups
Free Skinny Pop Jalapeno Popcorn at Sam’s
Free Mekhala Organic Cooking Pastes
Free Quorn Foods Meatless Nuggets
Free Kerasal Multi-Purpose Nail Repair + Electric File Kit
Free Pepsi Zero Sugar After Rebate
Free Self-Serve Drink at QuikTrip

How I’m Saving Time and Money in 2023 and Beyond!

Abby H.

I’m posting a lot less these days because I now have a full-time job outside the house, and y’all- I’m freaking exhausted at the end of the day. weekends are spent doing family stuff (mostly playing with legos and drawing), and doing kid activities like martial arts and girl scouts.

I wanted to share with you some ways you can save money, score freebies, and even earn some money each month without running all over town, spending hours of time doing little penny surveys, or scanning your entire grocery order to earn points for junk (looking at you Neilson panel).

This is how I’ve been doing it for years, and now that I have even less time, I’m leaning on these more.

Automate

  •  Use the calendar in your phone to remind you of appointments, neighborhood free food distributions, sales, and even coupon events: I seriously put the Bath and Body Works coupon dates in my calendar so I remembered to use them.
  • I bought a subscription to  Yasukochi Family Farms CSA boxes. This way my fresh fruit and veggies are delivered to my door each week.
  • Set up auto-shipments for most needed household items. Vitamins/supplements, specialized food, and even pet food. There are all sorts of companies that offer this service including Amazon, Chewy, and Vitacost are just a few.
  • I order from Dream Dinners once or twice a quarter. Now that they have lower minimum orders, I can grab a few favorites and try a new meal with greater ease. I order online, and pickup is so easy- I drive up and they deliver to my car!

Organize

  • I reorganized the kitchen over Winter Break. I have printables available for free. If you are interested, please drop me an email and I can send them to you. They print in color or black and white.
  • I meal plan weekly. I may not have time to post them on the blog each week, but I’ll still have pics up on Instagram each week- it helps keep me accountable. I spend about an hour on Monday evenings meal prepping fruit and veggies that come in our weekly CSA box.
  • For more organization tips that work in our home, check out my post about managing a household with neurodivergencies here.

Disconnect

  • This one is hard, but I am trying to consume only meaningful media. Don’t be afraid to disconnect from Social Media Platforms, people, or advertising that does not serve you or your life. Unfollow people and brands, delete or pause apps as you see fit. Engage with media in a manner that serves you and fulfills you. Do what feeds your soul and makes you a better person.
  • Unsubscribe from emails that don’t serve you. It will make your inbox smaller and you won’t miss information and freebies that you actually want. In my case, it’s freebies from Social Nature, PinchMe, and research study invitations.
  • In the same vein, I am trying to consume less physical media, specifically, mail and advertisements. If I don’t see sales, I won’t be tempted to shop. Junk mail and sale fliers go directly into the recycling can next to our group mailbox.

Saving Money

This is the big one, the reason you wanted to read this post. All of the above will help you save money, but here are a few specific ways that I use to save money on top of all of the above.

  • Use the notes section on my phone to keep a running list of our stockpiles: Toiletries, laundry soap, canned goods, and paper products.
  • Use the notes section of my phone to keep a running grocery list for the week. As we run low on items, I add them to my list. Right now I shop at three stores: Food4less, Grocery Outlet, and Dollar Tree (for specific items that are cheaper there). Unless I have coupons or freebie offers for other stores-usually from Social Nature, I stick to those three. At this point with inflation, we eat meat once or twice a week.
  • Use money saving/rebate apps. My list is here, and it’s pretty up-to-date. Fetch, Ibotta, and Shopkick are my go-to apps, and they yield me the biggest payouts.

 

12/24/2022 Weekend Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

Howdy friends! I hope your week went well. I had yesterday off and I tie-dyed some shirts and spent the day playing with legos with the kids.

The freebies and deals are late this week- but there are some pretty cool offers this week.

Don’t forget all of the 2022 Birthday Freebies! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday. I will be updating for 2023 mid- January.

Freebies:

Free $5 for QDOBA
Free 5-Pack of Saved by the Bell Air Fresheners
5 Free L’Oreal Samples
Free 8×10 Photo Print at Walgreens
Free Ocean’s Halo Organic Wakame & Kombu Snacks
McDonald’s SZN of Sharing Daily Deals, Free Food & Merch
Free Subscription to HGTV Magazine
Free Key at a MinuteKEY Kiosk
Free AIR WICK Essential Mist Diffuser Starter Kit
Earn Extra Money for the Holidays from Home
Free L’Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Sample
Free NatureMary Face Oil Sample – Back Again

Deals:

Vaseline Lotion ONLY $1.61 (Reg. $4.49)
Dyson Vacuums up to 40% Off
Target Last Chance for Gifts – Order by 6pm for Store Pickup
Lauren Conrad Jewelry Sets Only $7.99 + Free Store Pickup
Macy’s Gifts Under $15 + Free Store Pickup, Order by 3pm
Kohl’s Under $15 Last Minute Gifts + Store Pickup, Order by 1pm