Freebies and free stuff

Something about this free antimicrobal dressing sample just makes me wonder what I’d even do with them. I see the little pad shape in the pictures there, and I wonder what I could come up with… Knee pads for mice? Nah, too big. Shoes for my cats? Possibly. Pirates eye patches? Maybe. Oh, I know! Enough trial packs could be woven together for a suit of armor! That’s it!

Recently I’ve gotten an increase in the number of emails that more or less say “Hey, why didn’t you post X?” and thus I thought I’d take a moment to address this.

The freebie isn’t free. There’s shipping. Or a minimum purchase. Or an “identification check” via your credit card. Or any number of other strings that are attached to freebies which make them not worth our while. This doesn’t mean I won’t post something that isn’t 100% free, but it is the first bar that an offer generally has to cross in order for me to even consider it on the site.

The freebie stinks. Seriously, who wants a DVD for vacationing in Montana just because it’s free? Anybody even remotely interested in that would have already Googled for it instead of waiting for a freebie site to post it.

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I’ve always said that I have had a good appreciation for music. I can thank my parents for that. When my Mom would drive me and my friends in to school, it was an adult contemporary mix station from the 70′s through the 90′s that we listened to, and we always loved it when Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard it Through The Grapevine” came on. And when we were on road trips as a family? It was usually my Dad’s country music, so I heard a lot of Garth and learned every word to Alabama’s “Song of the South” by the time I was in eigth grade.

So when I found these free Mishka Radio Friendly Unit mixes (volume 1 and volume 2), they reminded me so much of the music I’d listened to when I was at home, practicing guitar: Soundgarden, L7, Cake, Weezer, The Pixies, Sublime, etc.

And to get two mixes downloaded for free like that? Can’t complain at all… Now just to sync up my mp3 player…

EDIT: Reports are coming in that this code isn’t working, so I wouldn’t waste your time.

If you take a 12 question survey, you’ll be rewarded with a free Redbox rental code that’s valid on June 22 and 23. So make sure you don’t run out this weekend and try to use the code! Speaking of surveys, the HIF survey that I mentioned last week will be released tonight. The delay was due to me switching to a more professional survey software so that those glitches many people experienced won’t occur again.

If you’re new to Redbox, check out the Redbox Explanation Guide that covers all the basics of how to use the free rental codes as well as some personal tips & tricks I’ve discovered to help maximize your freebie movies.

We posted this free Dove Heat Defense / Intense Damage shampoo offer back in February, but Dove sent out an email to people this week highlighting the freebie, which probably means they have a replenished stock to give away. I have no idea who’s out there damaging their hair so intensely or even how they’re doing so, but I’m happy they now have a free shampoo available to them.

I’m getting a late jump on the freebies this morning, but thankfully the ol’ faithful free Mars chocolate candy coupon is back today. Unfortunately I’ve hit my four coupon limit, so now I’m sending them to random friends and family members. It’s my way of trying to get them to eat as much unhealthy food as I do.

EDIT: They sneakily put the “out of supply” message after you submit all your info.

I keep meaning to talk to our apartment complex’s postal person. You see, my box is east facing, and during hard rains, water seems to seep into it. Yesterday, it was a Harry & David catalog it ruined, but thankfully not a birthday card that arrived for my wife.

Maybe I should just sign up for this free Kiplinger magazine subscription. Its not like I read any of the magazines that come to my apartment anyways, so I could just leave it at the bottom to soak up any water that might leak through…

This morning I was really looking forward to sleeping in. I planned an early night and read John Ridley’s Stray Dogs in one sitting, turning in before midnight! I knew that the earliest I had to get up for work today was close to 11am (CST, mind you). But when they started more construction work on the apartment above me and I could hear the workers banging around, well, I had no choice but to beat my alarm clock and to wake up a few hours early.

So what all does this have to do with this free Vaseline lotion? I have no idea. I was working up to a punchline, but I’m so tired that I feel like I’ve lost it…

(And yes, this one requires a Costco Member ID number… Sorry if you don’t have one, folks.)

(Edit: And see how tired I was? I left off the link originally! Oops!)

EDIT: Looks like this offer has been flushed down the toilet.

Thanks to everybody who emailed me this evening to point out that Walmart is currently giving away free Scott double roll toilet paper as well as flushable wipes. The wipes actually come in a 10-pack, which is the perfect size for your purse or glove box. Unfortunately they won’t fit in my tiny wallet. The darn thing is so small, it can’t even hold my keys, let alone all the other things I carry on a daily basis: cell phone, pen, notepad, iPod, hairbands, spare socks, gum, HIF stickers, trumpet, business cards, UFO identification chart, 1800′s style pocket watch, coloring book with crayons, a baseball, and pretty much anything else I see lying around on my way out the door. I don’t wear baggy pants because of the way they look – I wear them out of necessity!

The sign-up form for this free ADT pet window cling asks when the best time to call is. Too bad they don’t offer a “never” option. Luckily they accepted my submission of 555-555-5518. Why the 18 at the end? Well duh, it’s not like I want them to suspect it’s a fake number or anything.

[via Mike - thanks!]