saving money

December 2022: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

      • Lactose-Free Sour Cream by Green Valley Creamery
      • Specialty Nut Butters by Wild Friends
      • Sustainable Dog Treats by Shameless Pets
      • Veggie Pasta by Veggiecraft Farms
      • Dips & Spreads by Litehouse
      • Fresh Frozen Dog Food by Nom Nom

And More!

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, and meat-free foods frequently.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck, there are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

Venmo Users: Check your Accounts For An Amazon Deal!

Abby H.

Venmo users: Check the email linked to your Venmo account for this sweet deal!

Spend $100 on Amazon orders now through 12/31/22 (Max 200k redemptions available under this offer), and you’ll score $10 back in your Venmo Account.

Pretty sweet, right?

If you hadn’t heard by now Amazon and Venmo are now buddies- You can pay for Amazon purchases with Venmo. Learn more here.

And you haven’t signed up for Venmo yet, check it out here.

November 2022: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I get probably 1-2 products to sample each month. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

Social Nature has rounded up products that are available to try at a local grocery store or mass merchandiser near you.  Apply to Try the products that interest you to see if you’re a match here.

Here are some of the new sampling opportunities:

      • Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Liquid Vegan Pizza Mozzarella
      • Notco Plant-Based Chicken Patties
      • Megafood Blood Builder Liquid Iron
      • Brainiac Foods Applesauce

And More!

And one of the things I love about Social Nature is that they don’t leave our friends with food allergies out.

There are sampling offers for Gluten-free, nut-free, and meat-free foods frequently.

Canadian Friends- You are in luck, there are sampling opportunities for you too! So if you love trying new products, check out Social Nature!

10/31/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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I’m hoping this week starts an easy descent into the end of 2022. This year has been rough, and I really need some rest.

We are finishing up with TBS therapy at about the end of the year, and it’s really been helpful for the whole family, especially the big kid. It’s been a big part of our lives over the past few months.

I went to the grocery store on Friday night. I didn’t do much meal prep this week. I was exhausted from all the driving and other work I’d done last week. So this week is going to be a lot of low-effort meals. This would be a great week for Dream Dinners, but I didn’t have time to place an order for October.

We’ll be eating a lot of vegetarian/low-meat meals this week. With the ever-increasing cost of groceries, we’re leaning on pantry staples and what’s in the freezer again for this week.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

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.

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 are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home every day and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Protein shakes, fruit, and toast (and trick or treating)

  • Tuesday: Beans, Rice, and cheese bowls with roasted veggies

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday:  Pasta with red sauce, spinach salad

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:    Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

Cents of Style: No TRICKS just TREATS 31% off the Entire Site!

Abby H.

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

This is a pretty sweet deal from our friends at Cents of Style! Going LIVE at TEN PM on 10/30/2022, they have a SPECIAL Halloween deal of 31% OFF SITEWIDE for ANYTHING AND ENTIRE ORDER (sale & clearance items included) FOR 24 HOURS ONLY as our Halloween Treat.

This deal runs from Sunday at 10pm until Monday at midnight!

In order to take advantage of this deal, use coupon code TRICKORTREAT at checkout.

I’ll be picking up stocking stuffers and holiday gifts!

Ooly: Awesome Gifts for your Little Artist!

Abby H.

Recently our friends over at Ooly sent us a little box full of creativity. The kids and I love to do art, make stuff, and express our creative sides. I was stoked to receive the Rainbow Sparkle Glitter Markers, and Chunkies Paint Sticks.

Margaret and I had a blast! The glitter markers are incredible. The glitter is very fine and sticks onto the artwork, even after the marker ink has dried. We colored and colored, without any loss of color or glitter coming from the markers. Parents, I repeat: There is NO glitter transfer!!

And the Chunkies? Perfection. She loves to paint, but I don’t love the setup and mess. These Chunkies solved my problems and let her express her creativity with paint. She loved that the paint dries quickly, and it didn’t get all over her hands (issues that we’ve had with other brands of paint sticks).

Ooly has art supplies for any level of an artist, in several mediums. If you haven’t embraced your inner artist, but love planners or journaling, Ooly has you covered too. They have a pretty extensive of cool journaling and planner supplies!

They’ve put together a Gifts under $20 section, which is perfect for holiday gift exchanges, as well as 8 Bonus Boxes. OOLY’s Holiday Bonus Boxes offer an array of goods to keep you crafting, drawing, painting, and molding. Find the one that’s just right for you and bring your vision, story, or design to life! I’m picking up a bonus box for each of the kids for the winter holidays. I know the kids will love the freedom and creativity each bonus box brings.

And shopping with Ooly gets even better- Now through November 7th, score a free set of Stampables Scented Double-Ended Stamp Markers with any purchase of $60+. Details can be found here.

Disclosure: Ooly sent us samples to try without an expectation of a review, however, once I received the markers and paint sticks, I was so excited to share them with you, I jumped at the chance to share their deals. I love supporting local companies!

 

10/24/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

 

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This week is going to be a lot of time in the car. The big kid’s school has 6th-grade camp this week, but because of the nighttime medication he takes, it’s better if he comes home each night.  SDo I will be driving him to and from camp (about a 50-mile round trip) each morning and afternoon.

That means no therapy appointments this week, which is great because I’m getting a little run ragged.

I went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon and meal prepped yesterday for this week. We had a lot of veggies and fruit left over from the week before, so I made a big fruit salad and 2 trays of roasted veggies.

We’ll be eating a lot of vegetarian/low meat meals this week. With the ever increasing cost of groceries, we’re leaning on pantry staples and what’s in the freezer. Luckily I’ve got so good stuff stashed away.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

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.

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 are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid will have lunch at camp every day this week and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday:  Roasted veggie frittata, homemade bread

  • Tuesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, Roasted Veggies, rice (didn’t make this last week)

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday:  Taco Soup, quesadillas

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:    Grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers

Cents of Style: Jewelry, Accessories & Slippers All 2 FOR $10 This weekend only!

Abby H.

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

I love when Cents of Style has these sales- It’s the perfect opportunity to stock up on gifts!

Now through 10/25/22, TWO Jewelry, Slippers & Accessories for ONLY $10 which makes each item ONLY $5 a piece when two or more are purchased!

There are over 30 AMAZING items to choose which include hats, jewelry, slippers, glasses, gloves, and hair accessories!

Remember to use coupon code HIGHFIVE  at checkout to take advantage of this deal!

I’ve already picked out some stuff for my littlest fashionistas stocking. She loves jewelry!

 

10/21/2022 Friday Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

Halloween is in 10 days! Woo hoo! I’m making costumes for the kids this weekend, and I’ll have photos up on Instagram as I get them finished. I’m stoked to have a weekend of creativity ahead of me.

Don’t forget all of the 2022 Birthday Freebies! Make sure to check this article out and sign up for birthday freebies at least 2-3 weeks before your birthday.

Freebies:

Free Everything Legendary Plant-Based Burgers After Rebate
Free Bliss CBD Sparkling Water
Free Childrens Hospitals Week Bandages
Free Energy Health Supplements
Free Car Care Check at GoodYear
Free Kids Halloween Beanie at Big Lots
Free Sample of Enfagrow Toddler Formula
Free Sample of Jo Malone London English Pear & Freesia
Free BISSELL Vacuum
Free Build-A-Bubble Party Pack
Free Dude Wipes at Sam’s
Free Children’s Toothbrush Kit
Free Witch Hazel Skincare Sample
Free Hot Dog at Dog Haus
Free Softsoap Body Wash
Free Glossier Cloud Paint Sample
Free WD-40 Specialist Gel Lube Sample
Free BabyCozy Diapers Sample
Free Playtex Clean Comfort Tampons
Free Sample of Dickinson Deep Cleansing Astringent
Free Shiseido Hydro Master Gel
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Free Kids Book Every Month
Free $5 Off $5 at Ace Hardware = Free Item
Free Sample of L’Oreal Revitalift Triple Power Moisturizer
JCPenney Portraits – Free 8×10 for Military Families
35 Free Disney Movie Insiders Points
Free House Defender VR Game for Oculus Quest

Deals:

Old Navy Halloween Bodysuits 3-Pack ONLY $9.97 (Reg $30)
Today Only: $25 Women’s Cozy Sweaters at Old Navy
VTech KidiZoom Creator Cam ONLY $33.74 (Reg $70)
Genuine Dickies Men’s Hooded Shirt Jacket ONLY $29.99 (Reg $70)
Pyrex 22-Piece Food Storage Set ONLY $25.49 (Reg $60)
Ulta Beauty: Save 50% Off Drybar, Gimme Beauty & More
Crystal Pendant Necklace & Stud Earrings Set ONLY $8.95
3-Piece Matte Liquid Lipstick Set ONLY $6.99 (Reg $14)
Free Medium Fries w/ Any $1 Purchase at McDonalds – Every Friday
LCD 10-Inch Writing Tablet ONLY $16.99 (Reg $30)
Mainstays Student Desk ONLY $39 (Reg $69)
Cuddl Duds Flannel Sheet Set ONLY $25.49 (Reg $60)
Door Closer 2-Pack ONLY $9.92 (Reg $38)

10/17/2022 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

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Sometimes I have to remember to give myself some grace. Last week was full of stuff, and we didn’t end up sticking to the meal plan, however, I did some batch cooking Friday. I made a huge batch of red sauce/gravy, and a huge meatloaf.

Most of the sauce went into the freezer for future meals. We had some of it for dinner on Sunday.

The meatloaf was had for dinner Saturday, with leftovers being used for meatloaf sandwiches for lunch this week. I individually portioned and froze servings of leftovers for weekday lunches.

I grocery shopped Saturday morning and meal prepped on both Saturday and Sunday mornings. We’ve got a lot of fresh fruits and veggies this week.

We’ve been trying a lot of new foods lately, thanks to the really great freebies from Social Nature lately too. It’s fun to try new foods.

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.

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 are also into fruit and bagels for breakfast. Lately, the big kid has been digging protein shakes in the morning. This is his favorite kind. 

Lunch: I have a plastic tote in the cupboard full of self-serve snacks. I buy treats and snacks in bulk and fill up snack-sized zip-top bags. The big kid brings his lunch from home daily, and the littlest buys her lunch at school about half the time. In California, all public schools provide breakfast and lunch for free.

Dinner: This week is packed as far as appointments, so I’m leaning on stuff that’s easy and tasty. I prepped fruits and veg over the weekend and made up the last Dream Dinner and portioned it into lunch-sized servings.

  • Monday: The Best Salad Ever, garlic bread, butter noodles (Bitty Bird’s request)

  • Tuesday: Moosie’s Pot Roast, Roasted Veggies

  • Wednesday: Nuggets, fruit, crackers, and cheese

  • Thursday: Breakfast for dinner (I’m hoping for omelets and sourdough toast)

  • Friday: Takeout night!
  • Saturday:   Soup and sammiches, and fruit
  • Sunday:  Leftovers