frugal

6/4/2021 Friday Freebie and Deals

Abby H.
bright boxes

Good morning!

This week has been full of end-of-school-year stuff around here, and I’ve been busy finding lots of summer fun (and food) as well.

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

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!

Freebies:

Free Bob’s Red Mill Oat Crackers
17 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free Poise Impressa Sample Pack
Free Samples of Astroglide Lubricant
Free Fast and Furious Movie Tickets
Free Original Grand Slam at Denny’s
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
National Donut Day Freebies & Deals RoundUp Today June 4
Free Norton Hurley Underwear Samples
Free Sunscreen + $25 Amazon Gift Card
Free English Translation of the Quran
Text for $10 Off at Lane Bryant = Free Item
Free Subscription to Cosmopolitan Magazine
Free RXBAR Protein Bar
5 Free Items at Sprouts – Sign up for their Sampling Program
Free Bottle of Bedtime Burn
Free Aura Bora Herbal Sparkling Water
Free Chloe’s Salted Caramel Oatmilk Pops
Free Sample of Joolies Organic Medjool Dates
Free Samples Returning to Costco This Month
Free Beer, Seltzer or Non-Alcoholic Beverage with Vaccine Goal
Free Bottle of Coca-Cola on June 15th – Sign Up Now
Free Pride Sticker Pack
Free NeilMed Sinus Rinse or NasaFlo Neti Pot
Free Sample of Xyzal Allergy 24H

 

Deals:

Allure Beauty Box ONLY $23 ($200+ Value) + 2 Free Gifts
Benadryl Liqui-Gels ONLY $3.29 on Amazon
Style Trends & Fashion Discounts on Amazon
Green Toys Fire Plane ONLY $6.80 (Reg. $15)
Schwinn Shuttle Bike Trailer ONLY $99 (Reg. $199)
CHI Flat Iron ONLY $49.99 at JCPenney (Reg $130)
Beats Solo Pro Light Blue ONLY $134.99 (Reg $300)
Play-Doh Tool Box ONLY $7.98 (Reg $12.99)
Kate Spade Leila Small Card Holder Wristlet ONLY $29 (Reg $89)
Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker ONLY $17.99 (Reg $29)
Godinger Dublin Set of 4 Wine Glasses ONLY $16 (Reg $40)
Bissell Portable Spot & Stain Cleaner ONLY $89 (Reg $110)
Fitbit Ace 2 Activity Tracker ONLY $39.95 (Reg. $70)
50% Off JoyBay Ride On Swing Cars for Kids Now $34.99 Shipped
Nespresso Vertuo Next w/ Milk Frother ONLY $135.99 (Reg $275)
Carter’s Rainbow Sandals ONLY $12.60 (Reg $36)
Bella Air Fryer 2-Quart ONLY $24.99 Shipped (Reg $52)
I Love You, Stinky Face Board Book ONLY $3.75 (Reg. $7)
Echo Auto ONLY $24.99 Shipped (Reg $50)
Martha Stewart Reversible Bath Towel ONLY $4.99 (Reg $16)
Kenneth Cole Men’s Quinn Flip-Flop Sandals ONLY $14.99 (Reg $39)
Rachael Ray 5-Piece Bakeware Set ONLY $29.99 (Reg $100)

Cents of Style Lounge Sets EXTRA 20% OFF Starting UNDER $16

Abby H.

Summer Sale

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

This week’s weekly deal from Cents of Style is very relaxing. SUMMER Lounge Sets are an EXTRA 20% off the sale price! These sets come in a variety of styles and sizes from XS-3XL.

To take advantage of this sale, use coupon code SUMMERBREAK takes an extra 20% OFF making these Start under $16!! Don’t forget FREE Shipping over $35! The code is active until 6/8/21 at midnight.

2021 Summer Lunch Programs for Kids (And Other Free Food Resources in San Diego)

Abby H.2 Comments

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I have been working on this post for weeks, making phone calls and researching. I wanted to get this post up as soon as I could. Unfortunately, there are still some areas that haven’t posted their plans for free summer meals for kids.

Santee School District will be providing summer drive-thru meal distribution from June 14 through July 30, Monday-Friday, from 10:00-10:30 am, at Pepper Drive and Rio Seco schools.  Extended school year (summer school) and students attending Project Safe will be provided with food.

San Diego Unified School District has partnered with San Diego Parks and Recreation to have food available at neighborhood schools and Recreation centers throughout the city of San Diego. The complete list of locations can be found here. Times vary by location.

Grossmont Union High School District will be providing lunch for kids 2-18 all summer. Kicking it off, they will be giving out meal boxes on Monday June 7 from 11:30 to 1:30 on a first come first serve basis in the same area where lunches are distributed.  Summer meal distribution starts on June 14th 11:30-1:30 Monday through Friday.

Other school districts may be offering free lunches this summer, but currently there isn’t much information available.

If you don’t find any facilities near you offering free lunches, I recommend contacting 211, they may have more updated information.

And the San Diego Food Bank is continuing their neighborhood distributions– Lots of produce and goodies are available each week. No proof of need or residency requirements.

There are all sorts of organizations looking to help families in need.

Even if you are not in dire need, if you need help stretching your budget, these resources are here for you!

Talk Back: How are you stretching your food budget this summer?

Free Food Resources for June 2021 (San Diego County)

Abby H.

A new month means that it’s time for the monthly update of free food resources in San Diego.

You can still find resources here for Central and East County, and Here for North County.

If you are located outside San Diego County, call 211. If you are not familiar with 211, here is their website and it can point you in the right direction.

Neighborhood Distributions for June 2021 can be found here. Enter your address (or just your zip code) and the map will show you all of the distributions in your area or closest to you. You can filter by the days of the week to find food when you are available.

These Distributions are primarily fruits & veg, however, some locations may also distribute canned goods, dairy, and bread.

Super Pantry Locations can be found here (this listing is countywide). The San Diego Foodbank website also has resources for Diaper banks, free food resources for seniors, and more.

I will be posting Free Summer Lunch information for kids 2-18 in the coming days.

If you know of other resources, please leave a comment! And feel free to share this post with anyone you may know in need.

Bitmo Perks: Now Earn Points at Costco & Sam’s Club

Abby H.

This is a great deal! I’ve written about Bitmo before, and while I don’t use it as much as other cashback/money-saving apps, I still feel like it’s a good app. Any way you can save money (legally) is a good idea in my book.

Now through the Bitmo App, any time you shop at Costco or Sam’s Club and pay with the linked debit or credit card, you’ll earn points that you can redeem for gift cards.

I earned a $5 Bath and Body Works Gift Card last month, just by doing my usual shopping. I used the gift card in conjunction with a deal available in the BBW app, and I saved $30 and earned a free product!

I am all about double-dipping to save money and score deals!

Speaking of deals, Right now they are offering bonus points when you refer new friends. 20,000 bonus points (that’s a $20 gift card) for everyone that joins, connects a card, and does a transaction within 14 days of sign up. It’s quick and easy!

5/31/2021 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

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Today is Memorial Day in the US, and a lot of people are spending the day hanging out with friends and family, visiting the graves of their family who served in the military.

We are spending the day at home, hanging out with the kids, swimming in the pool.

I went to the grocery store Friday while the kids were at school, knowing that the kids would be home all weekend and on Monday. 99 Cents Only and Grocery Outlet had tons of great deals, and I was able to stock up for the week (and beyond) and stay on budget.

The CSA emails us in advance to give us a heads up as to what may be in our boxes each week, and that really gives me an upper hand when it comes to meal planning for the week.

Veggies and fruit are delivered each Monday 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. I spend about an hour on Monday afternoon cleaning and prepping veggies for the rest of the week.

Over the weekend, I did some meal prep: I prepared the last of our CSA veggies (broccoli) to roast and serve with the orange ginger chicken I cooked Sunday night. I also made some sauces to use throughout the week (orange ginger sauce, stir fry sauce, tzatziki sauce), and I made a batch of hummus. And of course, I made cookies for the week (we’ll see how long they last).

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 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.  The kids are nuts about pancakes. The Big Kid has been on a protein shake kick in the AM.

Lunch: Kids take lunch to school. I eat leftovers. Everyone rejoices.

Dinner: 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: Turkey burgers with feta, roasted broccoli, oven baked fries
  • Monday:  Orange Ginger Chicken, roasted veg
  • Tuesday:   Beans, Rice, roasted veggies, quesadillas
  • Wednesday:  Nugget night (nuggets, fruit, crackers, milk)
  • Thursday:  Breakfast for Dinner ( pancakes, eggs, fruit)
  • Friday:  Pizza/Takeout Night
  • Saturday: Meal o’ Snacks and /or leftovers

Please stay safe you guys!

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

5/28/2021 Friday Freebies and Deals!

Abby H.
bright boxes

Hey Gang! I hope everyone had a great week. I’m moving a little slow this morning. We did Legoland yesterday to cover the opening of The Lego Movie World, and I clocked in about 16k steps wearing a heavy backpack full of snacks. Then we came home and the kids wanted to swim. It’s been 18 months since we hit Legoland, and I’m feeling it today.

I’ll be posting summer reading programs, free summer lunch programs, and more fun free stuff to keep the kiddos entertained in the next week or so, as info becomes available.

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

Most of these freebies and deals are online. I am not encouraging anyone to go into stores or go out into public. Mask up, wash your paws, stay socially distanced, get vaccinated when it’s your turn!

Freebies:

Free Dart Ball Blaster Toy
Free Suave Pink Walmart Chatterbox Kit
Free Sample of La Roche P Toleriane Double Repair Moisturizer UV
Free Perricone MD Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Eye Serum
Free Sample of Coach for Men Cologne
Free Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation Sample
Free Depend Sample Kits for Men & Women
Free V8+ Energy Sparkling Drink
Free Sesame Street Fire Safety Color & Learn Activity Book
Free Shaving Cream + $75 eGift Card
Free Babybel Plus+ Probiotic Dairy Snacks Package
Free New Bright & Adventure Force RC Toys
Free Sample of Estee Lauder Beautiful Magnolia Perfume
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Glycolic Acid Serum
Free Subscription to Car and Driver Magazine
Free Back to the Roots Organic Potting Mix
Free Sample of Giorgio Armani GIO Cologne
Free Sample of MiN New York Stardust Fragrance
Free Hope Postcard
Free Organicville Pantry Staples
Free SOS Breakup Box – Porkless Rinds, Stickers & More

Deals:

Michael Kors Leather Billfold Wallet ONLY $32 (Reg $118)
Rainbow Print Shorts 2-Pack ONLY $7.99 (Reg $20)
Steve Madden Jackets ONLY $8.99 with Extra 10% Off
Up to 50% Off Toys + Extra 10% Off at Checkout
FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer ONLY $45.99 (Reg $76)
Hanes Women & Men Apparel ONLY $5.99 Today Only
Walgreens Custom Photo Poster $1.99 with Coupon (Reg. $11)
Dash AirCrisp 6-Quart Air Fryer ONLY $49.99 (Reg $104)
Savage x Fenty Women’s Underwear & Lingerie 65% Off
LeapFrog Blue’s Clues & You Blue Learning Watch $5.34 (Reg. $11)
Vera Bradley 70% Off Sale
WikkiStix Traveler Playset ONLY $13.00 (Reg. $20)
Limited Edition NBA Box and FREE NBA Team Jersey with BarkBox
FREE Dog Yacht Float with Your First BarkBox
Burberry Touch Men’s Cologne ONLY $31.99 (reg $75) Father’s Day
Harry Potter Dobby 1000 Piece Puzzle ONLY $8.46 (Reg. $15)

Looking for Swim Lessons this Summer?

Abby H.

Now that things are starting to open back up in California, and it looks like pools may be reopening on June 15th, I’ve been looking into swim lessons for Bitty Bird.

I can’t be the only parent looking for information on swim lessons and getting kids’ water ready.

My usual go-to is the swim lessons held at our local high school, facilitated in part by Heartland Swim. They are NOT offering swim lessons this summer, however, the Grossmont Union High School District pools will be open for swimming. You can find the schedule and prices here.

The City of San Diego has private, semi-private, and group swim lessons at several of its pools. The prices are pretty decent. The prices and more info can be found here.

If you live in El Cajon, you’ve got some really excellent swim lesson options. Visit the Rec Center brochure online (swim is on page 19) here and take a look at all of the classes. Anyone can take classes, but El Cajon residents (of the incorporated city) can get killer discounts.

La Mesa has limited swim lessons. They also currently require a parent to be in the water with each student.

The Kroc Center offers swim lessons. Information can be found here.

The YMCA offers swim lessons at many of its facilities. Currently, they are offering private/semi-private lessons only. You do not need to be a YMCA member to take lessons there, however, the rate is cheaper if you are. The list of San Diego, CA area YMCAs that offer swim lessons can be found here.

I also did some digging for parents of kids on the Autism Spectrum. Aqua Pros offers classes specially designed for kids on the spectrum! More information and class prices can be found on their website.

These are just a few of the options available. There are of course private swim instructors and private companies that offer private or small group lessons. The ones listed above are for more of the price-conscious in mind.

Talk Back: If you or your kids have had great swim lessons, leave a comment and let us know where! The more options, the better!

Cookie Recipe Round-up!

Abby H.

I usually make a batch of cookies per week. It’s generally cheaper to make cookies than it is to buy a couple boxes, and this way, I can control what goes into them (less sugar, Substitute Kodiak Flapjack mix in for AP flour, etc.).

I thought I’d share some of our favorite cookie recipes today. There are two no bake cookie recipes as well, just in case you need something sweet, but it’s too hot to turn on the oven!

I am all about using the right tool for the right job, as a result, I have a collection of awesome kitchen tools to help me cook. You can see my list of must-haves in my Amazon Storefront here.  

 

Get Road Trip Ready with Midas (Printable Coupon)!

Abby H.

Have you all heard of the term Revenge Vacation? I learned about it on NPR last week and it’s when you go all out on a vacation this year to get revenge on 2020.

Because so many of us are going on vacation this year, but remaining committed with social distancing, staying in our bubbles, and staying on budget, a lot of us will be hitting the road.

One of the best ways to make sure you are ready to hit the road is to get your car ready! Midas has a great deal with their Road Trip Ready Package, valid now through July 4th.

It’s super easy to take advantage of this deal!

I printed my coupon off this morning, I’m getting Princess Sparkle Cupcake (this is what happens when you let the 4-year-old name the new car) ship shape and ready to get outta town!