Calling out a challenge to fellow couponers and freebie hunters!

Mattsmom277

Active Member
So I love reading about all of the freebies and cheap deals members are getting lately. I thought that maybe we could do a challenge amongst ourselves just for fun.

Christmas is 6 months away. I was thinking that we could all keep track of freebies we get that are to be used for christmas gift giving (stocking stuffers etc) and in early December take a photo of all of our freebies we plan to gift and post them here. We can see how good we all were (or weren't) at tracking down good free things.

We could set perimeters on what qualifies. Say for example complete freebies as well as near free (but we'd post what we did have to pay for it). We can vote on who did the best and perhaps we could all have to sacrifice one small find from our treasures to send via the post to the winner to add to their collection or something.

Just something silly and fun for those of us already sleuthing for freebies.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
LOL...that sounds fun. I have to admit Star is going to help me get started in couponing now because I just learned I have a good store that moved into a town about 20 miles from me that double coupons..

I guess I will attempt the freebies too. Not sure how to do that. Maybe someone can help me there too. I know I need to go get a new email address. Dont quite know where to go get one though. Can I have more than one AIM email account? Or more than one gmail account? I also need to get more ink for my printer.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Gmail allows multiple accounts, and its a good idea to have one email JUST for freebies sites and registering online for products etc.
 
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HaoZi

Guest
You can also get a yahoo or hotmail account free.
Competition sounds fun, but I'll stick with a supporting role.
*stuffs more coupons in envelope*
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Well, I got a new gmail account and went to attempt to get started. Boy am I tired! I think today wasnt the day to start because a lot of coupons end on the 5th and I doubt I get to the store before then since its the holiday. Some stuff was on a 3 day sale ending today and I know I wont get out today. I did put a bunch of stuff on my Lowes food card and printed some coupons that dont end until the end of the month or later.

I need to get Billy to go get me a eVic card on Tuesday though.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
You can have several AIM accounts, and as many gmail accounts as you want. They have awesome coupon and deal and freebie forums. The freebies are just sights you link to and go sign up for freebies. Be wary of sights that offer full size products or high value freebies - they want WAY too much personal info and will sell it and make a fortune off of it - it is a giant scam and a huge hassle to get out of. Most freebies are from companies that make the item and want your email or addy but often won't sell them and even offer options to not be contacted again.

I would LOVE to include thrift store finds and yard sale deals in it. I just got a 100% cashmere, top quality throw for $7 at our church thrift store. It is a birthday gift for my mom, given early because at Christmas I lost three things for her. So I got a free shirt from a yard sale and used it to make a pretty bag and gave it to her when we gave Dad his father's day gift. My dad promptly touched it and walked off with it wrapped around him, saying it was father's day and he was claiming it. WHile mom is a fabric nut, dad LOVES throw blankets. Even in summer he sometimes uses one if it is soft. We all laughed and it is in the best home I could find and they will get a LOT of enjoyment from it. I found the maker online and looked up what some discount places were selling the throw at - over $100 at places that are doing closeouts, new it was $250.

I think anything at 90% off or more should qualify, what do you think?
 
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HaoZi

Guest
I made a ymail with the same name as my yahoo, easier to remember.
I got the 2/$2 toothbrushes and used a $2 off 2 coupon at Walgreens today so they were free. :) Small start.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Limits should include store freebies, online freebies, thrift store / yard sale finds (this can be added to....if I forgot some)

Hmm. So far only have found one freebie for xmas. But then I'm not really looking that hard for xmas yet. Suppose I should be, though. lol

Most of my freebies thus far have been for baby oliver........and either household cleaning items or personal hygiene and well I don't quite consider those as xmas gifts. lol

Yard saling is tough on me right now. easy child can't DO yard sales with the crutches, too much in and out of the car....and I've been doing extra duty on weekends which is going to stop cuz Nana needs her down time too.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I dont think I am getting the hang of freebies yet. I tried signing up for samples and stuff and got stuck in these pages and pages of things that wanted me to do things like end up agreeing to try netflix or something. uhh...no.

This was off stuff like trying to get baby samples too. Must not be doing something right.

Im also going to try going to the coke website and see if they offer coupons because I buy at least 10 or more two liter bottles a week and if I could get coupons for them it would be wonderful. Oh...Diet coke...not regular coke...lol.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Well while all you gals were getting your accounts -------

I got a free set of screwdrivers, a free flashlight - 4 pulsar toothbrushes Fir $2.20 (They sell for $5.19 each) , and paid .99 cents twice for 2 packs of (4 qty) bic 4 blade razors. hehe.

Oh and I had to fight for the tooth brushes----great story. But long story short......The cashier grumpy old kiester noreaster....decided I shouldn't get TWO deals.....and well - DF told me to let it go - and I did. Then I went back in, and explained it to customer service who at first didn't understand it either - then after doing the math said "WOW that is a good deal." And I said - Well YEAH.....and I just said "Look I'm not trying to get your cashier in trouble but if he were the ONLY cashier you had open? And I were buying two hundred dollars in groceries? I'd let my cart sit and drive back to my home over forty miles away.....round trip. Understand where I'm coming from? I love this store - but I will NEVER - EVER get in his line again. I have NEVER been treated like that by a cashier.

And the only thing that I could think - the whole time I was standing there was Shaw-Shank redemption - Parolee program. I mean I don't know what this guys individual problem was, and usually I am just so cheery and happy I can get over it - but this guy was like an ex husband of your best friend that you just wanted to go somewhere and hope someone else was praying for him because you knew you wouldnt be.

WHAT a JERK. Oddly enough despite my entire attempt to NOT get him in trouble or NAME NAMES....the CSR knew EXACTLY who it was BEFORE I said anything, and said 'Well you're about the fifth complaint I've had today. I said "I'm not complaining about HIM - I just want my money. She said "That's it - no formal complaint to the manager? NOPE...just give me my money and I'm outta here. Sheesh.....

Sooooo...Anyway - DO NOT GO TO KROGER FOR THE $5.00 toothbrushes - it's not gonna happen......lol - unless you want to argue with them. lol
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Go to YOUR DAILY FREEBIES dot com.........

Go to the FREEBIES PAGE.....it's a great place to start.

Go to Walmart page - Go to the SAMPLES tab.......they have about one or two every few days.......You can if you want (I do) answer that I will always test their products and give them a free feedback. I've only answered a few.

www.vocalpoint.com is another good one to sign up for. They sent me cereal and new stuff to REVIEW.....
I do not like Kashi - I have to chew and chew and chew and chew.....and chew and chew and chew .........and chew..... I think horses would like it. (but then again - I'm missing a lot of molars and back teeth....maybe it's me but that's not on the questionairre. (question number 9) Are you now or do you plan to be missing several teeth......lol.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Krogers also has samples now

Your daily freebies on the freebie page is pretty awesome. When I get those freebies that throw you into endless offers.......I click out of them. Once or twice I actually eventually made it to the free offer.......but 99 percent of the time they're just trying to sell you something. pht.

Like your favorite brands on fb Janet and watch their posts/fb pages for printable coupons. Same with their websites. Nichole likes gerber beachnut playtex (gets you some awesome bottle coupons) ect. I've gotten nichole 6 boxes of infant cereal for 50 cents or free, lotion for free plus shampoo, and easy child got her a crud load of diapers mostly for under 5 bucks each. (using in ad coupon with manufactor coupon with rewards back which you'll get the hang of eventually.......if I did YOU can) Sam's club gives you a FREE HUGE can of forumla......I've gotten this 3 times Brandon, Conner and now Oliver......those people must think I'm having babies all over the place. lol

target also has free samples I believe too
 

susiestar

Roll With It
The website I gave you, www.gottadeal.com, will give you lots of hints, freebies you don't have to do pages of work for (whatever you got trapped into sounds like one of those qualityhealth.com type places that I warned you about), and even tips for deals in real stores in your area.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
well, so much for coupons :(

I went and got two papers, got out all the coupons, looked at the store ads and compared them to what I had already printed and realized that the CVS ad had some really good stuff on it. Especially the Coke products and peanut butter and jelly and a gas card. Cool! I thought I had it figured out how I could do it but I would need to go in several times to get enough diet coke for the week and I made the huge mistake of asking Tony to go with me so we could do it as partners.

You would think I asked the world. HE is going fishing tomorrow morning. Ok...no problem...I am watching the trial in the morning plus I never move in the morning and he knows this.

Then he said...you do "your little thing" Have "fun" with it. OMfreakingGosh. No he didnt just placate me like I am three years old. He told me to have fun cutting things out of the paper!

I told him fine, I thought maybe he would like to save a bit of money, like a gas card or get .69 cokes but okay, if he wants to pay full price, I guess Im okay with that too. So I went and grabbed every damned coupon I had cut and threw all of them in the trash.
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
LOL Janet...I'd be mad, too.

I'm just not consistent with the coupons; I get them all cut out and organized, and then something happens, and I go back through them, and half of them have expired. When Miss KT is home, her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) organization skills keep the coupons in line, but I get sidetracked too easily I guess.

Now, I'm all over thrift stores and clearance racks...Miss KT found a beautiful black cashmere cardigan at our favorite store, and they were having a special...all clothing for 76 cents an item. She wants to change out the buttons for pretty sparkly ones.
 
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HaoZi

Guest
KT, if you can get them that organized in the first place, you're doing better than me. I get distracted and confused before I even get that far, lol.
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
So what rules should we set for our challenge?

I just found a freebie for Johnny Walker customized labels so I ordered some with S/O and my name on them and our wedding date. We'll probably attach them to a few bottles to raffle at our stag and doe.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Janet, you don't have to make separate trips usually, you can do it all at once. Just separate them into different transactions. easy child and I will only do up to 3 transactions per trip because at 3 I start getting confused.

But I DO know what you mean about wanting to strangle the person who you're trying to help by saving money. husband came very close to finding himself smothered last weekend. He's been very contrite since.....especially when I told him he could just starve then as I'd buy NOTHING at all, including food. husband literally fought me on this at first. He threw a hissy over having to purchase papers. Griped about the mess in the livingroom while I clipped and organized.....(really? like it wasn't already a disaster, please!) Griped every time easy child and I made a trip to the store.....which at first was often because we were learning and we'd either miss deals or forget and do it wrong. Then when he noticed what I was asking for the food budget each week kept dropping he liked it.....until he started whining about the no food thing. There was plenty of food, it's just rather difficult for me to COOK IT when I'm at easy child's house everyday. ugh! I'm not wonder woman and I'm NOT cooking 2 suppers per day. phht

Don't let Tony discourage you. Even if you can't get enough cokes for a whole week.......the ones you CAN get save you that much money toward something else. Coke coupons are rare as are pepsi. easy child found me some on ebay for a nickel each......good ones, bought a ton. Otherwise husband would find himself drinking water.

I'm going for that coke deal myself. husband does NOT need cokes, but you can't beat .69 cents and eventually he'll get around to drinking them. Currently he has like 6-8 cases stacked up from those coupons easy child got me......because after she paid for them I was most certainly NOT going to let them expire without using them.

And yeah I rubbed it in to him that if it weren't for coupons he'd be drinking water. lol
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Thanks Haozi :) I always mess up the years but this year will be our 8th anniversary on New Years Eve. Next year will be our 9th and our wedding date. We're having the ceremony and reception at the same place we met on New Years eve many moons ago :). I'm so excited even with 18 months to go. I never was a little girl who was excited by dreaming of a wedding. But I find myself caught up daydreaming and planning in my head, researching ideas online etc. I can't wait for S/O to be back to work to start bargain shopping for things for the wedding, that's a good thing about planning so far ahead, plenty of time to get great stuff at great deals.

Back to the challenge, I have to say this motivated me to sleuth online tonight and I've got some freebies heading my way in the mail. Nothing big but great stocking stuffers. I do get annoyed at how most of the good stuff is for US citizens only though haha. I want those bargains!!!!
 
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