By
Reneé LaVoie
Wednesday, July 29, 2009, 07:00 AM
Category:
FREE Today
FREE Today brings you premium internet freebies but we would be remiss not to mention the free offers all around you that occur beyond your computer screen. One of my fondest college memories was free sample day at the local grocery store. With some careful planning and a hefty dose of audacity, my friend Sherry and I could graze enough samples to make up an entire meal.
Today, I am more sophisticated in my approach to freebies but the point remains: local freebies abound if you look for them. You will notice on FREE Today that we have a host of national chain restaurant freebies if you sign up for their email club or in honor of your birthday. But there are several restaurant chains with a presence in only one or two states. These franchises often have websites with the same perks and freebies as the large national chains soo if you have a favorite local haunt, check out their website and you might get lucky.
Most towns have a local "trade rag" with the latest in deals, local coupons and specials. Pay close attention: local businesses and charities often feature giveaways to foster interest. Don't neglect the personals either - occasionally among the "free kittens to a good home" posts, you will find a jewel. Mary Kay and Avon ladies that discontinue their business will sometimes give away their inventory or people moving out of the area will give away furniture.
Your Sunday paper is also a great tool. The freebie frenzy is starting to spread and even grocery stores realize its a great way to attract customers. The other day I found a coupon for a free dozen eggs if I spent a certain amount on groceries. My prize find was a coupon for a free pound of hamburger when I purchased taco fixings of a certain brand.
FREE Today is one tool in your budget arsenal but to find complete frugal nirvana, simply explore your own community. Let your local busines owners know how much you enjoy and appreciate their free offers and your chances of receiving more will improve.
By
Reneé LaVoie
Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 12:00 AM
Category:
FREE Today
There's something you need to know about freebies-- if you mistreat them, they will leave. Businesses use them like tasty bread crumbs, leading customers to their door. Consumers like to nibble the crumbs and run gleefully away. It's a delicate relationship. There is no need for you to feel guilty for refusing to play the patsy but there are some basic courtesies that will motivate businesses to keep priming the freebie pump.
Don't request a freebie you really don't need or want just because it's free. For instance, requesting a free sample of
Rachael Ray's Nutrish Dog Food even though you don't have a dog and then selling it to your cousin Reuben at "a fantastic discount" is abuse of the offer. Businesses do need to see a certain amount of return for their free offers in order for them to pay off.
If you really like a freebie, give that business your patronage. Never feel guilt or obligation to make a purchase because a freebie has been offered but if you find a sample that you just love, make sure to follow through. I get free samples from Walmart all the time. Usually I eat my free cookie and that is that. But the other day I got a sample of their
new Bodycology lotion and the smell was just addictive. I had to have some. That's the response manufacturers are hoping for, and while there's no crime in making them work for it, it doesn't hurt to take the bait once in a while.
Don't be greedy. Committing freebie fraud by requesting multiple samples under different email identities isn't too hard but vendors know when they are being abused and if they get burned, so do we. No more freebies.
Remember to Share. If you find a freebie you truly love, make sure to share it with a friend. The better the response a free sample gets, the more likely the manufacturer will be to offer another one. Each FreeToday freebie has a "share it" button that allows you to quickly and easily notify friends when you find an outstanding offer.
Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Occasionally free offer supplies will run out. Remember a freebie is a privilege, not a right. If you miss the free sample, don't get ugly-- other samples will come. If free samples become a giant headache for businesses, they will stop offering them.
It's a complex codependency but with a little civility and respect, freebie fanatics can live in harmony with our benefactors. Just being aware that there is a give and take in the arrangement is a big step in the right direction.
By
Reneé LaVoie
Monday, July 13, 2009, 02:45 PM
Category:
FREE Today
For the self-disciplined, rebates can be a great way to get an item for free, or at a greatly reduced price. Like the offer for a six-pack of PediaSure, free after rebate. CVS and Walgreens websites also have frequent rebate offers that can lead to great savings if you follow them closely. But if you don't understand the rules, you'll wind up frustrated and out of a bargain. In my journey as a "dealaholic" I've experienced my share of rebate casualties. To save you from a similar fate, I have put together "The Ten Commandments of Rebate Redemption."
Don't procrastinate. One of the reasons manufacturers offer rebates is because they know that most people will either never bother to redeem the offer. The longer you put it off, the greater your chance of loosing your original receipt, your UPC code or some other integral piece of information. If you are serious about a rebate the best practice is to complete it the day of purchase.
Do not lose your original receipt. Without the original receipt you will not receive your rebate-- period. Don't try to make a copy, copies will be rejected. Your receipt must have the date, store number and pertinent information fully in tact. Make sure to circle or highlight the item on the receipt eligible for rebate.
Purchase each item eligible for rebate in separate transactions. Remember any rebate you send in must have it's own original receipt. It may be an inconvenience, but if there are two items at the same store eligible for rebate, you will have to purchase them on separate transactions. Copies of receipts are not allowed.
Do not lose or copy the original UPC off of the product. This is the manufacturer's proof that you purchased the item. It is the bar code found on the packaging of the item. No UPC-- no rebate.
Before you send in a form read every single word on the rebate, even the fine print. Every rebate has it's own specifications. These ten commandments will get you through the basics, but can not replace careful reading. Each rebate is unique, and must be studied in detail.
Fill out the rebate form, every single bit, in clear legible printing. If your handwriting is not easy to read, your rebate will not be processed. If you leave out a piece of requested information, they will not process your rebate. Give it the same attention you give your taxes, at least with a rebate you're guaranteed a refund.
Don't send in any item without first making a copy for your records. Rebates do occasionally get lost, or there can be conflict regarding the information you put on the form. Make copies so if there is a conflict you have a record of what you sent in. Otherwise you will be out of luck.
Include the original receipt, UPC code, rebate form and any other requested material in its entirety. One small oversight can bring a rebate to a halt. Before you send in your rebate package, make a list and check it twice.
Never do business (rebate or otherwise) without a contact phone number. No matter how good the offer sounds, don't bite unless you have a verified customer service number to call in the event you have a problem. The first sign of a shady deal is lack of contact information.
Patience is a virtue. The quickest turnaround to expect for a rebate is around six weeks. Two to three months is not unheard of. Rebates are delayed financial gratification.
Take these commandments to heart, follow them to the letter and you will be on the road to rebate savings.
By
Reneé LaVoie
Wednesday, July 08, 2009, 05:03 AM
Category:
FREE Today
Our freebies on FreeToday are always low hassle, straight forward free offers. But there is a growing trends in the ranks of the fanatically frugal for those who don't mind a little extra effort-- the double coupon freebie. Some stores, like CVS and Walgreen's, run store coupons weekly that you can print off their website.
Occasionally these same items have manufacturer's coupons that run concurrently. You would find those in the Sunday paper or if you are on their email list. If you use both coupons at once you can often get an item for free. For instance a friend of mine found Garnier shampoo on sale at Walgreen's a while ago for $2.99, and had a Walgreen's coupon for $2.00 off, so the cost was just $.99. Then she found a manufacturer's coupon for $1.00 off, making the shampoo free if she used both.
Although there is nothing that forbids using double coupons, you may occasionally find a cashier who is a bit leery. Just remain calm and friendly, have all the adds with you, and try to find a cashier that looks friendly. Of course if you're lazy like me, you'll stick with free gifts with purchase at Yves Rocher, and buying all my cosmetics for a dollar at E.L.F.
--Renee LaVoie