fun

Free Samples!

Abby H.

file7261245785846.jpgEveryone loves a full mailbox, at least when it’s not full of bills! I’ve been stalking a few sites online looking for some samples of products I’d like to try, and I thought I’d share them with you!

Here are just a few of the freebies I’ve recently signed up for!

New Birthday Freebies!

Abby H.4 Comments

Every year I update my Birthday Freebies post (you can see last years here), but there are some really cool ones, so I decided to do a separate update post, so you don’t miss them.

There are a lot of birthday freebies that I do not list on the original post, only because I don’t think they are that cool. Getting a free Rice Krispy treat when you buy lunch, or a free soft serve cone when you buy a hamburger are not making my list. Sorry Noodle Company and The Habit.

ttronslien-8721.jpgAs a member of the Driscoll’s Berry Advisory Panel, they email you a link for a .50/1 printable coupon!

Kohl’sYes2You members get a $5.00 coupon! I’ll be hitting the clearance rack today!

If you have a Boomer’s near you, join their Discount E-News Club! You’ll receive a super birthday deal (This is Lil’ Man’s Favorite): You’ll receive a free 4 Hours Unlimited Attractions  Play Pass good for all the attractions – Miniature Golf, Go Karts, Bumper Boats, Rock Wall and Kids County Fair.  Club members receive the special privilege of using this offer ANY single day during the month of their birthday.Must provide proof date of birthday at time of redemption.If you sign up during the Month of your Birthday you will receive your Birthday coupon within 48 hours.

Bruegger’s Bagels gives you three free bagels for your birthday. SCORE! Our family eats tons of bagels, so this is a sweet deal.

Between these great freebies, plus all of the ones from my previous birthday post, you’ll be rolling in freebies for weeks!!

 

Legoland on a budget: It can be done!

Abby H.2 Comments

DSC06398.JPGWe love Legoland, but it can get to be pricey. Here are a few tips that we personally use that can keep our trips more affordable!

Tickets:

  • Look for coupons savings. A quick search of Google is a good place to start. Frequently fast food or quick service restaurants will have Buy and adult pass, get a kids ticket free. Recently Denny’s had coupons up front near the register.
  • Sometimes schools and libraries also have these coupons. Our school had some in the front office last year, all you had to do was ask!
  • A few times a year, Legoland will have buy one day, get a second day free for the same price as a 1 day pass. That’s the perfect chance to enjoy two days to play and explore!
  • Don’t forget to check Costco or Sam’s Club! They frequently have discount 1 day, multi-day, or annual passes.

Snacks:

  • Take water bottles or travel cups with straws. Most restaurants with fountain drinks will fill your bottles or cups with filtered water for free. There are also tons of drinking fountains in the park.
  • There are lots of picnic areas, and places to sit and eat. We always bring our snack backpack (it’s this one) stuffed with applesauce cups, granola bars, dried fruit, popchips, 100% juice pouches, and other yummy snacks.
  • 180s.jpgSplurge on one snack or treat. Our favorite treat in the park are Granny’s Apple Fries! They are soooo good. It’s a batter dipped apple slice that’s flash fried and served with vanilla whipped cream. They are heavenly.
  • There are so many places to eat in the park too! Check eat location for specials like Kids Eat Free (last time we were there, the pizza and pasta buffet was having a promo after 3pm).

 

Souvenirs:

  • Our tradition is to buy a new min-figure keychain on every trip. I let Lil’ Man chose. He also gets to spend $20 on whatever he wants in the main gift shop. He earns money helping around the house and also when we do secret shops (he loves it, he thinks he’s being a secret agent).
  • Unlike Disney and other companies with theme parks, you can’t really get deals on Legos or buy them at discount shops and give the kids the goodies once in the park (that’s what we do with Disneyland). You can however bring in your own glow sticks and glow necklaces if you’ll be there after dark to save some money.

Etc:

  • There are tons of play areas in the park. If you are tired from waiting in line for rides, stop by a play and build area. There is a great Duplo themed one in Heartlake, and large play area in Castle Hill, complete with slides and tunnels! Take time to play and let your kids build and use their imagination!
  • Bring towels if you’ll be in the park when it’s hot. There are multiple water fixtures and splash pads for the kids to cool down. No need to pay to get into the water park (which is only open seasonally).
  • Bring a mini-figure or two to trade! Most Park employees have min-figs on their name tags and they will trade.

I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for saving at Legoland!

Ring in the New Years at LEGOLAND!

Abby H.

Ya’ll know how much our family LOVES Legoland, right? Well if you are looking for a family friendly way to ring in the new year and have the kids to bed before the real big ball drops, consider spending the day at Legoland!

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The grand finale of Holidays at LEGOLAND® California Resort is the annual Kids’ New Year’s Eve party! This lively party begins with special musical performances from kid favorite groups Twinkle Time and Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band on Fun Town Stage and in Heartlake City.

Then, for the first time, the party moves to San Francisco in Miniland U.S.A. where like the famous Times Square party, guests gather for the countdown followed by a huge LEGO® brick dropping 22 feet into 2017 and spectacular fireworks at 6 p.m. to end the night(with plenty of time to spare to get home for bed!).

And right now, the deal gets sweeter!!

LEGOLAND California Resort is offering a gift for holiday guests: From Nov. 21, 2016 through Jan. 1, 2017, buy a one day admission to LEGOLAND California and return a second day to LEGOLAND California and SEA LIFE® Aquarium for free between Jan. 2, 2017 and March 1, 2017.

All Holidays at LEGOLAND California Resort activities located inside the Park are included with regular Park admission (Kids 3–12 $89; Adults $95; Parking $15).

For more Holidays information, visit www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO (5346).

I’ve had such a great year being a Legoland Blogger, and I hope to continue next year, bringing you great promotions and sharing news straight from Legoland!  I’ll be sharing some tips on how to save money when planning your Legoland trip in the next few days, just in time for NYE!

Fun in Nature with Baby Wearing!

Abby H.

 

Recently, I was given the opportunity to try out a new baby carrier. I love baby wearing- It’s a great way to stay close to your little one while being active.

We hike, play, and have adventures all while babywearing. I am able to take Lil’ Man out on hikes to places that aren’t quite good for unsteady toddler feet. We can hike Cowles mountain, explore Old Mission Dam, and even pop out to the tide pools!

Screen Shot 2016-12-28 at 8.44.18 AM.pngYou can check out the carrier on Amazon here. 

It’s got a ton of pockets, which is great for stashing keys and snacks.

The kiddo rides pretty high because of a plastic saddle type insert.

Bitty Bird totally loved being up high and snuggled onto my shoulder and fell asleep.

You can also wear this as a backpack to back carry, which I love for long distance wearing, like when we go for hikes.

Pros:

  • It’s cotton, and machine washable.
  • It’s easy to put on and take off by yourself.
  • Tons of pockets

Cons:

  • Because it was made overseas, the waist strap is kinda small. If you wear over a size 20 US ladies dress size or a mens pant size 44, the waist band will not fit you.
  • (this may not be a con for some people) The child rides really high, so they are in your face.

If you like to try out this carrier, I am happy to offer a coupon code! 20% off coupon code UPWX8RBS.  This deal expires on 12/31/16.

 

Looking for Frugal Fun for Christmas? Check out Neighborhood Light Displays

Abby H.

One of the family traditions I want to carry over from when I was little is driving around to look at Holiday light displays. And for those of us in San Diego, we’re in luck!

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Bitty Bird, Excited to see the Sesame Street decorated house at Starlight Circle!

Here are our favorites, addresses and info courtesy of San Diego Family Magazine.

Here is a link to the original PDF so you can print it off and take it with you!  It’s got addresses and more info.

We’ve already visited most of these east county locations:

EL CAJON, 92021

  • Jingle Bell Hill (also known as Pepper Dr. Lights). Solomon Ave./Pegeen Pl. and surrounding area. Off 67 & Bradley. Dec. 8-26, Mon-Th 6-9 pm, Fri-Sun 6-10 pm. Our favorite is the Nightmare Before Christmas House!

LAKESIDE, 92040

  • 10248 Paseo Palmas Dr. Nicknamed “Tinsel Town”. Dec. 1-25, 5:30-9 pm. Most of the houses on this street are very well decorated with lights and moving displays!

SANTEE, 92071

  •  Starlight Circle, East and West Glendon Circles. Dec. 17-26, 7-10 pm. This is extremely popular! You can park and walk through. There are neighbors selling cocoa, coffee, popcorn, and cotton candy. If you walk, take money with you! Starlight Circle even has a facebook page!
  • 9773 Roe Dr. 27,000 Christmas lights dance to 10 songs over 128 computer channels. Food Bank and St. Jude donations accepted. Dec. 3-Jan. 2. Sun-Th, 6-10 pm and Fri & Sat, 6-11 pm.www.DBChristmas.com It is very impressive!
  • IMG_0879.jpgIf you love South Park, after you stop by Roe, cruise down Lake Canyon Drive (in the 9400 block, East of Carlton Hills Blvd) and check out the Woodland Critter Christmas Display.

 

We pack the kids into the car after dark with snacks and head out for a drive. It’s a fun way to spend time together, and it’s pretty frugal!

What holiday traditions do you want to share with your kids?

Earn Cashback and Gift Cards with Swagbucks!

Abby H.

Join Swagbucks!
You Can Get Free Gift Cards For Shopping, Searching and Discovering What’s Online at Swagbucks.com

Swagbucks is a great way to earn cashback and giftcards when you search, shop, or play online.

And right now, you can refer friends and earn $5!

Screen Shot 2016-12-13 at 9.49.35 AM.png

Have you ever heard of Swagbucks? They’re a completely free, no strings attached site that rewards you for all of the things you’re already doing online. Search, Watching Videos, Playing Games, Taking Surveys, Shopping and more – as you do these activities, you’ll earn Swag Bucks, which are reward points that you can redeem for all sorts of gift cards in the Rewards Store.

You can download their toolbar or download their OS and Android apps for more opportunities to earn. Choose the activities you like or have time for – how much you earn is up to you!

I have been using the search toolbar for all of my searches and I’ve been racking up the points!

I’ve used Swagbucks Since February 2012 and so far I’ve earned over $500! In fact, I just cashed out another 2 $5.00 Amazon Gift Cards! You can do the same!

Shop and Save at Sears and K-Mart with Shop Your Way Rewards!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 8.37.57 PM.pngI’ve written about how I’ve saved money before with Shop Your Way Rewards, and here is another great deal!

If you aren’t familiar, Shop Your Way Rewards, it’s the Club Card for Sears and K-Mart (they are owned by the same company). You accrue points for each purchase, and points can be redeemed for dollars and cents off of purchases. They also have really great coupons that you can load to your account that can be used in store or online. Frequently, they have in-store only deals.

Like right now, when you spend $40 on clothing, shoes, or accessories, you’ll receive $20 in points good on your next purchase! This deal appears to be in store only.   Lil’ Man has shot up another 3 inches almost overnight, so he was in need of pants and underwear.

Now, here’s the catch- If you have points already, you can’t redeem on this deal to lower your OOP and receive the points. If you redeem points, you cannot also take advantage of earning any bonus or additional points.  At my time of checkout, I had $7.00 in points to redeem, but if I used it, I couldn’t earn my $20 in points. So, obvi (as the kids say), I saved my $7 in points..

I bought:

Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 8.19.05 PM.png

Screen Shot 2016-12-05 at 8.19.14 PM.pngNow I’ve got $23 and change in points to use on my next purchase.

I’ll be using those points to pick up a few holiday gifts. I am able to use Shop Your Way Rewards to stretch our family budget for clothing, shoes, and gifts.

One of the things I like about Shop Your Way Rewards is that the deals and coupons are tailored to your shopping!

You can earn more points by checking out the sweepstakes section of Shopyourway.com and enter sweepstakes. Most of the sweepstakes have an instant win section where you can win points for free!!

Points can be used at both Sears and K-Mart locations!

 

Have an awesome time at Medieval Times!

Abby H.

 

Ok, so a few weeks ago, I wrote about Medieval Times.  Right now, they have an incredible deal, CLICK HERE and use this exclusive promo code MT3629 through 2/17/17 and receive Adults for just $36.95 and children (12 and under) only $29.95.

That’s an incredible deal! Dinner at Medieval Times would make a great gift for the little knights or maiden on your gift giving list!

Lil’ Man and I headed up on Sunday with our friends, and we had a great time!

IMG_0694.jpgWhen you enter the King and his chancellor speak and knight the birthday kids, you can grab a drink at the bar (they have non-alcoholic drinks too!), and check out the horses while you wait for your show to start. Here we are sitting on the Royal thrones! Lil’ Man loves making goofy faces!

(BTW, yes, his shirt says Property of One Awesome Mom)

IMG_0703.jpgThe food was cool! You eat off metal plates and bowl with handle, no silverware (I snuck plastic spoons in- I didn’t want the kids to melt down because they couldn’t eat their soup).

We sat in the Red & Yellow Knight’s section, hence the weird orange tint to the photo of our dishes!

The show starts after you are seated (You are “sorted” into cheering sections as you enter the castle). The knights are introduced and food service begins.

The King’s feast includes garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, sweet buttered corn, herb-basted potato, pastry of the Castle (Lemon pound cake for us!) and beverages. It was great! Our server was so cool.

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Overall, the show was great- so much excitement and drama. The kids were riveted for the entire show. They almost didn’t eat because of how much they enjoyed the show.

There were a lot of people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events.

But really, no one ever needs a reason (or excuse) to visit the King’s Castle at Medieval Times!

If you don’t live in Southern CA, fret not! There are locations all over the country!

 

10 Great Stocking stuffers for kids under $15

Abby H.

With the Holidays approaching, most of use have either stocking stuffers to purchase of at least one gift exchange to attend. I’ve collected 10 great frugal gifts that would be a great addition to any holiday! Most of these gifts call for creativity and imagination. They won’t need batteries or make horrible sounds (for the most part). These are all gifts I would buy (or have bought) for my kids.

  1. These hair bows for babies and toddlers are perfect for the little girls on your list. Bitty Bird loves hers.
  2. If you’ve got a crafty kiddo, this craft kit is a perfect choice. None of the crafts require scissors, just a little imagination and glue (we use Elmer’s white glue).
  3. Speaking of crafty kiddos, if you’ve got one on your list that likes to make jewelry, this Melissa & Doug bead set has over 200 beads, perfect for hours of creativity.
  5. Is your kiddo a budding scientist? We have this science kit and Lil’ Man LOVES it. There are 11 scientific experiments for kids to conduct (all with grown ups help).
  6. No science experiment is complete without a lab coat. Lil’ Man has this one. He even wore it at Halloween. He was Dr. Doofenschmirtz from Phineas & Ferb. You can see photos on my Instagram feed.
  7. Lil’ Man got this set last year for his birthday. It’s an awesome set. It’s super fun, and you can hatch and raise Triops. Think Sea Monkeys on steroids! And you can actually see the trips grow and live. It’s nifty. I think everyone in the family enjoyed it.
  8. These cool interlocking blocks. They are little man approved.
  9. Magnetic Mini Tile Kit. They would make cool refrigerator magnets!
  10. This super cute (and mess-free) stained glass set. I love anything by Melissa & Doug. They make very well made toys and their craft kits yield great keepsakes!

 

What kinds of stocking stuffers do you buy for your kids?