4/27/25 Weekend Freebies and Deals

This weekend has been packed full of thrifting adventures. We’re keeping the fun going today with some freebies and deals!

I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

 

Freebies:

FREE Full-Size Ritual Synbiotic+ Supplements
FREE Catit Double Fusion Chatterbuy Kit
FREE ARM & HAMMER Power Sheets Chatterbox Kit
Vine Amazon Product Tester: Receive Free Products In Exchange For Your Honest Opinion
12 Month Subscription to Travel + Leisure Magazine – No Credit Card Needed
FREE Sample of Cesar Mini-Pouches or Warm Bowls Dog Food
FREE Energy Drink Sample
FREE Products with Fur Buddies – New Mission
FREE Sample of Giorgio Armani My Way Fragrance
FREE Admission to the Chuck E Cheese Superhero Playground
FREE Chanel Chance Eau Splendide Fragrance Sample
FREE Movie Ticket to The Surfer
FREE Tovolo Citrus Summer Party Pack
FREE Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Face Scrub After Walmart Cash
FREE Frozen Strawberry Flavored Beverage at Burger King – Every Saturday in May
2025 National Pretzel Day Freebies and Deals
FREE Sample of Dickinson’s Facial Cleanser
FREE Pork Big Deal for Nurses at Sonny’s BBQ
FREE Laneige Polypeptide Lip Serum at Sephora After Cash Back
Calm and Cozy: Free Baby Sleep Music for Restful Nights
FREE Sample of Dermoplast Kids First Aid Spray
FREE Greg Sticker Sheet
FREE Ocean Spray Zero Sugar Chatterbuy Kit
Free Charburger at The Habit Burger Grill for Your Birthday
FREE Promensil Double Strength Menopause Supplements
FREE Sample of MusclePharm Pro Series PROTEIN+

 

 

Deals:

Monopoly: Star Wars The Child, TMNT and Avatar ONLY $5 (Reg $9.95)
Wayfair: Way Day Sale is LIVE – Up to 80% Off Everything + Free Shipping
Wayfair Area Rugs Over 80% Off + Free Shipping
Crossbody Fanny Pack with Initial Letter ONLY $6.99 (Reg $14) on Amazon
nutribullet Pro Single Serve Blender on Clearance ONLY $31 (Reg $78) at Walmart
Charter Club Women’s Cotton Pajamas ONLY $19.35 (Reg $40) at Macy’s
Packit Unicorn Lunchbox ONLY $11 (Reg $23) on Amazon
Up to 82% Off Men’s Suits, Blazers and More at Macy’s Friends & Family Sale
The Big One Disney Plush Throws ONLY $11.99 at Kohl’s

 

4/19/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals

This week might be a little light on freebies, as it is Easter weekend. A lot of businesses will be closed tomoorw, 4/20/2025.

However, I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

FREEBIES:
FREE 4×6 Photo Magnet at Walgreens
FREE American Spirit Butt Pouches – Order Every Month
FREE Magnetic Parts Bowl or Bottle Opener
FREE DSS Games Family Fun Party Pack
Stuff Your Kindle Day! Score Thousands of Free eBooks on Amazon
FREE Full-Size Maybelline Color Tattoo Longwear Multi-Use Eye Shadow Stix
Get Free Nike Gear: How to Become a Nike Product Tester
FREE Sample of Biotek Hybrid Long Lasting Eyebrow Pigment
FREE Kinship LittleKin Puppy or Kitten Sample Pack – $200 Value
FREE Year of Google AI Gemini Advanced for College Students
The Ultimate Guide to Free Toothpaste Samples
Get Free Beauty Product Samples With Topbox Circle
Get Free Condom Samples Online and In-Person From Your Favorite Brands
Free 2025 National Parks Entrance Days
FREE Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance Sample
FREE Sample of CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel
FREE Coca-Cola Orange Cream or Coca-Cola Orange Cream Zero
FREE Spinning Trinket Box Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
FREE 2025 Seaworld Teacher Fun Card
FREE Glade PlugIns Air Freshener Warmer After Walmart Cash
Get Your Free Teeth Whitening Samples: A Brighter Smile Awaits
FREE Sample of Neutrogena ULTRA SHEER Face Liquid Sunscreen
FREE Carolina Herrera Good Girl The Feminine Fragrance Sample
Easy Ways To Get Free Men’s Cologne Samples
FREE Birdy Buffet Workshop at Home Depot
Get FREE Coffee at Wawa on April 16th
FREE Spring Flower at Lowe’s
The Best Free Skincare Samples to Request Right Now
Free Perfume Samples You Can Get Right Now
FREE Sample of L’Oreal Absolut Repair Molecular Mask
FREE $35 Purchase at Walmart After Cash Back
10 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints at CVS

Deals:

Dirt Devil 7-in-1 Handheld Steamer ONLY $29.98 (Reg $45)
JCPenney Boxed Necklaces and Earrings ONLY $9 (Reg $75) – 88% Off!
Hello Blink Sticker Maker ONLY $12 at Target
Ozark Trail Foldable Chair with Cupholder Only $6.98 at Walmart
$12 Shorts for Adults and $10 Shorts for Kids at Old Navy
Roku Express HD Streaming Device ONLY $19 (Reg $29)
Luggage From Samsonite, Travelpro & More up to 65% Off at Macy’s
Kate Spade Ginnie Crossbody ONLY $79 (Reg $199)

4/13/2025 All-Inclusive Day of Play: Starry Night Cinema & Resource Fair!

This event is back and will be an amazing time! The  2nd Annual All-Inclusive Day of Play: Starry Cinema & Resource Fair on Sunday, April 13 from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Salvation Army Kroc Center Corner Zone – 6845 University Ave., San Diego, 92115.

  • Activity Stations
  • Movie Screening Area
  • Giveaways & Crafts
  •  Family Resources
  • Networking
  • Shopping,
  • Games & more!

And as the sun sets, an outdoor screening of a family movie (title to be determined) will be shown on a large outdoor screen! Bring your chairs and blankets!

For tickets and to learn more, visit their website. 

Easter Basket Supplies on a Budget with Dollar Tree!

Easter Sunday is coming up on April 20th! That gives us a few short weeks to make Easter baskets! As always, I’m looking at Dollar Tree to help me make some cute baskets full of fun for each kiddo for $25 each!

First, we’ll start with a fun basket or tote. Dollar Tree always has a wide array of baskets, totes, and fun containers.

Here are some of my go-tos for a fun Easter Basket. My kids are tweens/teens. I tend to skip toys and go straight for consumables or items I know they will use.

  • Bath Bombs (I like to shop in-store for these- the in-store selections of bath bombs is always great)
  • Body Wash
  • Lotion
  • Lip Balm
  • Beverage Mixes
  • Water Bottles
  • Hand Sanitizers
  • Playing Cards
  • Combs or a Hair Brush
  • Emery Boards
  • Candy
  • Snacks

My local Dollar Tree has a great collection of Skincare and Personal care dupes. From Bath and Body Works dupes to Bubble Skin care dupes, I always find great deals at my local Dollar Tree.

Fun, Free, & Frugal Events for Kids & Families in San Diego, CA

With better weather and Spring Break on the horizon for most of us, it’s time to get out of the house and find some fun, free stuff to do!

San Diego is full of fun outdoor adventures. If you are looking for places to take your kids for some hikes or walks, Hidden San Diego has a list of 40 kid-friendly hikes here. Hidden San Diego also has some amazing information about San Diego’s history, locations to explore, and even some creepy lore surrounding America’s Finest City.

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know about the JCPenney Kids Zone free crafts that occur every second Saturday of the month in selected JCPenney stores.

You probably also know about the Home Depot Kids Workshop, which takes place every second Saturday of the month. However, some stores do one every single week; you just need to check your local Home Depot store to find out.

Did you also know that Lowe’s Hardware store does a similar activity on the third Saturday of each month? 

Lakeshore, the educational store, holds free kids events, including storytime with Pete the cat and sensory events.

If you are in the eastern part of San Diego County, the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College offers free admission on Fridays from 9am-4pm.

While not always free, Michaels offers in-store classes for both Kids and adults. Sometimes, the classes are free, and sometimes there is a class fee (usually $15 or less). Classes run for about an hour, and you need to take something really cool home with you.

The San Diego Craft Collective at Liberty Station has a free class on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 6 PM.

Don’t forget their resident free days at Balboa Park every single Tuesday.

If you’re looking for more fun, free events, check your local shopping center or mall. Parkway Plaza in El Cajon has a free kids event every month. It usually involves a craft and some sort of fun games where you can win prizes. 

Groupon always has discounted admissions to local attractions like Legoland, Birch Aquarium, and indoor trampoline/play places.

 When I find more, I will definitely post more. 

Searching for Deals for Teens’ First Phone Plan…

I’ve been reading and researching the best deals for my newly 14-year-old. He needs a phone. I don’t have a landline, and he needs to be able to reach me, his dad, and other family members.

He doesn’t need a lot when it comes to a phone. More than a flip phone but less than the most up-to-date iPhone. More than anything, I’m concerned about the cell phone plan.

I recently discovered  Lyca Mobile. They offer a reliable 5G/4G high-speed network with over 99% population coverage (I checked the map; it covers anywhere he’ll be), and Lyca offers FREE Unlimited Calls & Texts to 100 Countries (for when his dad is traveling and he wants to text with him).

With Lyca Mobile, you bring your own phone, which I love. We can use one of our older phones or get one from Gazelle or another seller of pre-owned phones without the hassle of a long-term contract.

For only $12.25/month, he will have unlimited everything!

Thanks a great deal!

Recipe: Marry Me Cannellini Beans

Maybe you’ve seen videos or recipes online for marry me chicken. It’s a creamy Tuscan style dish that can be served with noodles or by itself.

Here is my version, but instead of using chicken, I substituted Cannellini beans. Why? Because I had cannellini beans, and I didn’t have any chicken.

If you want to use chicken, substitute about a pound of either boneless skinless trimmed thighs or boneless skinless trimmed chicken breasts for the beans.

Ingredients 

  •  2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons your favorite cooking oil (I used the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes)
  • One small, yellow onion, diced
  • 2 15.5 ounce cans of Cannellini beans, drained, and rinsed
  • Three cloves of crushed garlic/3 tablespoons of Jarlic
  • 2/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes 
  • 2 cups of chicken broth 
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 
  • 4 cups fresh spinach
  • One cup evaporated milk, or half-and-half (choice) 
  • 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese (use the freshly grated variety, not the powdered variety)

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, melt butter and mix oil in with butter.
  2. Sauté onions over medium heat until translucent, about five minutes.
  3. Add in garlic and stir frequently until garlic is fragrant.
  4. Add in rinsed and drained beans, sun-dried, tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning. Cook on medium, stirring frequently until mixture comes to a boil.
  5. Using the back of a spoon or a potato masher gently mash up about half of the beans. This will add thickness to the sauce or without adding any additional ingredients. 
  6. Once a thickened mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, add in milk/half-and-half, spinach,  and about a half a cup of the grated cheese. 
  7. Stir and turn stove down to low. Simmer on low for 5 to 10 minutes until mixture has thickened. 
  8. Serve with noodles of your choice, or serve mixture in a bowl with toasted/crusty Italian bread. Top each bowl with some of the remaining cheese.
  9. I prefer to serve this in a bowl and eat it with a toasted/crusty bread. 

Substitutions:

  • To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute chicken broth for vegetable broth/stock. 
  • To make this recipe vegan, substitute as above, and additionally substitute milk/half-and-half with your favorite dairy free variety, as well as your favorite dairy free variety of “Parmesan” type cheese. 

Merlin Entertainment: FREE Tickets for First Responders of the Los Angeles Fires!

This is such an amazing offer, I had to share!

Merlin Entertainments’ LEGOLAND® California Resort and Madame Tussauds Hollywood Offer FREE Tickets for First Responders of the Los Angeles Fires

LEGOLAND® California Resort and Madame Tussauds Hollywood are showing appreciation for the first responders of the Los Angeles fires who have given their time and bravely served their community by offering free tickets. As part of Merlin Entertainments’ commitment to creating memorable, immersive experiences, both attractions are also offering additional discounts for first responders to bring up to four guests at half off, allowing them to enjoy unforgettable fun together with their families.

Now through May 23, LEGOLAND California Resort is offering a complimentary Hopper Ticket and up to four additional Hopper tickets at 50% off for first responders, including California-based firefighters, police officers, sheriff deputies, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and National Guard Members. First responders can choose between a LEGOLAND + SEA LIFE Hopper Ticket or a Resort Hopper Ticket, which includes access to LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE, and LEGOLAND® Water Park (open select dates).

Tickets must be claimed in person at LEGOLAND California’s Guest Services window with a valid government-issued photo ID and a valid employee ID card.

At Madame Tussauds Hollywood, first responders can enjoy free admission through April 10. They can bring up to four guests, who are all eligible to receive 50% off admission. This exclusive offer at Madame Tussauds is available through ID.me.

For more details, visit LEGOLAND.com/california/deals/first-responders-offer/ and https://www.madametussauds.com/hollywood/ticket-deals/discount-offers/

We love Legoland! If you are looking for a way to continue the savings after you through the gates, check out our post about Legoland on a budget.

If you’ve got someone in your group that has a physical and mental limitation, pick up an Access Pass.

3/14/25 Weekly Freebies and Deals

There is a whole smattering of freebies and deals this week! And I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

My comprehensive list can be found here if you are looking for free food resources.  It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

FREEBIES:

FREE Sample of KNEMO Microtip Spot Patch for Blemishes
FREE Sample of Pataday Once Daily Relief Eye Allergy Itch Relief
FREE Sample of Nutree Brazilian Bondox or Afro Hair Mask
FREE Sample of e.l.f. Liquid Poreless Putty Primer
Get Free Condom Samples Online and In-Person From Your Favorite Brands
FREE Sorion Cream or Soraresal Cream Sample
FREE Sample of Jiva Botanicals Shilajit Gummies
FREE Creed Eladaria Fragrance Sample
FREE Donna Karan Cashmere & Vanilla Essence Fragrance Sample
T-Mobile Tuesdays – 8×8 Photo Book at Shutterfly, Digital Costco Shop Card, $3 Panera Unlimited Sip Club & More
FREE Terre d’Hermès Eau de Parfum Intense Fragrance Sample
FREE Sample of Comfort Zone Skin Regimen LX Tripeptide Gel Cream
FREE Kids Meal with the Panda Express Read with Me Program
Free Food at Burger King for Perks Week: Today Free French Toast Sticks
FREE Donut at Krispy Kreme When You Wear Green on March 15th – 17th
FREE Mini Bucket, Puppy Plushie & Shoe Charms at Lowe’s – Reserve Yours Now
FREE Gutzy Organic Prebiotic Fruit Pouch

Deals:

Home Expressions Reversible Comforters ONLY $20.99 (Reg $50)
JCPenney Home Sale – Up to 50% Off + Extra 30% Off w/ Coupon
National Pi Day Deals You Can Score on March 14th – Today
One Day Sale – Up to 60% Off Sitewide at Macy’s

Kids Bowl Free- It’s Back for Summer 2025!

file0001910298986.jpgLooking for something fun, air-conditioned, and cheap to do this summer with the kids?

Kids Bowl Free has been around for years, and it’s a great way to get kids active, even when it’s hot outside. I’m so excited it’s back again.

Kids 2-12 can bowl 2 games for free each day the program is running at participating bowling centers all across the US and Canada. All you pay for is shoe rental- or bring your own if you have them!kidsbowlfree_logo-new-2019.jpg

This program is available all over the US and Canada. The complete list can be found here. Sign up is quick and easy. To get started, register here. If you live in San Diego, the only bowling alley participating is Aztec Lanes.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of this deal! It’s one of our favorite summer activities.