SIGN THE PETITION

Fight for Fair Finance

Tell the administration and Congress to stand up for the consumer watchdog that protects you from financial fraud and abuse.

Take Action

Why Do We Have Campaigns?

We're fighting to ensure you and your family can get a fair deal in the marketplace, especially on the choices that matter most: health care, privacy, automobiles, food, finances and more. Join our campaigns and together, we'll hold corporations and lawmakers accountable.

Learn more about our work

A A

Freebie heaven!

We found out where all the great giveaways live online

ShopSmart: July 2012

Who doesn’t love free stuff? I know I do! In fact, I haven’t bought eye shadow in years because I have so many (full-sized!) samples thanks to Clinique Bonus Time. And I’ve been known to skip a meal before heading to my local warehouse club, where samples often abound (last time it was cheese ravioli with dried fruit for dessert!).

These days, you don’t have to hope you get lucky in stores, though; the Internet makes it super easy to score freebies anytime. For our July article “Freebie heaven,” on newsstands now, we gathered up all the insider tips for finding the best giveaways, plus the gotchas to avoid.

Here are some great sites to click for free stuff:

Many giveaways are sample sizes of new (or revamped) products companies want you to try. Play your cards right and you’ll never have to pay for travel-sized toiletries again! Plus you can try new products and decide if you like them before you spend your money on a full-sized version. You can also get full-sized goodies, but they’re harder to find.

You’ll find more places to score, plus those pesky gotchas, in our July issue. Please let us know about any great giveaways you find!

—Jody Rohlena, senior editor