Freebie How-To: General Free Samples

General free samples are the easiest and most common kind of freebies available.  Companies offer trial-sized samples of their products in order to promote their product to as many customers as possible.  These samples may come directly from a company, or from a major retailer that sells the product.

Stores such as Walmart and Target regularly offer samples.  Their availability and specific offers vary, but you can usually find something on these sites.

The P&G Brand Sampler from Proctor and Gamble is similar to the trial-sized free samples that you can find, but when you register for the Sampler, you actually can get a small box of trial-sized products, and occasionally coupons as well.  This is available approximately four times per year.

When companies offer free samples, they will often announce them on their Facebook pages.  This means that if you like a brand or use it often, you should "like" them on Facebook!

Other times, smaller brands (as opposed to the well-known ones that you see all the time in major retailers) will offer free samples of their product in order to try and expand their consumer base.  It's not easy to come across these samples yourself, as some of the websites might be pretty small, but websites like It's All Free Online (FB:  Free Samples, TW:  @NewFreeSamples) and Free Stuff Times (FB:  Free Stuff Times, TW:  @fstimes) will list these samples as they become available and are found.  They will also list samples from the major retailers, if you don't feel like searching a bunch of places for them yourself!

Here is a small list of some samples that I have gotten recently:

Maybelline NY FitMe Foundation
Secret Natural Mineral Deodorant
Degree with motionSense Deodorant
Zapzyt (an acne treatment)
Orville Redenbacher's Pop Up Bowl popcorn