It’s Autumn, and I can bet that many of us are already planning the lead up to Christmas. For me, it’s the time of year when I really try to make every penny stretch. And one of my favourite ways is to get my hands on as many useful freebies from freebie sites as I can. A useful freebie really is like money in my pocket, and I love the feeling of receiving something I’m going to put to good use but haven’t paid for.
There are dozens of freebie websites on the internet that you can use to get (and give away) almost anything you want. Today I want to share with you my current top 5 freebie sites. I’ve put them in reverse order according to how much I like them.
5th: FREECYCLE
Freecycle is one of the best freebie sites that members can share or give out anything ranging from clothes, electronics, computers, books, and even cars. The network is made up of several individual groups and members who use the site to give away items they do not need to other people within their area. Although freecycle.org was initially set up (in 2003) and designed for the US audience and users, it has since expanded to the UK.
The best thing with Freecycle is that it is free to use and anyone can sign up for the service. Members receive email alerts on requests for ‘donations’ as well as items up for grabs – this makes it easy to give out or get items from the service. Freecycle is pretty easy to use, all a member needs to do is post a ‘wanted item’ message to the group, or respond to other members posts. Members are however encouraged to alert the group upon receiving the item.
Members can also browse through other member’s groups or networks to see what is up for grabs. You, however, shouldn’t make a request if unable to collect the item, especially if the ‘donor’ isn’t within your reach.
4th: FREEGLE
Launched in 2010, iloveFreegle.org is Freecycle’s biggest rival to this date. Many of the freegle groups were a part of the Freecycle Network that broke off to satisfy their needs. Freegle, however, works in an almost similar way as Freecycle, with members required to sign up for free. Although a significantly much smaller network than Freecycle, freegle boasts of more than 1.3 million members, with many of the groups based in the United Kingdom.
3rd: GUMTREE
Commonly known as a classified community among its members, gumtree.com is currently available in most towns and cities in Ireland and the UK. Most of the items posted here are free, with members posting anything from pets to properties. Smaller ads include rental items and properties as well as hourly jobs.
Gumtree also has a freebie section where members can post items they wish to give away for free. One, however, needs to scroll past sponsored ads and links to find the freebie section. The London-based website hosts freebies such as household items, furniture, and electronics. Members are however advised to be careful when trading items with strangers or have someone accompany them when collecting an item.
2nd: WOW FREESTUFF
One of the easiest freebie sites to use. Users can sign up for free to browse a wide selection of ‘free stuff’ that other members have posted. You can also post anything you wish to give away on WOW FreeStuff. So it comes a good second on my list.
1st: GRATISFACTION
My favourite freebie site right now, without a doubt. It has loads of categories with all the latest freebies and is updated constantly. The links to the actual freebies featured are easy are always included and the Gratisfaction site layout is simple but extremely effective. Absolutely love it!
What You Need To Know About Free Sample Websites
Although there are numerous freebie websites on the internet, it is your duty to ensure the site you sign up with is safe and one that you can trust. This is because you may have to provide details of personal info when signing up. There’s always a catch with using freebie websites: these sites may require you to register for newsletters or other advertisements to be able to use the service.
The last thing you want is to have your personal email flooded with spam emails. Experts, therefore, recommend having a ‘side’ email address that you can use for such accounts.
You also need to check offer expiry dates before grabbing an item. Although this may not be too much a deal, it could save you time and money.
