Freebies and deep discounts?

[tmm99]

What kind of freebies and deep discounts have you found and use? I live in Canada now, and I probably cannot utilize some of the things you may have found, but I would like to know what's out there.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I get a lot of my ideas from deal sites like Reddit beer money, slickdeals and fatwallet. Some was luck - I have a friend who wins travel contests for a hobby and we get some of the overflow. I get free products for doing reviews but that was an invitation program. We live in a tourist area so there are many free / discount seat filler activities especially during the week days. We see a lot of plays on Tues, Wed, and Thurs nights. Many of the local cultural venues here are in reciprocal programs like NARM, ROAM, ASTC and AHS. Our library has many free benefits beyond book borrowing - even play and concert tickets. Credit card sign up bonuses were some nice extra income this past year.

 

[KmmFIdreamer]

I love my airline mileage programs - 7 free flights so far in 2015 and 4 more reserved for this year. I am just getting into the hotel points and will use 2 nights this fall and maybe a couple over the summer too.....

I admit that I hit up some of the free community dinners at churches and community centers around the area. I do try to give a little donation though for those....

My other favorite thing is the public library - books, videos, even music is available! Around here, they all have computers available too for those needing them. Of course the Wi-fi is always free there.

 

[rodi]

I love free stuff. My most used free things lately are:
- library books.
- watching the early morning surfers while I walk the dog on the beach. Even the dog gets freebies because a regular there always has treats for him.
- senior ed classes: enrolled in a twice weekly water fitness class looking at adding another 3 time/week water fitness class. Geared for the 55+ crowd - but they let me in at age 54. You can see the classes offered here: Emeritus Program | San Diego Continuing Education

 

[DrRoy]

This year I signed up for a Holiday Inn program promotion, got their credit card, met various requirements, and got 165,000 bonus points for all that. It's going to be good for many free hotel nights.

 

[easysurfer]

I like the freebie $1 credit on movies when making a no-rush order from Amazon. I even think I can play the order by ordering something as no-rush with the $1 credit, then ordering something using regular Prime and the no-rush thing sometimes gets included in the Prime package.

 

[Fedup]

I went on 2-hour survey for $200. I never use to do this until I read the book the Millionaire next door.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[tmm99]

I went on 2-hour survey for $200. I never use to do this until I read the book the Millionaire next door.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

How did you find this survey?


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Fedup]

How did you find this survey?


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

They send to me by email listing the criteria they are looking for. I just reply to the email. It's marketing survey. You have to spend 2 hours at their location which is like 15 minutes away.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[tmm99]

Thanks Fedup. I guess I will have to wait for my invite in my area... ;-)


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Golden sunsets]

I peruse living social, groupon and similar sites for local restaurant deals. I never buy a coupon if I wouldn't normally eat at the establishment. I've purchased many $50 coupons for $25. I keep them until we visit that spot and its a treat to not pay anything and know that I bought it at a 50% discount.

 

[Beldar]

One thing we get for free are magazine subscriptions. We receive approximately 20 magazines each month, some in duplicate. The way to do this is by online surveys such as freebizmag and rewardsurvey, etc. Then, every other week we take the magazines to a local book reseller who gives us store credit. We have several hundred dollars of store credit, which we use for free books, DVDs, musical instruments, etc.

Then when we're finished with those we trade them back in.

Some of the online survey credit can also be used for gift cards, etc. Amazon also offers trade credit for various DVS and books, so we look out at the local reseller for those wanted titles, "buy" them for free, and then get Amazon credit.

Everyone knows this, EVERYONE

_B

 

[tmm99]

One thing we get for free are magazine subscriptions. We receive approximately 20 magazines each month, some in duplicate. The way to do this is by online surveys such as freebizmag and rewardsurvey, etc. Then, every other week we take the magazines to a local book reseller who gives us store credit. We have several hundred dollars of store credit, which we use for free books, DVDs, musical instruments, etc.


_B

Briliant!!

 

[Spudd]

Thanks Fedup. I guess I will have to wait for my invite in my area... ;-)

If you're in the Toronto area, CRC does these, here's a referral link.
7933 Caregivers for Patients with Cognitive Issues

 

[Sojourner]

I love my airline mileage programs - 7 free flights so far in 2015 and 4 more reserved for this year.

Just curious, Kmm, how you were able to get seven free flights in one year? Even the best rewards programs that I know of only give you like 3% net rewards based on spending, so to get seven free flights you must have spent a LOT. Or is there something I'm missing here?

 

[tmm99]

If you're in the Toronto area, CRC does these, here's a referral link.
7933 Caregivers for Patients with Cognitive Issues

Thank you very much for this!! I live an hour away from Toronto. (I registered.) How did you find this survey? (Just curious..)

 

[Chuckanut]

I just ordered 6 bottles of descent wine for $7 each, but I also get 2000 points on my credit card as part of a promotion. So subtract another $3.33 per bottle since I can redeem the points for $20 of travel expenses I charge on the card.

 

[mn54]

I peruse living social, groupon and similar sites for local restaurant deals. I never buy a coupon if I wouldn't normally eat at the establishment. I've purchased many $50 coupons for $25. I keep them until we visit that spot and its a treat to not pay anything and know that I bought it at a 50% discount.

We have bought groupons to places that we have not gone to before and would not have gone to if not for the groupon and have been pleasantly surprised. Sure, some places ended up not terrific but the fun of finding new places to go to more than makes up for it.

 

[Chuckanut]

I peruse living social, groupon and similar sites for local restaurant deals. I never buy a coupon if I wouldn't normally eat at the establishment. I've purchased many $50 coupons for $25. I keep them until we visit that spot and its a treat to not pay anything and know that I bought it at a 50% discount.

+1

I have found that these deals, if used wisely, are cheaper than 'happy hour' prices.

 

[braumeister]

Both Hilton and Marriott give me lots of free nights at good hotels for the points on my cards. Definitely my favorite form of discount.

 

[harley]

I used to get free meals, but now I'm too old and slow to run out of the restaurant and ditch the check.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

+1

I have found that these deals, if used wisely, are cheaper than 'happy hour' prices.

+2. We have discovered many nice restaurants with Groupons. We use Entertainment Book coupons, too, and to a lesser extent restaurant.com

 

[erkevin]

Just curious, Kmm, how you were able to get seven free flights in one year? Even the best rewards programs that I know of only give you like 3% net rewards based on spending, so to get seven free flights you must have spent a LOT. Or is there something I'm missing here?

We received four free tickets this year; three to Mexico and one domestic. We play the credit card game, rotating and signing up for new cards/promotions every two months or so. This year we have received tickets from US Bank Visa and US Bank AMEX, BofA Aeromexico, and Delta AMEX. I have never added them up, but I would guess 30-40 free Mexico/Caribbean tickets over the past decade

 

[Options]

We received four free tickets this year; three to Mexico and one domestic. We play the credit card game, rotating and signing up for new cards/promotions every two months or so. This year we have received tickets from US Bank Visa and US Bank AMEX, BofA Aeromexico, and Delta AMEX. I have never added them up, but I would guess 30-40 free Mexico/Caribbean tickets over the past decade

Aren't there limitations on the credit card game? I was just approved for the Chase Freedom card and will receive the $150 sign up bonus after $500 purchases within the first 3 months (already have the purchase planned as soon as I get the card). I thought other cards wouldn't approve you if you were opening too many cards. If I'm mistaken, please correct me, because I was sure pleased to know I have $150 in free money coming.

 

[Fedup]

I had 18 credit cards, one for my husband and one for me separately. From American Express Delta Skymiles, it was 4 cards. The minute we harvested the bonus points, we closed it. Total 134,000 Delta Miles for $4k spent in 3 months. I think I got maybe 2 round trip tickets to Europe. Some I gave to my kids.

I wouldn't close them so soon, but the AE people pissed me off so I closed them. They returned portion of the card fee or all if you close soon enough.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum