PITTSBURGH -- Some savvy Pittsburghers are saving hundreds -- maybe even thousands -- of dollars just by finding freebies.
Melissa Crawford told Call 4 Action reporter Aaron Saykin that she got a sleeper sofa for free, and Mary Windstein said she picked up a bunch of items -- CDs, lotions, wiper fluid, doggie treats -- worth about $100 total.
The woman said they don't Dumpster-dive for their freebies. They scour the Internet for giveaways.
In just seconds, Point Park University marketing expert Paige Beal found free body wash, pet safety packs, mascara and hair coloring by doing an online search.
Beal used Web sites like
freesamplemomma.com, which keeps tabs on all sorts of company giveaways and discounts.
Often, you'll have to take a survey, which can last a while.
But in addition to the freebies, some sites like
womenforhire.com allow you to build points toward earning a free meal at popular restaurants or a gift card.
"The capacity to talk to you is well worth that value (for a company," Beal said. "If I can talk to you for your lifetime, and if you like what I give you, then I've got a long-term customer."
Windstein finds free products through an online group called
Freecycle Pittsburgh -- a forum set up through Yahoo.com.
On Freecycle, some of the items are used and some aren't. The idea is to avoid waste.
"We like to keep things out of landfills, and we like to make things that are useful available to people who can still use them," Windstein said.
Saykin found playpens, food processors, living room chairs and enterainment centers on Freecycle.
Crawford said she checks
Craigslist.org. It's a Web site that many people use to post classified ads, but it also has a free section filled with stuff that folks no longer want.
"I love it," said Crawford, who's giving her sofa away on Craigslist. "I've already had a response, so I love it, and it's just a nice way to get rid of things you don't need."
Here is some quick advice to remember before accepting anything free online:
- If you're picking up an item from someone on Craigslist, never go alone. You don't know whose home you're walking into.
- Check to see if the item may have been recalled.
- Never give out your credit card number, your Social Security number or any other sensitive personal information in exchange for something that's supposed to be free.
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