Microwave Mac and Cheese Hack

Low Carb Gas Station Eats

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How often do you find yourself eating in the car? Whether it’s a road trip or the kid carpool, I’m constantly doing the grab and go thing! Some days I’ll remember to grab a healthy snack from the house, but candidly, many days, I’m stopping at a convenience store trying to make the best choice I can. While I don’t suggest making these part of of our daily routine, in a pinch, these choices are among our best at a gas station ⛽️ Btw: None of these brands know I exist 😂 I’m not sponsored by any of them 😉

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🚘 🤩 DIET HACKS: LOW CARB CAR SNACKS 🏃‍♀️💨

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Craving that morning coffee fix? Skip the sugar bomb! A bottled Frappuccino has almost twice the sugar of a Snickers! A Starbucks Cold Brew is a way better (and just as satisfying) choice.

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You might think Nature Valley bars are a smart low-carb snack, but watch out…they’re loaded with sugar! Quest Bars are a better choice with a fraction of the carbs and way more protein.

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Lunchables get a bad rap, but they can actually be a solid protein snack. Stick to the turkey and cheese, and skip the crackers for a cleaner option!

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Cheetos, Doritos, and Ruffles top the list of worst snack picks… but pork rinds are a surprising swap! Zero carbs and even a bit of protein!

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Stock up on unsweetened nuts and seeds — they’re a go-to snack you can enjoy freely. Most jerky and cheese sticks are great picks too, keeping you fueled and satisfied.

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Got a sweet tooth? Grab a Quest low-carb cookie, or swing by 7-Eleven for a sugar-free Slurpee. Both hit the spot without the sugar crash!

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One last surprise: the all-beef hot dog — just 1 carb! A quick, tasty option that won’t wreck your low-carb goals!

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What’s your go-to low carb go-to? Comment and LMK! Mine are low carb protein bars, especially the peanut butter ones 🤭

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Dollar Tree Travel Dupes

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When’s the last time you picked up TSA approved toiletries? If it’s been a minute, then you’ll likely will be surprised at just how expense they have become! $10 For a travel size hand sanitizer?! $7 bucks for a face cleanser that will likely last you only 2 days 😳 I knew prices for these little puppies had gotten bad, but I didn’t realize just how out of control it had become until I did this comparison: 3 stores+ 17 travel toiletries. The savings with shock you 🤯

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🤩🚨 DUPE ALERT: DOLLAR TREE 💰🌳 TRAVEL TOILETRIES ✈️ For A FRACTION!

17 Travel Items from Dollar Tree for Under $25!

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I hit up Target and CVS to compare the same exact items — same brands, plus some fantastic dupes and let’s just say… the price differences were wild. At Dollar Tree, I scored viral bougie hand sanitizer for $1.25. At Target? $10 😳

And CVS? I didn’t think it was possible, but they were even pricier. Here’s the breakdown:

Target: 340% more (almost $90 for the same items.)

CVS: 420% more ($105 for the exact same haul!)

Dollar Tree for the win! 🏆

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Where have you been buying your travel items? Comment and LMK 🥰

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European Summer Vacation Highlights!

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✈️🛳️ EUROPEAN SUMMER VACATION: Griswald Style 😂 Have you ever traveled abroad with teens who’d rather be at home hanging with their buds?🥴 Or maybe you remember your parents dragging you on a trip during those all important high school years where going to the mall and grabbing an Orange Julius 🍊 with your friends was all you really wanted to do (before trying on those acid washed jeans 👖 at the Brass Buckle 🤭) Your biggest warm weather plan was laying by the pool 👙 or on one of those reflective shiny mats with the baby oil 🧴 (tinted red with iodine drops of course)…it certainly wasn’t trekking ALL THE WAY to Europe to look at ancient ruins with your parents 😳

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Well, Scooter 🛵 and I thought we would be different, we’re cooler than Gigi + Pops and Norma Jean, right?! 🤦‍♀️ Turns out, we’re not! AND our teens aren’t different than any other teens in America 🤣 Sis, it was a battle! Kid 3 asked to fly home to his Alpaca 🦙 Boy Band group EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! “Bro-Mom, come on!” Kid 2 was more interested, but still had regrets about the amount of extreme togetherness that only a cruise ship can provide. Let’s put it this way, before the trip she was misty about heading off to college next week, now, she’s ready to go 🏃‍♀️💨 😆 Here’s a look back at the last 3 months…I mean 11 days (click here)😅

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📍🗺️: Rome 🍝 Positano 🍋 Palermo 🇮🇹 Malta 🇲🇹 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Ephesus 🇹🇷 Santorini 🇬🇷 Athens 🏛️

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Here’s our day-by-day itinerary if you want to follow along (or plan your own adventure!):

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Rome – July 31

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Checked into the gorgeous Hotel Eden Rome (yes, it’s as fancy as it sounds), grabbed McDonald’s at the airport, tossed coins in the Trevi Fountain, climbed the Spanish Steps, and ended the day with pasta heaven at Felice a Testaccio.

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Cruise Day at Sea – August 1

Nothing but ocean views and endless buffet trips. Dinner onboard.

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Positano – August 2

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Coffee with a view at Casa e Bottega, beach time at Rada, lunch at Bar Buca di Bacco, and a wander through postcard-perfect streets before heading back for dinner on the ship.

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Palermo, Sicily – August 3

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Creeped ourselves out in the Catacombs (see them here), ate cannolis at I Segreti del Chiostro, and explored Teatro Massimo, Four Corners, the Fountain of Shame, and the stunning Palermo Cathedral.

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Malta – August 4

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Explored Mdina Dungeons, lunched at Coogi’s Pizzeria Bistrot, strolled through Malta’s streets, made a Starbucks stop, and sushi dinner onboard.

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Days at Sea – August 5–6
Translation: naps, pool time, and eating our weight in dessert!

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Istanbul, Turkey – August 7

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Shopped the Grand Bazaar, had baklava + Turkish coffee at Sark Kahvesi, lunched at Havuzlu Restaurant, and visited the Blue Mosque.

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August 8 – Turkish Food Day

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Gozleme (Turkish flatbread), more baklava, burgers at Saltbae’s place, then back to the ship for brunch and dinner.

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Ephesus, Turkey – August 9

We spent the day exploring the breathtaking Ancient City of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical cities in the world. Wandering through marble streets surrounded by centuries of history felt surreal. Our first stop was The House of the Virgin Mary, a peaceful stone chapel tucked into the green hills of Mount Koressos. The quiet setting, the wishing wall covered in prayers, and the trickling holy water fountain made it such a calming, spiritual experience before heading into the heart of Ephesus.

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We ended the day watching traditional Turkish rug-weaving, sipping Starbucks as a little taste of home, and picking up boxes of Turkish delight, the sweetest souvenir before heading back on board for dinner.

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Santorini, Greece – August 10

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Cable cars to Fira, frappes at Ab Fab Santorini, frozen yogurt at Louyo, lunch at La Scala, pastries at Zotos Gelateria, a beach stop, a donkey ride, and one last dinner onboard.

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And just like that, our “totally chill, everyone’s thrilled to be here” European adventure came to an end 😅. Was it perfect? Nope. Did we see some of the most beautiful places on the planet, eat our way through seven countries, and make enough memories to laugh (and maybe cringe) about for years? Absolutely. Travel with teens sure makes for a story worth telling and in the end, we’re so thankful for every unforgettable moment along the way.. ✈️🛳️💕

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My Segment on Live With Kelly and Mark: Everyday Home Hacks You’ll Actually Use

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What an honor to be featured on Live With Kelly and Mark! I had the absolute best time sharing a few of my favorite everyday home hacks. Simple, practical tips anyone can use to make life a little easier (and maybe even a little more fun). If you missed it, you can catch the full segment here!

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Life Hack: Hand Mixer to Stand Mixer!

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Do you own one of those fancy KitchenAid stand mixers? I’ll be honest, I do but I rarely use it because it’s so heavy and a lot to clean! The vast majority of the time, I use my hand mixer, it’s easy to store, easy to clean and now even easier to use. This trick works especially well when something needs timed mixing AND it creates a built in splash guard 😉

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LIFE HACK: HAND MIXER ➡️ STAND MIXER 🤯

If you’ve got a hand mixer and a cutting board with holes, you basically have a DIY stand mixer. Just slide the mixer through the holes, set your bowl underneath, and let it do its thing…hands-free!

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This is super handy for frosting, do you prefer buttercream, whipped cream or cream cheese frosting? Comment and LMK 🥰

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The Best 2 Ingredient Ice Cream French Toast Hack

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Are you a French toast fan? I LOVE it! But I don’t love mixing up all the parts and dirtying all the pans 😂 Introducing the world’s EASIEST FRENCH TOAST EVER! Fancy, Frugal AND Fast! I can’t wait for you to try it!

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🍦🤩 ICE CREAM FRENCH TOAST HACK 🍞🤯 ONLY 2 INGREDIENTS 🎉

Forget the mixing bowls, just grab your favorite ice cream and dip your bread straight in! Why does this genius trick work? Because everything you’d normally whisk together for French toast: milk, eggs, sugar, is already packed into that pint. It’s creamy, sweet, and ridiculously easy. Weekend brunch just got way more fun!

Here’s where thematic happens! Once that ice cream-soaked bread hits the hot pan, it’s game over in the best way. The sugars in the ice cream caramelize right into the bread, giving you that golden, perfectly crisp French toast edge ✨

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NOTES: I used vanilla ice cream, but you can use ANY FLAVOR you love! I think cinnamon bread dipped in butter pecan would be AMAZING 😋 The possibilities are endless 🥰

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Costco Secret Website Hack

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Have you shopped online at Costco.com? Did you know there was a ANOTHER COSTCO WEBSITE? I’ve never seen this advertised anywhere 🤯 The deals are huge and sometimes time sensitive ⏱️ with a couple of important notes 🗒️ Here’s what you need to know and how to find it 🕵️‍♀️

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🤩🚨COSTCO HACK: SECRET WEBSITE 🤫

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Here’s the scoop: You shop directly from top suppliers but with Costco-level pricing already baked in. No middleman, no markups – just the best of the best at a discount. ✨

✅ Must be a Costco member to access
❗ Executive 2% rewards don’t apply
💻 Online only — not available in stores

Run, don’t walk ➡️ CostcoNext.com

Your next home upgrade, tech score, or holiday gift haul? It’s waiting there. 🛒

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New Low Carb Starbucks Drink Hacks

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Have you ever wondered just how many calories and carbs are in your favorite Starbucks drink? What if I told you many are like drinking a slice of cake?! 😳 Here are 4 NEW DRINKS to enjoy without all the guilt, including an incredible Low Carb Iced Vanilla Matcha💚

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🤩🧋DIET HACK: LOW CARB STARBUCKS

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💚 Low Carb Vanilla Coconut Matcha

Before: 190 calories / 26g carbs
After: Just 95 calories / 8g carbs

What to order:
➡️ Iced Matcha Tea Latte
➡️ Ask for coconut milk instead of almond or oat
➡️ Add 3 pumps of sugar-free vanilla syrup
➡️ Say “no classic syrup”
➡️ Optional: Add a splash of heavy cream if you want it extra creamy

Why it works:

Starbucks’ matcha comes sweetened by default, and classic syrup adds even more sugar. Removing it and adding sugar-free vanilla keeps the drink sweet but low in carbs. Coconut milk gives it that smooth, slightly tropical flavor while keeping things dairy-free.✨💚

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🤎 Low Carb Caramel Macchiato

Before: ~250+ calories / 37g+ carbs
After: ~80 calories / 11g carbs (depending on drizzle + milk amount)

What to order:
➡️ Iced Grande Caramel Macchiato
➡️ Ask for almond milk instead of 2%
➡️ Add 2 pumps sugar-free vanilla syrup
➡️ Add 1 pump regular caramel syrup (keeps a little real flavor)
➡️ Ask for no classic syrup
➡️ Add 1 packet of stevia for extra sweetness
➡️ Optional: Light caramel drizzle on top or skip to save a few carbs

Why it works:
A regular caramel macchiato is a sugar bomb thanks to multiple pumps of syrup + drizzle. This version swaps in sugar-free vanilla and just one pump of real caramel so you keep that classic flavor with way fewer carbs. Almond milk cuts calories even more, and a little stevia helps balance it out.

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🤎 Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso

Before: 150 calories / 25g carbs
After: 80 calories / 9g carbs

What to order:
➡️ Iced Brown Sugar Shaken Espresso (Grande)
➡️ Ask for almond milk instead of oat milk
➡️ Ask for 1 pump brown sugar syrup
➡️ Add 1 pump sugar-free vanilla syrup
➡️ Add 1 packet of stevia
➡️ Ask for blonde espresso if you prefer a smoother taste

Why it works:
The original uses oat milk and 4 pumps of syrup—aka a sugar overload. Swapping to almond milk and cutting the syrups in half (plus using one sugar-free option) gives you all the bold espresso and cozy brown sugar flavor without the carb crash.

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🤎 Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Before: 340 calories / 40g+ carbs
After: 80 calories / 9g carbs

What to order:
➡️ Grande Cold Brew
➡️ Add 2 pumps sugar-free vanilla syrup
➡️ Add 1 pump cinnamon dolce syrup
➡️ Ask for light cream (¼ inch)
➡️ Optional: Add 1 packet of stevia if you like it sweeter

Why it works:
The OG cinnamon dolce drinks are creamy and delicious… but packed with sugar. This version swaps in sugar-free vanilla for sweetness and keeps just 1 pump of cinnamon dolce for that warm, spiced flavor. A splash of cream adds richness without overdoing it.

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NOTES: Here’s the quickest way to cut down on calories and carbs at STBX:
✅ Ask for Almond milk instead of Oatmilk
✅ Want your drink sweeter? Add a 1/2 – 1 packet of stevia…a little goes a long way!
✅ For creamer drinks ask for an additional splash of cream, which is usually half and half at most Starbucks.

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I hope you love these LORAfied low-carb Starbucks drinks as much as I do! Whether you’re cutting sugar, watching carbs, or just want a lighter option that still hits the spot, these swaps make it easy to sip smarter without giving up your faves. 💁‍♀️🧋✨

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Low Carb Diet Starbucks Drink Dupes

Have you ever looked up the carbs in your favorite Starbucks drink? We all know they’re loaded with sugar, but who knew it was this bad?! Here’s how to order a coffee on the run that tastes great but isn’t liquid sugar ? Get ready to write these down, I’ve got some goodies in this one ☕️?

If you like their top seller, this low-carb caramel macchiato dupe is incredible. The regular version comes in at 42 carbs, but with this recipe, we brought it down to just 6 carbs!

Introducing the zero carb vanilla frappucino. Can you believe it?! The regular comes in at a whopping 56 grams of carbs. This dupe is the way to go, sister!

Low-carb iced matcha latte. The original guy comes in at 45 carbs, but if you order it this way, it comes down to just 8 carbs.

Finally, we have the classic iced vanilla latte. If you make it this way, you bring this drink from 22 carbs to zero carbs! A big tip here: order 3 parts water to 1 part heavy cream. That’s going to make it feel like you’re drinking milk.

NOTE: Because sugar comes in most of their drinks, make sure to request sugar free.

Now, it’s time to make your own low carb drink! I made a little cheat sheet to make the ordering process quick and easy.

Make Your Own: Iced or Hot

*Request no sugar*

Coffee

Americano

Espresso

Heavy Cream
Half & Half
Almond Milk

SF Vanilla Syrup
Light Drizzle of Mocha or Caramel

When you are thinking about all the carbs you aren’t drinking, these drinks taste a lot better!

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Starbucks Dupes at Walmart!

🤩🚨DUPE ALERT: WALMART COPYCATS 👯‍♀️ STARBUCKS ⭐️

When’s the last time you grabbed a treat at Starbucks? The prices have skyrocketed! A plain croissant is $4 🥐🤯 A single slice of one of their lemon loaf well over $5. here in California! Breakfast sandwiches and burritos are $7. each!
Walmart has incredible dupes for ALL of these and other Starbucks snacks, including one of the best cake pops I’ve ever had 💚

Let’s start out with Walmart’s lemon loaf! How do these stack up taste-wise?! They are GREAT and even have the lemon icing! It really is an exact dupe.
Iced Lemon Loaf
STBX: 1 slice $4.75
Walmart: 8 slices for $5

Same thing is happening with Walmart’s banana bread! Comparing it to the Starbucks version, it looks like it was cute form the same loaf! The size difference is real, and so is the money difference.
Banana Nut Loaf
STBX: 1 slice $5.55
Walmart: 8 slices for $5

The croissants at Walmart make an awesome dupes for the Starbucks croissants. They feel the exact same and even smell the same!
Croissant
STBX: 1 for $4
Walmart: 6 for $5

What about the stick-less cake pops at Walmart? I was SHOCKED that the Walmart version was so much better than the cake pops at Starbucks! The stick on the Starbucks version didn’t add much enjoyment, but it does add money.
Cake Pop
STBX: 1 for $3.75
Walmart: 1 for .60 cents

If you’re looking for savory, check out Walmart’s croissant sandwich!
Croissant Sandwich:
STBX: 1 for $7
Walmart: 4 of $5.78

Plus, an entire bag of identical breakfast burritos for SO much less!
Breakfast Burrito
STBX: 1 for $7
Walmart: 8 for $9

What’s your favorite Starbucks snack? Comment and LMK! Follow along for more affordable dupe finds!

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Dupe Alert: New Costco Coffee Copycats and Starbucks Secret!

DUPE ALERT: NEW COSTCO COPYCATS ☕️

Have you noticed a difference in your Costco Kirkland brand coffee? There’s something pretty big brewing and the savings are HUGE! So who’s behind their NEW SECRET BEANS? I did some deep digging to find out!

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Breaking news from the coffee section at Costco. Did you know Starbucks is no longer sourcing the Kirkland brand coffee? For YEARS, Kirkland has been sourced by Starbucks. Throwback to 2023, when the logo used to say sourced by Starbucks! That’s gone sis, so who’s sourcing the Kirkland brand coffee?!

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If you take a look at the bag, all of the Kirkland logos say made my Enveritas. So, instead of Starbucks, it’s the same people who source Peet’s coffee! They also source some other pretty big names too, like Philz, Blue Bottle, and Stumptown.

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Pricewise, it’s a shocking 500% difference. Per ounce, Kirkland coffee costs $0.32, while the name brands cost just under $2! It’s time to run to Costco for big savings on your coffee.

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What’s your favorite designer coffee? Comment and LMK! ? Follow for more money saving dupe hacks!

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