Smart & Final Now has and App and Digital Coupons!

Smart and Final, a California based grocery store has entered the 21st century! We have one close by, so it’s our go-to for milk or other mid-week items. They are known for having club-sized items without having to join a club, and they have a lot of foodservice sized products.

In their store flyer for this week, there was an ad for their new app, complete with a 15% off coupon when you download their app and clip the digital coupon! Woo Hoo!

Once you sign up and add your phone number and email, download the app from wherever you get apps. You can log on and you’ll find the usual manufacturer coupons, but you’ll also find these sweet coupons:

The Pepsi coupon snuck in there, but 15% off, and savings on eggs (valid in CA only, other states may get other coupons instead) are both great.

I don’t really do much paper couponing these days unless it’s coupons I receive in the mail (usually from Social Nature), so saving money at Smart and Final has been limited to apps like Ibotta and Fetch Rewards in the past. And with the prices of food going up, this 15% off coupon could be a great way to save if you need to start your year off with a large shopping trip. And you can combine that coupon with others, so you can still clip other digital coupons, and use rebate apps too!

Tips for Getting a Deal on Glasses!

Kids are rough on everything, including glasses. The big kid usually goes through 1-2 pairs a year, just in day-to-day wear and tear (and being a 10-year-old boy). Luckily I’ve found some ways to save money on glasses and I thought I’d share.

1- Take advantage of existing vision insurance. Look on the back of your kid’s health insurance card to find out which company handles the vision coverage, or give your child’s health insurance carrier a call. My kids receive one eye exam and 1 free pair of glasses per year. I’m not sure if it’s available in all states.

2-If you need help getting glasses or vision exams for your kids, check out Vision to Learn. They operate in 13 states and partner with the Boys and Girls Club, offering free eye exams and eyeglasses for kids. If you aren’t in a state where they operate, check out InfantSEE.  They offer Kids 6 months-1 year a free eye exam.

If you are 65+, you can obtain a free eye exam from Eye Care America.

3- Onto the deals. Once you have your prescription in hand, check out online stores like Abbe glasses. They have great deals on frames and lenses. I scored two pairs of glasses for under $50 for the big kid with their BOGO sale. ILoveGlasses also has good deals as well. Both of these companies are great for budget-conscious families. If you are looking for something a little higher-end (or for grown-ups), I also like Warby Parker.

They have a great glasses try-on program, and they also sell Contacts. In fact, they have a free contact offer.

Having used Warby Parker before, their glasses are great, and their service is amazing! We bought glasses online, and later when they needed to be adjusted (helpful tip: Don’t roughhouse with kids when you are wearing glasses), we took them to our local Warby Parker store and they “tuned up” the glasses FOR FREE!

And if you are wondering what to do with all of the old eyeglasses in your house that are no longer your current prescription…. The Lions Club helps recycle eyeglasses and get them into the hands of the needy. You can find out more about how and where to recycle your unwanted eyeglasses here.  I also recommend checking with your local optometrist’s office. They frequently partner with local Lion’s Clubs to collect old glasses. You could help a person in need get the glasses they can’t afford!

What are your tips for saving on glasses and contacts?

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1/3/2022 Weekly Meal Plan!

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI did a big year-end fridge/freezer/pantry cleanout (did you know White Claw expires?) last week and we were in need of a lot of groceries.

I had a big shopping week, including a trip to Costco to pick up some staples, and of course… a rotisserie chicken.

We finished up the week yesterday consuming leftovers. And I prepared a pot of chicken stock to make chicken soup today.

We are back on the CSA train- We need some fresh produce in our lives and I hate carrying more groceries upstairs!

Veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal.

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. The Ancient Grain bagels from Einstein Bros. are the current family favorite. I pick them up on Mondays when a dozen is only $7. I slice them and freeze them to keep them from going bad too quickly.

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. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’ve got some tasty (and quick) meals planned for this week! It’s going to be cold this next week, so Soup will be on the menu a few times. I’ll make big batches and freeze the extra.

Please stay safe you guys!

TikTok “Side Hustles” Tested (so you don’t have to).

This post has been like 6 months in the making. It really took me that long to try a majority of these “easy side hustles” as so many are advertised on TikTok.

Disclaimer: Most of these are fairly easy, however, they do take time, and many of them have high payouts, so it will take time to earn enough to cash out. If you wanted to make a go of it and work through several of these sites, you could make good money. But keep in mind there are a lot of people doing the same thing, so there may not be a lot of tasks or potential jobs/freelance opportunities in your area. Also, these are all independent contractor positions, meaning if you earn over $600 per site, you will have to pay taxes on earnings (I’m not a tax guru, consult yours with specific questions).

Some other suggestions that TikToker’s had to earn money:

  • Manage a Bird.com fleet (Those are the electric scooters- they are only available in limited areas)
  • Sell with Amazon FBA
  • Flipping stuff (buying at a low price at thrift stores, garage sales, even FB marketplace) and selling it online for a profit.
  • Selling books from Dollar Tree/thrift stores (Scan UPC through Amazon app to see if the books have a good selling price).
  • Make Coloring books, journals, worksheet books in Canva and upload them to Amazon to sell. This one takes a while to do.
  • Upload free art from Canva to sites like redbubble or other print-on-demand sites where you can earn money when people buy items with images you’ve uploaded (journals are pretty popular recommendations).
  • Make educational worksheets, family binder sheets, or organizational worksheets and sell them via Etsy as PDF’s.

Bottom Line- I tried about 10 of these, and I didn’t make tons of money (less than $100 over 6 months all told). A lot of these sites have received a large influx of new users and they don’t have tasks/jobs that I was interested in/had time for. I made worksheets and had them on my Etsy store, but after three months and not selling any, I took them down (It was costing me money to have them listed). I have a part-time day job and some gigs/side hustles that I already do, so I don’t think I’ll be adding in any of these in the near future.

My 2022 plan is to work the gigs I already do and look for some new endeavors over the summer to make money, and of course, if I come upon anything new and cool, I’ll definitely share it with you.

12/32/2021 Freebie Friday!

It’s Friday! And the last Friday of the year, and usually that would mean a blowout freebie and deal post, but not so this year. Between supply chain shortages, the uptick in the new variant, there aren’t tons of great freebies or deals, but I’m always on the lookout.

But, fear not friends, I’ve still got some good stuff for you!

 

Freebies:

Deals:

Tryazon: Give a Room a Refresh with Deflecto

It’s time to love your space with the Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, from Deflecto. Featuring storage and floor protection products to transform your home. Stackable cube organizers make organizing easier, clean up the clutter, and stack to save space. The Deflecto FashionMat floor protectors come in three unique designs and are great for hard floors or flat pile carpets. Update your craft room, child’s room, or home office!

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack valued at $300+ with a variety of Deflecto products to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here. 
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.

12/20/2021 Weekly Meal Plan (Holiday Edition)

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgIt’s the First day of Winter Break! WOO! We’re making cookies and relaxing, but this week will be packed with adventures, including play dates and zoo trips!

I did some cooking (and cleaning) yesterday. I’ve got some tasty treats coming up this week, including Christmas Eve Pizza!

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. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I have made my own and you can find them for sale here on my Etsy Store.

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. The Ancient Grain bagels from Einstein Bros. are the current family favorite. I pick them up on Mondays when a dozen is only $7. I slice them and freeze them to keep them from going bad too quickly.

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. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’ve got some tasty (and quick) meals planned for this week!

  • Monday: Nuggets, fresh fruit, noodles, or cheese toast 
  • Tuesday: Chicken enchilada casserole
  • Wednesday: Roasted Veggie Soup, popovers with butter
  • Thursday:  breakfast burritos, hashbrowns, fruit salad
  • Friday: Christmas Eve Pizza!
  • Saturday:  Early dinner with my mom (dad is still in the hospital, prayers are welcome)
  • Sunday: Leftover Fiesta

Please stay safe you guys!

Tryazon: Wiley Wallaby Back with Gluten-Free, Low Sugar Licorice

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.

Wiley Wallaby is back again with another tasty Tryazon Featured Party opportunity.  Introducing Very Berry, the new Gluten-Free, Low-Sugar licorice that is oh so berry berry delicious! Very Berry has just 1 gram of sugar per serving, and is free from artificial colors and flavors, gluten, eggs, dairy, tree nuts, and high fructose corn syrup! Sweetened with allulose and stevia, Very Berry contains no sugar alcohols and has only 9 grams of net carbs per serving. This is the better for you candy you have been waiting for!

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those chosen will receive a party pack with a sample of Wiley Wallaby Very Berry licorice to showcase and sample with friends and family!  Learn more and apply here.

New Freebies from Try Products!

I posted about Try Products over the summer. There are a few new freebies from Try Products now. Try Products has amazing products for you to try absolutely FREE.  It’s 100% Free. No credit card is required EVER!

Here are the latest new offers:

12/17/2021 Friday Freebies!

This was my busy week. Doctor’s appointments, Bitty getting her casts off (and into walking braces/casts), an IEP meeting, and the last week of school for the year! WOO! The kids are looking forward to decorating cookies, going to look at Xmas lights, going to the zoo, and playing Legos.

There are still more holiday events going on around town. For more information and resources click here.

If you are looking for birthday freebies, fret not! I put together a list new for 2021- Check it out here.

There are some pretty cool freebies this week!

Freebies:

Free Josh Bilicki Racing Hero Card
Allure Beauty Enthusiasts – Free Beauty Products
Free MaryRuth’s Megadose Vitamin C Liposomal
Free $20 Dessert Credit with Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Free CleanWell Botanical Disinfecting Wipes
Free Wiley Wallaby Gluten-Free, Low-Sugar Party Pack
Free St. Jude Patient-Art-Inspired Sticker Pack
Free Dude Wipes at Walmart
Free Tinted Acne Patch Treatment + $40 eGift Card
Free Combo Meal at White Castle
Free Stop Soldier Suicide T-Shirt
Free Eucerin Sunscreen Sample Kit
Free débutante Taste of Japan Cooking Party Kit
Free Pack of Siete Tortillas Product Coupon
Free Noosa Yogurt Product Coupon – 1st 500
10 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Subscription to The Red Bulletin Magazine
Free 30-Day EverTears Self-Heating Eye Compress & Heating Pads
Text for $10 Off at Lane Bryant = Free Item
Free Kindra Essentials Kit
Free Subscription to Hudson Valley Magazine
Possible Free $200 Senior Citizens & Weight Loss Research Study
Free Sun-Maid Recipe Booklets
Free Snickers, Milky Way, or Three Musketeers at Casey’s
$3 for 1 Year of Healthy U TV (reg. $69)
Free Thermo Pro Food Thermometers
Free Froyo for Your Birthday at SweetFrog
Free Charlie Moore Autographed Card