free stuff

10 Places You Can Get Stuff for Free

May 16, 2013 By Danielle Warchol 4 Comments

Everyone loves a freebie. Most people are aware that there are a lot of places where you can get small, free samples online, but is it possible to get bigger and more expensive items for free? Most people don’t think so, but they would be wrong. There are actually quite a few places that you can get free stuff that’s still in perfectly good shape, or simply needs some minor repair work done. Before you go out and spend money to buy something, especially if you were already planning to buy it second-hand, you might want to first check out these options to see if you can score what you’re after at no cost instead:

Colleges (at the end of the year)

If you live in an area populated by a lot of colleges, you know that mid-May means a lot of college kids move out of their dorms or apartments. This means that they usually throw out a bunch of furniture, appliances, or other items that they can’t bring home with them. Looking at the streets near college dorms or apartment areas is a great way to try to find free stuff that is still in pretty good condition.

Moving Sales

Sometimes moving sales turn into people just giving items away because they need to get rid of them. Moving sales are very different from garage sales or yard sales because the entire focus is on getting rid of furniture or other items you don’t need. The free stuff is usually available at the end of the day and consists of the items that still haven’t sold.

Garage Sales

Garage sales are also another place to try to get stuff for free, especially if you time it so that you show up at the end of the sale. Most advertised garage or yard sales have designated selling times. Garage or yard sales are usually done so that people can clean out the items they don’t want anymore. Sometimes by the end of the sale you the people selling the items might be so desperate to get rid of certain items that they let you have them for free. While this isn’t the case at every garage sales, it happens a lot more than you would imagine.

Side of the Road

Have you ever driven by a piece of furniture on the side of the road? Maybe a nice bookcase or a desk or a set of table and chairs? A lot of people put used furniture that is still in decent condition on the side of the street because they either don’t want it anymore or have replaced it with newer furniture. Most of the furniture you find on the side of the street is in decent condition, so it’s worth stopping to check it out when you see a piece. After all, if it is in decent condition, you might end up getting a new bookcase or kitchen table!

Freecycle

Freecycle is an online website that focuses on giving and getting free stuff for members. Membership is free and everyone who has signed up for the website posts free items that are available in their community. The purpose of the site is not only help members get quality items for free but also to keep stuff out of landfills and help eliminate waste. If there is something that you need, but don’t need it right away, it’s a great place to see if you can pick it up for free. It’s also a great place to get rid of stuff that still have a useful life, but you don’t need and don’t want to bother selling or throwing away.

Craigslist

Craigslist is one of the best places to look if you’re trying to get almost anything for free. While a lot of people will attempt to sell the belongings they don’t want anymore, there are also a lot of people who use Craigslist to give away stuff they don’t want to sell or own anymore. These are often people who are moving away from an area and need to get rid of things quickly. The best thing about Craigslist is that you can search by state and narrow down each state by city or region.

Yelp

While Yelp is mainly a place to review and search out businesses in your community, it’s also a great social networking site. But every once in a while you can find a group dedicated to giving away free stuff or people looking to get rid of certain items they no longer want. While it’s not a surefire way to try to get stuff for free, it doesn’t hurt to browse the message boards for your respective city to see what items you might be able to find.

Facebook Marketplace

Facebook Marketplace is a great way to find free items that people are giving away. A lot of people will list items they no longer want and, if you make sure to program your Facebook settings correctly, they’ll pop up in your feed as an alert. This is probably one of the easiest ways to search for free stuff in your location online. Best of all, there’s guaranteed to be a variety of items to look through.

Social Media

Social media is great for many things in this day and age, and fortunately, it’s also a great, new way to find out about people or businesses who are giving stuff away for free. Whether it’s a business having a special promotion or going-out-of-business giveaway or friends or friends-of-friends who are trying to get rid of items in their possession, social media can be your ticket to learning about how to obtain free items.

Classifieds Sections

The most tried and true method of getting free items such as furniture, clothing, appliances, or other items and services is through the Classifieds section of a print or online newspaper for your local community. Plenty of people still post notices for items they’re giving away in the Classifieds. After all, this was the original form of Craigslist before the internet existed, so when in doubt, check it out!

Have you ever picked up free stuff from any of these venues? Please share your favorite place to score free things.

(Photo courtesy of frankh)

Complaining Just to Get Free Stuff

March 25, 2013 By Jennifer Derrick 17 Comments

We all want to be treated fairly and receive the products and services that we pay for. We want things to match our expectations and the manufacturer’s promises. When things fail to live up to those promises or expectations, it’s up to us to complain, to let the companies know that we won’t be messed with. However, there is a special type of person who has elevated complaining to the level of sport. This is person who complains just to get free stuff. The question is: Is this a wise, frugal move, or bad behavior?

I know quite a few people, both in real life and online, who complain to manufacturers and service providers when there is no legitimate complaint. Why? To get freebies and comps. These people think that they’re being financially smart. After all, why pay for something when you can get it for free? But if the complaint is faked, it’s closer to fraud than effective complaining.

Take for example the person and situation I read about on a money-saving forum (not Saving Advice). Best Buy had intended to issue coupons to a select subset of their Reward Zone program members, but something went awry and not only was the coupon posted online for all to use, the terms were incorrect. Once Best Buy stopped honoring the fraudulent and misprinted coupons, the predictable outrage ensued online about how Best Buy wasn’t being fair by not honoring the deals.

Whether it was fair or not, this person that I saw gleefully posted about writing to Best Buy’s corporate office to complain about the situation. Two things about this person’s complaints rankled me. First, he or she was not a member of the Reward Zone program, so would never have been eligible for the coupon in the first place. The deal was never intended for this person. Second, they complained only after the outrage had reached full force online and he/she saw that Best Buy was giving some people (who were legitimately entitled to use the deal that went awry) gift cards for their trouble.

After raising a big stink to the corporate offices, this person was given a gift card for troubles that he/she had never experienced, since they were never the target of the original deal and were never “cheated” out of using the coupon. Now, I realize that Best Buy didn’t have to give this person anything and that it’s up to them what they want to do for customer service. But this person complaining about being shut out of a deal to which they were never entitled seems wrong.

I see this happen in other areas, too. I go to Disney World a lot and Disney is famous for giving customers freebies and compensation to make up for bad experiences. They’re so famous for this that some people write to the corporate offices or talk to managers in the parks and report fake dissatisfaction with meals, interactions with employees, theft, and issues of every other kind you can imagine. People also complain to food manufacturers to get coupons, and they complain to retail stores to get gift cards or free merchandise. Again, it’s up to Disney and other retailers what they give out and to whom, but people creating complaints just to try for freebies is unethical.

Over the years, companies have doled out so many freebies to stave off negative publicity that some financial sites support this behavior by encouraging people to complain to get the freebies. This tip appears online and even in books. But it’s just wrong. Aside from the bad karma points that you’re sure to get (if you believe in karma or cosmic retribution), it may eventually backfire on you. Many companies keep lists of people who have complained. Chronic, aggressive complainers are likely to be blacklisted eventually to the point that when the day comes that you have a legitimate complaint, no one will listen to you.

It also makes you a terrible example for others. Is this the sort of behavior that you want to teach your kids? That you want your friends and family to see? Sure, you may, like one woman I saw, get free park passes for you and your family off of a faked complaint, but was it really worth it? Is saving money worth compromising your values? Just because the company gave it to you doesn’t make it right that you faked a complaint. Bragging about how you got those tickets to anyone who will listen doesn’t make you a hero, it makes you a jerk.

You’re also raising prices for legitimate customers. Those freebies cost the company money and they’re going to make it up somewhere. If they’re doling out lots of comps and freebies on fake complaints, you can bet that the rest of us are going to see it in the prices we pay. You may not care right now, but one day you’re going to have to pay those higher prices, too.

And, worst case, you can cost someone their job. If you mention an employee’s name in your fake complaint, or give enough information that an employee could be potentially identified as having caused your “distress” (which you likely did if your complaint was at all believable), you can get a person fired or suspended. Was it worth it for a free meal or coupon?

If you have a legitimate gripe with a company, by all means complain. They may not know they’ve done anything wrong and may welcome the chance to make it better. If they send you something as a result of that, great. But creating complaints and “incidents” just to get free stuff isn’t being frugal, it’s stealing.

(Photo courtesy of khawkins04)

12 Ways To Save Money At Carnivals And Fairs

October 31, 2012 By Jennifer Derrick Leave a Comment

Fall and spring are big times for festivals, state fairs, and carnivals. Many people assume that these offerings are cheaper than visiting a major theme park. That’s not always the case. Most theme park admissions are all inclusive. You pay at the gate and then all of the rides and shows are included (except for special shows and games). Most fairs, on the other hand, are pay as you go. You’ll probably pay an admission fee, but then you must also pay for every ride and game that you want to enjoy. With some rides costing as much as $8 apiece or more, it won’t take long to approach the cost of a day at a theme park plus a night in a no-frills motel.

There are ways, though, to make a day at the fair into a budget-friendly day out that can scratch that theme park itch at a fraction of the price. You just have to go in the gates armed with a budget and a plan and then stick to both. Here are some ideas for reining in the cost of fairs and carnivals.

Buy tickets in advance

Many larger fairs offer the chance to buy tickets in advance. At our major fair, admission tickets are $2 less if bought in advance and ride tickets, which are $1 apiece at the fair, can be bought in sheets of 18 for $10. That’s a savings of eight dollars on every eighteen tickets. If you can buy in advance, do so.

Take advantage of unlimited passes

Some fairs offer unlimited ride passes, either on special days or throughout the fair. The price seems high at first, but if you do the math it usually works out in your favor if you ride a lot. Since rides are a big money drain, take advantage of the unlimited pass if you plan to ride a lot.

Bring your own food

Many fairs allow you to bring in your own food. Those that don’t allow it in the gates often don’t prohibit tailgating. Rather than pay big bucks for soda and snacks at the fair, bring your own.

Share food

If you love fair food, pick the one thing you really want and share it with your group rather than having each person buy their own. Most fair foods are large and you don’t need all the fat and calories yourself, so sharing can save your wallet and your waistline.

Limit the rides

Since rides are a big money sink at most fairs, go into the gates with a firm limit in mind. Limit each person to, say, just five rides. The super rides can run anywhere from $5 to $8 apiece with kiddie rides costing less. Limiting the number of rides can save a small fortune. (Hint: Watch the ride before ponying up the money. Some fairs are chintzy with the rides, giving you just one or two full turns of the ride. You don’t want to pay $6 for something that’s over before you even get settled in the seat.)

Give kids a budget

Kids will want to ride, eat, and play everything that they see. Give your kids a set amount to spend and let them know that when it’s gone, it’s gone. If they want to blow it five minutes inside the gate, that’s their decision. Encourage them to see everything before deciding how to spend their money. This will help teach kids about spending wisely. Keep the bank of mom and dad closed to spare your budget.

Take advantage of “special” days

Some fairs offer military appreciation days where service members get in for free or a reduced price, senior citizen days, or days that you can get in for free if you bring in food for a food bank, for example. If yours offers such promotions, take advantage of anything for which you qualify.

Avoid the games

Next to the rides, the games are the other big money sink at a carnival. Most cost $1 to $3 to play and they are very hard to win. If you must play something, limit yourself to one try and then move on. The fair is betting that you’ll get competitive and keep trying until you beat the thing. If you do that, you might as well buy a souvenir from the souvenir stand. You’ll probably come out ahead.

Find the free stuff

At most fairs, there are free performances and exhibits. You can see the work of local craftspeople, check out the animals and prize-winning foods, and see local performers. Some of the exhibits are interactive with things like scavenger hunts, quizzes, and skill tests. The free stuff may not be as sexy as the big rides, but it’s fun and educational.

Compete

Most large fairs offer competitions in almost every craft or skill imaginable and most are judged by age group so little kids aren’t competing against adults. You might win a cash prize that will cover the costs of your day at the fair. Even if you don’t win, some fairs offer free admission to exhibitors.

Work

Some fairs offer free admission or rides to workers. While the carnival usually brings in its own people, they sometimes hire temporary help from the local area. You might also get these benefits if you volunteer to work at the booth sponsored by your church, school, or civic organization.

Skip the freak shows

The two headed boy, the girl with body of the snake, and the worlds largest horse all sound interesting, but they are pricey and usually not worth the money. Despite the claims that these things are “live,” most are faked in some way. You end up paying two dollars to see an alligator that was stuffed (or manufactured) fifty years ago.

When I go to the fair, I tend to spend most of the day checking out the exhibits. I may ride a couple of old favorites like the Ferris wheel and eat my one favorite food, but by purchasing my tickets in advance and limiting the expensive stuff, I can spend a fun day at the fair for under $40.

Don’t go to a fair without a firm budget in mind and a game plan. If you just wander around paying for everything that catches your eye, you’ll easily spend the equivalent of a theme park vacation. If you’re smart, though, you can enjoy a great, low-cost day out.

(Photo courtesy of wfbakker2)

10 Things That Used to Be Free

March 21, 2012 By Dana O. Crandell 4 Comments

We live in a world driven by commerce. In today’s society, we hand over our hard-earned cash for things that used to be considered common courtesy. Whether it’s a sign of our economic woes or plain, old greed, we seem to find more and more ways to wring a little more money out of each other. Here are 10 examples of things that used to be free, but you now have to pay for:

Air and Water at Service Stations

This may be the best-known example of once-free items, at least for those of us over the age of 20. The coin-op air compressors on the side of the service station have become commonplace. There’s almost always a water hose somewhere, too, although the shutoff valve may be locked. Not so long ago, retractable air and water hoses were located at both ends of the pump islands, free for anyone to use, anytime.

Service at Service Stations

The term, “service station” was once accurate. If you bought gas, you’d not only have it pumped for you, your oil, water and tire pressure would be checked and your windshield cleaned. There was no such thing as “Self Service”. These days, unless you live in a state where you can’t pump your own gas, you’ll pay more per gallon to have a station attendant do it, and he may or may not clean your windows.

Parking

Here’s an example that got an early start. In 1935, the first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City, thanks to a man by the name of Carl Magee. Apparently it was a popular idea, since there are now an estimated five million plus meters in place in the US.

Using the Bathroom

Curse the sadistic mind that thought of the pay toilet! There’s no need to go into details here; when you’ve gotta’ go, you’ve gotta’ go. There’s something very wrong with having to pay to prevent personal embarrassment because of a normal bodily function. Fortunately, these are losing popularity, probably due to the fact that they are one of the most vandalized devices on the planet.

Television Transmission

For some time after television made its debut, it was a simple idea. Transmit pictures and sound over the air to be received by antennas connected to TV sets. Programs were few, most were broadcast live and they were supported by sponsors who advertised during the programs. Our technological advances have brought us much more complex and expensive alternatives, through massive satellite and cable networks. In the US, we pay an average of $60 – $150 per month to bring the programs we want to our homes. By the way, the sponsors still run their commercials on all but the most expensive channels. One more reason to consider reducing your TV consumption.

Drinking Water

We’ve come a long way since the day when drawing a nice, cold drink of water from the well was enough to slake the worst thirst. We pay for our drinking water on several levels these days. Most pay for municipal water that many us don’t trust or simply don’t like, so we buy bottled water. If the bottled water tastes a little bland, we buy more expensive bottled water with flavoring added. For a really intense drink, we can buy water with electrolytes, vitamins and minerals added for that extra little “kick” to get us through the day. We love our water and we’re putting out good money to prove it.

Treating the Water That Leaves Your Home

It’s obvious and an accepted fact of life that most of us who live within the city pay for our tap water. Did you know you’re probably paying for it twice? Look for the “sanitation” or “sewer” fee on your next water bill. It’s calculated from the amount of water you use, on the basis that all of it now has to be transported to the waste water treatment plant as sewage. Think about that next time you water the lawn or garden. It’s a good reason to collect rain water.

Directory Assistance

Remember when you could dial 411 – or 0 if you’re older – on the telephone and talk to a nice lady that would not only look up a number for you, but make the connection at no extra charge? No? Well, the good news is you’re among the majority. The bad news is that you and the rest of the majority are paying a fee each time you use Directory Assistance. In fact, you may be paying a service fee even if you don’t use it.

The Great Outdoors

Communing with nature used to be a simple matter of visiting the nearest state or national park or forest. Our government set these lands aside for public use and by golly, all we had to do was go find an open campsite and make sure we cleaned up after ourselves and didn’t feed the bears. Thanks to government spending cuts, those public lands are still there for us to use, but you’d better bring your wallet. With gate fees as high as $25.00 per car at national parks, campground fees of $10.00 and up in state and national forests and even “day use” fees for most recreation areas, you literally can’t even hike for free. If you do visit national parks a lot, definitely invest in a national parks pass.

Public seating?

Yes, my friends, someone has finally devised a way tocharge his fellow man for sitting in public. The penalty for non payment is painful. I’m aghast.

I shudder to think where the next step might take us. What other things can you remember that were free that now cost money?

(Photo courtesy of St_A_Sh)

Not Feeling Guilty About Freebies

October 27, 2009 By David G. Mitchell 11 Comments

Like most people, I love to find a bargain. A BOGO deal coupled with a great coupon is a cause for great pride. A 90%-off clearance sale where I can find things that I will actually use is a great thing. A 50th anniversary celebration at a restaurant that rolls back its prices to 1959 is a really cool, must-attend event. You probably agree with me or you would not likely be visiting this site.

When I get the best deal possible — namely when something is free — I don’t feel quite as good. In fact, I feel bad at times. You’ve probably seen free deals advertised, usually at new restaurants. Free coffee or free desserts or free appetizers are offered in the hope that once the restaurant has your business, you will return and become a regular paying customer.

There are other times that businesses offer freebies that come with a hidden expectation of payment. For example, public radio offers commercial free broadcasting that its listeners can enjoy throughout the year. For those listeners, the broadcasts may offer great enjoyment. At the same time, someone has to cover the costs of those radio stations, and the stations’ want listeners to contribute to the payment of those costs by donating to the station.

There are also freebies that most people do not even consider. For example, have you ever used a rest room in a restaurant or a store in which you were not eating or shopping? After all, by using it, you are contributing to the costs that the establishment incurs.

I know some people will gladly take everything that they can get for free. Sometimes, I just can’t do it. A lot of my decision-making has to do with the relationships I have with the proprietors of the places offering free things. I often wonder, however, whether I am being intellectually honest with myself when I explore how I feel about getting things for free. Here is my hierarchy:

Free Stuff from Faceless Entities: I listen to our local public radio station every day. It is a full time jazz and blues station and the only station with that programming in my area. I really enjoy it and I have won tickets and products as a result of being a listener. As a result, I felt bad listening to the station this week while the station conducting its annual pledge drive. I’d like to donate to the station but my wife and I have many other causes to which we donate. I just can’t justify another donation and I feel bad about that, but not bad enough to dig into my wallet for the cause. At the same time, I know that if I had face to face to interaction with someone at the station, I would be too embarrassed not to donate, just as I would if a neighbor came to me trying to raise money for a cause.

Free Stuff from National Chains: If I know that a national chain is running a promotion, I do not feel all that compelled to buy something when I go to a store to take advantage of the national promotion. I know that the national chain is trying to get me to become a long term customer by giving me something for free. I am willing to give the chain a chance and I view my effort to go visit the chain in order to participate in the promotion as the consideration that I give for the benefit of getting a freebie. If I never buy another thing in the store, that’s OK.

For example, my son and I waited in line at an ice cream store last year on the first day that it opened. The store, a national chain, was giving away one free sundae per month (for sixteen months) to the first twenty-five customers. My son and I were among the first twenty-five and we (usually he) have enjoyed two free sundaes every month for the past fourteen months. Although we occasionally visit the ice cream store when we are paying customers, I feel no guilt going into the store to get our freebies each time we turn to a new page of the calendar.

Free Stuff from Local Businesses: This is where my frugality breaks down. I like to support local businesses. I believe it is good for our local economy and it is usually good for me, as well, because I like the quality that many local businesses offer. Unfortunately for me, that usually means that I cannot walk into a local business without buying something, even if I have only walked in to use the rest room. Since I know that the proprietor recognizes me as a customer, and often knows me by name, I feel that if I am getting anything for free, I am also taking something away from the business. I like to think that I am also giving something back to the business to balance out the equation.

Do you ever feel compelled to purchase things just because you are getting something for free? Do you feel that if you listen to public radio, you should necessarily make donations to it? Does it make a difference to you whether a business is local or national?

10 Seconds to Free Stuff

March 29, 2009 By David G. Mitchell 6 Comments

Last month, I registered my e-mail address with a local pizzeria. It took me all of ten seconds and, for my trouble, the pizzeria entered me into its daily contest to win a free lunch. Every day since I registered, I have received an e-mail announcing the pizzeria’s daily specials and the name of the person who won a free lunch. Yesterday, the winner of the free lunch was . . . . me.

I know a free lunch may not be a huge prize, but it saved me $10 yesterday and that is not a bad return for ten seconds of effort. If I could earn that kind of return for one hour of my time, I would make $3,600! That is more than most people earn in a month, I think.

Entering contests on the Internet or by phone is a free and easy way to win prizes and enjoy your time in an inexpensive way. I enter every contest that I see as long as I either (i) want the prize that is offered or (ii) feel that I can sell it. I especially look for contests that allow only one entry per e-mail address because although I am willing to enter once, I never want to return to a website day after day to enter again and again.

I know many people are skeptical about contests, but if you visit only reputable sites, contests are usually quite legitimate. Over the years, I have won some really cool stuff. One day in 1997, in particular, I received two prize confirmations in the mail. I had won a free weekend at a Country Inn in Vermont and I had also won a free four day trip to a beautiful bed and breakfast in Virginia’s wine country, airfare and rental car included!

I have also won countless CDs, movie tickets and pieces of apparel. I have won travel packages, over and above the trips I described above. I have won contests that I entered on the internet, contests that I entered by being the correct caller to radio programs, and contests that I entered by dropping my business card in a jar. As long as I do not need to pay even for a stamp, I will enter almost any contest.

And I know that I probably won’t win, but I really do not care. If I enter a contest, I probably won’t win. If I do not enter a contest, I know I won’t win. I would much rather have a chance of winning than no chance at all and it is always nice to be surprised by an unexpected package in the mail when the prize is delivered.

Entering contests is also a great way to spend idle time, especially if you like to spend your time surfing on the web. Even if you do not want to turn contest entries into a true hobby such that you spend your time seeking out contests, you really should consider entering all of the contests that you happen upon in your daily activities. Even if you win only one contest, you have as much chance as the next person to be the big winner!

Of course, you should keep in mind that you have to pay taxes on prizes that you win, so never enter a contest if the only prize is something that you cannot use or at least sell. Also, you should never provide any confidential personal information as part of a contest entry. I will provide my name, address, phone number and e-mail address because that information is generally readily available anyway. I also stay on sites that are trustworthy based on past experience and the reputation of the companies that I use.

What do you think? Is it a waste of time to fill out contest entries? Have you ever won a contest? If so, what have you won? Do you have any great contest stories that you can share or tips for finding and entering contests that you can offer?