How to Get Free Stuff From Companies

This post about how to get free stuff from companies contains references to products from one or more of my advertising partners. When you click on a link to any of these products, I may be compensated. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please visit my Earnings Disclosure & Disclaimer page for more information. Thanks for your support! Please also note that any prices, offers, and terms listed are subject to change at the discretion of the companies mentioned.

Few things in life are completely free. Companies that offer free products, samples, and rewards are hoping you’ll become a loyal customer, sign up for their newsletters, or offer valuable consumer insights about their products. So if you’re willing to put in a little effort, you can be rewarded for your efforts.

The following represents some of the best ways to get freebies from companies. If you like free stuff, you might also like my article about how to earn free gift cards.

Table of Contents

About Free Stuff from Companies

✔ Read the terms before signing up for any offer, especially if it requires a credit card.

✔ Avoid free trial scams by sticking with companies you trust or that can easily be verified online.

✔ Check that the offer is truly free. If you have to pay a hefty handling fee, the item is not really free.

Get Free Product Offers Delivered to Your Inbox

By setting up free alerts via Google, you can receive notifications about free products from your favorite businesses. Plus it’s simple to set up.

Go to Google.com/alerts, then enter the term or terms (separated by commas) you’re interested in. A few examples might be:

Freebies
Free meals
Freebies + your city (for example: Freebies Chicago)
Free beauty products
Free pet food samples

This service is customizable by region, source (you can opt to get your information solely from blogs or websites, for example), and how often you’d like to receive alerts. Just enter your preferred email address, press Update Alert, and you’re set.

Try-it-Free Subscription Offers

Some companies offer free trial subscriptions in hopes you’ll become a regular subscriber. A few notable offers.

Amazon Prime. Benefits include free shipping options; an additional 10% off sale items at Whole Foods Market; the option to stream thousands of movies and television shows; and free Prime Reading.

And you can try an Amazon Prime membership free for 30 days. (paid Amazon link)

Canva Pro. Canva is an online tool that makes creating professional graphic designs (like social media posts, website banners, and book covers) fast and easy. You can use their free version indefinitely, and it may in fact, be all you need. If you’re looking for a much wider range of templates, images, graphics, and fonts, however, Canva Pro is worth looking into. It’s about $120 a year, but worth the cost if you do a lot of design work.

If you’re not sure it’s for you, you can try a Canva Pro membership free for 30 days.

Unlimited Sip Club by Panera Bread. Get unlimited hot and iced coffee or tea, Pepsi drinks, and lemonade chargers for $10.99 a month. You can try it free the first month.

Read my review: Is Panera Unlimited Sip Club Worth the Money?

How to Get Brands to Send You Free Stuff

It doesn’t hurt to ask your favorite companies if they offer coupons or free samples. Even if they don’t have any current offers, they may be able to give you a heads up on future promotions.

A few companies that have offered free product samples:

Truvia offers a free sample of their stevia-based sweetener plus a coupon for a $1 off a purchase.

Hallmark Crown Rewards members (it’s free to join) earn a free greeting card every month.

Purina sends a $5 Purina ONE coupon for taking their 28-Day Challenge.

Get Free Stuff from Companies With Influencer Panels

Influencer panels send you a company’s product to try in exchange for your honest opinion. A few influencer panels to consider:

Daily Goodie Box. A focus on natural brands like ShiKai, EcoLips, and Beauty Without Cruelty.

thePinkPanel. Their niche is beauty and personal care products. You can typically keep the item plus receive additional incentives, like gift cards.

McCormick. This well-known spice company pays for a variety of market research options, including home use tests and Internet surveys.

Learn About Free Product Offers from Freebie Sites

Some bloggers and websites specialize in scouting out the best freebies and deals. A few sites to consider:

Just Free Stuff. Alerts on freebies and special promotion in a wide range of categories. Plus they host a monthly contest.

Free Stuff Finder. Regular updates on free products, trials, samples, plus alerts on deals and sales.

My Free Product Sample. A feed about how to get free products from companies, coupons, and special offers.

Company Refer-a-friend Programs

Clothing stores, hotels, dog food companies, and food delivery services are just some of the companies that offer referral programs. Some examples:

Bark Box. Share a unique referral code with friends or family from Bark Box (a dog product subscription service), and you can earn a $10 BarkShop credit when the code has been redeemed.

Marriott Bonvoy. When you refer a friend who books a stay at one of Marriott’s hotels, you’ll earn 2,000 bonus points. You can earn points for five stays per referral for a possible 50,000 points. Marriott points vary by hotel tier. For example, 50,000 points can get you a one night stay at a category 7 hotel, while 10,000 would earn a night stay at a category 2 property.

AAA. Invite a friend to join AAA and you’ll both receive 20 AAA “dollars” which you can use to purchase select AAA products or apply to your membership renewal dues.

Branded Surveys. Get awarded 50 points when you invite a friend who joins Branded Surveys. Even if you don’t refer friends, you can still earn points by taking surveys and redeeming them for rewards like Whole Foods Market and Target gift cards.

Earn Free Rewards With Credit Card Offers

A co-branded credit card offered by stores, airlines, hotels, and other businesses can be a great way to earn points and bonuses which you exchange for free rewards. One example is the Barnes & Noble Mastercard, which issues 5% back on purchases made at their stores and points on other eligible purchases that you can exchange for store gift cards.

Also check special promotions that your credit card company may offer. American Express, for example, has awarded cardholders with a $10 credit for spending $10 at a restaurant. You have to eat anyway, right?

Customer Loyalty Programs

MyPanera Rewards. One of my favorite free loyalty cards! Their system randomly assigns a reward after a certain number of visits. So you may receive a reward after three visits, then the next time after six visits. You might get something like $2 off a sandwich or $1 off a pastry, or even a free Pick Two or sandwich. MyPanera is free to join and separate from their Unlimited Sip Club.

Marriott Bonvoy. Once you register for free and start booking stays, you’ll start earning free nights. Marriott also offers additional perks for members, which can include complimentary in-room Internet access, special member rates, and mobile check-in options. Their properties include Marriott (obviously), Sheraton, Westin, Residence Inn, and Ritz Carlson.

Target Circle. It’s free to join, and a great way to earn special discounts and free Target gift cards. An example of an offer I’ve used is to purchase $40 in beauty products to receive a $10 Target gift card.

IHG Rewards Club. Members who sign up (registration is free) get perks like points for free stays, late checkouts, and access to member rates. Some of their properties include Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, and Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts.

Your favorite airline. With United’s MileagePlus, for example, you can start earning miles for flights, trade them in for gift cards and other types of merchandise, or donate them. Signing up for airline frequent flyer programs is usually free.

Earn Free Stuff by Taking Surveys

You won’t get rich by taking surveys (and they’re not the best investment of your time), but they’re still a legitimate way to earn free rewards. A few survey companies to consider:

Branded Surveys. Earn gift cards to stores like Whole Foods Market and Target.

SurveyJunkie. Score cash or gift cards to stores like Amazon and Target.

MyPoints. Win gift cards from retailers like Barnes & Noble, CVS, and Panera Bread.

Get Freebies by Entering Sweepstakes

While there are no guarantees when it comes to sweepstakes, people do win.

Finding legitimate contests and sweepstakes can be a huge time suck. Solid places to find legit sweepstakes include subscribing to sweepstakes newsletters and checking the Sweepstakes sections of your favorite magazines.

Want to try this fun hobby? My article has insights on where to find legitimate sweepstakes.

Make Your Own Free Fun

Are there museums or attractions in your state or city you’ve always wanted to check out? If you’re an Illinois resident, for example, you get free access to their amazing museums (like Art Institute of Chicago, Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium) on designated days. Some places, like the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan offers free guided tours, though of course, you can always make a donation.

What about special events? Are there any colleges, churches, or nonprofits in your areas that book engaging speakers and make their events open free to the public? Of if you love to read, does your bookstore host any reading groups?

My hope is that this article has shown you new ways to get free products and rewards from your favorite companies. What types of freebies have you scored?

This post contains references to products from one or more of my advertising partners. When you click on a link to any of these products, I may be compensated. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please visit my Earnings Disclosure & Disclaimer page for more information. Thanks for your support!