frugal living

Dollar Tree Helps you Get Organized!

Abby H.

I usually start my new year off with some cleaning, organizing, and purging. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this post detailing my January decluttering challenge.  In addition to clearing out clutter, I’ve needed to pick up some new storage bins to help corral the bottles of cleaning supplies under the kitchen sink.

Dollar Tree to the Rescue!

Depending on your needs and esthetic, Dollar Tree has something for everyone.

I got these blue and white totes for under the kitchen sink. One for trash bags, one for cleaning supplies, and one for sponges, brushes, etc.

I also have cleaned out the front bathroom under the sink area and re-organized it. I have plastic totes like these under the bathroom sink (sans lids- but the lids are in the cupboard) that hold:

  • First Aid Kit (We have a fairly large and extensive first aid kit)
  • Period Supplies
  • Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Bodywash/Scrub/Shaving Supplies

If you have some organizing to do, I recommend that you stop into your local Dollar Tree and check out their storage possibilities.

 

 

Sephora: New Birthday Freebies for 2022!

Abby H.

The 2022 Birthday Gifts from Sephora have arrived! And this year they are awesome!  Choose a mini set from Laura Mercier, amika, Tatcha, or Olaplex. While supplies last.*

I’m most excited about the Laura Mercier mini set, and my birthday is next month, so I’ll be posting more birthday freebies as they start to arrive in my inbox!

*Beauty Insiders are eligible to redeem one birthday gift per year. Redeem in Sephora US and Canada stores, on sephora.com and sephora.ca, in Sephora at Kohl’s stores, on kohls.com, and at Sephora Inside JCPenney Stores. Gift selection may vary at Sephora Inside JCPenney. Must provide Beauty Insider email address at the time of redemption. No purchase is necessary for in-store redemption. Merchandise purchase required for online redemption. Redeem two weeks before or after your birthday or any time during your birthday month. Offer not valid on jcp.com. If you are having problems redeeming online, please contact customer service at sephora.com/contact-us. A birthday gift is provided “as is”. Substitutions may occur. Valid while supplies last. This offer is subject to change, alteration, or termination by Sephora at its sole discretion at any time.

1/7/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.

It’s the first Friday of 2022, and there are some awesome free freebies and deals this week.

I’m going to try and include links to free local events as well. Please remember to follow all local public health guidelines. In California, that means wearing masks inside businesses and public spaces.

I’m working on new birthday freebies for 2022 as well. If you know of any, please drop me an email!

Freebies:

Free Covergirl Clean Fresh Brow Gel
Free 2022 Fashionphile Calendar
Free Seaworld Teacher Card
Claim $12 in the Welch’s Juice Class Action Settlement
Free Genexa Kids Cough & Chest Congestion
Text for $10 Off at Lane Bryant = Free Item
JCPenney Portraits – Free 8×10 for Military Families
Free Sample of WowButter Creamy Peanut Free Toasted Soy Spread
Free 2022 Defend the Flock Chicken Calendar
Focus Group Needs New Members – Pays with Visa Debit Cards
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
Free Milwaukee Die-Cut Decal
Free Field + Farmer Dressing & Dips Coupon
Free $5 Amazon Gift Card
Checkout 51 – Free Winter Wellness Essentials Sample Box
Free Sample of La Roche-Posay Toleriane Moisturizer
Free Heineken 0.0 Sample Pack
Free Protein2O Drink Mix Sample Pack
Free 2022 Paint the Park Calendar
Free 2-Year Subscription to Garden & Gun Magazine
Free Facial Serum + $75 eGift Code
How I Scored a $266 Breast Pump & Accessories for FREE
Free Celltrient Cellular Health Supplement Packets
Free 2022 Enginetech Wall Calendar
Free Wild Planet Wild Tuna Pasta Salad
Free Cool Beans Frozen Wrap
Free Jfoodo Miso Chatterbox Kit
Free Stomp Rocket Toy
Free Large Fries at McDonald’s
Free Charmin Mega Roll Extender
Free Celltrient Cellular Health Supplement Packets
Free American Spirit Butt Pouches & Gift
Free NHL Center Ice Channels Preview – Last Day
Free Michael’s Craft Events
Free Zesty Paws 8-in-1 Bites for Dogs
Free Olly Sleep Gummy Vitamins at Select Stores
Free Books, Journals, Stickers & More

Deals:

dreamGEAR Starter Kit for Nintendo Switch ONLY $39.99 (Reg $100)
Kate Spade Darcy Small Bucket ONLY $99 (Reg $359)
Luminarc 4-Piece Glassware Sets ONLY $3.99 (Reg $25)
Today Only: 30% Off Your Online Order at Old Navy
TCL 50-Inch Roku Smart TV ONLY $298 (Reg $450)
Nine West Ivani Combat Boots ONLY $35.99 (Reg $90)
Old Navy: EXTRA 40% OFF Clearance
Women’s and Men’s Zebra Crocs ONLY $20 (Reg $55)
MUK LUKS Carey Boots ONLY $27.99 (Reg. $65)
Men’s Jogger Sleep Pants ONLY $9.60 (Reg $30)
Crocs Unisex-Adult Classic Sandal Slide ONLY $19.97 (Reg $40)
Ralph Lauren Pillows ONLY $8.99 (reg $25)
Witty Cold-Weather Boots ONLY $19.99 (Reg $50)
Bella 2-Slice Extra-Wide Toaster ONLY $14.99 (Reg $30)

Cents Of Style: Oversized COZY Sweater Perfection 50% OFF This Week!

Abby H.

Sweater

** This post also contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

This week, Cents of Style is starting the year off with a cozy, cuddly sale. 4 of their sweater styles are on sale for 50% off their original price (starting at $19.99)! 3 of the 4 styles come in sizes up to 3xl, however since they are oversized, they may fit a size-ish larger. Take this into consideration when ordering. I don’t care for a really oversized sweater, so I’d order a size down.

Remember to use coupon code: WARMVIBES at checkout. This deal goes through 1/11/22 at midnight.

 

January 2022: 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:


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, 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!

 

 

 

Smart & Final Now has and App and Digital Coupons!

Abby H.

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!

MyPoints: Refer Friends and You Both Earn 300 Points!

Abby H.

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I’ve been using MyPoints since 2011, and I’ve earned a lot of cash back just by doing my normal online shopping through MyPoints. About $550, to be exact.

Right now they are offering a great deal! When you refer a new user, and they earn 300 points, you both get a 300 point bonus. It’s easy to earn 300 points!

I love using MyPoints. I can earn points shopping online and utilizing in-store pick up with stores like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and JCPenney.

  • I ordered Christmas Gifts and earned 1200 points.

There are so many point-earning opportunities.

You can double dip on earning points or cash back by using a point earning credit card like American Express or Discover Cards or taking advantage of a points program that rewards you for purchases on their website, like JCP Rewards.

I love that I can earn gift cards which I use to offset the cost of holiday gifts.

Talk Back: What is your favorite Cashback program?

1/3/2022 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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).

Abby H.

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!

Abby H.

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: