Free Products By Mail

I used to think that signing up for freebies was a waste of time.

I assumed it would require large chunks of my time filling out on-line forms just to get a few sample products I didn’t even need.

However, I’ve been working hard to spend less (it’s kind-of a game for me), find great coupons, and simplify our spending — so I thought I should at least give freebies a try.

And here are the freebies I received in the mail this week!

• Maxwell House Vanilla Caramel Late — 3  individual servings + coupons

• Laundry detergent — 3 Single Load packs
• Aveeno Shampoo and Conditioner — 1 sample size of each + coupons
• John Frieda Shampoo and Conditioner — 1 sample size of each
• Oscar Meyer Deli Meat — 1 coupon for a free full size package
• Secret Clinical Deodorant — {this is the BEST deodorant I’ve used}
• Burt’s Bees Toothpaste — 1 travel size + coupons
• All You Magazine — this magazine usually has over $65.00 of coupons inside
• Pampers Diapers — 5 diapers + coupons {please don’t read into this…I give them to friends!}
• Purex 3-in-1 Landry Detergent — 2 loads worth + coupons
• Denyne Pure Gum — Full size pack
• Pantene Pro-V Shampoo and Conditioner — 1 travel size of each

Needless to say, I don’t think freebies are a silly waste of time any more!

I now receive several full-size products for free, coupons for completely free food items, and sample-sized products that I use to decrease the number of toiletries I need to buy.

On average, I can save around $8-$10 on my grocery bill every week because of these offers.

So how can you cash in on these Freebies?

First of all, you may want to create a separate e-mail address or use a Gmail account. This is not mandatory, but you will need to enter an e-mail address for most freebie deals…and you might get SPAM messages as a result. I have a Gmail account and it seems to block out most of my SPAM messages. You can sign up for a free Gmail account here.

1. Be Efficient.

Try to limit yourself to 15 minutes a day (believe me, this can be addicting!) There are programs like Formfiller, thatwill automatically fill in your information, saving you lots of time and simplifying the whole process.

2. Be Informed.

Follow a few coupon blogs to get the great freebie deals via facebook, twitter, or your e-mail. Here are 2 sites that I use regularly: MoneySavingMom.com and DealSeekingMom.com

3. Be Active. Take some of the initiative and sign up for a few well-know programs:

• All You Magazine get 2 free issues with $50-$60 of coupons inside
• Kraft First Taste program to receive free product coupons every month or so
• VocalPoint to get packs of coupons and free samples

4. Be Picky.

It’s fun to get free products but only sign up for freebie offers that interest you. There really is no point in spending any time on products and offers that you don’t need, want, or use.

5. Be Patient.

Even if you start filling out freebie offers today, it might take 4-6 weeks before your mailbox treasures arrive. This is normal! However, once you start filling out a few offers each week, your mailbox will continue to surprise you!

With just a little effort, you can shave a few bucks off your groccery budget each week…and those saving will really add up!

What freebie offers have you received lately? How do you find your deals?