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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what little freebies you get in life?

138 replies

Funfreethings · 10/07/2025 13:20

So not much in life is free…we all know that.
im moving house soon and i was on the hunt for boxes so i asked in work. The waste management guys told me they would keep some boxes to the side for me. When I went down he had a stack for me already flattened so I could get them in my car and he gave me a big roll of tape to use also. I was so happy, I feel like I’m haemorrhaging money at the moment so even though it was something small it made such a difference for me.
we also have free tea/coffee/milk/water in work! Love that too!
whats your freebie? ☺️

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TiramisuQueenoftheFairies · 11/07/2025 16:27

Nothing regular from work although a few months ago one of the managers gave everyone in our office a free apron with the logon it.... it's a very good quality one so I wear it for cooking everyday.
Like others I sometimes get the free Lidl stuff, however they have often run out of the thing that I am supposed to get free.

Allmychickenscometoroost · 11/07/2025 15:49

we were looking to buy a shelving unit and my neighbour happened have outside his house for the tip, he was as delighted to be giving it away as we were to take it.

I love free newspapers and magazines, Always get the metro and stylist when I can.

namestealer · 11/07/2025 14:31

My daughters nursery has free fruit for the kids to take home at the end of the day - she loves picking out what she's going to have for a snack that evening.

We're members of the barb tv panel and get 'points' every month that we can use to buy vouchers - got a 'free' tv last year by saving the points up and using them in curry's.

MoominUnderWater · 11/07/2025 13:51

FrijolesFrijoles · 10/07/2025 23:56

That’s fascinating! So, every time we see a model in tight trousers, she’s wearing no pants and gets to keep the trousers?

I should think so 😁

XenoBitch · 11/07/2025 13:38

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 11/07/2025 09:32

Ooh yes, as someone just mentioned, free things from Lidl with app - fruit, bakery items and cleaning products.

And I get free vouchers and money from playing games on Mistplay and Macadam. I must admit it takes ages to get enough points but I enjoy the games so why not.

I use Mistplay too. Last year I got about £140 in Amazon gift cards. It takes so long to earn them now though.

AgeingDoc · 11/07/2025 09:48

Not a freebie (the GMC take a dim view of that kind of thing) but some years ago I resuscitated the owner of the garage where I take my car and I never have to wait long for an appointment these days even when they're really busy!

VeterinaryCareAssistant · 11/07/2025 09:32

Ooh yes, as someone just mentioned, free things from Lidl with app - fruit, bakery items and cleaning products.

And I get free vouchers and money from playing games on Mistplay and Macadam. I must admit it takes ages to get enough points but I enjoy the games so why not.

LunaTheCat · 11/07/2025 00:02

NestaArcheron · 10/07/2025 16:01

I have a social media page dedicated to books and reading with an ok following, and I get free books sent by publishers to review and also advanced copies of unreleased ones, and it makes my entire day every single time

Ohh…would love to follow you ..if it wouldn’t “out” you too much!

FrijolesFrijoles · 10/07/2025 23:56

MoominUnderWater · 10/07/2025 14:01

I’m in the Amazon vine program so get to order quite a bit of free stuff in exchange for reviews.

i also do some part time modelling for a clothing brand and kept to keep any of the trousers I model (as we don’t wear knickers under the trousers). Have to give the tops back though sadly. But they do give me some other freebies of tops and jackets as well.

That’s fascinating! So, every time we see a model in tight trousers, she’s wearing no pants and gets to keep the trousers?

PassingStranger · 10/07/2025 23:51

Another one. Free Sky Cinema tickets. Two free a month. They rarely get used though as there's not much on I want to see.

PassingStranger · 10/07/2025 23:40

I shall.be getting some free strawberries in lidl tomorrow with the app.

RegardingMary · 10/07/2025 22:42

I use a medical appliance, it's always delivered with an array of freebies, wet wipes, hand gel, nappy sacks, sometimes a wash bag.

I love it, it's packed like a gift and I itlove my opening

clary · 10/07/2025 22:36

We get free tea, coffee, hot choc and milk for all those at work (biggish creative office). I think it’s a great perk as it cannot cost that much (relatively) but it really makes you think “oh it’s nice to work here”. I had similar in my first job at a local newspaper and the editor strove hard to retain it when management got sniffy. Also it stops all those annoying “who took my tea” and “Jess hasn’t paid her milk money this week” moans.

We also get free fruit (fairly limited) and free stationery (things like post-its or parcel tape).

I get free coffees from Costa and also from the local Shell garage when I use their Costa machine (get a Costa bean and then a free coffee from Shell every seventh one – win-win). But I mean anyone can do that (tho so many ppl don’t).

EveryDayisFriday · 10/07/2025 22:33

My work benefits are pretty good compared to my previous jobs.

Health cash plan paid by work for my family, pays me back for dental, opticians, prescriptions. I also get chiropody so I get a luxury pedicure every couple of months. Last year it paid for acupuncture, I didn't want it this year though. We get £200 for optical so make sure we all get new glasses every year (sunglasses for those without prescription).

Work also pays for my home Internet (I wfh), a top mobile phone every 2yrs and a Costco card. Anything I need for my home office, they reimburse me. Also private medical, a company car and charging port at home that I claim the electricity it uses.

BitOutOfPractice · 10/07/2025 22:21

MrsO3 · 10/07/2025 21:31

This is a BIG freebie! I would LOVE this! 😂

Yeah it is. And i Love it very much. I do work hard for it though.

Aaaallthefood · 10/07/2025 22:01

At my work we get free fruit (lovely), but DH’s work really overshadowed my free fruit by giving us our quartz kitchen worktops for free! And yes I feel both very happy and fortunate for it

Supersimkin7 · 10/07/2025 21:56

Fantastic free makeup. We got a load of swanky products donated by a make up artist who’s black as are most of her young clients. She gets loads of press samples.

Some of the stuff wasn’t any good to her
eg pale foundations, antiageing serums, greasy night creams. We dished it out to refugees but still there was loads left.

I’m the only old white volunteer!!!!! GET IN. I staggered off with loads of ‘in your prime’ stuff and some suitably ashy foundation.

Biffsboys · 10/07/2025 21:46

Hollowvoice · 10/07/2025 18:00

I once got my M&S shopping free with my Sparks card.

Oh so did I ~ forgot about that …

MoominUnderWater · 10/07/2025 21:43

XenoBitch · 10/07/2025 21:09

I know someone who used to work on the trains (not sure of his exact role), but he is now retired but gets free travel.
His hobby is sitting on First Class with the free tea, sarnies and paper, from Wiltshire to London, and back again.

That’s an amazing perk. In winter rather than heating his house all day he can sit on a warm train with free food.

MoominUnderWater · 10/07/2025 21:42

In the past I got a free PlayStation and Harry Potter game, I had to go to a hotel in London for the launch and then bring it all home and wrote a review. Was a Mumsnet thing.

i also get the free random bamboo socks, think they now have sent me more than I’ve ever bought but haven’t had any for ages. I don’t actually like them!

I used to get free Greggs weekly coffee but O2 have stopped that which is annoying.

Dandylonglegs · 10/07/2025 21:39

It’s my birthday on Sunday and a local pub emailed me a voucher to be used for a free main meal and drink of my choice , absolutely no catch either . It really cheered me up 🥰

MrsO3 · 10/07/2025 21:31

BitOutOfPractice · 10/07/2025 13:42

I get a smoothie every week in the gym cafe if I go 4 times a week. It brings me joy.

This is a BIG freebie! I would LOVE this! 😂

k1233 · 10/07/2025 21:29

DragonTrainor · 10/07/2025 13:25

Our office has fruit on Fridays and I always take an apple and banana home for the kids. I can afford fruit but it feels so good to get it for free!

People like you were why I could never get fruit from the free fruit at work. It's not there for your kids. It's for the people who work there and it's selfish to hog it.

Lengokengo · 10/07/2025 21:25

FIL used to work at a vegetable processing unit, every now and again he will pop by there and pick up kilos of vegetables and share then out amongst us.

It is completely unpredictable when this will happen. So he might suddenly turn up with 5 kilos of tomatoes, or 10 cucumbers, or a box of peppers. Also they have an allotment, so last well I got 1 kilo of rhubarb. Or I might get nothing! I find it quite funny and have got very used to dealing with processing a load of veg. Made gazpacho 3 times in the last month.

Wolfpa · 10/07/2025 21:20

My local chippy gives me free chips, it is a bribe as I run a chip hike every year where the winner gets a certificate from a local youth group.