Items you don’t always (and in some cases shouldn’t) have to pay for

There are some things that are downright silly to pay for and others that you try to get free as much as possible. Here are a few items to avoid paying for if you can! 

∞ Books: For books for myself I go to the library and use swap sites (see my post “My favorite find – swapping books”). For books for the kids, I try to get most from Paperbackswap.com and the Scholastic Book orders from school. (Of course, Amazon is always good for cheap books, especially if you buy from their other sellers.)

∞ Cable: If you don’t want to pay for cable, use streaming sites like Hulu or national television network websites.

∞ Credit report: Visit AnnualCreditReport to get one free report per year.

∞ Credit score: Visit CreditKarma for your credit score.

∞ Ebooks: Amazon offers many free ebooks for Kindles and other eReaders. You can also check out ebooks from your local library’s website. Also visit Amazon’s section on free collections. It contains links to many other free ebook resources.

∞ Free shipping: Visit Freeshipping to get promo codes for free shipping. You can also sign up for alerts for free shipping codes. Free shipping day was December 16 this year.  Some other stores that always offer free shipping are Amazon (for purchases over $25 or for any purchase with Amazon Prime and L.L. Bean. Others like Target and ToysRUs offer free shipping on certain items as part of various sales. You can also check www.retailmenot.com for free shipping codes.

∞ International phone calls: Use Skype on your computer, iPhone or Android phone.

∞ Museum tickets – Find out if your local museums have free days or hours. There may be some that are free all the time. Consider getting a membership to sites you visit often. See my post “Become a member!”

∞ New cell phones: Look for incentives offered by cell phone companies for signing up for a contract.

∞ New York Times articles – You can get all their articles through Twitter or Facebook.

∞ Water: Rather than buying bottled water or jugs of water, buy a water purification system (available for your home, tap or refrigerator or as a filter pitcher).

∞ For more free resources, check out my page “Freebies Links” above on the main menu bar.

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To find other free services and products, you can search on these freebie websites:

– Craigslist – Under the For Sale section of your local Craigslist, click on “Free.” These goods are up for grabs, but you probably will have to travel to collect them.

– Freebies4mom – A stay-at-home mom started this blog to share with other moms the giveaways and sweepstakes she finds.

– Freecycle – Before you take advantage of this virtual neighborhood curbside giveaway, remember that the site expects you to give things away as well as nab free stuff.

– FreeStuffTimes – This reliable roundup of no-cost items from across the Web provides user feedback, helping gauge an offer’s value.

– HeyItsFree – The group behind this site promises that no listed free sample will require the purchase of something else first.

– MySavings – Sign up to receive information about samples, printable coupons, discounts and other deals.

– Walmart – Click on Free Samples & Savings at the top for various offers. You may have to register on their site.