Where to get freebies
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Let’s face it – we all love a good freebie.
And not just because you haven’t spent a penny on it, though that’s certainly a bonus.
Beauty samples for example can come in handy when you’re travelling and need hand luggage-friendly sizes for airport security.
You’ll also be able to test out new products without splashing out.
And then there are the hand-me-downs that help to stop things going to a landfill.
But how can you maximise your freebie haul with minimum effort? And is there anything to bear in mind?
Here’s all you need to know.
Best places for getting freebies
When it comes to getting freebies, you have plenty of options but some are more fruitful than others.
Freebie websites
The most obvious place to look for freebies is on freebie websites.
These are regularly updated with new offers, and in theory someone has trawled through the internet so you don’t have to.
Some of the most popular ones include:
You only really need to check one of these, because they all share the same freebies.
Even so, it’s worth looking at all of them when you’re starting out just to see which format you prefer.
Some also include discounts and deals for example, so you have to work a little bit harder to find the actual freebie.
Once you’ve picked your favourite, sign up for their newsletter and let the freebies come to you.
Community websites
If there’s something specific you need, check out Freecycle and Gumtree, where people give away stuff they no longer need.
Some of it is new and in good condition, but most of it is second hand.
Do bear in mind that you’ll have to arrange pick up, which can be tricky if it’s something big like furniture.
Product testing
Signing up to be a product tester can be a good way to get full-sized items and gadgets that you get to try and keep.
I’ve compiled a list of the places accepting new testers here.
The downside is that you may have to jump through a lot of hoops and may never get picked to test a product.
Social media and forums
Social media can be a treasure trove of freebies.
Facebook is particularly good for getting freebies from big brands for example.
Often you’ll see an offer pop up as an ad – you just have to add your name, email and address to get the freebie.
Some brands also organise giveaways through X and TikTok.
You can improve your chances of getting freebies like this by following your favourite brands.
Also look out for crowdsourced freebie listings, like those found in Facebook groups.
The equivalent of that is a forum, like the freebies subReddit, or the freebies section on MoneySavingExpert.
Loyalty schemes
You’re in the long game for most loyalty schemes, as it can take a while before you collect enough points or stamps or whatever to get anything.
But there are some loyalty schemes that offer rewards with more regularity.
Octopus Energy for example has Octoplus, where you can get a free drink at either Caffe Nero or Greggs each week.
You can also get a free £50 if you switch to them using my link*.
There’s also Waitrose*, which gives you free coffee from their self-serve machines with any purchase. It used to be completely free but then became a little too popular.
The downside of freebies
It’s great when you get the freebies but there are a few downsides you need to bear in mind, on top of all the time and effort it takes.
You’ll need to be quick
The number of freebies are always limited so you’ll need to be quick if you want to be picked.
This is especially true for things that are particularly valuable or widely promoted, or if there’s only one or two to go around.
You might get spammed
You’ll need to supply your email address for any freebie that you might hope to claim online.
While some promoters are respectful of your privacy and your inbox, others will send you half a dozen sales emails before you’ve even received the product.
As with entering competitions, it’s helpful if you have a separate email address just for getting freebies.
You might also get scammed
Sharing your email address and other details widely could obviously open you up to scams.
While a scam is obvious if you’re asked to enter any payment details for a freebie, fraudsters might also use your information in other ways.
Your details could for example be used to build a profile of you to use for future targeting.
So before you submit your details, do a quick check to see if the website or brand you’re supplying your information to is legit.
And if you do fall victim to a scam, I’ve written about what to do next.
Freebies with a purchase
Quite a lot of beauty brands offer freebies with a purchase as a way to get you to try or buy a new product.
Space NK* for example will give you two free samples for every purchase.
You can also get this at Feel Unique*.
They do something a little different as well – they’ll send a sample out with certain full-sized items, and if you don’t like the sample you can return the full-sized item as long as it’s unopened and unused.
It can be a nice value added perk, but it shouldn’t be driving you to make unnecessary purchases.
What about freebies with a postage fee?
A lot of brands offer ongoing freebies, like Simply Cook* for cooking spices or Crumb* for pet tags.
Basically they’re unlimited, and you can get them any time of the year.
The only catch is that you have to pay postage.
Is it really a freebie in that case? Well, not strictly speaking in my view.
If the product is worth more to you than the postage then what you’re really getting is a really great deal.
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