Once upon a time, it was easy to get free stuff. In the early days of Internet marketing, companies vied with one another to give away everything from candy bars to condoms.
Of course, this free stuff came at a cost: The manufacturers would spam you, and your info would likely be sold so that other people could spam you, too.
But for a little while our mailboxes turned into piñatas, spilling out stuff like protein bars, breakfast cereal, T-shirts, pet food, feminine hygiene products, fabric softener, cosmetics, snack foods, energy drinks and all sorts of over-the-counter medications. Those were the days.
Marketing has changed, and most of the folks who used to run freebie sites either sold their URLs or dropped outta the blogging business. But when asked to find out what’s still there, I found enough to write about for Money Talks News. “6 of the best websites for finding free stuff” notes that times have definitely changed:
“(Some) so-called ‘freebie’ sites are more about items that are free if you:
- Use coupons and rebates.
- Pay upfront and then get a loyalty program credit or an online rebate.
- Jump through multiple hoops, such as creating an account, installing an app and linking your social media account.
- Enter a drawing for a chance at getting the free item.
- Take surveys and then use the points you earn to get “free” stuff.
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with taking surveys; it’s one way of earning extra cash. Nothing wrong with rebates, either. But sometimes you just want to click it and claim it.”
I did come up with more than half a dozen legitimate ways to score gratis goods. (A couple of extras are tucked in as also-rans.) The article also includes pro tips and caveats. Have a look, and score some free stuff of your own.
A few other pieces I’ve done for Money Talks News lately:
“7 movie theater chains with senior discounts”: Pretty self-explanatory. This piece lets you know how old you have to be; in some places, hitting age 55 gets you the deal.
“8 things you should never store in the pantry”: I expect a little pushback from this one. Yes, I know your grandmom kept her jams or catsup or maple syrup on the shelf and nobody died. Not once. I didn’t make the rules, though; I just reported them from various industry sources. (Feel free to dissent in the comments, however.)
“Stop buying these 9 overpriced cleaning products”: There’s no need to break the bank to keep your house clean. A few basics – including but not limited to baking soda, peroxide, bleach, vinegar, blue Dawn dish soap – will do the trick. With inflation putting a collective hurt on U.S. budgets, every dollar you don’t spend on things like “disinfecting mist” or “fabric refresher.”
“The top 8 sources of retirement income, according to retirees”: This piece is based on a new study from the nonprofit Employee Benefits Research Institute, and to me it was eye-opening. The good news is that 77 percent of retirees currently believe they can live comfortably in their golden years.
The not-so-good news is that 15 percent of retirees cite “financial support from family and friends,” although it isn’t clear whether they’re already getting it or plan to ask later on.
And for the really not-so-good-news: 37 percent of people who are still working say they expect financial support from family and friends during their retirement.
“7 apps I use to beat inflation at the grocery store”: If you’re a longtime reader, you know that I loves me some coupons, deals and rebates. You also know that I don’t like to jump through those multiple hoops mentioned above. So I stick with tried-and-true apps like Ibotta, Shopkick and Fetch Rewards. The article explains some of my recent decent deals.
(Note: If you want to help support my site, consider using my referrals for these apps. You’ll find them at “Rewards programs FTW!”)
When “free stuff” is a ripoff
“Scams that target homeowners” takes on the unscrupulous crooks who cost unsuspecting homeowners thousands of dollars, and possibly even their homes. It appears on the Get Carefull blog, which is aimed at older adults and/or caregivers, but the information is useful to homeowners of any age.
So no matter how old you are, know that if a “contractor” offers to line up a home improvement loan for you for free, out of the goodness of their heart, it could very well be a scam.
Ditto things like:
- Pushing you to accept a one-day-only deal (“I was doing work in your neighborhood and I have leftover materials, so I could do the work cheap”)
- Saying they work for your home security company, but not showing IDs
- Offering to save your home from foreclosure if you’re having trouble paying the mortgage
- Are very insistent about your need for a reverse mortgage
Again, these are schemes that can affect anyone, at any age. These folks love to target older people but they’ll scam whoever they can get.
More recent work from Get Carefull:
“What is medical identity theft?”: Did you know that your health insurance card is basically a credit card, with a limit of…well, a lot of money? Medical identity theft can hurt your credit score, destroy your peace of mind and maybe even endanger your life. This is another issue that can affect anyone, at any age. Read the piece to learn how to protect yourself and/or your loved ones.
“What to know about independent living communities”: The 75-plus population will reach 44.2 million by 2039. All those folks need to live somewhere, which may be why 44 percent of the 100 biggest residential development companies in the U.S. are designing “active living communities.” Not everyone can (or wants to) stay in the ol’ family homestead. But is an independent living community right for you or for a loved one? Good question – and you’ll find the answers in this article.
“Tech solutions for independent senior living”: It’s getting a little easier to live independently, whether that’s in a senior community or somewhere else. While some people are doing serious remodels in order to age in place, not everyone can afford to do this. Luckily, affordable safety/security solutions are out there, some of which are plug-and-play. Fascinating stuff.
Okay, readers, have at me: Where do you store the catsup? (And do you generally spell it “ketchup”?)
Related reading:
- “Speed cleaning” is life-changing
- TikTok is not a fiduciary! A cautionary tale
- “I can’t afford to retire”
- Financially dependent (adult) children
I store the catsup in the refrigerator and I have always spelled it catsup and won’t change.
I spell it as ketchup and we store it in the fridge once opened.
Ketchup-I store it in the refrigerator.
Ketchup. Once opened is stored in the refrigerator.
Ketchup – in the fridge
Ketchup in the refrigerator. Ditto that for jam and jelly. Real maple syrup is in the fridge, store brand pancake syrup is in the cabinet. Butter is always left out on the counter.
Also, thanks for all the links to your articles. I plan on reading every one of them. I would anyway but with a possible recession looming I can use all available help!
Thanks for your kind words. May I suggest using the “tag cloud” for other research? It’s a list of article categories on the right-hand side of the page, under “Tags,” which will help you look things up by topic. For example, if you’re in the market for food articles, just click on that topic.
Personally, I think we’re already in a recession. Just waiting for it to be made official. And I also think some people never quite made it out of the 2008 one.
I agree with you about the recession status.
Thanks for the article Donna. I love Fetch rewards.
Catsup in the fridge after it is opened. It does, though, freeze well and tastes fine when thawed if you ever happen to luck into a #10 can of it.
I live in the Deep South and we refrigerate all condiments except pancake syrup, molasses, and honey.
Ketchup/catsup usually stays on the table as we use it everyday.
“7 apps I use to beat inflation at the grocery store” – Fetch – will scan next gas heat utility bill. Then when trash bill is received, will try that one.
“Stop buying these 9 overpriced cleaning products”: – Swiffer dry and wet cloths – I use one side, flip it over and use the reverse side, then rinse & clean with soapy water in a bucket, rinse and then use again the next time. I sit them aside until I have several to clean at once.
I’ve always spelled it ketchup and I’ve always refrigerated ketchup, mustard, jam, jelly, preserves, etc. once opened. Like Ruby, I’m in the hot and humid south, so it all goes in the refrigerator, except for honey and molasses. I use real maple syrup, so it goes in the refrigerator, too. My mother always warmed the syrup before serving it with pancakes, yum.