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How to Save Money by Getting Almost Everything for Free

November 2, 2010 /

Everyone wants to know extra ways to save money, frugal tips for stretching your dollars, and helpful hints for getting by in tough times.  There are so many money saving strategies available, and some of them are overlooked as “too small to make a difference”.  Well my friends, the small things add up to a lot when you are diligent and focused on saving money!
Today’s money saving tip is a collection of small, but very effective, frugal methods for cutting down on household and grocery expenses:  how to save money by getting almost everything for free, including freebies and free samples.
You’ll want to start thinking of freebies as items on a 100% off sale!  We’d all grab up as much as possible if this sale was at a store, wouldn’t we?
Everyone loves getting things for free, and freebies and free items require very little effort to get a HUGE return.  Below, I’ve compiled a strategic list of frugal ways to save money using freebies, free items, free samples, free software, free coupons, free magazines, etc.

How to Save Money by Getting (Almost) Everything for Free

  • Get alerted to freebies and free items as soon as they’re available.

Action: Check out the sites listed by Krazy Coupon Lady for freebies.

  • Request free samples in the mail.  Truly free samples and free items to request in the mail have no shipping charges, require no credit card numbers, and no fees. you request, and companies send you free stuff in the mail. New ones come out all the time and don’t last long. Readers write me frequently asking, “Do you really get anything good?”  In response I wrote a post called Does Free Stuff Really Ever Come in the Mail?, in which I listed out and took pictures of about half of the free stuff I got in the mail for 6 weeks.
  • Pick up free food and other items at stores by combining printable coupons with store sales. It’s time to get good at watching for store matchups, when you buy things for free by using a manufacturer coupon together with a store coupon or store sale.  In some cases, the store will even OWE YOU money (called overage)!

Action: Print out the newest printable grocery coupons weekly.

  • Put away your full size products and replace them with samples.  You might laugh about this and think it sounds silly, but let me tell you that I didn’t buy toothpaste from the summer of 2008 to July 2009!  My family has been using up the free samples and toothpaste I “bought” for free at the grocery store all this time.  The fact is that if samples are out where your family will use them, they’ll get used up (instead of getting lost in a drawer or closet somewhere).  And using these free items means you’ll be buying products less frequently, saving you money in the process.  See how I replaced all shower items with free samples here. Plus – kids love using samples. They’re cute!

Action: Once you start receiving freebies, put your full sized products in the pantry and replace them with samples. Once the samples are used, put the full sized bottles back.

  • Get free magazines to score free coupons for other products.  Magazines often have valuable health, beauty, and grocery coupons inside.  But you don’t have to buy magazines to get them- just request free magazine subscriptions to start receiving more magazines than you ever thought possible!

Action: Request free magazine subscriptions whenever they become available.

  • Use free alternatives before buying ANYTHING.  I wrote about this before in Top 13 Free Things to Stop Paying For Now.  From toothbrushes to envelopes, there is so much free stuff available to us that we often take these things for granted.

Action: Make a list of current items you pay for, then brainstorm ways for getting the same things free.  Read our reminder list of free things to stop paying for.

  • Get kids’ clothes and shoes for free by trading them on Swap Mamas. This free community allows you to post and trade just about anything – making it a great way to get all the kids’ items you’ll ever need for free (while getting rid of outgrown clothes yourself).  If you can’t find what you need there, check Craigslist or Facebook free groups for free clothes people are giving away.  Still no luck?  Read our tips for how to save 90% on kids clothes and get them nearly free.

Action: Create a free profile at Swap Mamas and start trading for free clothes and other items.

  • Don’t pay to buy movies – get them from Redbox for FREE or borrow from the library.   Redbox kiosks offer free new release movies constantly. There are free codes all the time, frequently for special events and holidays and some codes that are particular to certain stores.

Action: Visit Home Ever After regularly to get Redbox promo codes for free movie rentals.

  • Cancel your cable and watch TV online.  YouTube and Hulu have made it ridiculous to pay for cable services.  Watch your favorite TV series online at those video sharing sites or directly from the networks’ sites (Fox on Demand, CBS, and more).

Action: Call the cable company and cancel your subscription as soon as possible.

  • Use free video conferencing online or facetime.  Stop spending money to print and mail pictures to your relatives!  Now Grandma and Grandpa can see and talk to the grandkids for free as often as they want, without spending an extra penny.

In a recession, we’re all concerned about keeping our expenses as low as possible and finding all the ways to save money on household items.  Print out this list or bookmark this page and work your way through the frugal tips to get you on the road to saving money and getting almost everything for free!
How to Save Money By Getting Almost Everything For Free was originally published on HomeEverAfter.com on April 9, 2009.

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32 Comments

  • Becky

    April 9, 2009 at 10:46 pm

    Wow thanks for all of that great information- very helpful. For those of you who are ‘green’ conscious I have just discovered some great ways to save on ‘green’ products, thanks to Josh Dorfman’s latest book “The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budge: Save Money, Save Time, Save The Planet.” This book introduced me to lot of green companies and products while showing me how to live well and save money in ways that also reduce environmental impacts.

  • Anne Maybus

    April 10, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    Lots of great ideas in your post. Thanks. I like the way you have included an ‘actoin’ for each point, too.

  • Home Ever After

    April 10, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    @Holly: I watched a hilarious video of a guy on YouTube talking about why he couldn’t use coupons at the store. He’d take them, but not use them if anyone was looking! I’ll have to find the link to it…
    Barbi

  • LaVonne

    April 10, 2009 at 9:43 pm

    another great post. I linked it to my frugal friday list. I do most of those things too but I want this information to get to as many out there that can use it! thanks again!

  • Video Conferencing Freeware

    May 5, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Nice Post. I am a computer engineer and I am working in a consulting management firm. Video conferencing equipments are highly preferred in our office as we have frequent meetings with our clients and personnel in other locations. I will be looking forward for more updates.

  • Meghashyam

    September 6, 2009 at 8:02 pm

    I Very happy I found your site. Thank you.
    I’m currently cutting costs, and the way you’ve written – ‘Action’ after each point makes it very very reader friendly.
    One lingering doubt that suddenly struck me was, – are all these freebies only for people inside the USA? I mean the ones you’ve linked to in the post? specifically rebox, swap mamas, and “free samples list”?
    But I am grateful for your post anyway.

  • Kristi

    September 23, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    When I was reycling the other day I noticed a huge stack of magazine. I brought them home cut out a huge stack of coupons, read some articles, and have them in a bag ready to take back to the recycling center. Free free and free – love it!

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    September 23, 2009 at 8:15 pm
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  • story

    September 24, 2009 at 6:33 am

    I love getting free stuff. I’m in the process of moving now and it hurts me to miss out on some of the free samples available while I’ll be between homes. There are so many things that I haven’t bought for years and it’s time to start building up my stockpile again.

  • Corrin

    September 24, 2009 at 1:13 pm

    Great suggestions in there. There’s a difference between being frugal and cheap, and I’m happy to say I’m learning to be frugal.

  • Angie

    September 24, 2009 at 1:22 pm

    Awesome article!! 🙂
    Here’s a “freebie” tip. Look around for co-ops…..gardens (free veggies) , preschools (YES, free preschool!!!), etc. Usually all that is required is a little bit of your time, but since you’re sharing with so many others, it’s a fun and easy investment! 🙂

    • Admin - Danelle Ice

      September 24, 2009 at 6:07 pm

      @Angie: Co-ops are a fantastic way to get organic produce if they have one available in your town. We also take advantage of the farmer’s market for that. I love the idea of free preschool!
      Danelle

  • Petula

    September 24, 2009 at 6:00 pm

    Great post! I’ve just started writing down when I get a free sample, win something or get a product to review from a company… every little bit helps. I really like reviewing things that my family actually uses. I can’t wait to get another printer (mine died) so I can take maximum cents off with printed coupons. And I need to get better at matching that up with store sales and whatnot. I have a friend who says that she just can’t seem to get organized with using coupons and whatnot (even though her mother-in-law cleans up at CVS!) I keep telling her to start small/slowly and once she sees how much money she’ll save she’ll be hooked.
    My best money-saving move yet? I think it was the $88 jeans I got from Victoria’s Secret for about $10. I love those jeans. I’ve been wanting some, but that is a ridiculous amount to spend, but $10! Wow! I am really excited about saving money. I’m going to subscribe and mark this post. Thanks!

  • Barb @ The Forever Neighbor

    November 2, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    Great ideas and all I can think of right now is Truett sitting at the table at the resturant and calling the packets “samples” LOVE IT!!!

  • Kaye Swain - SandwichINK for the Sandwich Generation

    November 13, 2010 at 6:43 am

    Terrific tips, as always! 🙂 My kids introduced me to Redbox and Netflix and I love both! Getting free samples is ALWAYS a great idea. AND at SandwichINK, I currently have a great giveaway going – two wireless digital photo picture frames – perfect for family memories along with several great samples of Salonpas pain relief patches. And they are so nice, they have given me links for those who don’t win to still get a free sample of their new pain relief patch! Very cool. Thanks again for an interesting article!