savings – Page 26 – Hewes Family Fun

Happy Veterans Day (some freebies and deals)

November 11, 2016November 11, 2016Abby H.

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First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has served our country and continues to serve.

This list of freebies and deals is primarily for businesses with locations in Southern CA, however there are some nationwide deals as well.

Applebees: Veterans and Active Duty Military can select a free meal from a limited menu for Veteran’s Day. Provide proof of service required.

BJ’s Restaurant: All veterans and active military can enjoy a complimentary entree under $12.95 on Friday, 11/11/2016. Please present your military ID to receive this offer.

screen-shot-2016-11-11-at-8-37-36-am Black Angus: Free 7 oz. Top Sirloin Steak Dinner, available throughout the restaurant and the Bullseye Bar for Veterans and Active Military personnel who show proof of military service or military ID. Valid on Friday, November 11th, 2016 only. Offer excludes beverage. Offer does not include spouse and other dependents. Offer can not be combined with any other offers. Dine-in only. One offer per veteran/active duty military personnel.

Buffalo Wild Wings Free Wings: All day long on Friday, November 11, veterans and active duty military who dine at their local B-Dubs can receive a free small order of 10-12 traditional or boneless wings and a side of fries. At participating U.S. locations only.

California Pizza Kitchen: On Veterans Day, all veterans or active duty military personnel will be able to select a free entree from a special Veterans Day menu including pizza, salads and pasta. Please come in uniform or bring your military ID or other proof of service.

Denny’s All You Can Eat Pancakes: All active, inactive, and retired military personnel at all participating Denny’s restaurants nationwide will receive a free Build Your Own Grand Slam breakfast on Friday, Nov. 11, from 5 a.m. to noon. Diners must show ID to receive this offer.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Veterans and active military who eat at Dickey’s on Friday, November 11th, may enjoy a free meal which includes a sandwich, side and a Big Yellow Cup, up to a $12 total value. Anyone who dines with a veteran is offered a free Big Yellow Cup with applicable purchase.

IHOP: On Veteran’s Day between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., participating IHOP Restaurants around the nation will be honoring the brave men and women who have served, or are serving, in the United States Military by offering them free Red, White and Blue pancakes. Select IHOP restaurants will also offer a combo of two eggs, hash browns and choice of two bacon strips or pork sausage links as part of the Red, White & Blue Pancake promotion. Promotion for retired and active duty military personnel.

Ikea Free Entree: Veterans can enjoy a free entree at Ikea. Please show some form of military ID.

screen-shot-2016-11-11-at-8-44-00-am Menchie’s Free Frozen Yogurt: On Veterans Day, all Veterans and military personnel with a military ID or dressed in uniform will receive a free six ounce frozen yogurt any time of day on Veterans Day 11.11.16. Show a valid ID or be in uniform to receive.

Starbucks: On Veterans Day 2016, active duty service members, reservists, veterans and military spouses are invited to enjoy a free Tall Brewed Coffee.
Don’t Forget your Proof of service. Either your Active Duty or Retired Military ID Card, or a copy of your DD214.

If you find a Veterans Day Deal, please leave a comment!

Family Recipe: Apple Crisp

November 4, 2016November 2, 2016Abby H.1 Comment

When I was a kid, my mom made apple crisp probably once a week, it’s a huge comfort food for me (and probably my brother too). It’s yummy, cheap to make, and very filling. And as far as desserts go, it’s not really too unhealthy.

This recipe makes a 9×13 inch pan. I use a pan like this one. It’s got a lid, so you can take it to potlucks or store any leftovers in the fridge. Halve the recipe to make smaller sized batch. Honestly, after having it, you won’t want to make a small batch.

Ingredients:

8-10 green apples (about 3-4 cups), peeled, cored and chopped (green apples work best- Granny Smith’s are nice).
1/2 stick of butter softened (don’t use oleo/spread- it makes the crumble topping watery)
1/2 c. packed brown sugar (light or dark, whatever you got!)
1T. cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (whichever you prefer)
1 c. quick cook oats (raw!) (if you have a gluten intolerance, you can use gluten free oats)
1/4 c All purpose flour ( if you have a gluten intolerance, you can use nut meal- I like almond meal. Sometimes when I make this GF, I omit the oats and increase the amount of nut meal to 3/4 c)

Directions:

In the bottom of a greased baking dish, pour the apples in a even layer.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with a pastry blender (Or a fork, if you don’t have a pastry blender), until ingredients are all combined and crumbly.
Pour crumbles over apples in an even layer.
Bake at 350 degrees until apples are all soft and mushy, usually 30 -45 minutes. THe topping gets toasty and crispy as it bakes!
Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream. Also great cold, lukewarm, or any temp in between.

It’s so freaking good!

You can use fresh peaches, apricots, or berries instead of apples. They do need to be fresh and ripe (no frozen or canned fruit).

Big Holiday Meals on a Budget!

November 2, 2016November 2, 2016Abby H.

imgp8302 Now that we’ve gotten through with Halloween, we can start focusing on Thanksgiving and Christmas. That means two big family dinners, and most likely, countless other get togethers, potlucks, and shared meals.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare some healthy meals and stay on budget!

Ask for help! Everyone has a dish that they excel at making. Ask friends and family to bring their best dish. It will make everyone feel included and cut down on your budget. Each Thanksgiving, my parents make a turkey, rolls, stuffing and potatoes (I make the gravy as soon as my mom pulls the the turkey out of the roasting pan to rest!). Our guests bring all sorts of other awesome dishes. We all end up stuffing ourselves and taking home tons of leftovers. But the best part is trying all of the great, different dishes! Just make sure that everyone tells you what they are bringing.. You may just end up with 10 green bean casseroles!

Make a Budget and stick to it Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses! If you can’t afford everything that you think you need, just do with what you can afford. Trust me, you don’t NEED 5 different types of dessert!

Shop at discount stores. You all know my love of 99 Cents Only and Grocery Outlet by now, so I shouldn’t have to remind you, but don’t forget to shop at discount stores too! You’ll find all kinds of deals! I love starting my weekly shopping trip at 99 Cents Only. While they don’t accept coupons, I frequently find great deals on produce from name brands like Dole, Del Monte, Foxy, Driscolls, and Earthbound Organics! Check your local stores websites to see what’s on sale before you leave home.

Stretch your budget with low cost items. Potatoes are usually very inexpensive, so stretch your menu with a tasty, filling potato dish. Despite their bad reputation as being full of carbs, potatoes are also high in vitamin c, potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese. Roasted spuds tossed in olive oil and fresh herbs- YUM! Other inexpensive foods this time of year are apples. Apple crisp is one of my favorite dishes. I’ll be posting the recipe later this week!

Don’t forget your coupons! Starting in the next week or so, printable coupon sites (like the ones listed here) and coupon inserts will be peppered with coupons for holiday feast foods. Canned soups, french fried onions, stuffing, pantry staples. And don’t forget rebate/couponing apps (like these) too! You will be saving money left, right, and center!

Prepare food that is in season. For the fall, that means root veggies, gourds (yeah, that includes pumpkins!), apples, dark leafy greens (think kale, etc.), and for those in warmer climates oranges and pomegranates! Buy meat that is on sale (typically turkey, ham, and prime rib). Tons of baking supplies and pantry staples go on sale in the fall and winter too. Stock up when prices are low- most pantry staples have a long shelf life. It will help you stretch your budget through the spring.

Bake/cook from scratch! Not only is home made food more cost effective and healthier than pre-packaged foods. Bonus- home made baked goods like bread and cookies always taste better, right? Here is my go to beer bread recipe and my families favorite cookie recipe

My favorite: Use what you have on hand! Before you hit up the stores, write out your menu for these special occasions. Make a list of ingredients needed for the recipes and check your pantry. You’d be surprised what you may already have.

I’d love to hear your tips for saving money on food this holiday season!

New Month, New Coupons!

November 1, 2016Abby H.

Here is your monthly reminder! A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

Coupons.com (printable an e-coupons),
Redplum (printable),
SmartSource (Printable),
SavingStar (E-Coupons)

One of my favorite website is the Sunday Coupon Review. It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks! New offers are added on the Smartphone Savings Apps all the time!

Here are just a few of the new coupons that have me excited:

SAVE $1.00 off any ONE (1) package of Hefty® Trash Bags

SAVE $0.55 off ONE (1) package of Reynolds Wrap® Foil (25 sq. Ft. or larger, excluding Wrappers™ foil sheets)

Save 35¢ on ONE (1) Flav-R-Pac or Westpac Veggies bags, any variety or size

How to Save Money on Prescription Glasses and Contacts!

October 23, 2016Abby H.

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Glasses and contacts can be expensive, especially if you don’t have vision insurance. Here are just a few ways that we’ve managed to save money while getting Hubs glasses that are totally stylish.

Eye Exams: If you don’t have vision insurance, call around to find one that fits your budget. There are two types, depending on what type of corrective lenses you wear- Glasses or contacts). Many Wal-marts have independent optometrists inside, as do some JCPenney locations. Then there are stores like Lens Crafters. Don’t forget there are also stand alone doctors of optometry all over too. All of these places will preform an eye exam without buying glasses. If you are 65+, you can obtain a free eye exam from Eye Care America. Kids 6 months-1 year can obtain a free eye exam from InfantSEE.

We buy glasses from Coastal. Hubs has a crazy rX, so he can’t get the $35 glasses, but a new pair usually runs him about $50 (which includes both the lenses and frames!), which is a pretty sweet deal. And the best part of Coastal is, once you sign up for an account, you can score $20 off for every friend you refer who makes a purchase! They also sell sunglasses too. In addition to the glasses, each order comes with some pretty cool extras.

A pretty sweet new hardshell glasses case (which he needed!) and a Eyeglass Maintenance and repair kit:

1 20ml spray bottle of anti-reflective eyeglass lens cleaner
1 cleaning cloth
2 silicone nose pads with 2 screws
25 eyeglass frame screws
1 CC key chain accessory that contains slotted and Phillips hex head screw drivers

If you are looking for more styles of glasses, Warby Parker has a lot of on trend styles of frame, however they can be a little more expensive than Coastal. They also have a few in store location across the country.

I’m always on the look out for vision freebies. Walmart has a freebie here for a free lens cleaner and cloth. When contact lens freebies are available, I will post them. They are usually available once a year or so.

We buy a years supply of contacts at Costco from their vision department. Costco has the cheapest contacts around. If you don’t have a Costco membership, the next cheapest place is Coastal.

If you are thinking to yourself, “I’ll just get the lenses replaced in the frames I already have, that’s got to be cheap!” Think again. I looked into it last year because hubs has two sets of frames he LOVES. It was over $300 per pair. OY VEY. And that was the cheapest after calling around, including the place we bought the glasses originally.

And if you are wondering what to do with all of the old eye glasses in your house that are no longer your current prescription…. The Lions Club helps recycle eyeglasses and get them into the hands of the needy. You can find out more about how and where to recycle your unwanted eyeglasses here. You could help a person in need get the glasses they can’t afford!

What are your tips for saving on glasses and contacts?

**This post may contain affiliate links, for more information about how we use affiliate links, please visit our Disclosure page.**

Freebies!!

October 19, 2016Abby H.

bright boxes

I’ve been trying to get Halloween costumes done, as well as some other stuff that requires a lot of time, so I haven’t been posting much, but I found these two articles with tons of freebies that I wanted to share! You know how much I love a mail box full of free stuff (it’s def. better than bills, right?)!

I signed up for tons of freebies, so I can’t wait for them to arrive!

Save time and money with Google Express ($10 Free!!)

October 10, 2016March 20, 2017Abby H.1 Comment

Have you heard of Google Express? It’s an awesome way to shop from home (or from your phone too) and have groceries, office supplies, and more delivered to your door.

Google Express has partnered with 20+ stores to bring you an easy solution to busy living!

AND- New customers can score $10 off their first purchase of $10+! Just click here and you are all set to go! There is a $4.99 delivery fee, but you can get that waived if you do the free trial of Google Express shipping. I set an alarm on my phone to remind me to cancel before the trial is up- and canceling is easy,just a few clicks and you’re done (We tested it on a friends account after her order was delivered!).

Here are the stores partnered with Google Express:
I like that I can order diapers from Target and use my referral credit- in fact, that’s what I’ve been ordering! Bitty has sensitive buns and the UP&UP brand are the only ones that work for her.

I’ve also been using my referral credits to pick up stocking stuffers for the kids. Boy Child is obsessed with Legos (so is his Daddy), so I’m trying to pick up a few small sets for his stocking.

And once you sign up and place your first order, you’ll get a referral link too! You can share it with friends and family and start earning more $10 credits!

Another reason I love Google Express is that we live upstairs… Carrying all that stuff upstairs with a wiggly little strapped to my front is hard. Having boxes of diapers delivered to my door is a huge help!

Disclaimer: My referral link is in this post, if you sign up and use your $10 credit through the links above, I’ll receive a $10 credit, which is awesome, because diapers don’t grow on trees. That being said, I only recommend products and services that I feel are a good value for my family and readers.

Healthy Frozen treats!

October 4, 2016October 4, 2016Abby H.

My kids love popsicles. If given the choice, they’d eat them all day. So I figured, why try to fight it? I’m turning into the skid and embracing their love of frozen food on a stick.

Recently, I was sent this awesome Lebice Popsicle mold kit. Right now it’s on sale for about $8.00. Remember Amazon prices change frequently!

It makes 6 good sized frozen nummies, a stand to keep them upright while they freeze, a collapsible funnel, and a small brush to clean out all the nooks and crannies.

After I washed them, I pulled out the blender and whipped up strawberry banana breakfast popsicles (if they are going to demand popsicles in the morning, might as well make them healthy, right?). I keep over ripe bananas sliced in the freezer in ziploc bags for morning smoothies and protein shakes, as well as whatever berries are in season. I buy them on sale, and freeze them before they go bad. It’s a great way to keep fruit on hand!

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

Makes 6 popsicles

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Vanilla Greek Yogurt (or use whatever you have onhand, it doesn’t have to be Greek)
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen banana slices
1/4 milk

Directions

Set up molds in stand.
Blend all of the ingredients together, until smooth.
Pour mixutre into mold, leaving about a 1/2 inch at the top.
Snap lids/sticks on, stash in freezer for 6-8 hours.
Remove from stand and run molds under warm water to loosen. Pop popsicles out of molds, and enjoy!

I also like making instant pudding (adding in frozen bananas or raspberries) and pouring that into popsicle molds too. That is a sweet and satisfying dessert!

I like that the stick and drip tray are attached and I’m not finding mystery popsicle sticks all over the house. The entire set is very sturdy and I know we’ll be using it for years to come.

Thanks to Lebice and Tomoson for providing the awesome popsicle mold! I received no financial compensation for this post, and all opinions are my own!

Club Cards: An Easy Way to Save Money

September 26, 2016September 25, 2016Abby H.

Every time I teach a couponing class, there is one person who announces that they are too busy or important to print or clip coupons. They need to save money but it can’t be too hard or involve any actual work. Basically they are lazy but won’t cop to it.

For those people, I ask them if they are too busy to spend 5 minutes filling out a form that can save them thousands of dollars over their lifetime. Most people say that they would spend 5 minutes to save thousands. I present…. The store club card.

This is my keychain. Yup. I have tons of club cards. Grocery stores, drugstores, restaurants, office supply stores, department stores, movie theaters. There are even more in my wallet for those stores that don’t have a key fob. I save money where ever I go, and you can too. These cards are free to apply for and use.

Stores utilize the information they gather when consumers scan their cards to look at shopping trends. Grocery companies look at sales trends to help them decide what items should be sold, put on sale or completely discontinued. Cards also offer information about what each consumer purchases, and coupons tailored to the individual cardholder can be mailed or emailed to each card holder.

screen-shot-2016-09-25-at-8-30-15-pm — Two of the coupons I loaded to my Shop Your Way Rewards Card

Most stores allow you to link up your card number to an online account, and you can add coupons to your card (via the store website or app) to save you even more.

Sears and KMart have a great program called Shop Your Way Rewards. You earn points on every purchase and points are converted to dollars off future purchases. They have coupon on their website all the time!

Both Vons and Ralphs have easy to navigate apps where you can load coupons to your card, including quite frequently freebies (Ralphs has a Free Friday Download most Fridays). Ralphs sometimes has games you can play online to win free grocery items. I won Goldfish crackers and BBQ sauce last week, which just two clicks of the mouse!

Regal Cinemas has the Regal Crown Club. Download their app or visit a local theater to pick up a card. Present the card to be scanned at the box office and when you buy concessions and earn points that you can redeem on free snacks or tickets. The points add up really fast!

Some clubs like the Ikea Friends and Family card offer discounts and extra perks.. check it out:

With these clubs, if you do not present the card or your phone number, you will not receive a discount, which is usually advertised at the sale price. Some stores don’t even require that you present your card, you can just punch your phone number into a Credit Card terminal or give it to the cashier.

Later in the week, I’ll share with you my favorite club card and how I use it to get free gas every month!

What is your favorite club card?

School is Back in Session- Time to Start Saving!

August 31, 2016Abby H.

Bus2 I don’t know about you, but when I’ve got both kids home all the time, it’s a lot harder to keep on my frugal goals.

I’m all about taking advantage of local free and cheap fun (like events at our local library or community center, local parks and splash pads), but for some reason summer vacation always distracts me from frugality. Maybe is the 100+ degree temps we’ve been having most of the summer.

Well, we are into our second week of school and I’ve re-committed to my frugal lifestyle for my family. Here are just a few things I’ve done over the past two weeks:

Meal Plan using what’s on hand in out cupboard before heading the the store. I’ve also planned out school lunches too!
Committed to taking drinks with us when we leave the house. This doesn’t sound like a lot, but when it’s over 100 degrees in the shade, we go through a lot of water on our daily adventures. Check out the cool growler I got on Amazon. It’s supposed to be for beer, but I fill it with ice cubes and water each day and it comes with me in the car- it’s an easy way to get your 8 glasses in! I also take iced coffee with me in the morning to school drop off.
Set a schedule for Bitty Bird and I. Again, a schedule doesn’t sound like a way to save money, but now I know what we are doing each day after Big Boy is at school. I have time each day while she is napping to write, research, and do Amazon Reviews.
Plan out shopping trips a little better. Now that I don’t have two extra sets of hands helping me shop (especially a 5 year old who is constantly near death starvation when in proximity to a grocery store), I can look at ads, check my smartphone apps for rebates and deals. I also have more time to print coupons! This really saves me money (and time).

Now that school has started, I’d love to hear how you’ve recommitted to your goals (whatever they might be).

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