Posts made in July 2020

Free $15 to Spend at Old Navy!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

If you haven’t yet joined Top Cashback, now is the time to do so! They are offering Free $15 to spend at Old Navy! Yes, it is totally legit and I have used this site many times! If you are buying clothes for yourself or the family, why not get paid for doing so? $15 is a lot of money to save! This offer is only valid through August 2, so take advantage now! And, Old Navy is having a HUGE sale right now to sweeten this deal even more!

Step 1:
OFFER LINK 
Using this link, signup for a FREE TopCashback account.  This offer is for new TopCashback members only. If you already have an account, sign up your hubby or another family member.

Step 2:
Follow the directions listed on the offer page to purchase. You must spend at least $15.00 to receive $15.00 cash back.

Step 3:
Within 7 days of purchase, $15.00 will appear in your TopCashback account. You’ll be able to withdraw this within 14 days of purchase.  You can withdraw the money straight to your checking, PayPal, or claim as gift cards.

Tips:

  • Important: Check your email to confirm your email address. Click on the link in your email to authenticate your new account.
  • Want to purchase more than $15.00?  Make a second transaction instead of adding more to an existing cart to maximize additional cash back.

Terms & Conditions:

Note: Transactions must contain at least $15.00 worth of purchases to ensure the $15.00 cash back is credited to TopCashback accounts. Transactions may initially track lower, but within the 14 days after purchase it will be uplifted and turn payable at the amount of $15.00. Transactions may take up to 7 days to appear in your TopCashback account. The deal is open until 11:59pm PST on 8/2/2020 or until supplies run out; whichever happens first; applicable for purchases made directly after clicking through TopCashback. Only one TopCashback account is permitted per member.  Cannot be combined with other TopCashback freebie offers.  Do not close the window, open any new tabs, or use non-TopCashback approved coupons while checking out.

Safely and Effectively Clean Your Produce With Arm & Hammer Fruit and Vegetable Wash!

Disclosure: I was provided with product to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Please see my disclosure policy)

We have been told for years to clean our fruits and vegetables when we bring them home from the grocery store. There are so many pesticides out there that water just doesn’t cut it. You need a safe and effective method to get the job done. Enter Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash! I don’t know about you, but I am for simplifying my life, especially these days!

Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash will safely eliminate Pesticides, Wax and Soil with the cleaning power of pure & simple ingredients like baking soda, salt and plant-derived cleaning agents. I really appreciate that this product is made with only pure & simple ingredients. 

A few important facts about Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash:

  1. It is the first food-contact product to receive the Safer Choice certification.
  • Safer Choice helps consumers find products that perform and are safer for human health and the environment.
  • Products with the Safer Choice label must demonstrate being effective, while only using ingredients that are safer for families.
  • The EPA offers the Safer Choice label to company partners who design or reformulate quality products that perform well and contain the safest chemical ingredients.

2. Safely remove over 90% of pesticide residue

3. Cleans 4x better than water alone

4. Removes wax and soil

5. Free from harsh chemicals and leaves no taste or odor

6. Gluten-free and vegan

Did you know that if you are washing your fruits and vegetables with just water, that is not enough? Water does not completely eliminate pesticides or the wax that is sprayed on produce to help extend shelf life. Take the step and pick up Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash on your next grocery run or delivery.

With a few simple steps and the help of Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash you can help your family live a healthier lifestyle. Just spray, rub, rinse and enjoy cleaner produce. I can’t tell you how much of a game-changer that this product has been for our family. We eat a lot of fruits and vegetables each day, so it is vital to me that I clean my produce thoroughly. I also appreciate that this product has a refreshing lemon scent. Each time that I spray my produce this wonderful scent fills the air!

Check out Arm & Hammer Fruit & Vegetable Wash and see for yourself just how easy it is to effectively clean your produce! Let me know if you try it!

8 Budget-Friendly Ideas for a Summer Birthday Party

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

Summer birthday parties are usually accompanied by great weather and holiday vibes. There are lots of great ways you can create exciting and fun parties on a budget for kids and adults alike, so here are a few ideas to take inspiration from:

Kids Parties:

1)    Choosing a Theme

Having a theme makes it easier to take inspiration, so consider what your kid enjoys. Nintendo’s game Animal Crossing is currently a great fun choice for themed parties, as it is a game that’s loved by both kids and adults. Many people enjoy throwing virtual parties in the game itself, but the cute art style and elements within the game give plenty of inspiration for a real-life party.

2)    Entertainment

When it comes to entertaining kids, there needs to be lots of things to do. Take into consideration their hobbies and interests to generate a theme but keep the activities all-inclusive. Scavenger hunts and treasure hunts are great fun, and you can incorporate their interests to create a themed hunt. You can DIY some clue cards and hide ‘gift bags’ for kids to find.

3)    Fun Place Settings and Decor

Characters from their favorite games or tv shows can be used as markers, or even as table place settings. You could use some of their toys, or even models or figures of their favorite characters. Nendoroids are very popular collectible figures, and you can even buy them online, but they also make ideal place markers, scavenger hunt markers, or even gifts. In fact, you could even use one as a fun cake-topper!

Food and Drinks:

4)    Barbeque

BBQs always make for great parties, but if you needed a good excuse to get the BBQ out, a Birthday celebration is definitely the perfect one. Owning a decently sized barbeque and purchasing some ingredients is the only big expense. You can also make this a daytime or evening event, whichever you prefer.

5)    Tropical Party

Fitting perfectly in the theme of Summer, hosting a Hawaiian or tropical themed party can be great fun. Make sure you have plenty of fruit like pineapples, mangoes, and coconuts and set up a cocktail bar too. Just make sure everyone wears their best Hawaiian shirt!

Evening Parties:

6)    Movie Night

The perfect way to celebrate when the sun starts to set is by setting up a screen and projector outside. Having an outdoor, backyard movie night can be great fun. Simply set up your projector and screen, some string lights or candle lanterns, and bring out the comfy blankets and cushions. You should also make sure to get lots of popcorn!

7)    Camping and S’mores

If your backyard is big enough, a great party idea is for everyone to bring along their tents. For an outdoor version of a pajama party, set up a small campfire and roast some s’mores. This is a great way to enjoy a group camping trip in your own backyard. Lots of stores sell campfire kits, but you can also DIY one too!

Summertime Fun:

8)    Pool Party

If you have your own pool, a pool-party is a no-brainer. The perfect thing to go with hot weather is a dip in the pool, so start blowing up your favorite pool inflatables and picking out your swimwear. Some iced drinks and sun chairs and a fun music playlist make a pool party fun and relaxing. If you’re throwing a pool party for kids, make sure everyone can swim and that someone can supervise at all times!

The summer weather means there are plenty of great options available to throw a fun birthday party, even on a small budget. Just don’t forget to wear sun lotion!

Back to School with Staples!

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I know that Back to School shopping this year is definitely not going to be normal. With that being said, even if you decide to keep your kids at home and homeschool them, they will still need school supplies! I have found some of the best deals around at Staples, and I love that you don’t even have to step foot inside the store! For a limited time, they are offering FREE Shipping with no minimum, so this is a great time to take advantage!

Be sure to check out all of the Back to School deals at Staples, but here are some of my favorites:

TRU RED™ 3″ x 5″ Index Cards, Legal Ruled, White, 100/Pack $0.50

Staples Permanent Glue Sticks, .28 oz., 4/Pack $0.50

Staples 1 Subject Notebook, 8.5″ x 11″, College Ruled, 100 Sheets, Assorted, 3/Pack $0.75

Sharpie® Accent® Pocket Style Highlighters, Narrow Chisel Tip, Assorted Colors, 5/pk $1.88

TRU RED™ Composition Notebook, 7.5″ x 9.75″, College  or Wide Ruled, 80 Sheets, Assorted Colors $0.50

HP 27yh 3UA74AA#ABA 27″ LED Monitor $119.99

Staples Standard 1″ 3-Ring View Binder Assorted Colors $1.88

TRU RED™ 5″ Kids Pointed Tip Stainless Steel Scissors, Straight Handle, Right & Left Handed, 2/Pack $1.75

Ticonderoga The World’s Best Pencil Wooden Pencils, No. 2 Soft Lead, Dozen $1.49

Expo Dry Erase Markers, Chisel Point, Black, 4/Pack $2.97

Staples Mechanical Pencils, No. 2 Medium Lead, Dozen $1.49 

TRU RED™ Wide Ruled or College Ruled Filler Paper, 8″ x 10.5″, White, 120 Sheets/Pack $0.75

Crayola® Crayons, 24/Box $0.50

 

 

 

Picadillo With Spaghetti Squash #LowCarb

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love Latin Cuisine! One of our best family friends is Cuban and he makes the best dishes! One of my all-time favorite Cuban dishes is Picadillo. Traditionally, this dish is made with olives, raisins, ground beef, tomatoes and other ingredients and served over white rice. While I love rice, I decided to try it served on top of Spaghetti Squash. It is a winner! This not only makes it lower in carbs, but it is absolutely delicious. You won’t even miss the rice! I have made this for my entire family several times now and they all devour it!

Picadillo With Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients

1 lb. ground beef

1 15oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion not drained

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup gluten free beef broth (I prefer this brand)

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 yellow onion, chopped 

1/3 cup green pimiento-stuffed olives, quartered (you can use less if you don’t like that many olives)

3 cloves garlic, minced

salt/pepper to taste

1 tsp. oregano

chopped cilantro for garnish

1 large spaghetti squash, cooked 

Instructions

In a non-stick skillet add olive oil and cook green pepper and onion until tender. At the very end add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Remove vegetables and place in a small dish on the side. Add ground beef into the skillet and season with salt/pepper and cook until browned.

Add vegetables back into the skillet along with tomato paste, diced tomatoes and beef broth.

Add quartered olives and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

While the picadillo sauce is simmering, place slits in your spaghetti squash and cook in the microwave. The time will depend on the size of your squash, but I generally find that 7-8 minutes is perfect. Let cool for a few minutes. After the squash has cooled, cut in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp. I have found this method is the easiest way for cooking spaghetti squash.

Serve the delicious Picadillo mixture over your spaghetti squash, garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy your yummy low-carb meal!

Save BIG During the Macy’s Black Friday in July Sale! #MacysBFinJuly

This post is sponsored by Sivan Social. All comments and opinions are my own. (All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I have some exciting news for you! The Macy’s Black Friday in July sale is here! There are huge savings to be had in every department, and there are additional savings for you to get the best deals around including an EXCLUSIVE $30 rebate offer on orders of $100 or more! I look forward to this sale every year and plan to do some online shopping.

When you use promo code JULY, you can get an extra 25% off during Macy’s Black Friday in July sale, plus free shipping with no minimum on 7/8 – 7/9, and free shipping with a $25 purchase from 7/10 – 7/13. In addition, you don’t want to miss out on a Savings.com exclusive, stackable Macy’s rebate! You’ll get $30 back on orders of $100+.The rebate form link can be found here and is valid on purchases made through 7/13/20. *restrictions may apply.

One of the products that I love shopping for during Macy’s sales are kitchen appliances. With all of the promo codes and sales, you can score some really great deals! I noticed that there are lots of Kitchen essentials on sale for just $10 each after rebate offer! I particularly like the Bella Rocket Blender 12 Piece Set and the Bella Stainless Steel Waffle Maker. These items would also make great gifts!

GO HERE to start shopping and be sure to let me know what deals that you find! Don’t forget to take advantage of the Exclusive $30 Rebate offer from Savings.com!

7 Reasons Why You Should Open a 529 Florida Prepaid Savings Plan

Are you considering opening a Florida 529 Savings Plan? Be sure to check out this Florida 529 Savings Promo where you can earn up to $50! This post is sponsored by Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure policy)

Things may look a lot differently for us than they did this time last year, but one thing remains: the unconditional love that we have for our children and knowing that brighter days are ahead for them.

Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans knows that the past few months have been challenging for so many of us, and they are once again here to help us navigate these difficult times. Now more than ever, it is a great time to think about saving for college! Even the smallest amounts of money can add up to so many possibilities for our children!

Through August 16, when you open a Florida 529 Savings Plan and contribute $25, Florida Prepaid will contribute another $25! In addition, for plans set up with an automatic monthly contribution of $25 or more, Florida Prepaid will contribute another $25. Current customers that have not yet enrolled in automatic monthly contributions can also earn $25 if they set up automatic contributions through their online account. That is up to $50 toward your child’s future college education!

As someone who loves to save money, I can’t think of a better way to get my summer started than to save for my boys’ college education. I know that $25 may not sound like a lot, but I am here to tell you that $25 a month saved into a Florida 529 Savings Plan can grow into thousands of dollars for my boys by the time they head off to college. Doesn’t that put a huge smile on your face knowing that just $25 a month can go toward helping your children fulfill all of their future dreams and goals?

7 Reasons Why You Should Open a Florida 529 Savings Plan with Florida Prepaid:

  1. It is Free and easy to sign up.

You had me at Free! Simply choose your investment options and start saving. It is that simple! There is no family income limit, and it is super easy to set up monthly contributions and change them at any time. I also appreciate that you can invite family and friends to contribute toward your college savings goals with Florida Prepaid eGift portal! It takes less than 10 minutes to sign up and get started saving.

  1. Florida 529 Savings Plans are tax-free.

Unlike a savings account or mutual fund that is going to get hit with income taxes, your contributions toward your 529 Savings Plan will earn interest and will not be taxed when the money is taken out to pay for college. Investment earnings are not taxed as long as they are used for qualified education expenses, including tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies.

  1. Florida 529 Savings Plans can be used in conjunction with your Florida Prepaid College Plan.

These two plans work very well together! While your Prepaid Plan can only be used to pay for tuition and other fees, the Florida 529 Savings Plan can be used to help cover fees, room and board, the cost of books, supplies and equipment.

  1. You don’t have to attend a Florida school to use your Florida 529 Savings Plan.

Despite the name, this plan can be used anywhere in the U.S. to pay for qualified educational expenses. In addition, if you move out of state, your plan travels with you and can be used at most colleges, universities, technical and trade schools and more.

    5. Florida 529 Savings Plans are very FLEXIBLE.

Flexibility is a key factor and one of the things that draws my family and I to this type of plan. It allows us to save for our boys’ college education at any time and we can contribute as much or as little as we want to. There are currently 14 investment options available; you can build your own portfolio or choose the most popular option, the Age-Based Portfolio, which automatically adjusts over time as your child grows closer to college age.

    6. You can use a Florida 529 Savings Plan even if your child doesn’t attend college.

    We know that kids can change their minds on so many things even college! You can close the Plan and withdraw the remaining balance, or the Plan can be transferred to another family member. How awesome is that?

    7. A Florida 529 Savings Plan can also be used toward qualified K-12 expenses.

    Many people don’t realize this, but your 529 Savings Plan can also be used on up to $10,000 annually in qualified K-12 expenses such as tuition and mandatory fees associated with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary public, private, or religious schools.

    Do you still have questions about the Florida 529 Savings Plan? Florida Prepaid College Plans is hosting a 10-minute Webinar on July 23 at 12 Noon EST where they will be answering lots of college savings questions. You can register for the free webinar HERE: https://bit.ly/31BUGKz

    What are you waiting for? Make a splash this a summer and start saving for college today! Remember, you can get up to $50 for FREE when you sign up for a Florida 529 Savings Plan. You have to HURRY though as this promo is only good through August 16!

    Be sure to follow Florida Prepaid College Plans on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and  YouTube to stay up to date with information on open enrollment, tips and promotional offers.