frugal living

Celebrate Southwest Airline’s Birthday with Deals!

Abby H.

Y’all- This deal has the potential to be amazing!
Southwest Airlines is celebrating its birthday with low rates- One-way as low as* $39.

Here are some of the most important fine print details:
*21-day advance purchase required. Book by 6/19 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Cont. U.S. travel valid 8/5-12/17/25.

Thanksgiving Travel? End of Summer Travel? Wanna just escape your home for a weekend or longer? Is Vegas calling? Whatever and wherever, it’s a great time to pack a small carry-on/personal bag and head out of town!

 

And if you are a Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards member, this deal gets better- You can use your points!

The rest of the fine print:

Cont. U.S. travel to/from Hawaii, intl., and San Juan, PR valid 8/17-12/10/25. Interisland HI travel valid 7/8-10/1/25. Cont. U.S. blacked out 9/1, 10/13, 11/24-11/26, and 12/1. Cont. U.S. travel to Hawaii, intl., and San Juan, PR blacked out 8/28-9/2 and 11/20-11/24. Cont. U.S. travel to Hawaii, intl., and San Juan, PR blacked out 8/28-9/2 and 11/28-12/2. Interisland HI blacked out 9/2. Nonrefundable. Seats, travel days, and markets are limited. Fares are valid on nonstop service where indicated; if not indicated, fares are valid on single connecting service. Points bookings do not include government fees of $5.60 per one-way flight. Additional fees may apply.

 

 

Magazine Subscriptions: no credit card required from bPerx!

Abby H.

bPerx is hooking us up! Ready to Claim Your Magazine Gifts? They just need a little info to get your gifts ready (like your mailing address). No credit card required. Enjoy a few magazine subscriptions sent directly to your mail box monthly!

The best part: No Credit Card Needed

 

Win 3 Months of FREE Rent with Piñata!

Abby H.

I discovered Piñata Piñata while listening to a true crime podcast yesterday while I was exercising.

Piñata is the world’s first and only rent rewards platform that gives you rewards for paying rent and is free.

If you join the $5/mo Piñata membership between May 1 – June 30th, you will be automatically entered to win 3 MONTHS OF FREE RENT!

For just $5/month, Piñata reports your rent payments to all three credit bureaus—giving your credit the boost it deserves. This is an amazing benefit, especially if you rent from a private party!

Enroll in the $5/month Piñata membership and enter the giveaway automatically to win 3 months of rent (up to $4,500 in total)! Sign up today here.

Even when it’s not rent day, Piñata gives renters exclusive deals and discounts to help you save on everyday expenses from CVS and Costco to Best Buy and Sprint to Papa John’s and Disney World. You get an average of $4,000 in yearly savings. You can also get cash back on special deals from your favorite brands.

Giveaway ends June 30th, 2025.

Want to Eat Out & Save? Check out Restaurant.com!

Abby H.

I’ve been a fan of Restaurant.com for at least a decade.

Seriously! You purchase a discounted gift certificate (make sure to check the certificate for restrictions, such as a minimum purchase amount or mandatory gratuity) for a local restaurant. You have a year from the date of purchase to use it.

Right now the following deal is available:

$100 eGift Card for only $18.00
$200 eGift Card for only $36.00

The Restaurant.com eGift Card can be redeemed at over 62,000 restaurants and providers nationwide. Available denominations vary by restaurant, and certificates are subject to minimum spend requirements and other restrictions. You can split up the $100 or $200 among a few local restaurants.

Here are two examples of how to use the certs to your advantage.

Cafe XYZ- Certificate for $15.00. Terms of cert: $15 off the purchase of $30 or more.

The check comes to $30.00
Minus Cert amt. -$15.00
Total New Bill: $15.00
Gift Certificate Cost $6.00
The price for this complete meal is $21.00 (that includes the cost of the certificate). The total amount saved $9.00.

ABC Cafe- Certificate for $25.00. Terms of the cert: $25.00 off the purchase of $35.00 or more.

The check comes to $35.00
Minus Cert amt. -$25.00
Total New Bill: $10.00
Gift Certificate Cost $10.00
The price for this complete meal is $20.00 (that includes the cost of the certificate). The total amount saved $15.00.

Don’t forget to tip your server!

Recipe: Oat Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Abby H.

The kids love cookies. It’s one of the few foods they both agree on.

I started making these about 6 months ago. They are so good, easy to make, and they are pretty customizable if you have food allergies.

Oat Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • Two sticks (1 cup) salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup peanut butter, smooth preferred
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups AP Flour
  • 2 cups Oat Flour
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 baking chips of your choice- I used Milk Chocolate, Semi-Sweet Chocolate, and Peanut Butter chips.

To make Oat Flour, pulse oats in a blender or food processor until the oats are a smooth flour. 1 1/2 cups of oats should make about 2 cups of flour. You can also buy it online or at most health food stores. 

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and peanut butter.
  • Add sugars one at a time and mix until fluffy.
  • Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated fully.
  • Mix in baking powder, salt, flours, and oats.
  • Once all are blended into the dough, add chocolate chips.
  • Drop tablespoon-sized dough balls on cookie sheets that have been greased or are lined with parchment paper. I prefer parchment paper.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 minutes.  Let cookies rest 1-2 minutes before transferring to the cooling rack.

This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies. 

This dough also freezes well. 

If you are allergic to peanuts, you can substitute sunbutter or your favorite nut butter. Do not use Nutella- It contains a lot of sugar and other ingredients that will throw off the chemistry of the recipe, and you won’t get yummy cookies.

Gluten Free Peeps: You can use 1:1 Gluten Free AP Flour and Gluten Free Oats in place of AP flour and regular oats.

Vegans: Substitute Crisco or Coconut Oil for butter. Do not use margarine/spread as it can contain a higher quantity of liquid than butter. Use your favorite egg replacer.

6/13/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

We’re free! School is over for the year, and the kids and I are so excited for tons of adventures.

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 Happy Hippo Sample Pack
FREE Ocean Spray Bold Snacking Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Air Wick Plug In Scented Oil Advanced Gadgets After Walmart Cash (Get 3 Free)
FREE Toucan Mobile Workshop at Home Depot
Free Baby Samples & Full Sized Products from Amazon
FREE 8×10 Photo at Walgreens
FREE NESCAFE Espresso Lemonade Kit on June 13th, 20th & 27th
FREE Sample of TEMPTATIONS Cat Treats
FREE Frozen Drink at Casey’s Every Friday in May thru August
FREE GoVerden Guac It Up Chatterbuy Kit
FREE OLAY Cleansing Melts
T-Mobile Tuesdays – FREE Large Slurpee, FREE Grill Spatula & More
FREE Pair of Garden Snips at Lowe’s
How to Score Free Feminine Hygiene Products and Save on Essentials
Father’s Day Freebies & Deals RoundUp
FREE Movie Ticket to The Unholy Trinity
FREE Full-Size CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 50
FREE Powered by Love Sticker
FREE Samples of Maneuver Men’s Grooming Products
Get The Top 17 Free Baby Boxes in 2025: Walmart, Target, Amazon
FREE $25 Purchase at Nike After Cash Back
FREE Diet Cherry Coke at Kroger
Here Are 6 Ways To Get Free Baby Formula Samples
FREE $5 Shop Cash
FREE Royal Canin Chewable Supplements for Dogs Chatterbox Kit
FREE Sample of Nutree Hair Mask
FREE Sample of Moroccanoil L’Originale Eau de Parfum
Over $1 Million in FREE Chipotle During the Summer of Extras Promotion
FREE Sample of AAVRANI Hair Thickening Blowout Primer

 

Deals:

Women’s Dresses on Clearance – Prices From $7.39 at JCPenney!
Father’s Day Gifts as low as $5 at Target – Free Store Pickup!
Additional Service Benefits BJ’s Members Enjoy
Doorbusters Sale at JCPenney: Save up to 60% Off Select Styles
Shop Sneaker Deals – Save on Top Brands Like Adidas, On Cloud, Vans & More
67% Off Kate Spade Sadie Small Crossbody + Free Shipping
13 Bath & Body Works Fragrance Dupes that Smell Just as Good as Luxury Perfumes

6/6/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

Today was our last Friday of school! We celebrated with pizza (yes, I had a coupon).

  • 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 Govertex Skincare Serum and Fragrance Products
FREE Riversol 15-Day Anti-Aging Sample Kit + FREE Shipping
FREE $10 Off Groceries or Trail Mix Item for Target Circle 360 Members
FREE $5 Shop Cash
FREE Wasa Crisp Creations Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Sample of Eva NYC H2-Whoa Shampoo & Conditioner
FREE Sample of Rodan + Fields Active Hydration Serum
FREE Fragrance Samples from Macy’s
FREE Dog Treats Box from Zigzag – a $15 Value
Sweet Surprises: How to Score Free Chocolate
2 FREE How to Train Your Dragon Movie Tickets for Xfinity Rewards Members
FREE Sample of Cesar Mini-Pouches Dog Food
FREE Bloomingdale’s Little Freebies Box
Get Free Condom Samples Online and In-Person From Your Favorite Brands
FREE Suavitel Advanced Liquid Fabric Softener at Sam’s Club Chatterbuy Kit
FREE Chocolate Dipped Fruit Cone at Edible Arrangements for Graduates & Teachers
FREE Friendly Loom Crafting Party Pack
How to Score Sticker Freebies – Sticker Mule, Keds, Netflix and More
FREE $35 Purchase at Walmart After Cash Back
Get Your Free Teeth Whitening Samples: A Brighter Smile Awaits
FREE Entree at Chipotle During the 2025 Men’s Professional Basketball Series
FREE $35 Purchase at Sephora After Cash Back
FREE Sample of Dolce & Gabbana No-Puff Caffeine Eye Patches
10 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints at CVS
Unlock Your Wellness Journey with Free Nutrition Samples: Try Before You Buy
Score a Subscription to Condé Nast Traveller Magazine – No Credit Card Needed
T-Mobile Tuesdays – FREE Large Slurpee, FREE 1-Week Access to Local Cool Treats Perks & More
92,000 FREE Pints of Kroger Ice Cream on June 20th
FREE Carolina Herrera Bad Boy Cobalt & Bad Boy Elixir Fragrance Samples
FREE Army of Good Magnet
FREE Bonne Maman Hazelnut Chocolate Spread

 

Deals:

Under Armour Shorts From $5 Shipped – Limited Time ONLY!
Bogg Bag Accessories on SALE – Score Phone Holders, Dividers & More | Prices Start at $2.55
Latest Panda Express Coupon Code: Get Two Large Sides & Three Large Entrees for $30
Bella Pro 6-Qt Touchscreen Air Digital Fryer ONLY $39.99 (Reg $100)

Yankee Candle Sale! 30-50% off!

Abby H.

If you’ve ever been to my house, you know I love candles.

Specifically Yankee candles because they last a long time, and have a great range of scents and sizes of candles.

Right now, Yankee Candle is offering up to 50% off almost everything. 30% if you aren’t a rewards member.

Becoming a rewards member is quick and easy, and there are lots of benefits, including a freebie for your birthday!

Did you also know that in addition to candles, Yankee Candle sells car air fresheners? Yup. They are shaped like tiny candle jars. Two of my favorites are the Macintosh Apple and Midsummer’s Night.  I know, two completely different scent families, but both are amazing.

If candles aren’t your “thing”, Yankee also sells plug-in Scent Plug diffusers, Wax Tarts, and Room Sprays.

Earn Money This Summer with Surveys!

Abby H.

Even though I’m working summer school this year, pay day is net 30, meaning I won’t receive most of my summer pay until the end of August.  I need a little extra cash to take the kids on fun adventures, and snacks cost money! I try to spend 30 minutes a day doing surveys, usually early in the morning after the cat has demanded her breakfast, before the kids have woken up.  Here are some of my favorite survey companies:

PaidViewPoint– They only send you surveys that you qualify for, so there is no wasted time. Payout is only $15.00, so I make a payout about once a month. It’s not tons of work, and every little bit helps!

Pinecone Research: Get Paid $1-3 per survey!– My favorite survey company. $1-3 per survey you complete and they only send you surveys that you are already pre-qualified for!

I’ve been a member of Swagbucks for years, and it’s an easy way to earn free gift cards and cash.

Members join for free and will have access to all of our earning verticals, including, but not limited to, watching videos, shopping for cash back, taking surveys, and redeeming special offers.

Swagbucks is the web’s leading rewards platform, dedicated to providing FREE gift cards to its 12+ million members.

Choose from top retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Starbucks, PayPal, and tons more.

Join Inbox Dollars free and get paid to take surveys, shop online, try name-brand products, and play games online.

You do online activities: Take Surveys, Watching Videos, Shopping, and More.

You earn real CASH!

Take Surveys and earn cash, sweepstakes and prizes for your participation from SurveyClub.com.
Earn cash for participating in online surveys, private panels, focus groups, clinical trials, in-home usage tests, online bulletin boards, taste tests, and mystery shopping studies.

SurveyClub gives companies the unique opportunity to access its panelists by posting studies directly on its website.

Receive cash back from Kashkick when you read emails, complete surveys, take quizzes, refer your friend, and subscribe to special promotions.

Earnings are deposited into your Paypal account!

 

And I post market research and focus group invitations from PRC and AO Opinions at least once a week, so keep your eyes peeled for those opportunities as well.

7/11/2025 All-Inclusive Day of Play & Resource Fair!

Abby H.

It’s time again for the All Inclusive Day of Play & Resource Fair on Friday, July 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Miramar Hourglass Recreation Center – 10440 Black Mountain Road, San Diego, CA 92126.

All activities and resources are available free of charge and open to the public.

Kids of all abilities will love this event, brought to you by the Special Needs Resource Foundation. Below is just a glimpse of what to expect:

Activity stations

  • Prizes
  • Crafts
  • Character meet and greets
  • Family resources 
  • Networking
  • Shopping
  • Games
  • Free parking 

 

Sign up to join us for this amazing day of inclusivity.

Activity stations for kids include favorites: Olaf Snowball Toss, Pokémon Scavenger Hunt, Super Wheelchair Awareness Course, Super Hero City Speedway, Crown-a-Polooza, and more!

Character meet and greets: Say hello to Princess Ariel and other beloved characters at this fun-filled event that the family will love.

Family resources and networking: Resource and service providers will be on-site to speak with parents and offer helpful information. Be sure to pick up a copy of Flourishing Families at our Special Needs Resource Foundation booth.

ShopAble Bazaar: Stop by to browse and buy amazing products and valuable services from business owners with disabilities.

Sensory Time: From 11 to 11:30 a.m., families who need a quieter environment can enjoy the event with just one opening announcement and no music.