Free Stuff : Walmart

Bet you couldn’t imagine anything more frugal than shopping at Walmart. Well, how about getting free stuff at Walmart! Walmart is well known by frugalities as a great resource for free product samples. All you have to do is go to the Walmart free sample page, find the samples you want, fill out your shipping info and these little goodies will come straight to your door in the mail in a little blue Walmart box.

These samples are just that - samples, mostly toiletries, so don’t expect big ticket items or to save tons of money. However, it’s a great way to stock up on small pouches of shampoos, deodorant, and other toiletries for travel. Since companies are always coming out with new products, scents, etc. there is a never ending supply of new samples to choose from and collect. Thanks to these freebies I don’t think I’ve purchased deodorant in the last 4 years!

Free Stuff : Rite Aid

My next free deal resource is Rite Aid pharmacy. If you don't have a Rite Aid near you don't despair as there are other drug stores with free deal programs. Check out the coupon forum listed below which has info on Rite Aid and other stores.

If you are lucky enough to be in one of the 31 states that has a Rite Aid and have a store nearby then go every Sunday – early! This little drugstore has a good old fashion weekly circular which comes out on Sunday with many free after rebate deals. You can view it on the Rite Aid website or, even better, check out this coupon forum which posts the circular in advance so you can plan your attack. Planning is key as many items must be paired with newspaper coupons to come out free.

And I'm not talking about just some free toothpaste or junk you don't want or need. You can find great brand-name toiletries, shampoos, expensive beauty care products, over the counter medicines and more. Many of our Rite Aid freebie shopping trips adds up to around $30 a pop or more and that's just one week's worth. This can easily be a savings of $50-$120/month - times that by a year and you have some serious money worth of free products.

I love Rite Aid because they have the easiest, most organized, and dare I say, pleasant rebate programs I’ve ever encountered. All you have to do is register on their website and enter a few lines of info from your receipt online. A little postcard check comes in the mail a few weeks later. Super simple and I've never missed a check.

A few tips to remember:

1. Stack coupons: Some free after rebate products must be stacked with the manufacturers’ coupons which you need to clip from your newspaper or get online. The Rite Aid circular will point these deals out.
2. Move fast (literally!): You’ve now joined a secret club of sorts (well not so secret – the deals are posted all over their circular but the majority of shoppers don’t read it or care.) Every Sunday at popular Rite Aid stores is like a mini Black Friday with people-in-the-know going early and sometimes literally running through the aisles to get the good stuff before it’s snatched up. You’ll recognize the freebie Rite Aid regulars by the intense look in their eyes, clutching their flyers, and running around to find the best deals. It’s hilarious!

Free Stuff : Fat Wallet

There are a lot of free websites and companies on Twitter devoted to advertising free deals which you can easily find on Google. In the next few posts of my beginners’ guide to free stuff I’ll list a few of my favorite places to find free stuff and tips on using each.

One of my favorite places to find free deals is the FatWallet free forum. If you are not familiar with this site already, FatWallet is one of the web’s premiere deal website. What makes the site special is its large and highly involved community of followers, “FatWalleters,” who constantly post, rate, and comment on deals in the site’s many forums. There are people out there who practically live on FW so there is a constant flow of new information. If you are like me and too busy to search all over the web for deals then FW is a great place to go. Let others do the work, scan for highly rated posts, and grab those deals. Not only are there great deals but it’s easy to scan by rating as well as use the forum filtering tool to filter by free deal type (totally free, free with survey, etc.)

The only problem with FW is it's so popular that good deals with limited availability often go fast – and I mean lightning fast. If there’s a killer deal on an online product it could be sold out in minutes. If the product is sold in the store you have to go quick especially if you live in a techie urban area with a lot of potential fellow FatWalleters. Another thing to look out for are store workers who are FatWalleters themselves and may hide the product till they are done with their shift. I know, it sounds paranoid but it actually happens!

Case in point, once at Staples I was looking everywhere for a $80 laptop bag which was free after rebate. The salespeople said they were sold out but I was determined and wouldn’t give up my search. Sure enough I spotted one on the very top of the 15 foot display. I politely pointed it out to the manager who acted strangely, got mad at me, and argued it wasn’t the same bag. He practically refused to help me but I stood my ground and politely insisted he get the ladder to satisfy me. He grudgingly did it and sure enough it was the bag I was looking for. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t up there on accident!

Nothing's More Frugal Than Free!

Let me tell you a little secret. For some people already in the “free club” this may be old news but for those of you new to frugal living I hope to amaze you with this little tidbit (hey I’m still amazed by it!) Get ready for the best deal of your life…a lot of stuff you never have to pay for, or that is, eventually after rebates :).

My hubby and I receive anywhere from ten to a few hundred dollars of free products every month from free sample toiletries and DVD rentals to expensive electronics – all FREE. There are a lot of resources out there to find free products – including some to avoid. This week, each day, I’ll outline my favorite tips and resources to help get you started!

A Whole New World Of Grocery Savings

No matter what your background, shopping at so called "ethnic" grocers is a fabulous way to eat well on a budget while supporting local businesses. These stores are usually the best place to find low cost produce, spices, and other foods. I hardly ever shop at regular grocery store chains favoring my local Indian, Mexican, Chinese, and Middle Eastern markets for all of my staples.

In particular, you'll save serious money on items which are stereotyped as "exotic" in regular grocery stores (such as Basmati rice and Indian spices) but are staples for people from that area of the world. For example, I've seen small pouches of Basmati rice at Whole Paycheck for the cost of a 10 pound bag of it at my local Indian grocers! What's more I get a free Bollywood movie for every $20 I spend - gotta love it!

Try it. Not only will you save money on groceries but you're bound to open your world to new cuisines.

Photo Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don't Buy Cheap Stuff

Strange title for a blog on frugality but as I've said before, frugal is not cheap. I've found time and again that buying cheap junk ends up being a waste of money in the long run. This is especially true for "investment" buys like furniture which you plan to keep for years. I'm an avid home decorator and have learned to stay away from cheap veneer which scratches & peels easily. Instead, I invest in solid wood furnishings and purchase designer, quality pieces at bargain prices with the help of Craigslist, second hand stores, and good old clearance sales. Whether it's furnishings, clothes, a car, etc. buying quality items on a budget affords you the luxury of enjoying a fabulous lifestyle now while saving money in the long run.

Frugal Is Not Cheap

My hubby and I are often asked by friends how we afford to live so nicely with our modest means. We are a young couple, just starting our careers, and live in an area with one of the highest costs of living in the country. Yet, instead of an overload of debt, we have a pretty fabulous lifestyle - comfortable apartment, beautiful furnishings, the latest tech gadgets, new car, etc. Our friends, who know we are not making the big bucks yet, often ask how we do it.

The answer is simple. We live frugally but not cheaply. Sure, some people may think I’m cheap when I brown bag it to work everyday, but frugality and cheapness are distant cousins. Cheapness is never wanting to spend a dime on anything. Frugality is never wanting to spend a dime on anything you don’t need or really, really want. It’s about finding great deals and discounts and learning to plan and calculate your spending so that you save enough to live even more fabulously in the future.