We all love a freebie and thankfully there's plenty out there if you know where to find them! We've compiled a list of the best ways UK-based consumers can get their hands on free stuff, that is delivered to your door!
Freebie Hunting is really satisfying, easy to do and can even give you early access to products before they hit the shelves
1 - Product Testing
Join product testing websites and get sent free stuff in exchange for sharing your thoughts. You can get good items from product testing and there are loads of sites out there that offer it such as: Toluna, MyOffers, Clicks, Alba, Home tester club, triyit and noughty - to name a few. You can try most things out, make up, baby items, clothes, nappies, electrical items, and more.
2 - Know Where To Look
There's plenty of websites that offer free resources, including ours! But my personal favourites are LatestFreeStuff.co.uk and MagicFreebies.co.uk as they both have a huge community of freebie finders who help them out so you can find all the better items in one handy place. They also have a huge Facebook group which is great if you're on social media frequently as you won't miss out on any goodies.
3 - Amazon Rebates
I have seen quite a few posts on social media lately from companies and profiles offering free items from their stores in the form of 'purchase rebates'. If you’re unsure what a rebate is, it's basically a company that's willing to give you a free item from their store such as Headphones and Cooking items in exchange for a review…
Here’s an example Liz from MummyOverload shared with us recently...
There was a company on Facebook offering a free jar opener you had to inbox them to claim so I inboxed them I thought oh that’s good I hate opening them jars such a weak person ha-ha… a few days later I got a reply asking me to send them my amazon link. Now usually you need to have an amazon account and this is how they work so you send that and they always say it’s better to have a prime account so that you get free delivery and then they don’t have to rebate you for the delivery charge
Here's what you have to do:
- Buy the item online at Amazon
- Once Purchased leave feedback
- Send proof of your feedback in the form of a screen shot
- They will then either rebate you via PayPal or Amazon credit
Warning: This is against Amazons T&Cs and they are cracking down on it. I have seen people in the freebie groups on Facebook say they have been caught out doing this and almost got their account taken off them. They are now also unable to leave any ratings, even on genuine purchases, so be very careful.
You might like: The Secret To Finding Deals at Amazon UK
4 - Competitions
A good way to get more expensive items for free is to win them. Almost every business in the UK runs competitions these days to build up their reputation and email lists, and you will never be short of competition or giveaway on your social media channels. Make sure you like/follow as many brands as possible and always do a quick morning search for #competition and #giveaway - Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the best.
You can also check out the Competition Database and Prizefinder UK for a huge list of current competitions to enter. These websites are great because you know the giveaway is legitimate and you can search by end dates, type of prize and value.
5 - Join Birthday Clubs
Most retailers offer a birthday treat to their newsletter subscribers. You will of course have to give them your date of birth when registering but there are some really great freebies up for grabs when you do. Argos & Ikea offer a £5 gift voucher, you can get a sweet treat from places like Krispy Kreme and Greggs, and hundreds of restaurants such as Las Iguanas and Brewers Fayre all offer a free meal to their subscribers to celebrate their special day.
6 - Pre-Owned Freebies
If it's household items and clothing you're after and don't mind them being preowned, there are some great online community marketplaces such as freecycle and local free stuff groups on Facebook where you can get your hands on some really good stuff for nothing. You can also check out websites like Freecycle, preloved UK and the free section over at your local Gumtree.
Freebie Tips Before You Start
Prepare for spam - Most people give free stuff away as a reward for your personal details. Email lists are worth a fortune to companies and you will be spammed so don't use your main email address. Set up another free email address specifically for the use of entering competitions and signing up for freebies.
Be Dubious - Always be careful when applying for things though. Some people do run fake competitions and ads just to get hold of your details and send you continual spam emails. If you don’t like the look of something, trust your instincts and don’t enter.
Don't Overshare - You will obviously need to give out certain information to be able to receive your goodies such as name, address, and email but never give out anything like your bank account information or your credit card number, it's just not worth the risk.
Read the T&Cs - The website/company may very well be reputable and it seems like a deal not to be missed, you should always take the time to read the fine print before signing up for anything.
Keep Track of Free Trials - You usually have to give your payment details to qualify you for free trial offers. These are the ones to watch out for the most, although legitimate, they charge you automatically for the product or service after the free trial period ends. So if you don't wish to continue with the service and don't want to be charged, make sure you write down the date you need to cancel so you don't find yourself stuck with a paid month for something you only really would have had because it was free.
As always, if you know of any other great ways to get hold of freebies, let us know in the comments below...