Welcome to the ABCs of Savings! Each day we’ll be discussing another money saving topic, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. Be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you don’t miss any steps along the way. You can read the full alphabet of posts here (updated as they are posted).
F: Freebies
I’m a huge fan of freebies! It’s not because you usually get amazing high-value products absolutely free (though that’s nice from time-to-time too). Usually freebies are trial sized items, just a small sample of what you would get if you bought the full-sized item. There are three reasons that I take the time to request freebies.
- Freebies often come with coupons. And we’re not talking 25¢ coupons either! When I got my last Kashi sample from Vocalpoint, it included a $3 off 1 box coupon and 3 $1 off coupons. Now that’s a freebie worth requesting! Not all freebies come with coupons, but it’s worth the time to request them… just in case.
- You can use freebies as stocking stuffers. Right before Christmas there was a Starbucks coffee sample freebie that would’ve been perfect for a grown-up’s stocking. Keep your eye out for freebies through the year, and you may not pay much at all for stocking stuffers this year!
- You can pamper your guests. When you go to a hotel, don’t you usually scout out the little sample shampoos and soaps? Sometimes you find some fun fragrances or even something from Bath & Body Works. Why not pamper guests who stay overnight at your house? You could put out some of the freebies you get so that they can sample some new shampoos or soaps too.
I posted some information about how to protect your personal information when requesting freebies. I highly recommend that you read this if you’d like to start requesting freebies. You can check out all of the freebies I’ve posted recently here.