So, let's see. 2010 for HIF saw:
- 1,242 Freebies Posted
- 1,026 Freebies Received (including movie rental codes and online free points)
- 268 Magazines Received
- 1 $50 Gift Card being given away in this post
These stats don't count anything I got in January 2010 since I didn't start the Freebies Received series until February. It also doesn't count freebies that were posted in the past few weeks that I'll receive in the future, so I have to be ecstatic with those numbers.
One thing I noticed while going over the past year was the number of food items given away this year. Granola bars, oatmeal, cookies, tea, coffee, cereal, crackers, popcorn, candy, gum, deli meat, bacon, macaroni, Bisquick, chips, energy bars. I've always food is one of the three most common freebies, but geez, you don't realize how much we got until you add it all up.
But what about my absolute favorite freebies? I thought for a bit, looked around to see what freebies I still use to this day, and came up with the following.
Top 10 Favorite Freebies of 2010
- US Postal Office Sample Showcase – This box came with 12 freebies and it was glorious. Coffee, shampoo, steak seasonings, lotions, soap, and more – it was all put to good use!
- Uniball Super Ink pen – I haven't used a different pen since the day this baby arrived. I actually lost it a few weeks ago and bought a few packages of them at the store. Anybody who says freebies don't convert to paying customers should think again.
- Multi-tool pocket knife – No more opening packages with my teeth!
- Kraft Sample Pack – Ten food products (including three free full-sized ones) came in the box. I buy Wheat Thins now due to this freebie alone.
- Kraft Coupon Book – Kraft again? You better believe it. One tiny brochure brought six coupons for free full-sized Kraft products from deli meat to macaroni to a free pizza. I ate well that week.
- American Apparel thong – Only because I had a heck of a time explaining it to my friends who saw me open it.
- Tena Adult Underwear – These freebies helped me execute a longterm prank where I convinced my youngest brother that I wasn't potty trained. It ended when his teachers started sending home notes about the topic he brought up during “Share Time” in class.
- LED UFO light – Let me paint a picture for you: I'm alone in the mountains in the middle of a monsoon when my car breaks down. I had an idea what the problem was, but both the bulb in my hood and my cell phone were dead. Enter the UFO light, which I had inexplicably thrown into my glove box. Long story short I slept in my bed instead of my truck that night.
- Extra Dessert Delights gum – I selected the mint ice cream gum and it tasted so genuine that I bought both of the other flavors. I am now addicted to the Key Lime Pie and am begging my friends and family for an intervention.
- Playboy and Macworld magazine subscriptions – Both of these tie for the final spot as they're wonderful reads. Seriously. I read them for the articles!
Another realization I had while going through the archives was the number of full sized freebies that I received, be it through the mail, coupon, or rebate. For the list below, I didn't include anything that could (or should I say, should) be used or consumed in one sitting. Doing so would have more than tripled the list as there were plenty of drinks and travel sized toiletries handed out.
Full Size Freebies
- Bar of Dove soap
- Package of Double Stuf Oreos
- 7 bottles of Excedrin medicine – Did anyone else remember that in addition to the free coupons Excedrin has recently bombarded us with, they also gave away a few in January / February of 2010? I sure didn't.
- Bottle of Louisiana hot sauce
- Package of Heluva Good Dip
- Package of Borden cheese
- Bag of Reese's Pieces
- Pantene Nature Fusion shampoo
- 2 bags of Planters Trail Mix
- Pack of 5 React gum
- Pack of Stride gum
- Jar of Enfamil baby formula
- Bottle of Renu Multi-Purpose contact solution
- Package of Oscar Mayer turkey bacon
- Box of Kraft macaroni
- Package of Oscar Mayer deli meat
- Package of Uncle Ben’s rice
- Package of Kraft Cheesy macaroni
- Jug of Tropicana Pure Premium orange juice
- Box of Kool-Aid
- Box of Mac & Cheese
- One DiGiorno’s pizza
- Box of 100 calorie cheese bites
- Package of Oscar Mayer deli meat
- Box of Ritz Crackerfuls
- Package of Pilot pens
- Bottle of Suave Professionals shampoo
- DiGiorno deep dish pizza
- Bottle of Pure Scent~sation hair remover
- Bottle of V8 V-fusion green tea
- Glade candle
- EasyGlide Bic pen
- Mrs. Fields cookie tin
- 2-liter of refreshe soda
- Package of Cottonelle flushable moist wipes
- Two Proforce cleaning kits
- Bag of Natura Advantage dog food
- Pack of Extra Dessert Delights gum
- Can of Pringles Xtreme chips
- Box of Barilla pasta
- Bag of Food Should Taste Good chips
- Bottle of free Dream Water
Forty-two full sized freebies! How can anybody hate on that?!
So what was your favorite freebie of 2010? Share it with us in the comments below and you'll be entered to win one of the $50 prepaid American Express gift cards given to me by P&G last month!
If you're reading this via Facebook, email, or an RSS feed, then please click here to comment and enter. I'll use Random.org to pick a comment on Wednesday, January 5, at 8:00pm est and email the winner!
