We spend way too much on material goods these days, only to stuff them in a drawer or the bottom of the wardrobe after a month, never again to see the light of day. Rather than throwing money away on what are essentially space-fillers, why don’t you see how much you can actually get really cheap or, better yet, completely free?
There are hundreds of ways to get free stuff online if you know where to look. A quick Google search for ‘free samples’ brings up millions of sites offering samples of everything from perfume to pet food. A lot of the free samples require you to fill out a survey to get them; if you do this I’d recommend setting up a separate email address specifically for entries as you’re bound to get spam!
As well as samples, you can actually get household items such as desks, chairs, sofas and electrical goods for nothing if you register with a site like Freecycle. As well as getting free stuff, you can also give away your unwanted stuff and free up some space in your home! The screenshot above shows Swapshop, another such site where you can get other member’s unwanted goods in exchange for your own.
You can get practically anything on sites like this. From a quick look on the group for my area (each area in the UK has its own group) I could get a mini stereo, a marble hearth with fire surround and a set of solar garden lights, all for just the cost of the petrol to drive to the giver’s house to pick them up. Actually, let me take another look at those solar lights…
On the High Street
When clothes shopping, look for imperfections in the garments (ripped zippers, split seams, dirt marks etc.) If it’s in an inconspicuous place or you think you can fix it, negotiate with the sales assistant to get some money off. Most stores have a till function which allows markdowns on faulty or damaged goods.
Make the most of price matching – supermarket giants like Tesco and Asda like to face off against each other and promise money back if you get cheaper goods at their rivals, so there’s ample opportunity here to get part of your weekly shopping for nothing!
Bulk buying is sometimes seen as a false economy for the individual consumer but I fully believe that if you’re going to use it, and you’d ordinarily buy it in a supermarket for a higher price, then it’s worth buying cheaply in bulk. The picture above is Costco, one of the largest wholesalers in the UK.
I couldn’t live without my Costco card; I drink (probably far too much) Diet Coke and while I could pay 35p-50p per can in the shops, buying a box of 30 cans in Costco costs me around £6: less than 25p per can. The box fits nicely in my fridge and lasts me a month! The only downside is that you need to have a business to get a card, or work for a company who has a deal with them. If you don’t, ask your friends and see if one of them could get you in with their own plastic business card from Costco!
Beauty Without Cruelty (To Your Pocket)
If you’ve got a special occasion on and would ordinarily splash out on some new make-up or perfume, go instead to your local Boots where they offer free makeovers. Get your ‘face’ done and then try one of the perfume testers – you’ll be scented and glowing with expert make-up on for nothing! As an ex-hairdresser, I’m fully aware of how expensive it’s become to get your hair cut, blow dried, highlighted or ‘done up’. But instead of paying through the nose for a stylist to do your locks, head to the nearest training college or salon on a ‘model night’ and let a student practise on you!
You can normally get your hair done for free in this way, although some will charge a small fee – ask before you go. And don’t worry, there’s always a trained stylist on hand so you won’t end up with an unwanted ‘Skrillex’ hairdo…unless you wanted to!
Take Out The Trash
You may have heard the term ‘dumpster diving’ and thought it’s something that tramps or drunk people do. But it’s actually a really good way to get pretty much anything for free. Large stores and some charity shops throw out their unsold items into large dumpsters at the back of the store, and a rummage through these can unearth all kinds of treasures.
Freegans are people who live primarily or totally on the things that they’ve salvaged from places like this. According to their website, there’s not much they can’t find if they look in the right places. Everything from books and CDs to furniture and even food is there for the finding.
A word on food; if it’s still packaged, sealed and close to (or slightly past) its use-by date then it’s probably OK, but if you’re in any doubt, don’t risk it. See the above Freegan link for full information on what’s safe (and legal) to take.
As well as the obvious saving of the pocket that Freeganism has, it’s also environmentally friendly – all the stuff that stores throw out will just end up on a landfill somewhere if it wasn’t rescued and recycled!
Finally…
There are hundreds more ways of getting free or really cheap goods; why don’t you share some of your ideas and successes (or failures!) in the comments?
About the author
Louise is an ex-hairdresser and retail supervisor now working as a financial writer for price comparison site MoneySupermarket. She fully supports the freebie lifestyle and can’t remember the last time she paid full price for a book or outfit!
Image sources: www.swapshop.co.uk, www.costco.co.uk
