As someone who is living on a budget, I will admit that I love free things.
Yep, from free samples to free food to free entertainment, I’m a sucker for them all. However, I’ve learned that not all free things are good. Let me give you some examples:
Free puppy: So cute at first, but in the end, not free. You’ll end up spending a ton of money even though the initial cost was “free.”
Free samples at the store: Good – unless you get hooked on the product (which are always name-brand and usually convenience products, which are more expensive).
Free cookie on the side of the road: Probably a bad idea if you don’t know the person giving them away.
Free book: Usually a good idea – it’s always nice to have books, and you can give it away when you’re done if it’s not a keeper.
In this day and age we have a ton of free things, but also a ton of things that require a purchase. You can find some awesome free resources if you do some digging (but remember, not all free things are worth it).
Here are some free things I personally use and would recommend to those living a frugal life:
1. Google call
I’m not actually sure what it’s called, but if you have a Gmail account you can make free calls to any landline in North America from your computer. This is great for calling businesses or family members who still have landlines (like my parents who like phone calls better than Skype). This can help you save some minutes (and money!) on your cell phone plan. If you don’t have a Gmail account, the good news is it’s also free to sign up for one!
For those of you who enjoy listening to music but can’t afford to buy it, Grooveshark is great. As long as you have internet, you can listen to most music that’s out there. I’ve really been enjoying listening to the “Frozen” soundtrack lately!
Now, I know that some of you have probably used this for a while, but I just discovered this gem last year. It’s chock-full collection of recipes, ideas, blogs, and helpful tips. You can then “pin” (save) posts you like to different “boards” (digital filing cabinets) for later when you need a recipe or a craft idea.
It’s a great way to find a fun new recipe or craft idea, and they are usually pretty frugal. For those of you who aren’t on it, I would recommend you give it a try.
4. YouTube
Again, I know this has been out for a while, but my favourite thing about YouTube is that you can watch full seasons of shows for free! Some of my faves from my childhood are Sister Sister and Boy Meets World. A new fave that I would recommend is Freaks and Geeks. (It’s also completely legal since YouTube is public and monitored for copyright infringement.)
Sometimes you have to dig for a little bit, but you can find hours of free entertainment. Such a great alternative to buying boxed sets!
5. McDonald’s Coffee
2-3 glorious times a year, McDonald’s offers free (small) coffee for a whole week. It’s true – and it starts on Monday!
Unlike many “free” promotions, this is actually free. Of course, I know that this is a marketing technique where you change your morning routine to come in and get coffee at McDonald’s or pick up a muffin or other food with your free coffee. Does this technique work on me? NO WAY.
Fred and I go 1-2 times a day during this week, savouring the free goodness that is McDonald’s coffee, then when the promotion is over, we stop going.
A note for all of you coffee snobs, MD serves Seattle’s Best coffee, which is owned by Starbucks, so the quality is decent. Hope you get a chance to pick up a few freebies this week!
*NOTE: These promotion dates are only good in Canada – the U.S. has these free coffee promotions, but they are different weeks of the year.*
So now it’s your turn – what are some of your favourite free things? Leave me a comment below!
Disclaimer: None of these companies or products paid or compensated me at all. I’m just sharing my favourite free things and added links for your convenience.