I love Crazy8! They always have such great deals on kids clothes, but today, they are taking the cake! Just in time for holiday shopping!
30% off entire purchase, free shipping, plus additional 20% off with code CHEER at Crazy8 This includes $8 jeans, $8 PJs, $4 tees and more! Oh, but wait… Free Shipping all day!
I’ve already found pants for Lil’ Man and a couple cute dresses for my niece!
With the Holidays approaching, most of use have either stocking stuffers to purchase of at least one gift exchange to attend. I’ve collected 10 great frugal gifts that would be a great addition to any holiday! Most of these gifts call for creativity and imagination. They won’t need batteries or make horrible sounds (for the most part). These are all gifts I would buy (or have bought) for my kids.
If you’ve got a crafty kiddo, this craft kit is a perfect choice. None of the crafts require scissors, just a little imagination and glue (we use Elmer’s white glue).
Speaking of crafty kiddos, if you’ve got one on your list that likes to make jewelry, this Melissa & Doug bead set has over 200 beads, perfect for hours of creativity.
Lil’ Man got this set last year for his birthday. It’s an awesome set. It’s super fun, and you can hatch and raise Triops. Think Sea Monkeys on steroids! And you can actually see the trips grow and live. It’s nifty. I think everyone in the family enjoyed it.
These cool interlocking blocks. They are little man approved.
This super cute (and mess-free) stained glass set. I love anything by Melissa & Doug. They make very well made toys and their craft kits yield great keepsakes!
What kinds of stocking stuffers do you buy for your kids?
Most of you know that I love Ralphs, which is the Kroger affiliated store in Southern California (You can find your local Kroger affiliated store here).
Did you know that when you scan your Ralphs card at checkout you earn fuel rewards? Fuel rewards are discounts in the form of cents off at the pump at local gas stations.
Well, Kroger is sweetening the deal!!! Now through 12/13/16, when you buy any Gift Card, you will earn 4x the fuel rewards! Just in time for holiday shopping!
Gift cards make great gifts! I’ll be stocking up on a few for Lil’ Man’s teacher. She always needs Michael’s and Target Gift Cards to buy supplies for the class. Stock up on gifts now for the holidays! Gift Card Selection varies by store, but you’re bound to find more than a few that you need!
Double Dip! Some Credit cards give you extra points or cash back when you make purchases at grocery stores. Use this to your advantage! Earn Credit Card Points/Cash Back and fuel rewards! It’s a win/win!
Right now, you can enter to win a $75 Amazon Gift Card! Just in time for the holidays! Spend it on gifts, or buy yourself something nice! To enter, Click here (the widget isn’t mobile friendly)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This is a sponsored post, thanks to Tatu Digital Media for including me on this awesome offer and giveaway! All opinions are my own!
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, you saw all of my crazy posts this morning from Ikea San Diego. A group of bloggers (and our kids) enjoyed breakfast in their cafe and learned out Ikea’s winter Good Cause Campaign, Let’s Play for Change, which highlights the benefits of play for all Children.
Honestly, the best part of being a kid is free time to play and learn. Children learn through play: social skills, emotional development, and so much more. Anyone shopping for the holidays at Ikea stores world wide can help the cause! For every children’s book and toy sold through November 20- December 24, 2016, the IKEA Foundation will make a donation of €1 (that’s about $1.10 USD) to projects in some of the poorest communities in the world. And you can help twice- Each store has a drop box where you can drop off purchased toys. If you buy toys at Ikea, that’s a double dip for the cause!
You can learn about the campaign by watching the video:
Ikea has partnered with Handicap International Federation, Room to Read, Save the Children, Special Olympics, UNICEF, and War Child. You can learn more about the Ikea Foundation by visiting their website.
And if you hasn’t visited Ikea lately, check out their awesome Ikea Family savings card! It’s free to sign up and you score all kinds of great deals and perks every day!
In addition to those perks, you score family only prices on tons of items each month. It’s definitely worth signing up. It’s free and easy to do.
Yesterday I talked about how to save money without coupons when buying meat. Today I’m going to talk about fruits and vegetables!
There are seldom coupons for fresh fruit or vegetables.
Usually when you find coupons for either, they are lower in value or you must purchase another item (like cereal, croutons, something not super healthy or inexpensive).
Here are some ways you can incorporate fruits and vegetables into your grocery budget and diet without breaking the bank!
My number one money saving tip when it comes to produce is: Eat fruit and vegetables when they are in season. Food in season is cheaper because there is a surplus of it.
Living in So. Cal, I’m kind of spoiled in that we can grow and eat most fruits and veggies year round. But if you live some place where it snows or has cold winters, eat produce when it’s readily available.
If you aren’t sure when certain fruits and veggies are in season, check out the Produce for Better Health Foundation website here. They have lists based on season.
Tip Number Two: If you gotta eat fruit out of season (sometimes in December, you just gotta have strawberries), buy frozen fruit. Frozen berries are so juicy and flavorful. Frozen fruit is the fruit that is too ripe to sell in stores fresh, so it’s cut up and flash frozen. It contains all of the nutrients that are found in fresh fruit.
Tip Number Three: If you grow your own fruits, veggies or herbs: Freeze, dry, or can/preserve whatever you won’t eat right away. That way you’ll have some when the weather turns.
I love to make jam and pickles. It’s really easy and you don’t need any special equipment. We don’t grow enough tomatoes to can our own, so I pick up fruits and veggies when they are really cheap and in peak season and make jam or pickles then. And you can definitely can more than just Cucumbers!
If it is something that interests you, here are a few books that I like:
If you want to get the canning gadgets that make canning a little easier, here is the kit that I bought years ago: Back to Basics 286 5-Piece Home Canning Kit
Tip Number Four: When fruit or veggies are on sale, stock up. That may sound weird, but most produce can be frozen. With the exception of raw potatoes and lettuce I think you can clean, chop, and store pretty much any fruit or veggie in the freezer. Speaking of frozen….
Fresh produce is always the best, but a close second is frozen. Occasionally frozen veggies are on sale. If they are types/varieties you like, stock up!
Canned fruit/veggies are my last resort. Why? Because, for the most part, they are canned in syrup or juice (fruit) or salt-laden water (veggies) and they are usually cooked and some of the nutrients leech out into the liquid they are cooked/canned in, and most of the time that liquid is discarded.
HOWEVER- I love salt-free canned tomatoes in recipes for all kinds of stuff, and Lil’ Man loves him some salt-free canned green beans. Sometimes you can find low/no salt added canned vegetables.
I have found that when I calculate price per unit (more info here), blueberries and some other fruit is cheaper at Costco! So don’t overlook your large club stores.
Tip Number Five: Check outyour local 99 Cent Store (like 99 Cents Only), produce stands, and the markdown section of your supermarket. All three usually have inexpensive produce that is good quality. It may not be the prettiest produce, but that’s ok!
How do you save money on your produce?
I know, it seems impossible that I would tell you not to use coupons. But, let’s face it, sometimes you need to buy stuff that there are no coupons for. What’s a shopper to do? You’re not going to stop eating something just because there aren’t any coupons… That’s CRAZY!
I’m going to specifically discuss shopping for meat, because there are seldom coupons for fresh meat.
The easiest way to save money on meat is not to buy it. However, most Americans eat meat. So, here are my recommendations for you:
Ask the butcher/meat cutter at your local grocery store when the meat is marked down each day. Some stores do it each morning, so do it at night. The meat that is marked down isn’t going bad that day, it just needs to be pulled and either cooked and eaten within the next few days or frozen. Most meat can be frozen for up to six months.
If you like to buy your meat in bulk or in large super store sized containers, once you get your big hunk o’ meat home, separate it into portions and freeze it. That way when it’s time to cook, you aren’t faced with 4-7 lbs of solid meat. That can be a little daunting, and leads to waste. When we buy ground beef in large packages, I portion it out into 1/2-3/4lb. packages and freeze it. It’s much easier to handle the smaller portions.
We buy chicken from Zaycon Fresh– You get a 40 lb box. It’s easy to separate 40 lbs of fresh chicken into freezer bags and tuck them into the freezer. I usually do 1-2 lb packages. Sometimes I even get fancy and season the chicken as I prep it in bags! Zaycon Fresh has really great fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts for less than the grocery store prices. And I feel great feeding it to my family because it comes to me fresh, not frozen and plumped up with salt water.
I know that the pre-cooked meat that is already cut up looks so good and you think, “Oh, it’ll save me so much time!!”, but the truth is, it costs about 2-3 times the amount that the exact same weight of uncooked meat costs. Make your own! I make shredded chicken in the crockpot once every two weeks. It’s great for topping salads, making enchiladas, casseroles, soups, or just eating out of the bag (what? Meat is goooooood).
Learn how I make shredded chicken here. I portion it out and use it in recipes. You can do the same with beef or pork. Season and cook in the crockpot for 6-8 hours on low.
If you want chicken slices, bake your chicken pieces in the oven at 350 for about 20-30 minutes. Cool, remove the skin and bones and discard them. Slice the chicken into pieces, portion out and freeze.
Buy meat when it is cheapest. What do I mean by that? Think about the seasons/holidays in the year and the meals surrounding each.
Because meat can be frozen for upwards of 6 months, buy meat that you like when it’s cheap and you’ll never be without!
Next up, tomorrow, I’ll be writing about how to save money when buying fruit and vegetables!
How do you save money on meat?
Looking for a gift for a foodie or a skin care junkie? Check out this awesome offer!
Kasandrinos International proudly offers a single source organic extra virgin olive oil and other high quality food and skin care products. Kasandrinos International only offers this year’s harvest of olive oil.
Visit Kasandrinos – high quality organic extra virgin olive oil. Use code holidayguide2016 at checkout to save20% off!!
I’ll be getting a bottle of Olive oil to try, and I’ll be sharing my thoughts and a recipe featuring Kasandrinos Olive Oil! Maybe I’ll make my Marinated Salad!
@usfg
It’s hard to buy gifts for Grandma and Grandpa. What do you buy for someone who has everything or limited space? You only need so many sweaters, boxes of candy, or books…. right?
GrandBox
is the original monthly subscription box customized and curated specifically for seniors 65 and up. It’s the perfect gift to bring a smile to the older loved ones in your life.
GrandBox, the subscription box for the ones who cared about you. Order yours now for the Holiday Season!
My readers get to save!
GrandBox perfect Holiday Gift for your loved ones! Save on your first purchase! Check out their website and save!
I think this would also be a great gift idea for those other older relatives that you may not be able to visit often due to distance. I know my Great-Grandmother would have loved to receive a box with a small snack or gift each month and photos of my brother and I!
I’ll have some feedback (fingers crossed) from a loved one to share soon. Who will receive it… SHHHH!! It’s a secret!
@usfg
With holiday shopping already in the mind of most, I am totally excited to share these cool lights from 3D Light FX with you. We saw these at Target a few weeks ago, and Lil’ Man was entranced.
His favorite is the Batman Logo. 
And really, who can blame him? Check out how cool it is! 3DLIGHTFX 3D Deco Lights are the perfect gift this holiday season.
They have a full range of comic book, super hero, Disney Princess, sports and car lights that look as though they are popping right out of the wall!
They are battery operated and cool to the touch so you can place them any where in the room!
Your kids will loves having these in their rooms and they’re also the perfect editions to a den, family room, man’s cave or office! Find all of these amazing products here.
No matter what you kid (or kid at heart) is into, there is a light for them!
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.
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.
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!
Hewes Family Fun 