They say the best things in life are free, so why do we pay for anything? I've been known to be the Queen of free things and have been able to find no cost alternatives from food to hair products to events. In this day and age, it's becoming easier to find the cheap alternatives to everyday tasks. Thank God for the Internet. Here are a few tips to help you find some freebies:
Food:
- Surveys. Take advantage of the surveys found on the back of your receipts. Companies love to hear your feedback and reward that with a free meal or great discount. It takes two minutes to answer a few questions and voila!
- Campus events. There's always an event on campus and most of them will have food. Look at the posters on billboards, walls, and posts to see what events interest you. Learn a new skill or listen to a cool speaker for a nice meal on your school.
- Samples. Most companies will provide you with a free sample of their product, all you have to do is call! Send an email or Tweet the company to see if they offer free samples for first time buyers. Sometimes complaining about a service will result in a free meal or coupon.
- Coupons. Check out local newspapers or even magazine ads for free products. Many companies offer "free" coupons, but some may require to buy something first. Either way, using coupons is a great way to help you save!
- Craigslist. Check out the free section on Craigslist for cool items such as furniture. Depending on your location, you could get almost anything you need for free. Most times this requires you to pick it up and beating out thousands of other people, so act fast!
- Survey or Reward sites. Since high school, I've received a free magazine subscription for filling out online surveys for points. Check out Recyclebank, which rewards you to try out green initiatives such as recycling. You can earn points and redeem them for gift cards, magazine subscriptions, iTunes cards, and more.
- Tweet. I once tweeted that I've never been to the World of Coke and they sent me two free tickets! Social Media is a huge marketing tool for companies, so their constantly checking out what you tweet. Tweet about products and you might get lucky!
- Movies. In doing some research you can find out about advance screenings of new films. Many movies want to get college audiences engaged before premiering and will offer free passes. Stay up to date with your school activities office for free tickets to movies and other events. Remember this is first come, first served.
Phone
- Skype. Skip your phone bill and use Skype to stay connected with friends and family. You can make calls to friends and send IM's for no charge. Keep in mind, this requires an Internet connection
- Text through Email. Get rid of your messaging plan and text through email. Stay connected with friends without an additional charge to your monthly bill.
Dopefully,
Shanika
