Shopping: How to Find Legitimate Freebies Online

by Alaina Forbes on May 27th, 2012 | No Comments »

Free is a word that has the ability to make many people smile. The internet has made finding items for free a whole different world and there are many blogs and websites dedicated to helping you find these deals. As with all things good, however, someone, somewhere has found a way to turn it into something bad—the freebie scam. For those who have not entered the world of finding freebies, you may be wondering what they are and why a company would offer anything for free.

Freebies are usually an item that a company is willing to offer for free in order to allow new customers to try it out in hopes that they will buy the product in the future. Loads of freebies are available online and you just need to be aware of a few simple rules in order to find them and avoid the scams. One rule to keep in mind is that if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is. An offer for a free sample of laundry detergent sounds legitimate and is probably an attempt to gain new business, while an offer for a free laptop should raise some concerns. Here are some additional tips on finding legitimate freebies online.

Tips to Find Legitimate Freebies Online

Legitimate freebies usually require you to fill out a simple form online, including your address. No free offers should ask for a social security number or other personal information.
Be wary of offers that require you to sign up for offers, such as 30 day trials. These may be legitimate but they usually require a credit card number and, unless you can remember to cancel the memberships in time, you may end up paying a lot more than that freebie was worth. A really great freebie may be worth the trouble but be sure to keep record of the trials and cancel them in time.
Watch for freebies that advertise they are free except for shipping/handling. Some of these may be legitimate as long as the shipping/handling is reasonable for that particular item. Other offers may add the cost of the item into the shipping cost, so you really are not receiving anything for free. If you are going to pay shipping for an item, make sure it is worth it.
Signing up for a freebie and never receiving it does not necessarily mean you have been scammed, unless you have sent away postage as well. Many times, companies underestimate the response for a freebie or stop offering the freebie.
Find a blog or website you trust that posts freebies often and then sign up for email updates. This is a lot safer than searching online for freebies and it is also a good way to stay on top of new deals. Some freebies only last for a few hours online before they are maxed out and removed.

What are your favorite websites or blogs to find new deals?

Featured image courtesy of Flickr.

Alaina shares her fifteen years of work from home experience at her blog Telecommuting Mommies. She also opens up her personal life as a homeschooling, blogging, work at home Mom of four at The Maestro Mom. Follow her on Twitter at TelecommuterMom.