How To: Get Free Stuff With Little Effort

You are going to love this article because I’m going to show you how you can get free stuff with a very small amount of effort. In this economy when everyone is being extra careful about how they spend their money, there are a few very simple ways to get some things for free.

I was inspired to write this article after I realized today that I went to the market to pick up a few things and had a feast of samples they were giving out, then I came home and made a mountain of phone calls for free using Google Voice and at the same time, I downloaded free music off the internet, all the while being connected to my free Twitter. Hmm… aside from the gas in my car and my internet connection, I’d say that was a completely free morning.

I recently read an article on MSN that asked the question, “Is free the new black?” The answer is.. well.. maybe. You have to weed through a bunch of junk when looking for free things, especially online. However, with a little patience, you’ll find that there is definitely free stuff out there to be found!

Here are a few ideas to get you going:

1. Don’t forget about the good old barter system! How many of you have Google Wave invites to give away? To the right person, you could barter for something that you want. I’ve seen people trade Google Wave invites for lots of crazy things, and hey, whatever works! Be creative. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. You can trade almost anything. On the internet, people are even trading houses now.

2. According to http://www.couponcravings.com, these bloggers below are committed to providing us with information on the best offers and free stuff the moment it is available. If you follow them on Twitter, you’ll have this valuable information at your fingertips (that’s what I call no effort!) –

$5 Dinners (Erin): @5DollarDinners

Baby Cheapskate (Angie): @BabyCheapskate

Bargain Briana (Briana): @BargainBriana

Being Frugal is Fabulous (Nicole): @FrugalIsFab

The Centsible Sawyer (Denise): @CentsibleSawyer

Common Sense with Money (Mercedes): @CommnSenseMoney

Deal Seeking Mom (Tara): @DealSeekingMom

Freebies 4 Mom (Heather): @Freebies4Mom

Frugal Shopping with Julie (Julie): @FrugalJulie

Keeping the Kingdom First (Alyssa): @KingdomFirstMom

Mom Advice (Amy): @MomAdvice

Mommy Snacks (Andrea): @MommySnacks

Money Saving Methods (Carrie): @MoneyMethods

Money Saving Mom (Crystal): @CrystalPaine

Northern Cheapskate (Christina): @NCheapskate

Penny Pinching Parent (Sonya): @PennyPinchingP

Savin’ the Day (Tonya): @SavinTheDay

Stretching a Buck (Marcy): @StretchingABuck

3. If you have any complaints about a food product, remember to call the company and tell them about it. There is usually a phone number on the package. According to http://www.wikihow.com, it is confirmed that these companies send free stuff when presented with a legit complaint –

• McDonalds
• Coke
• Laura Secord
• Spitz Sunflower Seeds
• Hersheys
• Duracell
• Levis
• Wrigley’s
• Walkers (UK)
• Pringles
• Tayto Crisps
• Cadburys (UK)
• Nestle (UK)
• Smiths Chips
• Wise Snacks
• Altoids
• Starbucks
• Life Saver
• First Act
• Mars

3. Do you like to read? Check out this online book swapping site: http://bookmooch.com

I would never tell you to do what the Freegans do and dumpster dive; however, several years back I did find a brand new Cisco Catalyst Switch on the ground next to a dumpster. At the time, that was such a big deal!

There is definitely free stuff out there to be had. Just open your mind to the possibilities and don’t let any stone go unturned. Be wary of any site that asks for your credit card number. Be cautiously optimistic, and you’ll be surprised at what you can find!

This is a great little video with even more ideas for you! Good luck!