The Fun (and Savings) of Samples and Freebies

"Traditionally, the sample is always better than the stock you deliver to the store."
-Calvin Klein

Since I promised "frugal living" posts I decided it was time to get started. So I thought it would be fun to begin by taking about the fun and frugality of requesting samples and freebies. This is a topic that you can learn a ton about on the majority of frugal living blogs out there, so I'll just try to hit some of the major stuff.

I started the sample routine when I first started really learning my frugal living techniques (around March of this year). In just five months, I have been amazed at the awesome things we have gotten and how much money it has saved us. I know what you are probably thinking - how can getting a few little samples or "freebies" here or there really make much difference in the budget? Doesn't the trouble of finding these offers outweigh the benefits? Well, let me tell you, I thought the same thing at first, and I was totally wrong. Sure, a sample-sized bottle of shampoo may not last you more than a few days. But what if you get several different bottles of different types of shampoo? Well, then you are looking at weeks or even a month of FREE shampoo. That's time you DON'T have to spend any money on these items. Get the idea?

So here is my #1 piece of advice - CREATE A SEPARATE EMAIL ACCOUNT! I cannot overemphasize the importance of this. I have a special email account that I use ONLY for my frugal living things - sample requests, sweepstakes entries, "E-Clubs" of various businesses (which is an awesome way to get great offers). If you don't do this, your regular email account will end up with copious amounts of stuff you probably don't want to weed through when trying to read emails from friends or family. In my special "frugality" email account, I sometimes get up to 30 emails or more a day because I have ended up in so many different e-clubs and signed up for so many special offers. But it's easy to go through these things and find what I want (while deleting the rest) when that's the only type of emails coming to that account.

Once you have created your separate email account for this, there are a lot of sampling and freebie websites you can start using to keep you informed of the best offers. My two favorites are www.freakyfreddies.com and www.thunderfap.com . Both of these usually update their sample offers each day. Simply pick the samples you want, click on the link to get them, and enter your information (including that special email address). It may take up to 6 weeks for your samples to start coming, but once you do I think you'll be well pleased (and it really doesn't add much in the way of junk in your snail mail...what is added is totally worth it in my opinion)!

We have gotten so many things, including a lot of food samples. This is great, because often they are items like chips or other snacky type food (recently, we got a sample of "turkey jerky.") Many of you know I pack lunch for David and myself each day to take to work, so these things are great to stash away to slip in the lunch bag for a little variety (I added the turkey jerky in David's lunch one day and he loved it!)

Below are just SOME of the items we have gotten recently during sampling and requesting freebies (we have gotten many many more, but a lot of them we have already used):


-Cottonelle Fresh Flushable Moist Wipe
-Wisconsin Cheese Variety Guide (I love cooking info to keep in my kitchen file, and this is a great guide to cheeses)
-5-Day Supply of MegaRed Omega-3 Krill Oil - David takes fish oil sometimes for his health and this is very similar. These types of supplements can get pricey, but this sample will last us a whole work-week.
-A packet of carrot seeds -we've been wanting to start a garden, so we were thrilled by this
-A free pedometer from Nature's Bounty
-A Salonpas Pain Relief Patch (much like a Bengay patch) - with my periodic neck issues I cannot have too many of these things!
-A pack of 3 Pampers Cruisers Diapers, Size 3 - yes, I am putting together a whole stash of baby stuff even though we are not parents yet. When we do have a baby, we will be a step ahead on some of these things, and they won't go bad!
-A tin of Maple Street Pipe Tobacco - David is planning to take this with us to Highlands on our next trip so the men can have a little "pipe time" on the front porch

There is so much out there to be had, and trust me, your budget will thank you!

Happy sampling! :-)