By
Reneé LaVoie
Friday, August 28, 2009, 05:21 AM
Category:
FREE Today
The weight-loss freebie is a curious beast. It can be a godsend...or a trap. The worst of the weight-loss freebies are the supplements, potions and pills. There are two hidden dangers in this type of freebie. The first is that most "free" trials of weight-loss supplements are for a one-month supply and require your credit card. If you don't call and cancel, they will begin billing your card once a month automatically and shipping you new product. And even when you do call and cancel, you still run a financial risk. The company promises to stop billing but do you really want to trust a snakey salesman with that much power over your bank account? Are you sure they will stop billing? If it's not a well-known reputable company, don't go there.
The other thing to consider is the content. What exactly are you putting in your body? Look for a list of ingredients and if you don't recognize them, look them up. Research is invaluable. If there is no published list of ingredients, that is a huge red flag to just walk away.
Avoid the potions and pills, stay away from shady companies, never give ANYONE your credit card number and you will survive the mine field of weight-loss freebie fraud. There are great free offers out there, just keep your head and remember if it sounds to good to be true, it is. You can be frugal and fabulous.
By
Reneé LaVoie
Friday, August 21, 2009, 05:51 AM
Category:
FREE Today
While prowling around the Internet trying to score more freebie resources, I recently came across the rebate program at
Menard's.
Menard's features monthly (and sometimes weekly) "free after rebate" offers. For instance, they currently feature freebie rebates on wood laminate cleaner, Cutter Wipes, seven-piece driver set, jig saw blades and a rain poncho. If your local paper doesn't have the Menard's weekly flier, you can find it
HERE on their website. It's chock-full of home improvement items for indoor and outdoor use, from cabinetry and kitchen appliances to grills and patio furniture.
Like any rebate, purchasing the items is the first step. In addition, you must purchase $10 or more of non-rebate items at the same time. If you don't need anything that day you can just buy a $10 gift card. You must keep your receipt, because a four-digit code associated with each rebate offer is printed on it. Then you need to pick up the rebate coupon for each separate item at the store or print them off
HERE on their website. Fill out the information requested and mail both the rebate receipt and coupon to the address indicated on the coupon. The rebate will be a store credit for the amount of the purchased items. So next time you go to purchase rebate-eligible items, you can use the store credit your received from your last rebate. You're soon part of a wonderful circle of constant freebie rebates!
By
Reneé LaVoie
Thursday, August 13, 2009, 06:30 AM
Category:
FREE Today
In my daily quest for freebies, I search every Internet nook and cranny. It's a grueling task but I've found a secret that makes it easier: there are some sources that consistently feature free offers. My favorite is
Walmart - they have free offers in two different sections. One is a section specifically for
free samples and there's also samples in their "
New in Stores" section. An example is the
free sample of new Scope Outlast, which won't even be in stores until September. I don't usually post free music downloads on FREE Today but if you are a free download fanatic, Walmart has an awesome
free music download section. The great thing about Walmart's freebies is that their selection frequently changes so you've always got new freebies to choose from. Even better, every time I've requested one, they arrive promptly in about a week or two - you can't say the same for all freebies out there.
Next on my list of freebie all-stars are
Yves Rocher and
Sephora. Both of these sites offer great prices on stuff you have to buy anyway, plus they offer free gifts with purchase and there's no minimum purchase amount required. These cosmetics and beauty sites also frequently switch up their selection every monthy so you don't have the same old freebie every time you order. Currently, Yves Rocher's free gift is a
turquoise necklace and Sephora is giving away a free trial of
Deluxe Caudalie Radiance Serum.
Since I discovered
E.L.F.Cosmetics, I never pay more than a dollar for a tube of lipstick but I still look out for my sisters who simply must have their
Estée Lauder or Lancôme products to survive. When I'm searching for a good department store free gift with purchase deal to post, I always head straight for
Macy's and
Dillard's. They never fail to have a really sweet gift that is worth more than the minimum purchase price.
These are a few of my freebie haunts. It may seem like a lot of work to keep up with them all but never fear, gentle reader: FREE Today is here to keep you on top of all the best free offers in one handy resource.
By
Reneé LaVoie
Wednesday, August 05, 2009, 07:14 AM
Category:
FREE Today
It's time for back-to-school planning. While you're gathering pens, pencils and notebooks plastered with various cartoon characters, take a minute to find out if your child's school participates in General Mills Box Tops for Education. This fantastic program gives you four different ways to earn free money for your child's school. Schools can earn up to $60,000 each school year. The checks are mailed directly to the designated school coordinator for use as the school sees fit so the money will go where it's needed most.
* To start off your freebie windfall: for every qualified box top clipped, the school will receive 10 cents. There are hundreds of products that qualify for this program - follow this link to see the complete list.
* Your school can also receive free money when you shop selected titles at Barnes & Noble, just follow this link to the Box Tops Reading Room and up to 6% of your purchase amount will go towards your school's award.
* Follow this link to the Box Top Marketplace for a list of up to 70 online stores who will donate a percentage of your purchase amount to your school's Box Top fund. Different stores donate varying percentages and the amount each retailer gives is indicated next to their icon and link.
* Ask your child's teacher if he/she has opted to participate in the My Class Essentials program. If they have, they will create a registry for the class with a list of needed items and supplies needed for the classroom. Parents can go into the registry and opt either to donate money or purchase the items. The school then receives credit for 2% of the purchase amount.
You might not be able to get all your back-to-school items for free but with Box Tops for Education, you can put your back-to-school dollars to work for your community and spread some much needed freebie love. This exciting financial opportunity has allowed schools to earn over $250 million in the last 12 years. Contact your local school for details on how to participate.