shopping

MyPoints: Refer Friends and You Both Earn 300 Points!

Abby H.

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I’ve been using MyPoints since 2011, and I’ve earned a lot of cash back just by doing my normal online shopping through MyPoints. About $550, to be exact.

Right now they are offering a great deal! When you refer a new user, and they earn 300 points, you both get a 300 point bonus. It’s easy to earn 300 points!

I love using MyPoints. I can earn points shopping online and utilizing in-store pick up with stores like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and JCPenney.

  • I ordered Christmas Gifts and earned 1200 points.

There are so many point-earning opportunities.

You can double dip on earning points or cash back by using a point earning credit card like American Express or Discover Cards or taking advantage of a points program that rewards you for purchases on their website, like JCP Rewards.

I love that I can earn gift cards which I use to offset the cost of holiday gifts.

Talk Back: What is your favorite Cashback program?

1/3/2022 Weekly Meal Plan!

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgI did a big year-end fridge/freezer/pantry cleanout (did you know White Claw expires?) last week and we were in need of a lot of groceries.

I had a big shopping week, including a trip to Costco to pick up some staples, and of course… a rotisserie chicken.

We finished up the week yesterday consuming leftovers. And I prepared a pot of chicken stock to make chicken soup today.

We are back on the CSA train- We need some fresh produce in our lives and I hate carrying more groceries upstairs!

Veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal.

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. The Ancient Grain bagels from Einstein Bros. are the current family favorite. I pick them up on Mondays when a dozen is only $7. I slice them and freeze them to keep them from going bad too quickly.

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. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year- Little Bit has been buying her lunch and expanding her palate.

Dinner: I’ve got some tasty (and quick) meals planned for this week! It’s going to be cold this next week, so Soup will be on the menu a few times. I’ll make big batches and freeze the extra.

Please stay safe you guys!

12/32/2021 Freebie Friday!

Abby H.

It’s Friday! And the last Friday of the year, and usually that would mean a blowout freebie and deal post, but not so this year. Between supply chain shortages, the uptick in the new variant, there aren’t tons of great freebies or deals, but I’m always on the lookout.

But, fear not friends, I’ve still got some good stuff for you!

 

Freebies:

Deals:

Tea Collection: $15 Select Styles Flash Sale

Abby H.

Just in time for holiday shopping! For 48 hours only, 159 styles will be marked down to just $15!

Be sure to order by today, Tuesday 12/7 to get your gifts on-time using standard shipping!

Here are a few of my faves:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fine Print: Limited time only, while supplies last. $15 Select Styles at Teacollection.com. Prices marked on site. Offer valid from 12/07/2021 through 12/08/2021 at 11:59 PM PT. Cannot be combined with other promotions. Discount taken will be pre-tax. No adjustments on previous purchases. Not redeemable for cash. Cannot be used towards the purchase of gift cards. Please note: costs have increased due to growing challenges in our supply chain. Tea Collection has added a 0.75 cent fee to all orders. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to service@teacollection.com.

Porchlight Community Holiday Toy Swap – Reuse, Reduce, Give Love!

Abby H.1 Comment

Our friends over at Porchlight Community are hosting a toy swap on December 11, 2021. 

ToySwap – Bring your gently loved toys to swap out. Save our environment, Save Money, Donate and Help Charity!

About this event:

  • Walk away feeling great about contributing to your community while having fun with no financial worry.
  • Any leftover items will be donated to other local nonprofits.
Where: 8888 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Suite B, 92123
When: 9 am to 11:30 am
Toy Drop-off: Thursday 10am to 6 pm
How it works:
  • Drop off a box or manageable box of clean, gently used, or new toys.*Must be in good condition and have no missing parts. Electronics must come with batteries to test working conditions.
RSVP via Eventbrite here

Shop Online and Earn Cash Back with Rakuten!

Abby H.

Have you heard of Rakuten (formerly ebates)?

Earning Cash Back at Rakuten is as Easy as 1-2-3! Sign up for free, shop at your favorite stores, and earn Cash Back on every purchase. You already shop online, so you might as well earn some cash back!

Rakuten provides Cash Back to over two million dedicated members. Since 1999, members have earned over $100 million in Cash Back savings from 1,800+ stores. And now when you join for free you will get a $10 gift card after your first purchase of $25 or more.

If shopping in-store is more your speed, Rakuten has your back!

And the in-store cash-back deals are hot!

Sephora: 4.0% In-Store Cash Back
Bed Bath & Beyond: 3.0% In-Store Cash Back
Macy’s: 6.0% In-Store Cash Back
JCPenney: 2.0% In-Store Cash Back
The Body Shop: 7.0% In-Store Cash Back
Sally Beauty: 6.0% In-Store Cash Back

Make sure to check the terms of each offer too. I love that I can use coupons and take advantage of store sales and deals and earn cashback in-store too!

November 2021: 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:

  • Mac & Cheese By Freak Flag Organics
  • Frozen Wraps By Cool Beans
  • 100% Plant-Based Pork By OmniFoods
  • Sunflower Cream Cheese By Spero Foods
  • Notco Plant-Based Milk Alternative
  • Plant-Based Spicy Nuggets By Alpha Foods

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, 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!

Cute Holiday Dresses from DressLily!

Abby H.

Christmas Sale I know the official holiday season doesn’t for about a week, but I wanted to share some of these cute holiday dresses from Dresslily.

I have a bunch of dresses and home decor (tapestries) from Dresslily. They are of decent quality, especially when you factor in the price.

Right now they have a few deals going on:

  • All new shoppers receive 15% off their first order.
  • When you spend over $79 (which is pretty easy), you can choose FedEx shipping for free.
  • While they are size-inclusive (up to a size 5x/24), please be aware that because these dresses are made overseas, their sizing may seem off. Trust their sizing charts and order via their sizing chart, not what size you usually wear in American stores.

Here are a few of my holiday favorites:



DressLily also has cute accessories too. I’ve picked up a couple cute scarves (which I’m sure one or both of the kids will steal).  Regardless of what holiday you celebrate this winter, Dreslily has something cute and festive!

Earn Cashback with TopCashBack this Fall!

Abby H.

TopCashBack is back with some amazing offers and deals. If you’ve never heard of TopCashBack, here’s the scoop:

Visit their website, sign up for an account.

Next time you need to shop online, start at TopCashBack. Search for the retailer, click the link, and shop. You’ll receive cashback on your purchase. Amounts/percentages vary by retailer.   TopCashBack is free to join and can be used with over 4,000 stores!

Shop for health & beauty products and treat yourself! Browse through skincare products, cosmetics, fragrances and even fitness and vision merchants.

Right now, TopCashBack has a few special offers for new members, just in time for holiday shopping!

I do most of my shopping online through TopCashBack and earn about $200/year. I cash out for paypal or Target Giftcards.

10/31/2021 Weekly Meal Plan

Abby H.

0a5e9dab796cea8a07eabe4eb4795b9e.jpgTHE FRIDGE IS WORKING. I repeat, the fridge is working.

I’m not holding my breath, but for now.. I’m hitting up Grocery Outlet this week for condiments (oh how I’ve missed mustard and pesto), and the meal planning is back on!

I’m looking forward to cooking meat! And having ice cream in our freezer!

Beyond that, I’m looking forward to having produce in the fridge that I can cook all week.

Veggies and fruit are delivered by Yasukochi Family Farms CSA. For $25, it’s a great deal. I don’t have to pick anything, go to the store, or carry it upstairs. I can’t go to the store and get the same amount we get weekly for $25. Seriously. It’s a deal.

And I’ve been getting a lot of 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. If you are looking for a kitchen inventory printable, I have made my own and you can find them for sale here on my Etsy Store.

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. The Ancient Grain bagels from Einstein Bros. are the current family favorite. I pick them up on Mondays when a dozen is only $7. I slice them and freeze them to keep them from going bad too quickly.

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. I’m back to packing lunches again. However, school lunches are free this year, but so far, there is nothing on the menu that appeals to the kids.

Dinner: This week I’m planning a freezer and fridge restock, so we’ve got a lot of yummy stuff planned! And baking- I’m planning some tasty baked goods this week too!

  • Monday: Nuggets, fresh fruit (green grapes and bananas are on tap), cheese and crackers
  • Tuesday: Salsa chicken, rice, beans, and roasted veggies
  • Wednesday: Roasted Brussels Sprouts, popovers, meatloaf, and mashed taters
  • Thursday:  Fritatta, fresh fruit, garlic bread
  • Friday: take out
  • Saturday: leftovers (I’ll probably repurpose the leftover salsa chicken into quesadillas for me and the girl kiddo)
  • Sunday: breakfast for dinner – It’s pretty popular at my house.

Please stay safe you guys!