FREE SAMPLES

FREE SAMPLES

Many different types of companies offer free samples of their products in an effort to boost sales For example you can frequently find free sample offers for the following

Small bottles of shampoo conditioner or other toiletry items

Free magazine subscriptions often for threetosix issues

Trial sizes of a new snack food

Pens paper and other office supplies

bargain shopping,buy wholesale,cheap deals,clearance sales,discount coupon,discount internet shopping,discount online shopping,discount products,discount shopping sites,free shipping,jewelry shopping,shopping discounts As an added bonus many samples will come with coupons that let you save money on a fullsize version of the product

The Ethics of a Free Sample

While getting free samples can be a fun way to save money its important to follow a few simple rules to avoid taking advantage of the situation For example

Dont lie to get freebies The item you are requesting may be free for you but it did cost the company money If the offer says its for teachers only dont sign up unless you are a teacher If the offer says one per household honor the request

Dont order samples of products that you are not genuinely interested in The company offering the freebie is trying to generate business with the offer Requesting a free sample doesnt obligate you to buy anything in the future but you should be open to the possibility

If the company provides a comment field in the free sample offer thank them for their generosity A little gratitude goes a long way

Avoiding Junk Mail

One of the biggest pitfalls of requesting free samples online is that youll inevitably be added to many company mailing lists To minimize the amount of unwanted mail you receive remember the following tips

Set up a free email account at Yahoo or Hotmail to use for your sample offers This will keep spam away from your work or personal account

Dont give out any more personal information that what is necessary For example theres no need to provide your mailing address if you are requesting a free sample of a downloadable software program In most cases theres no need to give your phone number at all

Look for free sample offers that provide an optout option that will keep you off any company mailing lists Avoid offers that state youll automatically be signed up for future mailings from the company

Everyone who shops on a regular basis knows the value of discount shopping tips Whether its to save a few pennies or an entire paycheck knowing what tips apply to your specific shopping habits can help you consistently save money time and effort What one store may label as clearance prices may be regular prices at another retail outlet and what constitutes a great deal for one person may still be too expensive for another When opting for discount shopping be sure to understand the hidden fees and nonmonetary costs of some socalled bargains

Shipping and handling charges may drastically inflate a price

Membership dues for warehouse stores may take hundreds of dollars of purchases to recoup

Driving twice the distance to save a few pennies on a bargain is not a discount once gas prices and time are added to the deal

Smaller packages at a lower price may only seem to be a better deal until you compare ouncebyounce or other similar quantities

Bulk items are not a bargain if you wont use all of the quantity

Understanding that not every deal works for every budget is the first step toward true discount shopping

Every store offers some significant discounts if savvy shoppers know when and where to take advantage of them Consider the following stores for the best discounts

Thrift consignment and resale stores Many used items may never have been used at all and it is possible to purchase highquality items at bargain basement prices

Warehouse stores Nonperishable items can be a great bargain in larger quantities because they will not spoil

Yard sales and auctions Many individuals opt to sell items at heavily discounted prices simply in order to be rid of them Furthermore most yard sale vendors are open to negotiation for even lower prices

Dollar stores For simple generic items opt for dollar stores and guaranteed low prices Always double check the quantity however to be sure the deal is worthwhile

Outlet malls For discontinued slightly irregular or overstock items outlet malls are the perfect resource Many luxury stores including Lenox Mikasa and Bose offer outlet stores for bargain hunters

In addition to specialty discount stores discount shopping tips can be applied to regular stores if shoppers are aware of ongoing bargains but are interested in saving even more

No matter where you shop you can save significantly by taking note of the following tips

Purchase generic items instead of name brands whenever possible particularly for behindthescenes consumable staples such as sugar bleach spices or baby powder

Experiment with lowercost brands of favorite products to test for taste and quality You may be surprised by the results and could opt for less Costlyer items by preference instead of price

Watch grocery stores for double coupon days and special discount sales events

Plan weekly menus based on grocery specials and seasonal food instead of outofseason more expensive items

Shop with a list whether it is a grocery list school supply list or gift list to avoid unnecessary or impulse purchases

Research big ticket items online for price comparisons prior to visiting a store or placing an order

Wait twotothree months after hot electronic items hit the market after the initial sales boom prices inevitably drop

Buy big ticket items during the least expensive time of year Cars for example are less Costlyer in the fall and winter as dealers strive to clear lots for the newest models

Watch for afterholiday sales with an eye toward the next years celebrations and gifts Decorations accessories and novelty items are often steeply discounted immediately after the holiday

Watch for sales rebates whenever possible School supplies electronics and DVDs frequently offer rebates when combined with other purchases

The Key to a Good Discount

A truly worthwhile discount is one that you can use to save significantly Whenever you are bargain shopping however the most important thing to remember is to have patience and perseverance not all discounts are available all the time and with a bit of foresight and flexibility it is possible to drastically reduce the shopping budget through various discount shopping tips no matter where or when you shop