Freebies and Offers in the Ever-changing Cyber World

Freebie Hunting has always been a pastime of mine, but for some reason I have been ramping it up. Perhaps it's all the news about the economy, I don't know - but I am more and more counting my cyber pin money, looking at my penny jar and signing in to get freebies.

I have done a lot of informal research, and the best places to look, which are updated frequently are current (as of September 2008):

www.mommysavesbig.com
www.freestufftimes.com
www.freakyfreddies.com
www.twistedbranches.com

The best thing about all these sites is that they are updated frequently. Nowadays there are so many freebie hunters that some offers expire very quickly, so it's best to grab them asap! Don't bother to go to older listings unless they are really obscure, because many of the offers will already be over.

I have also discovered RoboForm, which is a tool bar that automatically fills in all my entries, making it a LOT easier and faster! I even got an updated version because of another offer! It's so easy to fill in the forms now that I am also entering all the contests and sweepstakes! There are places for such contests at both mommysavesbig and freestufftimes. They also have deals and so on - but since most of my shopping is done at the thrift shop, it doesn't apply to me much, although I did get a coupon for Office Depot where my husband the teacher seems to live. And don't miss the free magazines! I have signed up for a few - these offers go very fast, too - and even got an Allure subscription when it went down to $5!

Because of my diligence, I have been getting freebies in the mailbox almost every day. I like the skin care samples, although I still have yet to be really converted to a brand. (Although Olay and Aveeno have been very nice about their samples!) The little sizes are great for your purse or to take on a trip! It's not cyber, but I also pick up samples from my favorite health food store when I am in for my remedies. Last time I got little bottles of witch hazel, and packets of color shampoo, and skin cleanser and skin cream. There are vitamin samples, too! Just remember where the samples are usually put. I lucked out on a weekday, but I also know they get stowed in baskets at the checkout counters. (Remember that samples are generally easier to find at upscale places.)

There are lots of samples of toothpaste - also small and great for weekend trips. And shampoo! I don't think you would have to think about buying any for a long time!

The thing about freebie sites, in my experience, is that there are usually the same offers at the different sites, although there may be a weird one at another site or two. Again, get them asap, as there are more freebie hunters than ever. )But if you are new to this, you can go into the archives and try to catch up by signing up for any offers that are still open.) I make getting freebies a part of my computer routine daily, and contrary to advice, have the offers, etc, come to my regular in box, as I can then click on them when I have a spare minute or two, as I work at home and am at the computer anyway. I have gotten a special phone number from K7.com - so that any sales calls come to them, and I can pick up my messages online. A FREE service, but you have to use it or it will be canceled - so it's perfect for a freebie phone number. I also referred a traveling friend to it, so we would always have a way to reach him.

Communications - there are also free postcards from Hippocards.com - but I have to get the photo upload straightened out. I can do that on Picasa, which is a FREE and simple photoediting tool on the net. There is a mailing I want to start, so a couple of free cards a day with postage would be great, even though there is advertising on them.

That's the latest news. But of course, this is ever-changing territory. So keep you eye peeled and I will try to keep my freebie articles up to date.

For breaking news go to my frugal blog at www.myfrugallife.com/blog_pamphylia.html