Every Frugal Woman Knows You Can Get These Essentials for Free

The best things in life are free, they say. Too bad you can can only get free stuff on your birthday, right? Wrong! Well, you can get free gifts on your birthday, but you can also get free items every other day during the year if you take advantages of these services. Not only will these goodies put a smile on your face, but they’ll put a sizable chunk of change back in your pocket!

eBooks: Reading is a great way to reduce anxiety and keep your mind sharp, but buying books can get expensive really quickly. Save a few dollars (and some shelf space) by checking out a free eBook. Some local libraries have eBook downloads available, and websites like Project Gutenberg offer thousands of free, downloadable books.

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Photo prints: If your camera is full of adorable shots of your grandkids, don’t shell out big bucks to print the photos without reading this first. Pharmacies like Walgreens and CVS sometimes offer free printing deals to their customers. You can also check out online photo sites for discounts.

Prescription Medicines: Your monthly medication costs might be putting a big dent in your wallet, so why not save where you can? Some supermarkets with their own pharmacies—like Publix, PriceChopper, Meijer, and Giant Eagle—will give patients generic drugs, antibiotics, and diabetes medications for free. However, some stores require that you pay a small fee for monthly loyalty programs to take advantage of these rewards.

You can also get medicines directly from pharmaceutical companies for free or at reduced prices. Check RxAssist database for more program information.

Coffee: If you’re a coffee addict, your cold brew in the morning could be free simply by downloading an app. Most retailers like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts have a rewards program that offers buyers free drinks and snacks for spending a certain amount of money.

Food: Good news: It doesn’t have to be your birthday to get a free meal! Some restaurants offer free kids’ meals, so it’s a perfect opportunity to hang out with the grandkids. If you want something for yourself, some restaurants will offer daily deals like Village Inn which gives eaters a free slice of pie on Wednesdays.

Be on the lookout for promotions restaurants run on unofficial holidays like National Ice Cream Day or National Doughnut Day.

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Calendars and Stationery: Office calendars can be nice gifts, but there’s no need to spend money on a calendar when you can print one online for free. Some sites will even let you customize your own spread. How cool is that?

Magazines: In exchange for some personal information, magazines will give you free subscriptions. A simple search online for free magazines will show dozens of titles and topics to choose from.

Museum and Park Entrances: Whether you have the grandkids for the day or you’re looking for some rainy-day fun, a trip to a museum doesn’t have to cost you a dime. Visit your local parks’ and museums’ websites for free or reduced price days.