How To Get More Free Stuff Than You Want

Completely free stuff is not hard to find. Despite our struggling economy, getting items for free is terribly easy. Free food, free gifts, free clothes, even free household supplies. Its not hard as long as you know where to find it.

Coupons & Rebates
Believe it or not, but manufacturers are dying to see their product in your hands. Grocery discount coupons are a dime a dozen, to be sure, but did you know that by simply combining them with sales that you could get a product for free? In addition to grocery discount coupons, rebate offers abound. Use a coupon on your product and often the stamp is even free!

The biggest trick and most unknown secret in the world of coupon usage: if you find a good deal, where the product is free, collect as many coupons as you can find so that you can get multiple free items! It might take you a few trips to one store, or one trip to many similar stores to pull it off, but hey, its free.

Test Drive Incentives
Did you know that car manufacturers will pay you gift cards and other prizes simply for coming in to test-drive a car? No strings attached. Heck, a lot of the time you don't even have to drive the car.

Car manufacturers realize that you have infinite choices when it comes to buying your next vehicle, and they want to stand out in your mind as the best choice. So they offer test drive incentives to get you onto the sales floor and see what they have to offer.

You can't just walk into a store and ask for your completely free stuff, however. You do need to get on the email or snail mail list for offers first, and present your offer when you come in.

Freecycle & Craigslist
If you are looking for completely free stuff, there is no comparison to the Freecycle Network. Join your local group free, and find people all around you willing to give you phenomenal treasures. The idea of Freecycle is to keep usable items out of landfills. But the things people throw away!

Need hand-me-downs for your kids? Someone is offering them on Freecycle. Want a new bathtub? I got one last week (brand new garden tub). People offer everything, from food they bought and decided they wouldn't like to sofas they bought then decided didn't match the floors.

Everything is completely free, and in varying stages of quality. One could decorate a home with items given away on Freecycle.
Another alternative to Freecycle is the free section on your local Craigslist. Both are quite competitive. You need to be glued to your computer, sometimes, to get the best stuff.

Barter
Do you have items laying around your house collecting dust, that you thought about selling on eBay but you know you will never get around to doing? Why not trade them to someone who needs them for something else? As the economy takes a nosedive, people are opening up to the tradition of trade, which has been a societal norm for a lot longer than money has.

Check out local trade groups in your area, or the barter section on Craigslist. And the next time you need to make a purchase from an individual, or a small business owner, offer to barter. The worst he can say is no, but often you may find a surprising, and fun new way to do business.