I am all about working the system to get free stuff. I do it with cash back or rewards on credit cards. By using sites like ebates for online purchases. Doing online surveys with rewards. And by signing up for store loyalty programs. At first glance, you might not think that the last one gives you much except updates and perhaps coupons. But think again. If you connect with the right businesses, one month a year you’ll find yourself with free money to spend.
They come during your birthday month–vouchers good for a certain amount at that store with no minimum purchase requirements. And since for me those arrive in February, the clearance racks offer a vast array of choices to assure I will get out of there spending little or nothing above my free money. Lest you think these are places you wouldn’t want to shop, let me share the freebies I’ve been enjoying:
- $10 at Godiva chocolate
- $10 at Kohl’s
- $10 at Black & White
- $10 at World Market
- $20 at Vera Bradley
- a free drink at Starbucks
- a free entree at Applebee’s
Add those up and I’ve had about $75 to spend! It’s been a blast!
So now I want to know: do you have any favorite freebie’s we should know about?
We have a program with TXU that gives us a prepaid visa each year. I bought a Vera Bradley mini hipster in black this year. So when you see me use it you can know IT WAS FREE!!!
We do loyalty cards too and enjoy flying free a lot with only one credit card that stacks up miles with AA. I buy EVERYTHING on it and write checks to the account all month to cover it so I don’t go off budget by the payment day. Pretty sweet when it comes to flying our kids to meet us a couple times a year.
Just like they tell you – it seems you must spend money to make money! 😉
That’s awesome! I think I’m most excited to spend that Vera Bradley $20. (Hope to make it to the store this weekend.) We do the same things with credit cards and I especially love when I can get double benefits–like points on my card AND cash back from ebates on the same purchase! Then I feel like I’ve really scored! If I’m going to spend the money anyway on bills and groceries and other things we need, I might as well get something back. All it takes is a little discipline to keep up with the charges and not go over budget. 🙂
Ooh, this is smart! I am so BAD at taking advantage of freebies and coupons. I’m always forgetting or losing coupons or waiting too long to take advantage of a freebie. Truly, I just need someone to get me all organized…because I could probably be saving a lot of money! 🙂
Yes, I put a system in place long ago when we had three small children and no money. (We were paying back student loans.) it doesn’t always keep me from missing my freebies, but it helps! The ones I get really diligent about are deals like the ones in this post because the minimum purchase is simply their value, so they aren’t a coupon, they are just a freebie! 🙂