You Can Get Free Stuff All Year Round

Scheduled freebies can be tough to follow. Sometimes we don’t get enough advance notice, we forget or we run out of time. I was personally frustrated earlier this year when I didn’t make it in time to get a free scoop of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s. 

On any given day, retailers may offer free, random giveaways to drive traffic to their stores. My trick to finding out current and upcoming freebies is to search on Google News. Type in “free coffee” or “free breakfast” or “free massage” and you’ll get several results. I just did for “free” and discovered free donuts at Dunkin Donuts on June 4, as part of National Donut Day. (The freebie catch is you have to first buy a beverage first. Go figure.)


Free Facials
Before getting ready for a glam night or if you just want to give your face a clean start head to any Clarins store or mall counter and request a free 20-minute facial. You may need to make an appointment if you don’t want to wait, but walk-ins are welcome. 

Free Coffee
Craving some java - and a quick lesson in online banking? ING Cafes across the country would love to treat you. Print and bring in this coupon to receive a free cup of coffee anytime during the day. The coupon says “2009,” but the company tells me it’s still valid this year.

Free Haircuts
Stylists-in-training at beauty schools usually offer free haircuts and styling's to the public to test-drive their new skills. On any given week you can usually get a new do at Regency Beauty Institute, which has schools across the country. Students sometimes bring in their friends or advertise that they need haircut volunteers on MySpace, according to Paul Kriloff, Regency’s vice president. Another way to discover free haircuts is to look up local beauty schools and institutes at www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com and call to find out when their next free sessions will be.

Free Concerts and Cultural Events
Target sponsors free events, concerts, and art exhibits throughout the year. Last summer Target sponsored free family nights at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and the San Diego Museum of Art, and performances at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The free events continue this year. They’re broken up by city/zip code so hop on to Target.com/arts to see what’s happening for free in your neighborhood. 

Free Yoga
Lululemon’s 100+ stores offer free weekly yoga or pilates classes. No need to call ahead or reserve; just show up. Call up your local Lululemon store to get that their specific class schedule. You can get contact info by visiting Lululemon.com and clicking on “store finder.” (By the way, yoga reduces work-related stress by 10 percent.)

Free Dessert on Your Birthday
Okay, these can only be free once a year … but it’s nice to know about them, right?

• Cold Stone Creamery Birthday Club - free ice cream by signing up for their free My Coldstone Account.
• Applebee’s - free dessert on your birthday when you sign up to receive their e-mails.
• Quiznos - free cookie on your birthday, also when you sign up at their Web site.
  

Free Online Classes
Want to learn how to take great photos or build a basic web page? You can download free classes from the Hewlett Packard Learning Center. 

Or if you’re up for a bigger intellectual challenge, visit the Harvard or MIT Web sites to download free college-level lectures and classes. (MoneyWatch contributor Lynn O’Shaughnessy offers more ways to reduce your education costs.)

Free Odds and Ends
Skip the dumpster diving and search for free neighborhood giveaways at Freecycle.org, where you can search for free household giveaways - from art supplies to furniture, used video games and more. You can also post for things you want. 

Free Movies
See what free movie screenings are happening in your town by visiting the Wild About Movies and FilmMetro Web sites. And learn about free summer movie days at your local box office. Regal cinemas run a Free Family Film Festival, screening free G- and PG-rated movies on weekday mornings. Schedule information is online; tickets are only available at select theaters’ box office on the day of the show.
Meanwhile, if you’d rather stay at home than go out, you can watch your flicks for free on your laptop by visiting Crackle.com, which has more than 100 titles from which to choose - including oldies-but-goodies Ghostbusters and The Karate Kid.

Do You Want More?

Here is a link for even more free stuff that you can get: Totally Free.

And you might want to try there:

Free Samples.

Sweet and Free.

Allure.

-Birdy

10 FREE THINGS FOR YOU

1. Free checking. Last week we wrote an article about how, at many banks, free checking was soon to become fee checking. But plenty of banks still offer free checking accounts. SunTrust, for example, offers a free plan with no minimum balance required. And you get free online and ATM service too. Wachovia and U.S. Bank still have their own version of free accounts. Chase even offers $100 for opening such an account. Indeed, a host of banks and savings and loans offer free checking. So far. When you’re looking for lower fees, including free checking, always to look to smaller local banks and credit unions.

2. Free credit reports. You can go to AnnualCreditReport.com for a free look at your credit history once a year. If the Financial Regulatory Reform bill passes, you might also one day get a look at your credit score.
3. Free cash. If you can’t find an ATM near you for a free cash withdrawal, no worries: Plenty of stores will give you cash back with no fee when you use your ATM card to make even a small purchase. You can buy a candy bar or a Diet Coke and get back up to $100 in cash from Wal-Mart. Target will give you back $40 if you use your ATM card for a purchase. Grocery stores also offer cash back.
4. Free information calls. Google 411 will get you information numbers free, so don’t get ripped off by your cell phone provider. When you need directory assistance, dial 800-GOOG-411.
5. Free scholarship search. Plenty of websites offer free searches for scholarships, such as Fastweb. There’s even a company called Free Scholarship Searches that offers links to 40 websites that offer free scholarship searches.
6. Free baggage. Sure, nearly all airlines are charging to check baggage but at least one doesn’t: Southwest.
7. Free entertainment. Your local library and parks offer lots of free fun, from books to movies to concerts. Join their e-mail list to see what’s up. And of course, there’s the Internet, offering free games as well as magazine and newspaper articles. Just go to the website of your favorite periodical.
8. Free Water. While technically not free, tap water is about as close as you can get. If you’re concerned about water quality, buy a filter. But don’t ever pay for water again at a convenience store.
9. Free TV. Thanks to sites like Hulu, you can now watch many popular television shows online for free. If your favorite shows are free on the web, why pay for cable or satellite?
10. Free telephone calls. Services like Skype and AIM let you communicate with other users for free. Always calling a loved one long distance? If you both get copies of something like Skype, you can talk all you want without paying a dime.
    
    
    -Birdy

MORE Free Stuff All Year Round!

On any given day, retailers may offer free, random giveaways to drive traffic to their stores. My trick to finding out current and upcoming freebies is to search on Google News. Type in “free coffee” or “free breakfast” or “free massage” and you’ll get several results. I just did for “free” and discovered free donuts at Dunkin Donuts that was on June 4, as part of National Donut Day. (However, the freebie catch is that you have to first buy a beverage).

Scheduled freebies can be tough to follow. Sometimes we don’t get enough advance notice, we forget or we run out of time. I was personally frustrated earlier this year when I didn’t make it in time to get a free scoop of ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s. I guess there’s always next year.


Free Facials
Before getting ready for a glam night or if you just want to give your face a clean start head to any Clarins store or mall counter and request a free 20-minute facial. You may need to make an appointment if you don’t want to wait, but walk-ins are welcome. 

Free Coffee 
Craving some java - and a quick lesson in online banking? ING Cafes across the country would love to treat you. Print and bring in this coupon to receive a free cup of coffee anytime during the day. The coupon says “2009,” but the company tells me it’s still valid this year.

Free Haircuts
Stylists-in-training at beauty schools usually offer free haircuts and styling's to the public to test-drive their new skills. On any given week you can usually get a new do at Regency Beauty Institute, which has schools across the country. Students sometimes bring in their friends or advertise that they need haircut volunteers on MySpace, according to Paul Kriloff, Regency’s vice president. Another way to discover free haircuts is to look up local beauty schools and institutes at www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com and call to find out when their next free sessions will be.

Free Concerts and Cultural Events
Target sponsors free events, concerts, and art exhibits throughout the year. Last summer Target sponsored free family nights at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and the San Diego Museum of Art, and performances at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The free events continue this year. They’re broken up by city/zip code so hop on to Target.com/arts to see what’s happening for free in your neighborhood. 

Free Yoga
Lululemon’s 100+ stores offer free weekly yoga or pilates classes. No need to call ahead or reserve; just show up. Call up your local Lululemon store to get that their specific class schedule. You can get contact info by visiting Lululemon.com and clicking on “store finder.” (By the way, yoga reduces work-related stress by 10 percent.)

Free Dessert on Your Birthday
Okay, these can only be free once a year … but it’s nice to know about them, right?

• Cold Stone Creamery Birthday Club - free ice cream by signing up for their free My Coldstone Account.
• Applebee’s - free dessert on your birthday when you sign up to receive their e-mails.
• Quiznos - free cookie on your birthday, also when you sign up at their Web site.
  

Free Online Classes
Want to learn how to take great photos or build a basic web page? You can download free classes from the Hewlett Packard Learning Center. 

Or if you’re up for a bigger intellectual challenge, visit the Harvard or MIT Web sites to download free college-level lectures and classes. (MoneyWatch contributor Lynn O’Shaughnessy offers more ways to reduce your education costs.)

Free Odds and Ends
Skip the dumpster diving and search for free neighborhood giveaways at Freecycle.org, where you can search for free household giveaways - from art supplies to furniture, used video games and more. You can also post for things you want. 

And Finally: Free Movies
See what free movie screenings are happening in your town by visiting the Wild About Movies and FilmMetro Web sites. And learn about free summer movie days at your local box office. Regal cinemas run a Free Family Film Festival, screening free G- and PG-rated movies on weekday mornings. Schedule information is online; tickets are only available at select theaters’ box office on the day of the show.


Meanwhile, if you’d rather stay at home than go out, you can watch your flicks for free on your laptop by visiting Crackle.com, which has more than 100 titles from which to choose - including oldies-but-goodies Ghostbusters and The Karate Kid.

Enjoy!

-Birdy 

TEN FREE THINGS FOR YOU

1. Free checking. Last week we wrote an article about how, at many banks, free checking was soon to become fee checking. But plenty of banks still offer free checking accounts. SunTrust, for example, offers a free plan with no minimum balance required. And you get free online and ATM service too. Wachovia and U.S. Bank still have their own version of free accounts. Chase even offers $100 for opening such an account. Indeed, a host of banks and savings and loans offer free checking. So far. When you’re looking for lower fees, including free checking, always to look to smaller local banks and credit unions.

2. Free credit reports. You can go to AnnualCreditReport.com for a free look at your credit history once a year. If the Financial Regulatory Reform bill passes, you might also one day get a look at your credit score.
   
   
3. Free cash. If you can’t find an ATM near you for a free cash withdrawal, no worries: Plenty of stores will give you cash back with no fee when you use your ATM card to make even a small purchase. You can buy a candy bar or a Diet Coke and get back up to $100 in cash from Wal-Mart. Target will give you back $40 if you use your ATM card for a purchase. Grocery stores also offer cash back. 
    
4. Free information calls. Google 411 will get you information numbers free, so don’t get ripped off by your cell phone provider. When you need directory assistance, dial 800-GOOG-411.
   
   
5. Free scholarship search. Plenty of websites offer free searches for scholarships, such as Fastweb. There’s even a company called Free Scholarship Searches that offers links to 40 websites that offer free scholarship searches. 
    
6. Free baggage. Sure, nearly all airlines are charging to check baggage but at least one doesn’t: Southwest. 
    
7. Free entertainment. Your local library and parks offer lots of free fun, from books to movies to concerts. Join their e-mail list to see what’s up. And of course, there’s the Internet, offering free games as well as magazine and newspaper articles. Just go to the website of your favorite periodical.
   
   
8. Free Water. While technically not free, tap water is about as close as you can get. If you’re concerned about water quality, buy a filter. But don’t ever pay for water again at a convenience store.
   
   
9. Free TV. Thanks to sites like Hulu, you can now watch many popular television shows online for free. If your favorite shows are free on the web, why pay for cable or satellite? 
    
10. Free telephone calls. Services like Skype and AIM let you communicate with other users for free. Always calling a loved one long distance? If you both get copies of something like Skype, you can talk all you want without paying a dime.
    
    
    -Birdy