frugal life

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.

Dairy Queen: Score a free Dilly® Bar on any order of $1 or more.
Exclusively through the DQ® app and website, DQ® rewards members can enjoy the delicious sweet treat (one per fan) from July 14 to 20. Order digitally, earn rewards, and unlock more all summer!

Dipping’ Dots: Dippin’ Dots is giving away FREE mini cups of Dippin’ Dots (any flavor!) during a two-hour window at their franchise locations. Plus, the first 100 people in line will score a super cool, collectible take-home cup, in addition to the free mini cup of Dippin’ Dots. Find your closest location here.

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:

Burger King: Check your app for this offer- free soft serve with a purchase of $1 or more at Burger King on National Ice Cream Day, Sunday, July 20.

Baskin-Robbins: Check your Baskin-Robbins app for an offer; offers may vary by app, including a discount on ice cream cakes or shakes.

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, Del Taco, 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!

Score Free Groceries with Rebates!

Abby H.

Rebates have been around forever.

I remember my grandmother doing rebates when I was a kid. However, nowadays, you don’t need to send in a form with proof of purchase/UPC and a receipt; most rebates can be completed online or via text.

Sometimes you get lucky and get 100% back rebates, making your item free. You will find a lot of those with apps and websites like:

Ripple Street has tons of reFUNd programs where you can buy a product and receive the purchase price back. These are only available via their app.

If you consume alcohol, check out BYBE.  It is available in most states. This app has rebates for beer, wine, and liquor.

Here are a few current rebates I found out about this week while starting my Back to school shopping:

7/12/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

This week has been very hot, so the kids and I have been hiding inside enjoying the AC (set to 77 degrees). With the heat finally breaking today, we’re heading out to the pool and a few fun, frugal activities!

Here are a few ways that we will be having fun and being frugal:

  • The Summer Library Reading Program post can be found here.
  • Fun Free Summer Activities for Tweens and Teens here.
  • The Summer Movie Deals can be found here.
  • Don’t forget about Cheap Stuff to do with Tweens and Teens here.
  • Kids Bowl Free is back for 2025- More info here.

I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

For free food resources, please refer to my comprehensive list, available here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

Freebies:

FREE Sample of Sheba Perfect Portions Kitten Food
FREE Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Face Scrub After Walmart Cash
10 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints at CVS
FREE Sample of Vetality Twist + Lick SimPill Gel
Calm and Cozy: Free Baby Sleep Music for Restful Nights
FREE Lunchables PB&J Chatterbuy Kit
National French Fry Day Freebies & Deals Round Up
FREE Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Set at Sephora After Cash Back
Get Free Beauty Product Samples With Topbox Circle
FREE Sample of Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
FREE Sample of PopTopz Pre-Roll Tubes
FREE Welch’s Juicefuls Fusions Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Sample of ACANA Lickables Cat Treats
FREE Sample of Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Serum Sample
FREE Sample Bag of IAMS Puppy Food
FREE $20 Purchase at Home Depot After Cash Back
FREE Splish Splash Water Park Splash Pad at Walmart After Cash Back
FREE Ghost Fragrance Samples
FREE LYSOL Wipes at Target Chatterbuy Kit

 

Deals:

Top 10 Grocery Store Coupons This Week
The Pioneer Woman 2-Slice Toaster ONLY $13.79 at Walmart (Reg $29)
Epson Workforce Pro WF-3823 Wireless All-in-One Printer ONLY $79 (Reg $150)
SKIMS Discount Codes & Coupons: Up to 60% Off an Order of Panties, Bras and Shapewear
Target Women’s Tees and Tanks As Low As $3.50! TODAY ONLY

Food As Medicine Initiative: Free Food with Medi-Cal

Abby H.

In California, those who have Medi-Cal may be eligible to receive free food delivered to their home if they have certain health conditions.

Several programs partner with Medi-Cal that deliver pre-cooked meals or fresh fruits and veggies. To qualify, check with each program listed below. Each program has its own perimeters and availability.

The following programs appear to be available throughout Southern California. I recommend verifying that they are available in your county.

To find out about the Food is Medicine movement and medically tailored meals, I recommend checking out the California Food is Medicine Coalition and the California Department of Health Services website here.

If you have questions, it’s best to contact your Medi-Cal provider, as they know all of the details of your specific plan.

If you need help finding free or low-cost food resources near you, check out my page here.

It’s back! 7/11 is Free Slurpee Day!

Abby H.

July 11, 2025 marks a special day for 7/11!  Tastebuds across the country are in for a treat on Friday, July 11 (7/11), when the world’s largest convenience retailer celebrates its 98th birthday by offering a free small Slurpee drink at participating 7-Eleven®, Speedway® and Stripes® locations nationwide ( *Valid only on 7/11/25. Available while supplies last. Offer good at participating 7-Eleven, Stripes and Speedway stores. ©2025 7-Eleven, Inc. All rights reserved.).

And it gets better!  Loyalty members  (download the 7/11 app and sign up for the loyalty club) can keep the celebration going all month long by scanning their rewards information on Slurpee Day to get a coupon for another free small Slurpee drink to redeem before July 31- Valid 7/12/25-7/31/25. Limit 1 per customer.

Talk back: What is your favorite Slurpee flavor? I love a frosty Coke Slurpee, but any citrus flavor is a close second.

Tomorrow is the final day of Prime Week!

Abby H.

Tomorrow is the final day of Amazon Prime Week, and there are still a few good deals to be had. I didn’t post earlier in the week- I’ve been up to summer time shenanigans.

There are not as many crazy deals as there used to be when it was just one day, but I scoured Amazon and found some pretty decent deals on all sorts of stuff, including some items I picked up. I’ve been saving my Fetch Rewards points for an Amazon Gift Card, and I cashed out $25.00 just in time!

I’d love to hear about what you’ve found that you had to have.

Summertime Means- Dense Bean Salad Time (Recipe Included)!

Abby H.1 Comment

If you aren’t on social media a lot, you probably haven’t heard of the dense bean salad craze. Pioneer to buy Violet Witchel, former culinary student and master of the dense bean salad, she rose a popularity about a year ago with a video talking about her weekly meal prep and how it included a dense bean salad.

A dense bean salad is a salad that features beans as well as other hearty vegetables in a light oil and vinegar dressing. It can be stored in the fridge for up to five or six days, and like most things, it gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.

I have been making them for a few months, and I am in love. It is a great way to increase your fiber intake, enjoy a protein-based meal that does not have meat in it, and it’s a good way to eat seasonal veggies.

Here is the basic format.

Pick two kinds of beans: black beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, navy beans, cannellini beans, or even edamame. Whether you use canned rinsed and drained beans, or make them in your Instant Pot, or in the case of edamame, steam a frozen bag, your base all begins with beans.

You need at minimum 2–4 veggies. Popular choices include red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, celery, carrots, shaved cabbage/coleslaw mix, avocado slices, or shaved Brussels sprouts. Other flavorful options include finely chopped herbs, like parsley, cilantro, or dill.

If you like pickled veggies, beets, banana peppers, pickled jalapeños, olives, even oil-packed veggies like sun-dried tomatoes are a great choice.

Next, you need a salad dressing. Oil and vinegar or an acid like fruit juice and oil is a great choice. Check out my simple vinaigrette infographic for some ideas.

If you like cheese, I recommend feta, but other good choices include cubes of hard cheeses, or mini mozzarella pearls. Soft cheese like queso Fresca is also good.

Some people like to add a cooked grain. Examples include Farro, quinoa, bulgar, or couscous (regular or Israeli). I would not add rice, or any sort of pasta. In my mind, pasta salads are a different dish and usually don’t involve beans.

Here is my recent Dense Bean Salad:

  • 1 14-ish ounce can Garbanzo Beans
  • 1 14-ish ounce can cannellini beans
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 purple onion, diced and soaked in ice water (remove from ice water before adding to salad)
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • dash of crushed red peppers
  • Salt and pepper to taste

 

Earn Cashback Shopping at Walmart with OnePay!

Abby H.

Have you heard of OnePay?

I learned about OnePay recently at Walmart, of all places!

If you’ve shopped in a Walmart store recently, you know that they don’t accept Apple Pay or Google Wallet.  However, they do take OnePay. OnePay wallet is a digital wallet that offers 3% cash back rewards at Walmart (up to $150 spent with your debit card per month, with eligible deposits. Cashback earned as points).  That cashback can be transferred to your linked cards.

OnePay is great if you don’t have really great credit. They offer a credit builder that allows you to build your credit, and there are no fees. Through the OnePay app,  set aside a dollar a month for a year. Check your progress in the app, build your credit history, and you get your money back at the end of the year!

OnePay is a financial technology company; it’s not a bank. Bank services are provided by Coastal Community Bank or Lead Bank, both members FDIC. And right now, if you’ve never opened a OnePay account, you can click the link here and open an account, and you’ll earn $50 within the first 45 days. All you have to do is click the link here, open an account, and unlock cash plus in the first 45 days. This offer is good until 7/31/2025. And the fine print can be found here.

When I signed up for OnePay I got $50 cash back too. And it is currently transferring its way into my bank account. And I also get text messages from them when there are extra bonus point deals at Walmart. And I’m not shopping at Walmart often, but if I can earn points or cashback if I need to shop there, it’s definitely a bonus.

This post contains affiliate links,  For more information about the use of affiliate links and partnerships, visit my disclosure page. 

 

Summer Means Renaissance Events- Costuming on the Cheap!

Abby H.

Summer means lots of excuses to dress up in funny clothes: Renaissance faires and festivals, Viking events, Medieval faires, Scottish Highland games, SCA events, and fantasy events! Costumes can be expensive, and with the loss of Joann Fabrics, there aren’t a lot of places to buy fabrics and patterns. Sometimes, thrifting costumes (sometimes called garb in these circles) or buying online can be more time or cost-effective than making it yourself.

Looking for basic, medieval-looking clothing pieces can help you start a wardrobe. When looking for garb options, look for natural fibers like linen, wool, cotton, silk, ramie, or rayon. These types of fabric are found in nature and are breathable. They are also easier to care for. Here are some of the items to keep your eyes open for at thrift stores.

One look that can be thrifted

Women:

  • Plain colored peasant blouses
  • Long, flowing skirts
  • Tunic-style tops
  • linen or cotton pants with drawstring waists
  • Plain/ solid colored long dresses
  • Scarves
  • Belts
  • Vests
  • Cloaks/capes
  • Pouches/drawstring purses
  • Knee socks
  • Boots
  • Mary janes
  • Clogs
  • Sandals
  • Floppy felt hats
  • Jewelry

Men:

  • Tunic-style tops
  • linen or cotton pants with drawstring waists
  • “Pirate” collared shirts
  • Boots (tall boots, chukka boots, combat boots)
  • Vests
  • Belts
  • Cloaks/capes
  • Pouches/drawstring purses

In addition to clothing and accessories, thrift stores are great places to look for fabric, notions, and trim. Cotton, linen, wool, silk, ramie, and rayon are great choices. 100 percent cotton top sheets are also a good choice for under tunics or for lining other garments. White linen tableclothes and curtains make great undertunics and aprons.

Local San Diego, CA, thrift stores that have a good clothing selection:

  • Veterans Thrift 1130 E Main St El Cajon, CA  92021
  • Veterans Thrift 1049 Elkelton Blvd Spring Valley, CA  91977
  • Veterans Thrift 881 Broadway Chula Vista, CA  91911
  • AMVETS Thrift Store 999 Cardiff St San Diego, CA  92114
  • AMVETS 3441 Sutherland St #2031, San Diego, CA 92110
  • Twice Treasured Thrift Store 8363 Center Dr Unit 2 La Mesa, CA 91942
  • Thrift Corral Thrift Store 8693A La Mesa Blvd La Mesa, CA 91942
  • Father Joe’s Villages Thrift 405 Broadway Chula Vista, CA  91910
  • Father Joe’s Villages Thrift 1457 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92103
  • Valley Thrift 2085 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027 (cash only)
  • Assistance League of North County Thrift Store 2068 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027
  • Bridge Thrift 9617 Campo Rd Spring Valley, CA 91977
  • Bridge Thrift 4220 Balboa Ave San Diego, CA 92117
  • Goodwill Outlet 1466 F St San Diego, CA 92101
  • Goodwill Outlet 1996 Don Lee Pl Escondido, CA 92029

If you have trouble finding shoes, don’t worry. No one is going to think less of you for wearing modern-looking shoes. There are a lot of people who have to wear specific shoes for orthopedic reasons.

Look 2 for women- A long sleeved white blouse under a long jumper style dress to mimic a medieval Surcoat outfit.
Look 2 for men- A Near Eastern men’s ensemble.

If the thrill of the thrift store hunt isn’t for you, but you still want to save money when looking for your first garb, there are a lot of places online to look.

I know Temu gets a bad wrap, but there are a lot of companies that sell on Temu that drop ship items from all over the US, which means quick shipping and no import taxes.

Amazon is the same- there are a lot of great pieces that are available that work great for garb.

The Amazon Store PROCOS has great linen tunics and accessories for men and women.

Looking for knee socks? This is a great value.

And these linen pants are really soft and comfy. I own a few pairs.

 

July 2025: 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 usually receive 4-6 offers/freebies per month, sometimes more if I have time to shop. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

In addition to the offers where they mail you a coupon for a free product, Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

Here are just a few of the offers available now:

  •  Gluten-Free Pasta by GOODLES
  • Organic Kombucha by Humm Kombucha
  • Mental Performance Shots by Magic Mind
  • Gluten-Free Cookies by Schär
  • Gorgie Sparkling Energy Drinks
  • Crumbled Tajín Feta Cheese by Athenos
  • Electrolyte Refreshers by Leisure Hydration