free

Veteran’s Day 2022 Freebies

Abby H.1 Comment

Veteran’s Day is next week, and this year there are some pretty cool.

Some of these offers require proof of service either via a Military ID Card (active duty or retired) or a DD214.

Since I’m in So Cal, I choose to post offers that are available in my area, however, there are tons more offers available if you live elsewhere in the US. I suggest googling, “Veteran’s Day 2022 and your location”.

As always, contact the local restaurant/store before heading out to confirm that your local locations are participating.

Non-food freebies

  • Grace For Vets – Free Car Wash
  • Great Clips – Free Haircut or Haircut Card
  • Sports Clips – Free haircuts for active-duty military and veterans
  • National Parks All U.S. National Parks will be offering free admission to the public on Veteran’s Day.
  • SeaWorld Parks offer free admission to the active and retired military (plus up to 3 dependents) through their Waves of Honor program.
  •  True REST Float Spa: On Nov. 11, True REST Float Spa will close every location to the public and invite retired military to float for 60-minutes, free of charge. True REST Float Spa recommends veterans who would like to float on Nov. 11 make an appointment soon by visiting TrueRest.com/free-floats-for-military-veterans. Individuals must bring a form of military identification to their appointment, such as a D.D. Form 214. True REST has a total of 37 open locations across 22 states, with some locations having up to six float pods equipped with showers, changing rooms, an oxygen bar and an oasis room to elevate the spa-like experience.

Care Packages for those deployed:

Thank you to all service members who have served and continue to serve. And thank you to the family members of those who have served and continue to serve.

 

Talk Back: If you know of any Freebies for Veterans, please leave a comment below!

Tryazon Exploding Kittens Holiday Game Night – Dec 9-10, 2022

Abby H.


We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

I’m A Little Crabby is a game of secret hand signals, suspicious friends, and hidden identities. Pick a partner and establish a secret signal, then collect a set of four matching cards. Hide everything and suspect everyone in this game of secret signals.

Poetry for Neanderthals is a family-friendly party game similar to Taboo where players earn points by getting their teammates to guess words and phrases. The catch is that the “Neanderthal Poets” are only allowed to use single syllable words. If they use any words with more than one syllable, the other team gets to bop them with a 2-foot inflatable club!

Tryazon has a combined total of 750 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive one of the two party packs from Exploding kittens with games and other extras to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here.

10/4/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

It’s so cold this morning! I’m wearing two sweaters while I type this. I’ve got a fun busy weekend planned, and I’m surer there will be all sorts of pics on my Instagram.

I’ve got some great freebies and deals for you this week, and today should be chock full of posts too!

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.

Freebies:

Free Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Dry Food Chatterbox
Free Coca-Cola Activity Booklet at Select Stores
Free Soda, Energy Drink, Turkey Sub & Fries at Sheetz
Free So Good So You Product
Free Mother Raw Organic Plant-Based Dips
Free Nativity Christmas Cards
Free Glytone Skincare Product
Free Member’s Mark Better Nut Bar at Sam’s
Free Beauty Products & More with Topbox Circle
Free Downy Unstopables & Tide Pods at Sam’s
Free Corona Refresca House Party Pack
Free Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Milk Butter
Free Pretzel with the Wetzel’s Pretzel App
Free Subscription to GQ Magazine
Target Baby Registry – Free Welcome Kit In-Stores
Free L’Oreal Revitalift 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum Sample
10 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Subscription to Fortune Magazine
Free Subscription to Esquire Magazine
Free Health Supplements
Free Sample of La Roche-Posay Toleriane UV SPF Moisturizer
Free NotCo Plant-Based Chicken Patties

Deals: 

Timberland Boots & Shoes are 60% Off + EXTRA 15% Off
Here is How to NEVER Miss a Black Friday Deal or Freebie
Kate Spade Ivy Street Amy Crossbody ONLY $49 (Reg $198)
Wet n Wild Highlighting Powder ONLY $2.99 (Reg $6)
Paw Patrol Little Red Rescue Box ONLY $5.34 (Reg $15)
Our Table 16-Piece Turkey Carving Board Set ONLY $40 (Reg $80)
One Day Sale – 40-60% OFF at Macy’s
70-Piece Boxed Christmas Ornaments ONLY $20.99 (Reg $54)
Sun Zero Single Curtain Panel ONLY $6.35 (Reg $25)

2022 Holiday Resources

Abby H.

I will be updating this post as more information becomes available.  This year is very light on programs that are open to anyone, so I recommend that you lean on your community resources:

  • If you receive WIC or SNAP benefits, check in with your social worker to see if they have any information on holiday help programs. Events like Toys for Joy are being held on a referral basis only. You have to receive an invitation from the event to attend. These are being given out by social workers and those with connections to the group.
  • If you attend church/synagogue/mosque, check with your religious leader or the secretary/office staff. They may have referrals to programs offering holiday help.
  • Check with your kids’ school. Talk to the school counselor, resource teacher, or school secretary.
  • If you frequent local food charities or co-op’s, they may have some resources on holiday events or toy giveaways.

Here is my monthly list of free food opportunities within San Diego County. Many of the food pantries also have special holiday distributions, so it is worth a call to find out of any additional food or gift distributions will be done.

As of now, I am not aware of any free Christmas tree giveaways, however, as I gather more information, I will update this post.

  • The Salvation Army does an Angel Tree program to gather gifts for children in need. For more information about this program, contact your local Salvation Army location.
  • 211 San Diego has a listing of all sorts of holiday assistance from food to toys, and events- all free. Some programs/events require proof of need, but not all.

santeesantas.pngIf you live in Santee and need help with food and gifts for the holiday, contact Santee Santas. You can download and print forms, check into eligibility (it is income-based and they are very strict from what I’ve been told), and see what forms you need in addition to the application here.

The window to apply for Santee Santas is closing in a few weeks, so if you want to apply, I recommend checking their website TODAY and apply ASAP.

Talk Back: If you know of any CONFIRMED free local holiday events in 2022, please leave a comment. 

 

Free Food Resources for November 2022(San Diego County)

Abby H.1 Comment

A new month means a reminder about all of the free food options there is here in San Diego County.

Because of the upcoming holidays, you may notice that some locations will be advertising additional distributions or special Thanksgiving or Winter Holiday meal giveaway events. As information about these events becomes available, I will be sharing them.

Keep in mind there are still supply chain issues, so there may not be a lot of food at some distributions, especially those that serve a large portion of the community.

I recommend showing up a little early with a bottle of water and a book and waiting in line. Time passes quickly in these lines, and it’s a great time to learn from others about community food options. Remember to socially distance and follow local masking regulations.

You can find resources here for Central and East County, and Here for North County.

The Rock Church, which has many locations all over San Diego County has a food and diaper pantry distribution at many of its locations throughout the month. More info can be found here.

Our friends at Faith Chapel are super ahead of the game and sent out information regarding their 2022 food distributions early on in the year.

If you are located outside San Diego County, call 211. If you are not familiar with 211, here is their website and it can point you in the right direction.

San Diego Food Bank Distributions for November 2022 can be found here. Enter your address (or just your zip code) and the map will show you all of the distributions in your area or closest to you. You can filter by the days of the week to find food when you are available. If there is an income requirement/limit to participate, each location/listing will say such. You can learn more here about the Feeding San Diego Together Tour.

Neighbor distributions are intermixed with the San Diego Food Bank Distributions, however, they have no income requirements, and you come as you are. These Distributions are primarily fruits & veg, however, some locations may also distribute canned goods, dairy, and bread.

If you know of other resources, please leave a comment! And feel free to share this post with anyone you may know in need.

Freebies from Sprouts!

Abby H.

Their official free sampling program from Sprouts is gone, however, I found out on Reddit this morning that are several freebies available through the Sprouts app!

I was able to snag the following:

  • Ardor Sparkling Water

  • Milton’s Cauliflower Crust Pizza

  • Happi Foodi Chicken Keto Bowl

  • Miss Jones Baking Co. Mix

  • FAGE Sour Cream

Open up your Sprouts app and see if there is anything available to you.

If you don’t have the app, check out their website here.

10/31/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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I’m hoping this week starts an easy descent into the end of 2022. This year has been rough, and I really need some rest.

We are finishing up with TBS therapy at about the end of the year, and it’s really been helpful for the whole family, especially the big kid. It’s been a big part of our lives over the past few months.

I went to the grocery store on Friday night. I didn’t do much meal prep this week. I was exhausted from all the driving and other work I’d done last week. So this week is going to be a lot of low-effort meals. This would be a great week for Dream Dinners, but I didn’t have time to place an order for October.

We’ll be eating a lot of vegetarian/low-meat meals this week. With the ever-increasing cost of groceries, we’re leaning on pantry staples and what’s in the freezer again for this week.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Protein shakes, fruit, and toast (and trick or treating)

  • Tuesday: Beans, Rice, and cheese bowls with roasted veggies

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday:  Pasta with red sauce, spinach salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:    Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

10/28/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

This week has been a doozy friends. I’ve been driving the big kid up to and home from camp all week, in addition to working and momming. It’s about a 45 minute drive each way in the morning, and in the afternoon there is traffic, so it’s up to an hour each way. Ah, the things we do for our kiddos.

I’ve got some great freebies and deals for you this week, and today should be chock full of posts too!

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.

Freebies:

Free Perfect Bar After Rebte
Free RIND Snacks Product at Select Stores
Free Hallmark Card Every Month
Free Bulgari Le Gemme Tygar Fragrance Sample
Cotton Patch Cafe -Dress Like a Chicken & Get a Free Dessert
25 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Sample of Creed Aventus for Her
Free Bloomingdale’s Dior Little Beauty Box
Free Box of Cappello’s Ravioli at Select Stores
Free Prada Paradoxe Fragrance Sample
Free Haircut for Vets & Military at Great Clips
Free Josh Cellars Reserve Personalized Wine Bottle Labels
Free Clusterbucks Superfood Snack
Free Member’s Mark Coffee Pods at Sam’s
Free Sesame Street Fire Safety Color & Learn Activity Book
Free Subscription to Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
Free MA Novelty Treats Boutique Stickers
Free Sadler’s Smokehouse Brisket Burnt Ends
Free La Roche-Posay Anthelios UV Correct Sunscreen Sample
Free Yogi Tea Samples
Free Michele’s Granola
Free Books, Journals, Stickers & More
Free ELF Primer or Serum
Free Walmart Welcome Baby Registry Box
Free Lupii Plant-Based Protein Bar
Free Copy of the Jiffy Mix Recipe Booklet
Free Meal & Drink for Military at BJ’s on Nov. 11th
Free 4-Pack BioSteel Sports Drink at Select Stores
Free 4pk of Chick-n-Minis at Chick-fil-A
Free Doughnut & Coffee for 1st Responders at Krispy Kreme
Free Bag of Chubby Snacks After Rebate
Free BrightFarms Crunch Kit Salad After Rebate
Free Pantene Daily Moisture Renewa at Select Stores
Free La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Sunscreen Sample

 

iPhone 14 Pro Max Case ONLY 12.99 (Reg. $59.99)

Picky Kitty Game ONLY $5.70 (Reg. $29.99)

NINJA Foodi Digital Fry Convection Oven ONLY $89.99 (Reg $200)

Gabbys Dollhouse Bakey with Cakey Oven ONLY $17.99 (Reg. $29.99)

Women’s Plus Size Puffer Vest ONLY $27.96 (Reg $70)

Kid’s Ball Pit ONLY $9 (Reg. $35)

LeapFrog 100 Words About Places ONLY $7.87 (Reg $20)

Cotton Hammock w/ Stand and Carry Bag ONLY $50.78 (Reg $140)

Portable Lightweight Folding Table ONLY $38.05 (Reg $68)

Victoria’s Secret PINK Panties 10 for $35

 

Deals:

iPhone 14 Pro Max Case ONLY 12.99 (Reg. $59.99)
Picky Kitty Game ONLY $5.70 (Reg. $29.99)
NINJA Foodi Digital Fry Convection Oven ONLY $89.99 (Reg $200)
Gabbys Dollhouse Bakey with Cakey Oven ONLY $17.99 (Reg. $29.99)
Women’s Plus Size Puffer Vest ONLY $27.96 (Reg $70)
Kid’s Ball Pit ONLY $9 (Reg. $35)
LeapFrog 100 Words About Places ONLY $7.87 (Reg $20)
Cotton Hammock w/ Stand and Carry Bag ONLY $50.78 (Reg $140)
Portable Lightweight Folding Table ONLY $38.05 (Reg $68)
Victoria’s Secret PINK Panties 10 for $35

10/24/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

 

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpg

This week is going to be a lot of time in the car. The big kid’s school has 6th-grade camp this week, but because of the nighttime medication he takes, it’s better if he comes home each night.  SDo I will be driving him to and from camp (about a 50-mile round trip) each morning and afternoon.

That means no therapy appointments this week, which is great because I’m getting a little run ragged.

I went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon and meal prepped yesterday for this week. We had a lot of veggies and fruit left over from the week before, so I made a big fruit salad and 2 trays of roasted veggies.

We’ll be eating a lot of vegetarian/low meat meals this week. With the ever increasing cost of groceries, we’re leaning on pantry staples and what’s in the freezer. Luckily I’ve got so good stuff stashed away.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

For those of you that are new to meal planning, I’ve got an easy 101 style post here with super easy tips and steps. After you get that down, here is info about batch or freezer cooking.

I’ve gotten a pretty good inventory of the pantry, freezer, and fridge done (I try to update it after every shopping trip), so I’m able to plan meals and use up what we’ve got with little waste.

I only post our dinner plans for the week, because our other meals are usually the same each day.

Breakfast: Coffee with 1/2 and 1/2  for me, and pancakes or something along those lines for the kids. They are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid will have lunch at camp every day this week and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Roasted veggie frittata, homemade bread

  • Tuesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, Roasted Veggies, rice (didn’t make this last week)

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday:  Taco Soup, quesadillas

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:    Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

10/21/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

Halloween is in 10 days! Woo hoo! I’m making costumes for the kids this weekend, and I’ll have photos up on Instagram as I get them finished. I’m stoked to have a weekend of creativity ahead of me.

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.

Freebies:

Free Everything Legendary Plant-Based Burgers After Rebate
Free Bliss CBD Sparkling Water
Free Childrens Hospitals Week Bandages
Free Energy Health Supplements
Free Car Care Check at GoodYear
Free Kids Halloween Beanie at Big Lots
Free Sample of Enfagrow Toddler Formula
Free Sample of Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia
Free BISSELL Vacuum
Free Build-A-Bubble Party Pack
Free Dude Wipes at Sam’s
Free Children’s Toothbrush Kit
Free Witch Hazel Skincare Sample
Free Hot Dog at Dog Haus
Free Softsoap Body Wash
Free Glossier Cloud Paint Sample
Free WD-40 Specialist Gel Lube Sample
Free BabyCozy Diapers Sample
Free Playtex Clean Comfort Tampons
Free Sample of Dickinson Deep Cleansing Astringent
Free Shiseido Hydro Master Gel
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Free Kids Book Every Month
Free $5 Off $5 at Ace Hardware = Free Item
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer
JCPenney Portraits – Free 8×10 for Military Families
35 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free House Defender VR Game for Oculus Quest

Deals:

Old Navy Halloween Bodysuits 3-Pack ONLY $9.97 (Reg $30)
Today Only: $25 Women’s Cozy Sweaters at Old Navy
VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam ONLY $33.74 (Reg $70)
Genuine Dickies Men’s Hooded Shirt Jacket ONLY $29.99 (Reg $70)
Pyrex 22-Piece Food Storage Set ONLY $25.49 (Reg $60)
Ulta Beauty: Save 50% Off Drybar, Gimme Beauty & More
Crystal Pendant Necklace & Stud Earrings Set ONLY $8.95
3-Piece Matte Liquid Lipstick Set ONLY $6.99 (Reg $14)
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
LCD 10-Inch Writing Tablet ONLY $16.99 (Reg $30)
Mainstays Student Desk ONLY $39 (Reg $69)
Cuddl Duds Flannel Sheet Set ONLY $25.49 (Reg $60)
Door Closer 2-Pack ONLY $9.92 (Reg $38)