frugal

11/13/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

It’s Friday again! Time to score some freebies, pick up a few deals, and stay inside! It’s supposed to rain here this weekend and I am really excited. We need rain in Southern CA badly, and it’s a good excuse to have a lazy weekend and eat popcorn (and leftover Halloween candy).

Check out these sweet freebies and deals, and as always, if you find an amazing deal or freebie, please share it in the comments below.

Freebies:

Free Flow Alkaline Spring Water at Walmart
Free Butterball Turkey at Boost Mobile Stores
Free Charmin Mega Roll Extender
Free Kerastase Chronologiste Thermique Blow Dry Primer
Possible Free OXO Kitchen Products
Sephora – Free Milk Makeup, Sol de Janeiro or Briogeo Mini Set
Free Sample of Level Select CBD Sports Cream
Free Ritual of Namaste Cream & Serum Sample
Free Wood Fire Starters
Free Sample of Lab Series Age Rescue Face Lotion
Free Milk Makeup Lip + Cheek Tint or Wet n Wild Lipgloss
Free Honest Beauty Products
Free Allegra K Women’s Clothing Items
Free Moose Tracks Nation Sticker
Free Sample of Yes Life CBD Oil & Hemp CBD Pain Relief Cream
Free Sample of CeraVe Moisturizing Cream
Free Subscription to Allure Magazine
Free Sample of Hit! Balm CBD Balm
Free Luxury Hair Care Products
Free ZenWTR at Select Stores
Free Subscription to Esquire Magazine
Free Sample of HEX Performance Laundry Detergent
Free Bantam Bagels Sample Kit
Free Avajar Facial Masks
Free Small Axe Movie Screening
Possible Free Step2 Toys
Free Sample of Michael Kors Wonderlust Sublime
Free Schär’s Greatest Hits Collection Sample Box
FREE Amora Premium Coffee & Mug
Free Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer
Free Superzero Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Free Jar of Barilla Vero Gusto Pasta Sauce
Free Biolyte Electrolyte Drink
Daily Goodie Box Sending Out 30-500 Every Day!
Free Lancome Lash Lifting & Volumizing Mascara

Deals:

AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat 2-Pack ONLY $8.11 (Reg. $14)
Save up to 50% on Matching Family Pajamas Now
Fisher-Price Disney Frozen Elsa’s Ice Palace ONLY $28.49
Muk Luks Women’s Comfort Boots ONLY $19.99 (Reg $65)
MUK LUKS Men’s Ethan Moccasin Slippers ONLY $21.99 (Reg $44)
Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver ONLY $17.49 (Reg $30)
3 Bottles of Crest Scope Mouthwash ONLY $6.97 + Free Shipping
Save an Extra 30% on Target Beauty Boxes Today Only
Echo Flex Plug-In Mini Smart Speaker ONLY $12.99 (Reg. $25)
Swing Set with Slide ONLY $69 Shipped (Reg $135)
Save up to 60% on Nature Made Vitamins + Free Shipping
Save $10 When You Spend $50 on Select LEGO Toys

11/10/2020 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’ve been trying to meal plan on Sundays, but this weekend got away from me. It was raining, so we spent a lot of time playing indoors: Playmobils, Legos, drawing and doing crafts. Not a lot of time to sit down at in front of the computer.

The past few weeks I’ve been cooking larger batches of recipes, so this week we’re pulling out a batch of Salsa chicken from the freezer. I found a batch of veggie red sauce in the freezer too. I’m hoping to put together some soups this week for lunches and stash some in the freezer. I love making soup- It’s easy and frugal. and sooo tasty.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

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 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 kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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 love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers
  • Monday:  Soup, veggies/fruit, and garlic bread
  • Tuesday: Veggie Nuggets and Fruit (Big kid has OT in the late afternoon, so it’s always a quick dinner on Tuesday)
  • Wednesday:  Salsa Chicken, Rice, and steamed veggies
  • Thursday: Spaghetti with veggie red sauce, salad, and garlic bread
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Leftovers

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

Family Recipe: Potato Cheese Soup

Abby H.

When I was a kid there was a local restaurant called Piret’s. They served delicious, fresh French food that was unpretentious. One of my favorite dishes to order was their Potato Cheese Soup. They published a cookbook, which my mom bought, and while she cooked a lot of things from the cookbook, the one that was most often made was their Potato Cheese Soup. In fact, to this day when you place the book on the counter, it opens to that recipe.

Today I present my take on Potato Cheese Soup. It’s easy to make, it’s filling, and it tastes sooooo good. Like most soups, it’s better the next day. It freezes well.

You can make it vegetarian by using veggie broth/stock. I do not recommend making it with non-dairy cheese (sorry vegans). You can make it Gluten Free by using GF 1-for-1 flour.

Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

  • 8-10 cups chicken broth or stock (I recommend using stock-homemade is best, but I’m being extra)
  • 2 large yellow or sweet onions, peeled and diced
  • 4 Tablespoons butter, divided in half
  • 1/4 cup white wine (dry- don’t use sweet or cooking wine)
  • 4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 Tablespoons AP flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 4 cups cheese (I like medium cheddar, but you could use colby, or a sharper cheddar)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. In a large stockpot, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and saute onions until clear and slightly browned.
  2. Add potatoes and cook for 5-10 minutes until potatoes are slightly translucent.
  3. Deglaze the pan with white wine, make sure to scrape off all the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add all of the chicken broth/stock and bay leaves. Cover pot and cook on low for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
  5. In a smaller pot, melt remaining 2 T. of butter. Sprinkle melted butter with AP flour and stir until a paste forms over a low heat. The paste should brown slightly- DON’T BURN IT!
  6. Pour milk into the flour/butter paste and whisk briskly. You do not want lumps. Cook over low heat until the mixture thickens. This may take a few minutes. As the mixture thickens and there are no lumps, add the cheese slowly, about 1/2 cup at a time, until it is incorporated/melted into the sauce. Once the sauce with complete, remove from heat.
  7. Add the cheese sauce to the soup mixture slowly, stirring constantly. Once it is fully mixed, remove the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. This step is optional but recommended. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender (like this one) puree the soup. Put back on the heat, and allow to simmer without the lid for another 20-30 minutes. This will give the soup some time to thicken up.
  9. Serve Soup hot with crusty French bread. Resist the urge not to eat it all in one sitting.

Makes 6-8 Servings

11/2/2020 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI’ve started doing weekly meal planning on Sundays. It’s easier to do it while I’m writing up the weekly calendar/schedule and prepping the snack box for the week. I didn’t get a chance to type this up last night. The time change kinda kicked all of our butts, combined with all of the Halloween shenanigans. Socially distanced shenanigans!

The kids and I hit up the grocery store yesterday afternoon and picked up some stuff that we were out of and are consume daily.

Last week I made soup twice, so we’ve got some leftovers in the freezer. I’ll be dipping into the stash for dinner one night this week for soup. And I made a frittata late last week for lunch, so we’ve got leftovers of that for dinner tonight!

Thanks to some local deals, offers, and the school lunches the kids bring home, I have been able to keep our grocery budget to $60 per week for the past MONTH! It’s amazing. The extra money is going into our holiday savings account.

If you have kids between 2-18, check with your local school to see if they are offering free lunches and/or breakfasts. You can also check the USDA Website– but it might be a little out of date.

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 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 kitchen inventory printable, I like the kitchen inventories here. They are great printables.

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 love the Kodiak Cakes Mix).  I also keep sandwich Ziploc bags of other frozen fruit on hand to make the kids smoothies when they request them (a few times per week). Berries, peaches, and mangos are pretty popular. recently the Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM. I’ll be posting the recipe for his current favorite this coming week.

Lunches will be whatever the kids want for the time being. The big kid has lunch at school, so it’s whatever he chooses from the lunch box in the cupboard, plus some fruit and juice or milk. Since the little girl is in the morning cohort at school, she has lunch at home. Buttered noodles, yogurt, apple slices, and a popsicle are her go-to lunch.

Usually, I do a crockpot meal on Mondays, but now that we are home all the time, we’ve been having an odd combination of fully home-cooked, scratch meals, and frozen entrees and veggies. I have been posting our meal plans on Instagram too- As well as pics of stuff we are doing to keep busy.

  • Sunday:  Leftovers
  • Monday:  Salad and leftover veggie and cheese fritatta
  • Tuesday: Veggie Nuggets, Wings, and Fruit (Big kid has OT in the late afternoon, so it’s always a quick dinner on Tuesday)
  • Wednesday:  Beans, Rice, Veggies, & Quesadillas
  • Thursday: Veggie Soup & Garlic Bread
  • Friday:  Pizza Night!
  • Saturday: Pancakes, Eggs, & Fruit

Please stay safe you guys! The sooner we flatten the curve, the sooner life can go back to normal- whatever that means.

Talk Back: What are you cooking for dinner this week?

How To Recoup Bank and Credit Card Fees

Abby H.

If you use credit cards or ATMs, you have probably been charged fees. Finance Charge fees and Out of Network ATM fees are a few ways that financial institutions make money by loaning us or handling our money.

In the past there was no way of avoiding paying those charges- once you paid them, the money was gone.

Now there are websites, apps, and programs that can help consumers recoup the fees that they have paid out. Here are a couple that I have looked into or used.

Harvest links your bank accounts and credit card accounts to their AI and once every 90 days you can request their program contact those institutions on your behalf to credit previously paid fees. Harvest takes a portion of those fees. Harvest was not able to get any money back on my behalf. I have only been using it for about 50 days. Once my 90 days are up and I can re-negotiate, I will try it again.

Cushion: I looked into Cushion, but did not use it, because it costs on average $50/year. I don’t have a lot of outstanding debt, so there was no way that I could save that much from their AI negotiations. Also, there is this:

Basically, you don’t get the money credited back to you, you earn “rewards” through Cushion’s program. A quick internet search leads me to believe that it’s mostly Amazon Gift Cards, which as much as I love Amazon Gift Cards is not what I want. I want cold hard cash in my hot little paws.

I recommend that everyone look at their bank account at least monthly (I do it once a week when I balance the checkbook-yes, I do that) and look for any fees or charges that may not look familiar. Doing the same with your credit card statement when it comes as well is a great idea. Recently I caught a $90 charge that was fraudulent. A quick call to American Express and I filed a dispute, the charge was removed and all is well!

If you find a lot of ATM usage fees on your bank statement, download your banks app to locate fee-free ATMs. My credit union has fee-free ATMs at 7/11’s!

Note that I use the term Bank- I use this interchangeably for credit union, as that’s what I use. I have been a member of a credit union for almost 30 years. There is no monthly fee for having a checking or savings account, and I have my car loan through them as well (the rate is really low). Credit Unions are great because they offer low rates, and no or low account fees. And usually, membership is free.

If you have used a service like Harvest or Cushion with success, I’d love to hear your results! Leave a comment below.

 

Comfy Critters Hooded Blankets- A Warm Gift!

Abby H.

Our family tends to give a few meaningful gifts each holiday. One gift my kids always look forward to is a new, warm, snuggly blanket.

I found a company called My Comfy Critter and it has all of the things that kids want in a blanket: it’s big enough to wrap around them, a hood to cuddle in, and their favorite cartoon characters (Paw Patrol and PJ Masks) or animals (oh hello Speedy the Sloth!).

 

 

Each blanket features:

  • 100% Polyester Chenille fleece
  • Velcro tab with woven label that helps turn him into a pet or pillow
  • Blanket Size:  36″x47″
  • Machine Washable

Not only are these great gifts that kids will cuddle with for years, but they are a great buy at less than $30 each!

Socially Distanced Halloween Activities for 2020

Abby H.

Halloween is looking a lot different this year, with social distancing, and a lot of places still having quarantine/limited contact with others.

We usually do a lot of Halloween events. We usually go to Brick or treat at Legoland, and we usually go to a pumpkin patch and several Halloween carnival the week of Halloween.

Unfortunately, a lot of the events we go to aren’t happening this year. Instead, a lot of the groups/organizations that put together carnivals and fun events have instead opted to switch to contact list or drive-through trunk or treat/trick-or-treat events. We haven’t gone to any yet, so I’m not really sure how it’s gonna work but will be going to a bunch this week and weekend. We skipped one that was taking place last Saturday because we did not have our costumes prepared.

Here is a small list of trunk or treat/drive-through events that I have found after a quick search on Facebook. If you have any other events that you would like to add, please leave a comment below with a link to the event page. I love Halloween, as do my kids. Any excuse to dress up, and I know there are so many people out there that look forward to Halloween every year.

10/30/2020

10/31/2020

November 1st

 

 

FREE Mr. Mummy Pancake this week at IHOP!

Abby H.

I’m a little late to the game- I usually post about this deal a few weeks beforehand, but… Gestures at the state of the world… You know.

Celebrate Halloween With a Freaky Freebie From IHOP®!
Happy Halloween from IHOP®! Treat yourself to some seasonal stacks & treat the kids to a FREE Mr. Mummy Pancake when you visit your local IHOP® from October 26-30.

The kids and I are going to pass this year. They don’t like frosting on their pancakes, and the big one doesn’t like their butter (it’s really hard and it doesn’t melt on the pancakes, it tears the pancakes when you try to spread it).  I don’t like IHOP’s coffee. I know, I know… We are Denny’s snobs.

The Fine Print: For dine-in orders, kids age 12 & under receive one free Mr. Mummy Pancake between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. from 10/26/2020 – 10/30/2020 at participating IHOP® locations. Limit one per child. For online orders via the IHOP® website or mobile app of $20 or more, receive one free Mr. Mummy pancake per order. Tax, gratuity and price of Mr. Mummy Pancake excluded. Not valid with other offers, coupons or discounts. No cash value. Offer valid from 10/26/20 to 10/30/2020. At participating restaurants. Further restrictions may apply.

10/23/2020 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

This Friday’s freebies and deals have some awesome goodies! Keep your eyes peeled for some great upcoming freebies and deals. A lot of retailers are not doing the usual Black Friday deals to keep the stores open and enforce social distancing.  Deals and freebies will be trickling out slowly from now until the winter holidays.

As always, if you find an amazing deal or freebie, please share it in the comments below.

Freebies:

Free BABE Wine Chatterbox Kit
Tasty Freebies from Social Nature!

Chalkola Chalk Markers Giveaway

Allure Beauty Enthusiasts – Free Beauty Products
Free Kinder Joy
Free Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Burgers
Free Subscription to Entrepreneur Magazine
FREE Amazon Baby Box Samples Back in Stock
Free Boursin Cheese
Free Sample of Vitafol Ultra or Gummies Prenatal Vitamins
Free Coors Seltzer 12-Pack
Free Alpha Foods Breakfast Burrito
Free Dr. Praeger’s Oaties Oatmeal Dippin’ Sticks
Free KVD Vegan Beauty Sample at Sephora
Free Drink at Blaze Pizza
Free Sample of The Nue Co. Beauty Serum
Free UNIQLO Heattech Top Item
Free Positive Promotions 2021 Wall Calendar Sample Pack
Free Latinas en Marcha Pledge to Vote Stickers, T-Shirt & Bag
Free GoGo squeeZ Applesauce
Free Sample of Tom Ford Black Orchid

 

Deals:

Cute Buckle Ankle Booties ONLY $27.99 (Reg $60)
Buffalo Plaid Clutch ONLY $11.99 Shipped (Reg $25)
Medela Advanced Breast Pump with Tote ONLY $107 (Reg. $250)
BIC Xtra-Precision Mechanical Pencils ONLY $5.47 (Reg. $13)
NuWave Brio 7.25-qt. Air Fryer ONLY $67.99 (Reg. $130)
Save up to 30% on Simple Modern Tumblers & Water Bottles
Power Bites Chews Dog Treats ONLY $2.21 Shipped (Reg $7)
Save 50% on Lady Gaga Makeup on Amazon
Dinosaur Bring Along Backpack and Dinosaur Toy $8.32 (Reg. $23)
Hot Wheels id HiWay Hauler ONLY $2.99 (Reg. $7)
Crock-Pot Express 6-Quart Pressure Cooker ONLY $49.99 (Reg $100)
5-Minute Halloween Stories Hardcover ONLY $5.81 (Reg. $13)
MUK LUKS Women’s Patti Boots ONLY $39.99 Shipped (Reg. $76)
Mytex Deena 3-Pc Comforter Set ONLY $18.99 at Macy’s (Reg $80)
Nespresso Vertuo Next Coffee Machine ONLY $99.99 (Reg $193)
MUK LUKS Women’s Clog With Fur Lining ONLY $14.99 (Reg. $32)
Room on the Broom Board Book ONLY $4.00 (Reg. $8)
MUK LUKS Women’s Kathleen Boots ONLY $36.99 (Reg. $89)
Bella Pro Series Coffeemaker ONLY $14.99 (Reg $30)
50% Off 3 Pack Booty Bands – Pay $6.49 with Coupon
Kids Nike Sets ONLY $19.99 at Belk (Reg $48)
MUK LUKS Traditional Scarf ONLY $16.99 (Reg. $40)
Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet ONLY $79.99 (Reg $150)
Modern Essentials Standard Pillow ONLY $2.99 (Reg $14)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Gel Soother ONLY $3.60 (Reg. $11)
Moscow Mule Copper Mugs 2-Pack ONLY $7.49 with Coupon (Reg. $25)
Blistex Medicated Lip Balm 3-Pack ONLY $2.70 (Reg. $7)
Folding Banquet Table ONLY $40.54 (Reg. $90)
Cuisinart 10-Pc Ceramic-Coated Cutlery Set ONLY $13.99 (Reg $40)
Kids Headphones ONLY $6.79 (Reg. $20)

Coupons for Healthy Foods!

Abby H.

One of the most common complaints I hear from people who want to start couponing but are hesitant to is, “There are never coupons for healthy foods!” And while it appears on the surface to be correct, a few minutes of looking and I found a bunch of really great coupons for healthy food.


Save $1.00 On any Unbun product, limit one per visit
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant® Veggie Tots, Riced Veggies, Mashed Cauliflower, Roasted Veggies, Harvest Protein Bowls, or Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Save $1.00 on any ONE (1) package of Green Giant Veggie Spirals™
Save 35¢ On Any California Dairy Product That Carries The Real California Milk Seal

In addition to printed coupons, there are usually all sorts of deals or offers on cashback apps. There are several cashback apps that specifically cater to healthy living/organic products. Check out my list of Cashback apps to find my favorites.

If your budget is very tight and you find yourself unable to afford the produce that your family needs, there are free and low-cost alternatives out there for you.

If you need tips for stretching your food budget, here is a post I wrote a few years ago.