How to Sign Up for Free Stuff & Rack Up the Discounts

Nov 22, 2021 | Freebies & Deals

Have you ever wondered how to get free stuff? It's easy, actually. Today, we'll show you how to sign up for free stuff so you can start racking up all the best deals and discounts!

woman signing up for emails, from Fun Cheap or Free

Since our birthday freebies post has been SO popular, we decided to keep the theme going! So, today, we've got some game-changing tips that will help you save a ton and score freebies even when it's not your birthday.

*Note: When you click the links in this post, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Spoiler alert: you can sign up for free stuff. Yup, it's just that easy! We'll explain in a minute, but we have to warn you that you are leaving money on the table if you're not signing up for marketing emails. Ready to learn all our best secrets for scouting out the best deals, sales, and freebies? Here we go!


WHY YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SIGN UP FOR FREE STUFF (ESPECIALLY EMAILS!)

It seems like such a simple, obvious tip, but how many of us always sign up for things when we're asked?

  • Let's say we're at the cash register at a store, and they say, “Would you like to sign up for our emails to get discounts and promotions?” How many of us say, “No thanks”?
  • Let's say we're at an event, and there's a sign that says, “Enter to win a free facial.” How many of us walk by?
  • Let's say we see a sign at a restaurant that says, “Sign up for our mailing list to receive special offers on your birthday.” How many of us ignore it?

Most of us!

Bubba is the KING of winning things. He's always coming home with iPods, iPads, weekend stays at this place or that, discounts to restaurants, and yes, even a $1,000 guitar. No, really.

The reason? No, it's not luck (well, okay, maybe a little), mostly it's that he has great odds because he signs up for EVERYTHING!

No, we're not talking about little dinky surveys that give you next to no chance of winning. We're talking about more legitimate contests. And yes, there are downsides to signing up for things or entering contests. For one, you might receive junk mail/emails. And yes, it puts your information out into…well…who knows where?? We hear you! 

But guess what? There are ways to get free stuff and protect yourself too. Here are some tips!


GET AN EXTRA EMAIL ADDRESS

woman signing up for a free email address, from Fun Cheap or Free

We know it can clutter up your inbox and feel pretty dang overwhelming if you've got a hundred marketing/promotional emails coming in every day. Well, problem solved! Get another free email address.

We love Gmail because they have an excellent junk mail blocker. We recommend signing up for a free email account with Google. If you've already got a Gmail address and have the app on your phone, it's super easy to switch back and forth between accounts! So, go ahead and create an address that you use to sign up for newsletters, mailing lists, freebies, etc.


IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SIGNING UP FOR FREE STUFF, DO IT!

Don't be too skeptical. When the store asks if you want emails with discounts and promotions, take advantage! So many stores offer exclusive discounts for email subscribers. Overstock.com, The Children's Place, Victoria's Secret, and Kohl's are just a few examples. There are tons more out there, though!

Pro Tip: Signing up for emails is one of the best ways to find out about annual sales or exclusive discounts! Here are our picks for the semi-annual sales you NEVER want to miss.


DO SOME DIGGING & BEWARE OF RANDOM SITES

woman researching free stuff online, from Fun Cheap or Free

Try to find out where your information is going. If the free samples lady at Costco says, “enter to win a free grill!” be sure to ask her what they will be doing with your information. The same goes with freebies and websites…simply look around. Often you will see a notice stating they don't sell your information to third parties. Most businesses would rather keep you as a customer than sell your info, but it never hurts to ask.

And for goodness sakes, if it feels weird, it probably is. Trust your gut! There are pop-up ads, fake emails, spoof social media accounts, and all sorts of weirdness on the internet. Beware of social media accounts with very few followers who are offering free stuff. Try to stick with the bigger sites or name-brand stores that you recognize.


DON'T BE AFRAID TO SAY “NO” AFTER A SALES PITCH

Sometimes you have to listen to a sales pitch to get your free prize. BE STRONG and say NO NO NO NO NO as many times as it takes. These polished salespeople are good at their jobs, and they will getcha if you're not careful! Don't feel guilty for saying no and then taking the prize, either. They wouldn't offer it if it did their company any harm, trust us!


ONLY GIVE THE REQUIRED INFO WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR FREE STUFF

using phone to sign up for free stuff, from Fun Cheap or Free

If you look closely, often marketing or prize entry forms only require your name and email, but they will ask for lots of other info, too. So just stick to the minimum requirements to keep your information safe! And if you end up getting bombarded by too many annoying emails, don't be afraid to opt-out.

For example, if you see an offer you can't refuse, but you're sick of all the junk mail, sign up, get your free/discounted item, then unsubscribe or opt-out. By law, companies have to offer you the option to opt-out. Sometimes you can even check “opt-out” boxes right during the process of entering your information.


FINAL ADVICE: STICK TO YOUR BUDGET

Okay, before we set you loose to sign up for ALLLL the freebies, here's a quick word of caution. When you sign up for these emails, you will start getting info about “the most fabulous deals on the planet” pretty much every single day. So remember, stick to your budget! If you don't need the item on sale, then the deal's not really a deal.

If you find yourself overspending or having a hard time resisting temptation every time those sale emails hit your inbox, then unsubscribe! We're all for finding freebies and love a good deal, but we've seen too many folks go into debt over items they don't need. So, proceed with caution.


HOW DO YOU FIND FREE STUFF?

Okay, now that we've shared a few of our favorite tips, we'd love to hear what you think!

How do you find the best deals and freebies? Leave a comment below and let us know.

image with text that reads "how to sign up for free stuff and save money", from Fun Cheap or Free

Are you looking for more freebies or shopping tips? We've got you covered!

Now go sign up for some freebies!

12 Comments

  1. Stephanie Boocock

    great!

    Reply
  2. Sakura bloom

    Thank you for this it is very helpful for someone with lots of curious thoughts. And also because I was bored but really this was helpful in every way keep doing your hard work and i will keep reading all of these awesome things! >3

    Reply
    • Cobson Sojak Arty

      Great stuff!!

      Reply
  3. eoin

    You guys are doing a great thing

    Reply
  4. Glen Cantwell

    Awesome

    Reply
  5. ShorTai

    You rock!
    Thanks so much.

    Reply
  6. Rat Kozonawsky

    hey, we love your website and we’d love to receive your website updates, please send us daily notifications for any news updates on your web

    Reply
    • Fun Cheap or Free

      You can subscribe directly on the blog. There’s a spot in the middle of the blog that says “subscribe”. If you add your email and name that will add you to the list.

      Reply
  7. Jayce

    Can someone help me with this? I’m still new to it all and would love some correspondence on how to help.

    Reply
  8. Quhud

    “This article was incredibly enlightening! I’ve realized how many opportunities I’ve been missing out on by not signing up for free stuff, and I’m definitely going to start leveraging these tips.”

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *