kids

New Year’s Resolution #8: Learn Something New

Abby H.3 Comments

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#8 is a resolution that I thought would be closer to the top of the list: Learn something new!

There are lots of ways that you can learn and grow without breaking the bank!

      1. Borrow books from the library- most libraries have their card catalogs online, so you can check and see if your local library branch has the book(s) you are looking for before you step foot in the library.  AND- some libraries have the ability to hold the books for you until you can get down there (usually 24 hours).
      2. Can’t find the books in print near you? Check out Google Books.  There are tons of free books that you can read online.If you head over to Amazon you’ll find thousands of Free E-books on Amazon in all reader formats.
      3. Check out community learning opportunities. Grossmont Adult Education has tons of great classes, including some great Mommy and Me style pre-school classes for kids!
      4. Check YouTube for tutorials or seminars that are of interest to you.
      5. Harvard (yeah, *THAT HARVARD*) has free, no credit open courses here. Other Colleges including MIT, Yale and Stanford offer free online no credit classes for the public to take/sit in on.
      6. Check your local museums for free days for locals.  San Diego Locals- here is a list of free museum days in Balboa Park.
      7. Craftsy has a ton of free classes and patterns! Check out this post with just a few of my favorite classes!
      8. There are tons of free opportunities for kids to learn here. Most public libraries have story time or other free activities and workshops for kids. Check out Red Tricycle’s website for all kinds of free and cheap learning opportunities for your littles!
      9. Love documentaries? Love to read? If you haven’t tried Amazon Prime yet, there is an awesome promotion right now- sign up and get your first 30 days free. Prime gives you access to more than JUST free shipping. You can stream movies, documentaries, enjoy the free Kindle lending library, and more! Start Your Prime Video 30-Day Free Trial Now!

Review: Obol- Never eat soggy cereal again!

Abby H.

logoA few weeks ago, Obol sent me two bowls to try out. They are great for keeping your milk and cereal separate right until you are ready to eat. No more soggy, mushy cereal!

IMG_2384But beyond cereal, it’s great for yogurt and cereal (or yogurt and granola, shown here), yogurt and fruit, even desserts like ice cream and cookie topping!

Lil’ Man loved it for yogurt and berries- his berries “rode the slide” into the yogurt. It definitely made breakfast more fun. He asks to eat out of the “slide bowls” all the time!

I like using Obols for stir fry and rice!

Obols are easy to clean and dishwasher safe too!

Obols come in two sizes, so there is one for everyone on your gift list.

Right now you can save 10% at obol.co Signup for instant discount code.

Thanks to Obol and USFG for sending me the complimentary Obols to facilitate my review! All opinions are my own and I was not financial compensated in any way.

#obolco

Review: Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker!

Abby H.

Last night, Lil’ Man and I got to attend the Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker . It was his first time at the ballet, and my first time in a few (mumble mumble) years.

If you’re unfamiliar with the story of the Nutcracker, here is a good synopsis.

The music and costumes were great, and Henry loved that there were kids dancing on stage too. The Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is touring all over the US and Canada right now. To find your closest show and save on the Moscow Ballet’s celebrated Great Russian Nutcracker 2015 North American Tour click here. USE PROMO CODE: JOY

This is a great show for kids (and adults). The story is easy to follow, and the music is very lively. It is a great first ballet experience for anyone!

Review: Lovely Candy Co. Tasty holiday treats!

Abby H.

The Lovely Candy Company sent me a box of their super yummy treats recently, and oh my goodness are they tasty!

The favorites were The Fudgee Rolls and the Sea Salt caramels. They were so decadent and rich, without having too many calories or fat. The cherry licorice were a follow up favorite. Lil’ Man devoured them!

What I really liked is that Lovely candies are all natural, certified gluten free, tested non-GMO, certified kosher and contain no high fructose corn syrup or artificial ingredients. So while they are a sometimes treat, I can feel better knowing they are a better choice than other candies out there!

We still have a few bags to try, but I’m sure they will be super tasty. We don’t eat a lot of candy, so it takes us a while to get through treats! These would be a great addition to any holiday gift basket or stocking!

Lovely Candy Co and US Family Guide provided me with complimentary candies to facilitate the review. I was not financially compensated to write this post, all opinions are my own.

 

New Year’s Resolution #4- Spend More Time with your Family (without breaking the bank)!

Abby H.3 Comments

Throughout December, I’m going to be posting about New Year’s Resolutions. Each post will have tips and tricks to help you navigate through your resolutions to become more successful at all of your frugal endeavors!
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The Number 4 New Year’s Resolution on most top ten lists is: Spend more time with your family.

There are lots of fun, free or low cost activities you can do with your family.

  • In San Diego, there is free museum Tuesday in Balboa Park.  Here is a list of museums that are free and when they are free. 
  • Also in San Diego, October is kid’s free month at tons of museums, parks, and attractions (including the zoo!!). Here is a list of events and attractions that were free in October 2012.
  • Lots of Daily Deal sites have free credit when you sign up to defray the cost of your first purchase.  Here are just a few that I use and really like:
    • LivingSocial- They sell local gift certificates (like Groupon) as well as merchandise. When you sign up, you’ll receive a credit (it varies, but it’s usually between $5-$15).
  • Instead of eating out at full price, use coupons from websites like Get1Free, or if you’ve got an Entertainment book, USE IT!
  • If you’ve got kiddos, check out these great lists of restaurants where Kids Eat Free. For San Diego restaurants where kids can eat free try here, here, here, here, and here.
  • Is your birthday coming? Of course it is…. Well, then check out this post about Birthday freebies!

There are fun, free events all year long for the family. Here is a list of just some of the holidays each month:

  1. January: New Year’s Day, MLK Day
  2. February: President’s Day, Some communities have Valentine’s day events too.
  3. March: Saint Patrick’s Day, Mardi Gras
  4. April: Easter
  5. May: Memorial Day and Mother’s day
  6. June: End of school/beginning of summer events, graduation, Father’s Day.
  7. July: Independence Day
  8. August: Back to School, Labor Day
  9. September: Back to School
  10. October:Halloween
  11. November: Thanksgiving
  12. December: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza

New Year’s Resolution #3- Live a richer, fuller life (without spending more money)

Abby H.3 Comments

Throughout December, I’m going to be posting about New Year’s Resolutions. Each post will have tips and tricks to help you navigate through your resolutions to become more successful at all of your frugal endeavors!
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Of the Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions, number three on several lists is to live a fuller life.  What does that mean?  Get out, do more.  Don’t just sit on your couch, watching WWE and eating microwave popcorn. Of course, I want you to get out there and live it up, but, I don’t want you to spend a lot of money.

Here are some tips to live better and keep your budget in check.

  • Use all of the perks and benefits afforded to you by your job.  Some employers offer on site gyms, discounts on cell phone contracts, discount movie tickets, discount attraction passes.
  • Take advantage of free community events.  Check your City’s local Parks and Recreation Department website for free movies in the park, city events around holidays (Our local municipal Lake has a fun Easter event each year that is free).
  • Speaking of Parks, use of community parks is free.  Take a picnic, go for a walk, heck, go play on the playground equipment! Some local parks have walking trails or exercise paths.
  • Many businesses offer discounts to military, seniors, and other professional groups. Don’t be afraid to ask!
  • When you go to the doctor or dentist, don’t be afraid to ask for samples of medications or toothpaste/floss. When we take Lil’ Man to the pediatrician for his wellness check ups, she’s always giving us coupons and samples.  Doctors receive coupons and samples from companies and reps to give out- take advantage of it!
  • If you are looking for a way to experience theatre for free and have some time to give, consider volunteering to be an usher. In most areas across the Unites States, many of the larger theatre companies are actively seeking ushers. If you are unsure if your local theatre or musical organization needs volunteer ushers, call their administrative office and ask, or check their website and drop them an email. Many theatres, orchestras and symphonies are non-profit organizations. They rely on volunteers to help their organization succeed. Museums need volunteers as well to be docents, hand out brochures, and help with special events. If there is a local museum you like, think about volunteering. You will get to spend time in a place you like, and you will be helping an organization.

Ralphs: Three Baby Freebies! (Great for donation)

Abby H.

If you’ve got a Ralphs card, check this out: Go to RScreen Shot 2015-12-06 at 7.34.58 AMalphs.com, log onto your account, click on Savings, then digital coupons, sort by category (baby).

There are three Baby freebies you can load to your Ralphs card right now!

If you don’t have a baby, these items would be an awesome donation for your local food bank or charity.  Baby items are always in need!

The three items are:

FREE Comforts for Baby Diapers Receive ONE (1) FREE Comforts for Baby Diapers Jumbo Pack, sizes 1-6.

FREE Comforts for Baby Wipes Receive ONE (1) FREE Comforts for Baby Wipes, Fragrance Free (40ct).

FREE Comforts for Baby Formula Receive ONE (1) FREE Comforts for Baby Formula, any variety (up to 23.2oz).

And the best part is that the coupons don’t expire until 1/30/16, so you have a few weeks to make your way over to Ralphs.

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Black Friday Sale at Costume Express!

Abby H.

Screen Shot 2015-11-25 at 6.50.42 PM*This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

Halloween is long over, but if your littles love dress up, this deal is PERFECT for you! Costumes make the holidays brighter, so why not save and shop the Costume Closeout with savings up to 90% off at Costume Express. You’ll also get 20% off for Black Friday!

Offer: Black Friday – 20% off no minimum at Costume Express
Coupon Code: CXFRIDAY
Valid: 11/27/15

 

Packing an awesome school lunch on a budget!

Abby H.1 Comment

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Most kids are on Fall break right now and school starts back up on Monday, but this post comes from my heart. I can’t tell you how many times I opened my lunch bag as a child, only to be disappointed by a limp, sweaty bologna sandwich, a warm juice box and a bag of chips. My mom is an awesome cook, but lunches as a kid were always uninspired. She packed us the same lunch that our friends had.

Kids now have a lot more choices when it comes to lunches. Cooler bags/soft sided insulated bags are now chic, and many schools have restrictions on what kids can bring to school (mostly due to common food allergies).

Here are some tips that can help you pack a yummy, nutritious, frugal lunch for your kids (or heck, even for you if you pack your lunch for work):

  • Plan ahead. Take an inventory of your pantry, fridge and freezer.  Make a list of lunches you can make with what you’ve got on hand.
  • Eat what’s on sale! You’ll save more if you eat what’s in season.
  • Involve the eater of the lunch: if you involve the kids, they’ll be more apt to eat what’s packed.
  • Keep Lunch fun! Use cookie cutters (like this one– I love it for sliced cheese) to make sandwiches, fruit, and cheese into fun shapes.
  • Set aside time for prep: When you get home from the store, set aside some time to chop veggies, fruit, and cheese and place single servings in baggies. Store the baggies in a drawer in the fridge. Resist the urge to snack on them!
  • Resist the urge to buy individual packages of snacks. They are usually not the best value for your dollar. Set aside some time after your shopping trip to portion out cookies, crackers, snacks and even yogurt.
  • Along the same lines: Resist the urge to buy pre-made sandwiches, like UnCrustables. Many schools don’t allow Peanut Butter (or other nut butters) in school lunches.  If your kids love those sandwiches, make your own. All you need in an empanada press (like this one) or a Wonder Bread Sandwich Sealer and D-Cruster a loaf of bread, your fav. peanut or other nut/seed butter, and some jam or jelly. Make about 12 sandwiches for less than $10. The average price for a box of 4 UnCrustables is around $3.50! You can use whatever type of sliced bread you like too!
  • Sandwiches need not be an everyday food! Make wraps with tortillas, sliced cheese, deli meats, and flavored cream cheese. Send sliced cheese, sandwich meat, and crackers (think a homemade Lunchable!) in a plastic box in separate muffin papers. Cold Pizza, salads that include a protein, soup in a thermos, heck, even cereal in a plastic container and a thermos of cold milk.
  • Re-use your empty Mio containers to send condiments or salad dressing to keep sandwiches and salads from getting icky and soggy. Simply remove the wrapper from the empty bottle, pop the top off and clean out the bottle and lid.  Once they are dry, fill 1/2 to 3/4 full and write on the front of the bottle with a sharpie.
  • Don’t just stick to Major Grocery Store chains! I love shopping for lunch yummies at Grocery Outlet. They have a wide variety of crackers, cookies, lunch meat, and a killer cheese section!  Now that we have a Grocery Outlet and a 99 Cents Only in the same shopping center, I can get most of my school lunch shopping done in one trip!

Oh, and most importantly- Don’t forget the note. My mom always put a note in our lunch each day. It made my day, especially when I was having a hard morning!

Looking for more ideas on keeping school lunches fun? Here are a few books I found on Amazon:

Little Passports Black Friday Sale (Great for the kiddo on your shopping list!)

Abby H.

**The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

Little Passport’s Black Friday sale is here! No need to head to the stores today! Purchase Little Passports online and give the gift that keeps giving all year long!

From now until Tuesday, December 1st, Little Passports is offering 60% off the first month of any subscription plan plus 10% off any non-subscription items! All you need to do is use code:BLACK60 at check out.

Although this sale needs no further introduction, let me take a moment to introduce you to the Little Passports products.

  • Please read The Globetrotter’s Gift Guide for a great summary of Little Passports’ products, including shop items for under $25!

    **This promotion is valid online only at www.littlepassports.com. To redeem enter code BLACK60 at checkout. 60% discount is applied to the first month of any subscription plan. 10% discount is applied to all non-subscription items. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers and/or applied retroactively to previously placed orders. Only store items bundled with a subscription can have a delayed holiday start. Offer excludes shipping and taxes. Offer valid from 11/25 at 8:00AM EST to 12/1 at 11:59PM EST.