We know that finding free Xbox gift cards can be a difficult task. There are plenty of sites offering free Xbox codes or free code generators, but most of them don’t work.

Trust us – we’ve been through the same process. We know it can be a mind-numbing task to find places that offer legit gift cards.

That’s why we’ve tested over 72 ways to get free gift cards to Xbox and narrowed it down to the top 10.

17 Best Ways To Get Free Xbox Gift Cards

Below you’ll find a list of 10 ways to get free Xbox codes. For each item, you’ll learn how it works and how much free money you can earn toward your Xbox gift card.

1. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is one of the most popular paid survey sites websites on the web.

Earn up to $50 per activity by simply sharing your opinion on different products and services.

While Survey Junkie doesn’t offer free Xbox cards directly, you can easily cash out for PayPal cash and then use the money buy Xbox gift card codes. We had to mention it on our list due to the high payout it offers.

Let’s get into how it works.

Registration With Survey Junkie

Registration is a simple process that only requires an email address to sign up. You must be over the age of 13 and be a resident in the US, Canada or the UK.

You even get a 25 point signup bonus when you join as a new member.

Each time you complete a paid survey, you earn points that can be exchanged for real cash prizes.

The great thing about this service is that even if you don’t qualify for a survey, you still get paid. This is unlike most survey sites that tell you that you don’t qualify halfway through a survey and pay you nothing.

The amount you earn per activity varies. This is why we suggest to only stick to the high-paying surveys, as the lower-paying surveys just aren’t worth your time.

With this method, I find that I can earn at a rate of around $10 – $17 per hour depending on the day.

Why Is Survey Junkie So Popular?

The reason is quite simple: their high payout rate.

You’re unlikely to find another rewards site that’s so generous to its users for such a simple and small task. That’s why we rank this company #1 on our list.

Cash Out Options

As mentioned above, there’s no direct cash out method for free Xbox gift cards. However, you can request direct payments to your PayPal account and use that cash to buy an Xbox gift card code.

You can also use your points to cash out for free Target or free Amazon gift cards.

Try Survey Junkie Free

2. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is an extremely popular app and website, and it’s easy to see why.

Millions of members get paid to complete various tasks and offers:

• Take surveys
• Watch videos
• Try new apps
• Discover stuff online
• Online shop
• More

It probably looks too good to be true but all these opportunities are 100% legit.

Swagbucks has paid out over $400 million dollars in cash to their members.

Here’s how it works.

Registration with Swagbucks

First, join Swagbucks for free.

You earn a free $5 bonus upon signing up with our link.

Once you’re signed up, you will access to the Swagbucks offers right away.

Go through the site easily picking out the tasks you want to complete.

You earn rewards by completing these tasks in the form of Swagbucks (SB).

The amount of SB you earn per task varies depending on how long it is and a few other factors.

Each SB is worth about $0.01.

Why Swagbucks is So Popular?

It’s one of few opportunities to make money on your time.

Pick when you want to work, where you want to work and you can do it all online.

No work uniform, no commute, work independently and control how much you make.

Swagbucks Cash Out Options

You can redeem SB for free Xbox gift card codes, free Visa gift cards and many other options in increments of $10, $15 and $25.

You can also earn a three month Xbox Live Gold Membership for 2,500 SB or a 12 month membership for 5,000 SB.

Still confused?

3. LifePoints

LifePoints is company that rewards users who take surveys and complete small tasks.

They are a huge company with over 5 million members and surveys offered in 26 languages.

As a LifePoints panelist, you answer questions and complete tasks, earning points for your efforts.

Then you can redeem your points for cash prizes.

How Can You Earn with LifePoints?

There are three ways to earn:

• Surveys
• Tracking consumer behavior
• Product testing

Try LifePoints Free

4. Vindale Research

Vindale is a survey company that offers you a free $1 signup bonus when you join.

Upon signup you will have full access to the Vindale platform where you can take an unlimited number of surveys.

You actually make money in the form of PayPal cash but once you have the cash in your PayPal account, you can that money to buy Xbox gift cards.

Vindale pays out twice a month and you have to request payout in order to be paid.

So, make sure you keep an eye on your balance and request a payout for the next pay date as soon as you hit the minimum threshold, which is $50.

Other Ways to Earn?

Another way to boost your Vindale balance is from their referral program.

You can earn a cool $5 per referral.

This goes straight to your balance and helps you reach payout even faster.

Try Vindale Research Free

5. PointClub

PointClub is a popular survey website with a solid reputation.

Users complete surveys for market research, so they simply give honest answers and opinions.

You know how many points a survey is worth before you take it.

You’ll also see an estimate for how long it’ll take to complete it.

This makes it easy to choose surveys that suit you.

How Much Can You Earn?

You’re able to earn around 200 to 2,000 points per survey.

There are dozens of surveys available at any given time, so racking up points is easy.

You’ll receive 6,000 points as a new user once you register and complete your first survey.

PointClub also uses a 10-level bonus system that pays you when you log into the site for several consecutive days in a row.

This system gives you anywhere from a 10% to 100% bonus per survey.

PointClub Redemption Options

• $25 free Xbox Live gift card codes are available for 25,000 points
• $50 free Xbox Live gift card codes are available for 50,000 points

These may seem like high goals, but the bonus system just for logging in makes them easier to reach.

Try PointClub Free

6. InboxDollars

InboxDollars is a get paid to (GPT) app and website that’s a lot like Swagbucks.

Since 2000, InboxDollars has paid over $50 million in prizes to users.

It’s definitely one of the most popular survey and small task websites.

Signing up and using the site is completely free, too.

How it Works

Each survey and task is worth a set amount of money.

For example, surveys may pay between $0.25 to $1.25.

Paid tasks include opening e-mails, taking polls, referring new members, watching videos, signing up for trial offers, using the InboxDollars search engine, and so much more.

You even receive $5.00 just for signing up, and you earn 10% of each referral’s earnings.

InboxDollars Redemption Options

Once you’ve earned at least $30, you can request payment through the InboxDollars website or app.

They offer free Xbox gift card codes if you’ve met the $30 minimum.

Try InboxDollars Free

7. Ipsos i-Say

Ipsos i-Say started as a market research firm in 1975, and they continue their research via online surveys.

The company’s website pays users to take surveys about their opinions on products, brands, and more.

Surveys vary in length, and pay is based on length.

Users receive e-mail invitations for surveys, and the average user gets eight invitations per month.

Each survey you take is worth a set amount of i-Say Points.

The average survey is worth about 45 to 90 i-Say Points.

Some are worth 100 to 200 points, but this isn’t common.

You also earn bonus i-Say Points by completing paid surveys.

Five surveys earn you 25 i-Say Points, 10 surveys earn you 50 points, and so on.

This loyalty bonus system goes up to 600 i-Say points by completing 200 surveys.

Ipsos i-Say Redemption Options

A $10 Xbox Live digital gift code is available for 1,000 points.

100 points are equal to $1, so it shouldn’t take to long to earn 1,000 points.

Try Ipsos i-Say Free

8. PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel is a survey website with a very positive history.

Since 2007, the site has paid over $16 million in gifts.

There are more than 8 million PrizeRebel users, but there are plenty of paid surveys for everyone.

You can also earn rewards by watching videos and completing special offers.

How Does PrizeRebel Payment Work

Each PrizeRebel survey is worth a set amount of points.

I logged into my account, and the featured surveys pay 61 to 266 points.

These paid surveys range from 10 minutes to 106 minutes in length.

The average length of current surveys is about 10 to 30 minutes.

When you refer new users, you earn 20% of their earnings.

PrizeRebel Cash Out Options

You can earn a $10 Xbox gift card code for 1,000 points, a $15 Xbox gift code for 1,500 points, and a $25 Xbox gift card for 2,500 points.

Read Our PrizeRebel Review

9. CashPirate

CashPirate is known for being a fun and unique smartphone app.

Users primarily earn money by playing smartphone games and downloading game apps.

How It Works

Taking surveys, watching videos, and other quick tasks are secondary money makers.

CashPirate has a great reputation with a 4.5-star Google Play rating based on over 112,000 reviews.

Each game or task is worth points called Pirate Coins.

For example, simply downloading a game app and starting it may be worth 50 Pirate Coins.

Downloading game apps and interacting with them can be worth 300 Pirate Coins or more.

You receive 500 free Pirate Coins if you sign up using a referral code – ours is XZQBIU.

For every person you refer, you’ll receive a percentage of their earnings.

CashPirate Cash Out Options

CashPirate does not publicly disclose their gift code and gift card options.

However, many reviews say that there are plenty of options available.

You need a minimum balance of 2,500 Pirate Coins to request payment.

Depending on the prize you choose, you may need more Pirate Coins.

10. FeaturePoints

FeaturePoints is a GPT app and website, but it’s a bit different than the others.

Users can earn money downloading apps and trying them out.

You only need to use the app for two minutes to get paid.

You can delete them when you’re done, and there’s no limit to how many apps you can download.

FeaturePoints also pays users to complete surveys and cash back offers.

Each task you complete is worth a different amount of points.

Users report earning anywhere from 20 points to over 150 for downloading apps.

Reviews also state that some surveys are worth around 200 points, but lengthier ones may pay 4,000 points or more.

You also earn 50% of the earnings from every person you refer to FeaturePoints.

FeaturePoints Cash Out Options

FeaturePoints offers a $10 Xbox gift card for 6,000 points.

Read Our FeaturePoints Review

11. AppNana

AppNana is a smartphone app that pays you to download and use game apps.

One unique feature about AppNana is that you get free access to game apps that would otherwise cost money.

You earn points called Nanas every time you download a game app and use it.

You can watch videos for a few extra points, too.

The number of Nanas you earn varies with each app you download and use.

The AppNana website displays examples 2,250 to 3,300 Nanas.

User reviews say app downloads pay anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 Nanas.

The number of Nanas depends on how much you have to interact with each app.

AppNana Cash Out Options

AppNana offers $10 Xbox gift cards for 160,000 Nanas, $15 for 210,000, and a three month subscription for 330,000 Nanas.

12. FreeMyApps

FreeMyApps is one more app that pays you to download and interact with other apps.

Some apps only require 30 seconds of interaction, but others have more in-depth requirements.

The payment amount and requirements are displayed before you download an app, so you can choose ones that suit you.

Each app you download and use is worth a certain number of credits.

FreeMyApps screenshots and user reviews show earnings ranging from 20 credits to over 300 credits per app.

You can also earn credits when you refer new users to FreeMyApps.

FreeMyApps Cash Out Options

Recent reviews say FreeMyApps offer $15 Xbox Live gift cards, but this isn’t officially listed online.

User reviews also frequently say that 1,500 is worth $5.

Read Our FreeMyApps Review

13. VeryDice

Wait, get paid to roll the dice on your phone?

That’s how VeryDice works.

You roll the dice and if you hit a jackpot you can earn even more money.

It’s definitely a fun and simple way to spend your time.

How it Works?

Earn points the the tasks you complete.

Exchange those points for gift vouchers or Amazon products.

There’s also a refer-a-friend program that lets you earn even more by referring your loved ones.

Sound interesting?

Read our full VeryDice review for more information.

14. MyPoints

This GPT (get paid to) site has been in existence for over 20 years.

You make money when you take surveys and other tasks.

You will love MyPoints because they offer various methods for payout:

• Cash payment
• Digital gift card
• Physical gift card

They have a great referral program which is a cool way to earn even more.

Just refer your family and friends with your unique referral link and if they sign up through your link, you earn your reward, which is 25 points.

You also earn 10% of their earnings for life.

Perform small tasks, earn points, then redeem your points for your Xbox gift card code or your choice of other prizes from 75 different retailers.

Check out our MyPoints review to start earning points.

15. Survey Savvy

This survey company pays you to take surveys.

It doesn’t offer small task work like some of the others on the list.

Just straight surveys and they pay you straight to your Survey Savvy account.

You can cash out when you reach as little as $1 in your balance and they pay you by mailing a check.

Other Ways to Earn

You can make extra money through Survey Savvy with their referral program.

You have the opportunity to earn a portion of your referrals earnings and then a portion of your referrals referrals’ earnings.

16. Idle Empire

Earn free Xbox gift card codes by answering paid online surveys, playing games, or watch videos.

They also offer other rewards such as vouchers to:

• iTunes
• Bitcoin
• Amazon
• Plus, 250 other rewards

How It Works?

First, register online for free.

Then, start doing some of the tasks above to start earning points.

Idle Empire delivers your prizes within 24 hours.

Quick Stats About Idle Empire

• They have 500,000 members
• They’ve paid out $1.2 million dollars
• They offer 250+ rewards
• 3.4 million surveys have been answered

Learn more about Idle Empire and signup to start earning points.

17. Playtest Cloud

Last on the list is the company Playtest Cloud.

They pay you to test video games.

It’s as fun as it sounds and kids can play too.

It’s called remote playtesting and it’s a fun way to get paid doing something enjoyable.

The tests are quick, payout is good and you can use the money to earn a free Xbox gift card code.

Quick Facts About Playtest Cloud

• Payment is via PayPal (you can use the free PayPal cash to buy a Xbox gift card code)
• Tests are about 30 minutes long
• Earnings are $7 to $9 per 30-minute test
• Your screen is recorded
• Payout is quick, usually no longer than a few days after the test is completed

How It Works

Apply to become a tester and if eligible, you’ll be invited to take a qualification test.

The test is unpaid but it does teach you how to playtest.

When you qualify, you can start earning points and you’ll receive invitations to complete playtests.

You can playtest on multiple devices, include Android and Apple iPhone devices (smartphone and tablet).

Testers review a variety of apps from many developers so you will never get bored.

While they can’t guarantee how many playtests you will receive, they send out 100,000 invitations per month so you’ll get the chance to do a at least one playtest per month.

Redeem points for PayPal cash to get your hands on free Xbox gift cards.

This opportunity is a little different from others on this list but, it’s a neat way to get paid to play games.

If this interests you, see these 11+ sites and apps that pay you to play.

For a complete overview, head to our Playtest Cloud to begin the process.

How Can I Get A Discount On Xbox Game Consoles and Subscriptions?

While there aren’t any Xbox codes for their game consoles, there’s still an easy way to earn a discount on them when you use the cash back site TopCashback.

Here’s what to do in 3 simple steps.

Step 1: Register for TopCashback

Go to the TopCashback homepage and sign-up for a free account.

All you need is your email address and to create a password to get started.

Don’t forget to verify your email once you register.

Step 2: Search for Microsoft

Type in “Microsoft” in the search bar and you’ll find out that you can earnup to 7% cash back on valid Microsoft purchases.

Step 3: Cashback Now

Click on the ‘Cashback Now’ button to be redirected to the Microsoft Store Online homepage.

TopCashback will automatically install a cookie in your browser to track your purchases.

Once you make your purchase, the information will be sent to your TopCashback account to redeem for PayPal cash and other prizes.

If you don’t have a Microsoft account already you will need to make one when you make the purchase.

Keep in mind that you won’t receive 7% cash back onall purchases from the Microsoft Store online.

The amount of cash back you receive depends entirely on the category.

At the time of this writing, here’s what they give you cash back for:

• Game Consoles (such as the Xbox one console)
• Xbox Games
• Xbox Live Gold Subscriptions
• More

Unfortunately, won’t be able to earncash back when you purchase a Xbox live code or any sort of gift card.

How Can I Get A Free Xbox Gift Card?

There you go, all 10 different ways to score free Xbox gift cards or Xbox gift card codes.

Dozens of legitimate websites and apps offer free gift cards.

You can have your pick of tons of different freebies, cash, PayPal money or more.

All you have to do is take paid surveys, watch videos and other small tasks like the ones described in this post.

The best part?

These are simple ways to earn free Xbox codes or a discount on your Xbox games.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll probably enjoy the following:

• 22 Ways To Get Free Gift Cards
• 14 Ways To Earn Free Target Gift Cards
• 15+ Best Apps For Free Amazon Gift Cards

If you have any other methods of earning a free Xbox gift card, a Xbox gift card code or getting Xbox discounts on game consoles and Xbox games?

Let us know in the comments below.

The post Free Xbox Gift Cards And Codes – 17 Legit Ways To Get Them appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Deal stacking – also known as savings-stacking – is a strategy that involves using as many money-saving tactics as possible on the same transaction.

There’s really no right or wrong way to go about it, just as long as you save the highest amount possible.

A Quick Example

Last week I at Petco I bought cat food that would normally cost $37.53 (with sales tax). I spent just $20.80, a savings of $16.73, or about 45% off retail.

1. I had earned $5 from previous purchases using my Petco Pals Rewards card. An email from Petco prompted me to print a certificate or have the credit loaded to my card — I did the latter.
2. From there I purchased a $25 Petco gift card from ABC Gift Cards for $21.20 (a 15.2% discount with shipping). I also checked Raise, but they offered only a 12% discount.
3. I paid the $21.20 with my Citi Double Cash card, which earns me 2% cash back on every purchase. That was 42 cents in this case, reducing the total cost of my gift card to $20.78.
4. I bought a $29.99 bag of Natural Balance cat food plus four $1.19 pouches of Natural Balance wet food. That would normally be $34.75 plus $2.78 sales tax (8%), for a total of $37.53. However, since I waited for the frequent 20%-off sale they have on Natural Balance cat food, it was only $27.80 plus $2.22 sales tax, for a total of $30.02.
5. After my Petco Pals card was scanned and the $5 store credit was applied I owed $25.02. The $25 gift card plus two cents covered that. In this case I was lucky. I try to use up the card when I do this, but rarely get that close.

Add that 2 cents to the $20.78 cost of the card and I paid $20.80 for cat food that normally would normally have cost $37.53, a savings of 45%.

How High Can You Stack the Deals?

The example above allowed me to save money in four different ways on one purchase.

Double and triple-stacks are more common, but I’ve also done a quintuple-stack quite a few times.

In addition to direct savings from these tactics, you save in another way: The lower the bill, the less you pay in sales tax.

At Petco, I saved 56 cents versus what the tax would have been at retail.

How to Do Your Own Deal Stacking

Here’s a simple deal-stack you can do anytime: Buy something on sale using a cash-back credit card. You’ll save a nice chunk of money if it’s a great sale.

For example, if you use a Discover credit card, the purchase may fit one of that quarter’s 5% cash-back categories.

Another simple example of deal stacking: Buy something on sale and use a coupon at the same time. Easy enough, right?

Yet we can usually do much better than that.

First learn about the many ways to save. The more of them you understand, the more you’ll start to see opportunities for combining or stacking deals.

Here are a dozen of the most common savings tactics you can use for deal stacking.

1. Use Receipt Scanning Apps

Receipt scanning apps pay you take a picture of your receipt to your phone.

Since these apps count as giving you cash back and not coupons, they can easily be used with other deal stacking methods.

The best part?

You can typically use more than one app for the same receipt.

Ibotta

Ibotta is one of the most popular receipt scanning apps out there.

Originally meant only for grocery receipts, they’ve recently expanded to other products like electronics, prescriptions, restaurants and more.

On the Ibotta app you’ll find a list of available cash back offers at specific stores.

Take a picture of your receipt displaying the item and the store name.

Within 48 hours Ibotta will give you anywhere from $.25 cents to $5 depending on the offer.

Of course, the more expensive the item, the more cash back you’ll earn. What’s great is that you can claim more than one offer per receipt.

Not only that, but you even get a $20 bonus when you sign-up and scan your first receipt.

If you’re looking for more information, be sure to check out our full Ibotta review or check out our list of 11 apps like Ibotta that pay you to scan receipts.

Checkout 51

Checkout 51 works in a very similar way to Ibotta.

Each time you make a purchase, take a picture of your receipt and receive cash back on certain items.

The main difference between Checkout 51 and Ibotta is that this app doesn’t care where you make the purchase.

This means you can scan your receipt from any store and earn free money as long as the item your buying is on the app.

You get a free $5 signup bonus when you register as a new user and need a minimum of $20 to cash out for free PayPal cash.

Want to read more on Checkout 51? Here’s our full review.

Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is quickly becoming one of the more popular receipt scanning apps on the market.

Like Checkout 51, it doesn’t matter where you purchase the item, just as long as it shows up on your receipt.

There aren’t as many offers as Ibotta, but you can still find hundreds of different products in which you can earn cash back from.

When you sign-up for Fetch Rewards you’re given a $3 signup bonus as a new user.

Use All of These Apps Together

The great thing about these apps is that they’re really great for deal stacking.

You can scan the same receipt to multiple apps like so:

1. Scan your receipt to the Ibotta app and earn cash back.
2. When you finish with Ibotta, scan to Checkout 51 for cash back.
3. Don’t stop there. Scan again to Fetch Rewards for more cash back.

2. Drop Pays You To Connect Your Credit/Debit Card

When you register for Drop you get paid to make purchases like you normally would.

Upon registration, you’ll be asked to pick up to 5 of your favorite retailers. Here’s a few that they are currently partnering with:

• Starbucks
• 7-11
• Target
• Walmart
• McDonald’s
• Many More

After that, you’ll need to connect your credit card or debit card (and you get a $5 signup bonus when you do so).

Make purchases with one of the retailers that you selected using that same credit card or debit card and earn points on each transaction.

This works for both a local or online purchase.

These points can be exchanged for free cash or a gift card of your choosing.

Read our Drop review for more information.

3. Shop Through Online Cash Back Portals

Online shopping portals are websites that have partnered with thousands of retailers across the web and placed all of their links onto one site.

When you click on one of their links to a particular store – say Walmart – they earn a commission on that purchase.

Instead of keeping all of these earnings to themselves, they give it to you in the form of cash back.

This can be a little confusing at first, so we’re going to break it down by using our favorite cash back portal.

1. Register for a new account at our favorite cash back portal account – TopCashback. You get a $10 bonus just for registering as a new user.
2. Search for the retailer that you’re interested in shopping at. For example, search for Walmart and we see that that the results show that we can get 5% cash back on all purchases (with a few exceptions).
3. Click on the “Cashback” button to be redirected to the Walmart site. Make your purchase like you normally do and TopCashback will use browser cookies to automatically track your purchase.
4. Within 10 days, see your 5% cash back appear in your account. Keep in mind that these rates change, and often there are special deals during the holidays to increase the cash back amount.
5. When you reach a minimum balance of earned cash back, redeem for deposits to your PayPal or free gift cards. When you redeem for gift cards, you get an additional 3% bonus.

There are lots of different portals that all give different rates. We highly suggest looking at Rakuten and BeFrugal, two great online shopping portals.

We also recommend checking out our online shopping portal guide to find out how to quickly find the portal with the best rate for any particular store.

4. Use Manufacturer’s Coupons

This used to be the way to save on groceries, especially in the days when many stores had “double coupon” days (some still do).

Just be sure that after using your manufacturer coupons you’re not still paying more than you would have for cheaper brands.

Be sure to stack those coupons with other tactics. If you don’t get a Sunday paper or get coupons in the mail, ask friends to save them for you.

5. Use Store Coupons

Many people wonder, “What is coupon stacking?”

Coupon stacking refers to using more than one coupon to increase your discounts on a single purchase.

Many stores give out their own coupons and allow them to be used along with manufacturer coupons on the same item.

Some distribute their coupons in mailed flyers or in the store, and others also have them conveniently available online, either to be printed out or loaded to a store loyalty card account.

For example, Target’s online coupons can be printed out, and their coupon policy states clearly that “Target accepts one (1) manufacturer coupon and one (1) Target store coupon for the same item (unless prohibited by either coupon).

Walgreens, CVS, Family Dollar, and Dollar General also allow you to use both a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon on the same transaction.

6. Shop Sales

Buying things on sale can be combined with many of the other tactics here.

In fact, a 50% off sale will save you more than just about any other tactic here, so try to start your savings-stacking efforts by finding the best sales.

I personally like to look at SlickDeals for special sales and promo codes to over thousands of retailers.

7. Use Discounted Gift Cards

If you pay $20 for a $25 gift card for a store you regularly shop at, you’re $5 further ahead. Now stack that discounted gift card with other tactics and you can really save money.

Important point: Gift cards are a payment method, not a discount or coupon. That means they can be stacked with just about any other savings tactic. Coupons sometimes can’t be combined with sales or other discounts.

Gift cards often go on sale, especially around Christmas. You can also find gift cards on sale on eBay most of the time.

Otherwise you can always buy secondary-market unused or partially-used cards at a discount on websites like the following:

• Raise
• Cardpool
• Gift Card Zen

A word of warning: When buying these “used” cards I’ve had to get a refund a couple times over the years because a balance “disappeared.” To avoid a loss, buy an amount you can use up within the website’s guarantee period (usually at least 45 days, but check).

8. Use Your Reward Credit Cards

By paying for everything with the right credit cards, you earn cash-back, points, or other rewards. Many offer at least 1% cash back, and some, like the Discover Card, offer 5% back on categories that rotate quarterly.

My American Express Blue Cash Preferred card pays 6% cash back on grocery store purchases.

If those $20 Domino’s Pizza gift cards go on sale for $15 again at Fry’s grocery store, I’ll pay for two of them with my Amex card, bringing the net cost for $40 worth of pizza down to $28.20, a discount of about 30%.

From there I’ll buy only pizza that is on sale for 50%-off (at the moment their large 3-topping pie is $7.99). This triple-stack will save me about 65% off the usual price.

9. Use Credit Card Special Credits

If you have an American Express card check out the “Amex Offers” on your account page online. Just click and they’re loaded to the card.

These offers typically give you a statement credit for using your card at a particular retailer.

For example, right now I can get a $10 statement credit if I use my American Express Blue Cash Preferred card to pay for at least $50 in purchases at Basha’s supermarket.

And yes, the credit is in addition to the usual 6% cash-back the card pays. That’s a double-stack from the start, but one that can be expanded on.

Buy things on sale with coupons and you’re up to a four-stack deal.

I once earned a $10 statement for buying a $10 Home Depot gift card from an online retailer. In other words, I got the gift card for free (a 100% discount is nice).

Oh, and I did it two more times with two of my other American Express cards.

Discover has a similar program called Discover Deals.

10. Use Customer Loyalty Cards

You may not like having to carry and keep track of all those store loyalty cards, but you need them to get the best deals.

And the sale prices you get by using them typically do not disqualify you from also using coupons and other savings tactics.

11. Use Store Loyalty Porgrams

I mentioned my Petco Pals $5 reward, but many stores offer similar loyalty programs.

These give you rewards in addition to any immediate savings you get from using your loyalty card.

For example, Staples Rewards gives you up to 5% back on purchases in the form of a gift card (once you’ve spent enough).

The nice thing about store rewards gift cards (that’s typically how you get “paid”) is that once you have them they’re not a coupon or a discount but a payment method for a set amount.

Discounts lose value as you stack them.

For example, a 10%-off coupon would save you $10 on a $100 item, but only $5 if you buy the item when it’s on sale for 50% off — and that’s if you’re allowed to use the coupon on a sale item.

A gift card – on the other hand -can always be used at full value to pay for your purchase after you’ve used a couple other tactics to knock down the cost.

Sign up for loyalty programs offered by retailers where you regularly shop.

12. Shop Clearances

My wife regularly finds clothing items for a couple bucks on clearance racks, and it’s not difficult to do some deal-stacking on these already-cheap items.

For example, you can buy a Ross gift card for a 15% discount online at several vendors right now.

Pay for that with a 2% cash-back credit card and use the gift card to buy a $4 clearance sweater at ross, and your net cost will be $3.32 (before sales tax), a fraction of the original retail price.

13. Coupon Codes

Before you pay for anything online, open a new browser window and search “coupon codes” plus the name of the retailer.

Often this will result in a code you can enter on the checkout page for a discount.

This may invalidate your rewards from a cash back portal, so be sure the coupon discount amount is larger than the cash back you would get.

Of course, you can do some deal stacking here too.

A discounted gift card can be used to pay for your purchase (remember that payment methods do not conflict with coupons or other discounts).

This means that you would buy that gift card with a cash-back credit card. You get the idea.

One Final Example of Deal Stacking

Here’s one last example – a quintuple-stack I did a few weeks ago…

1. Walgreens was having some great sales, so I found discounted gift cards on Raise, but I didn’t buy one yet. First I searched for Raise on Cashback Monitor to see which portals offered cash back for Raise.
2. TopCashback was paying 2% back, and I have an account there, so I clicked through to Raise and found a Walgreens gift card with a balance of $48.18 for $42.38, a 12% discount.
3. I bought the card using my 2% Citi Double Cash card. By lining up three discounts in this way I had about 15% off any Walgreens purchases (it looks like it adds up to 16%, but 2% cash back on a gift card that costs 88% of face value is only a 1.76% discount from the face value).
4. The savings are difficult to analyze from this point. For example, I bought Blue Diamond almonds on a BOGO sale (buy one, get one free), paying $4.99 for the first can. That’s a net savings of 57.5% (the 15% discount on the gift card is being applied to only half of the regular price).
5. I got points on my Walgreens Balance Rewards card, which are worth something, so I had stacked five savings tactics. I also used a coupon to buy sale-priced Kleenex, and got points for that, so that part of my purchase was a sextuple-stack.
6. Check your receipt scanning apps that we covered: Ibotta, Checkout 51 and Fetch Rewards. It just so happens that Ibotta was offering $.50 in cash back on this product.

Deal Stacking Final Thoughts

I rarely go to that much trouble to squeeze out those last pennies in savings, but sometimes it’s fun to get some quick deals.

In any case, a simple triple-stack, like purchasing a discounted gift card with a rewards credit card and using that to buy things on sale, can often save you 50% or more.

Just keep in mind that stacking deals shouldn’t be complicated. If it’s going to take you an hour to save $.25 cents, it’s probably not worth your time.

Have you ever done any serious deal stacking? Tell us about it in the comment section below, and happy frugaling!

The post 12 Practical Deal Stacking Tips To Help You Save A Fortune appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Looking for ways on how to earn free Walmart gift cards?

If you’re a fan of Walmart, then you’ll be excited to learn just how easy it can be to earn Walmart gift cards for free.

At the bottom of this post we’ve also covered a bonus section that will teach you how to save up to 7% or more on almost all Walmart purchases.

10 Best Ways To Get Free Walmart Gift Cards

Below you’ll find the 10 best ways on how to earn free Walmart gift cards.

We’ve outlined these steps in detail to help you choose the method that works for you.

Keep in mind that the Walmart gift cards and gift codes that you receive from the companies below can be both used at both Walmart.com and in Walmart stores.

1. Swagbucks

Swagbucks is the go-to website and rewards app for free gift cards.

This GPT (get paid to) platform offers thousands of simple ways to earn. They’ve paid over $365,000,000 in rewards to users across the globe. 

GPT websites like Swagbucks let users complete short and easy tasks, and they’re rewarded for each one they successfully complete.

Here are some ways you can make money fast through Swagbucks:

• Complete surveys
• Watch videos
• Play games
• Perform web searches
• Answer polls
• Read emails
• Complete free and paid offers
• Shop online
• Refer new users 

You earn Swagbucks (SB) when you complete a task, and each SB is worth $0.01.

Before you try out a task, you’ll see how many SB you earn for it. 

How Much Can You Make With Swagbucks?

Swagbucks and other GPT platforms essentially have unlimited earning potential.

How much you earn depends on the tasks you do and how much time you spend on Swagbucks. Here are some earning examples:

• 2 SB for every 10 profile questions you complete
• 300 SB and 10% lifetime earnings per referral 
• 500 SB signup bonus (as of August 2019) 
• 60 SB for a 13-minute survey
• 40 SB for a 10-minute survey
• 200 SB for a 20-minute survey
• up to 500 SB per day watching videos (according to Swagbucks)
• 50 SB for joining a free partner survey website
• 25 SB for signing up with a free sample website
• 3,500 SB for creating a Hulu account
• 600 SB for signing up for a free trial of Starz 
• 8 SB per $1.00 spent at Amazon
• 6 SB per $1.00 spent at Groupon

For each example above, there are hundreds or thousands of similar tasks available. You can easily earn SB whenever you want.

Redeem Your Points For A Walmart Gift Card And Other Prizes

Once you have 500 SB, you can exchange them for a $5 Walmart gift card. You can also save up SB and get a free Walmart gift card for $10, $25, $50, $100, or $250. 

Swagbucks frequently offers special discounts on gift cards.

For example, you can currently redeem 2,200 Swagbucks for a Walmart gift card with $25 on it.

Other Swagbucks Free Gift Cards And Rewards

If you enjoy gift cards, you’ll find a huge selection starting as low as 300 SB.

If you want cash, you need at least 2500 SB to receive a $25 PayPal payment. 

Frugal For Less Swagbucks Review

2. Shopkick

Shopkick is a receipt scanning app that pays you to take photos of your receipt when you buy certain items. 

This receipt scanning rewards app stands out from others because it offers unique ways to make extra money fast.

In addition to buying eligible cash back items, you are rewarded when you:

• Sign up using a referral link
• Simply walk into eligible stores
• Scanning grocery receipts and barcodes of products in stores
• Redeeming special coupons/offers
• Link credit/debit cards 
• Online purchases through Shopkick
• Referring new users 

All of these tasks are worth what are called Kicks, and 250 Kicks are equal to $1.00. Shopkick has very low payout minimums, so you can quickly get gift cards. 

How Much Can You Make With Shopkick?

Your shopping habits play a big part in how much you’ll make. Here are some examples:

• 250 Kicks when you sign up using a referral link
• 250 Kicks per referral (up to 10 referrals total)
• 10 Kicks for walking into CVS 
• 50 Kicks for walking into Best Buy
• 90 Kicks for scanning barcodes at Trader Joe’s
• 270 Kicks for scanning barcodes at Target
• 400 Kicks for buying eligible items at CVS
• 1,800 Kicks for buying eligible items at Target
• three Kicks per $1.00 spent in-store at Carters 
• six Kicks per $1.00 spent online at eBay
• six Kicks per $1.00 spent online at Groupon
• 10 Kicks for watching a short advertisement video

This list features a lot of recent offers directly from the Shopkick app. There are many more opportunities just like these, so you’ll find plenty that suits your shopping preferences. 

Redemption Process

Once you earn 500 kicks, you can redeem them for a free $2.00 Walmart gift card. Save up kicks for a better value when redeeming for prizes.

Other Shopkick Free Gift Cards And Rewards

Shopkick offers plenty of free gift cards including Walmart. All gift card options start at 500 Kicks, but some have a higher minimum amount.

Retailers you can choose from include Target, Amazon, Starbucks, AMC, Best Buy, and many other great options.

Frugal For Less Shopkick Review

3. Ibotta

Ibotta is a highly-rated receipt scanning app that offers multiple ways for you to earn cash back.

They’ve partnered with over 300 retailers to offer deals on groceries, toiletries, apparel, household items, and so much more. 

The main way you’ll make money with Ibotta is by shopping at partner retailers and by scanning grocery receipts to your phone.

Here’s all the ways you can earn with Ibotta:

• Scanning receipts
• Linking store loyalty cards for instant cash
• Online shopping
• Referring new users
• Bonus offers

Ibotta is straightforward and all items are listed in cash amounts.

When you use the app consistently, it’s fairly easy to earn points for a gift card and free PayPal cash. 

How Much Can You Make With Ibotta?

Maximize your earnings by using all of the methods mentioned above, and make sure to use Ibotta at every partner retailer.

Your earnings will depend on your shopping preferences, but here are some real examples from the app:

• A Welcome Bonus (usually $10) when you sign up using a referral link. 
• A $10 bonus for every new user you refer to Ibotta. 
• $0.25 for any brand of tortilla chips, sports drinks, club soda, hard seltzer, chocolate milk, applesauce, and salad dressing at Target. ($1.75 total)
• $0.10 when you scan any receipt from Target.
• $1.25 for Starbucks K-Cups at Walmart.
• $0.50 on Kleenex at Walmart.
• $1.50 on Neutrogena moisturizer.
• 5% at Barnes And Noble when you use Pay With Ibotta.
• 10% at Foot Locker when you use Pay With Ibotta. 
• 2% to 6% when you shop online at Amazon. 
• 5% when you shop online at Nike.
• $0.50 bonus when you buy two eligible frozen food items.
• $0.25 bonus when you buy two eligible Quaker Oats items.

Exchanging For Cash Gifts

Once you’ve earned $20, you can redeem your earnings for a free Walmart gift card. It typically takes a few hours to receive your digital gift card but may take up to 48 hours.

Other Ibotta Gift Card Options And Rewards

In addition to Walmart gift cards, you can get a free gift card to Starbucks, Target, The Home Depot, Red Lobster, Best Buy, and more.

Some gift cards have a $25 payout minimum.

If you want cash payment, you can earn through PayPal or Ibotta if you have at least $20 in your account balance.

Frugal For Less Ibotta Review

4. Inbox Dollars

Inbox Dollars is a very popular GPT website and rewards app that’s been around since 2000.

There are millions of active members on the platform, and Inbox Dollars has paid out over $56 million in cash to members. 

Like Swagbucks, you have a ton of ways to earn money fast with Inbox Dollars.

Get paid to:

• Take online surveys
• Read emails
• Play games
• Browse the web
• Print Coupons
• Complete free and paid offers
• Refer new users

There are thousands of tasks across all of these categories. You can keep earning money without ever running out of options.

Inbox Dollars doesn’t use a point system. All tasks and offers are listed in cash amounts. 

How Much Can You Make With Inbox Dollars?

There’s really no limit to earning money with Inbox Dollars.

It depends on the tasks you choose to complete and how much time you spend on the site.

Here are some real pay examples from the member dashboard:

• $5.00 signup bonus once you confirm your email address.
• $0.50 for completing your profile survey.
• $1.00 bonus per referral plus 30% from each referral’s earnings.
• $1.75 for a 13-minute survey
• $0.25 for a 14-minute survey
• $1.00 for an 8-minute survey
• $0.02 per Paid Email you open (up to four per day)
• $0.50 for signing up with a free product sample website
• $4.00 for signing up for a discounted meal kit subscription
• $1.00 for joining a free partner survey website
• $0.75 for joining a free partner survey website
• $0.01 per coupon you print (up to 25 per day)
• $0.10 per coupon you redeem 
• $0.01 for watching three short videos

For every example given above, there are hundreds of additional tasks just like them. There’s always plenty of easy options to earn whenever it suits you.

Redeeming For A Walmart Gift Card Code

Once you’ve earned at least $30, you can redeem your earnings for a free gift cards including Walmart gift cards as well.

Inbox Dollars sends your reward via email instantly. 

Other Inbox Dollars Free Gift Cards And Rewards

If you’re interested in other gift card options, you can choose from popular retailers like Amazon and Target.

You need at least $30 in your account balance to redeem.

You can also receive cash payments for the same minimum payout amount.

Choose from either a paper check mailed to you or PayPal payment. 

Be sure to check out our full Inbox Dollars review.

5. Survey Junkie

Survey Junkie is a reputable survey site with over 10 million members who are rewarded with gift cards and PayPal cash.

This free platform matches you with surveys based on your user profile. 

You’ll make most of your money fast by completing surveys, but there are several bonus opportunities for extra rewards. Take advantage of these to reach the payment minimum faster. 

Every point you earn from answering surveys is equal to one cent.

How Much Can You Make With Survey Junkie?

Survey Junkie is very honest and lets you know that you won’t become rich answering surveys.

However, they do tell you to keep your profile filled out to receive as many surveys as possible. Here are some earning examples from the user dashboard:

• $0.25 for completing the signup process.
• $0.25 for confirming your email address.
• $0.50 for completing a simple user profile.
• $0.10 for each additional profile survey you complete; these profiles also match you with as many surveys as possible.
• $0.05 for reading a short how-to guide.
• $1.50 if you install a Survey Junkie browser extension. 
• $0.80 for a 10-minute survey.
• $0.70 for a 19-minute survey.
• $0.70 for a nine-minute survey.
• $0.60 for a 10-minute survey. 

Once you’ve joined Survey Junkie, take a few minutes to fill out the $0.10 profile surveys. This will ensure you’ve got access to the highest-paying surveys available.

How To Cash Out For A Walmart Gift Card

You need at least 1,000 points in your account balance to redeem for a free $10 Walmart gift card. 

Other Survey Junkie Rewards

If you want other options, Survey Junkie also allows you to redeem for Amazon gift cards.

If you’d prefer cash at times, you can receive payment through PayPal or direct deposit. 

For those who have more questions on how it works, check out our Survey Junkie review.

6. PrizeRebel

PrizeRebel is a GPT website that’s comparable to Swagbucks or Inbox Dollars that pays you to play games, take online surveys and more.

This platform has been around since 2007 and has paid users over $19,000,000 in free gift cards and cash.

Surveys are a primary way to make money with PrizeRebel, but there’s plenty of additional options. You can earn by:

• Watching videos
• Referring friends 
• Completing free offers
• Completing trial offers
• Receiving bonuses for different achievements 

There are hundreds or thousands of diverse tasks to choose from, so you can earn quite easily.

Each point is worth $0.01 one cent.

How Much Can You Make With PrizeRebel?

PrizeRebel is like Swagbucks and Inbox Dollars when it comes to earnings.

There’s basically no limit to how much money you can make. It mainly depends on how much time you spend completing tasks.

With so many ways to earn, you can easily find tasks and surveys daily without running out of options. 

How To Cash Out For A Walmart Gift Card

Once you earn 500 points, you can exchange them for a free Walmart gift card. 

Other PrizeRebel Rewards

PrizeRebel gift cards are available for as low as 200 points, though many of them require 500 minimum.

You can even cash out for Amazon gift cards.

There’s also a PayPal payment option.

Don’t forget to check out our PrizeRebel review.

7. Ipsos i-Say

Ipsos is a longstanding marketing company that’s been operating for decades, and Ipsos i-Say is an online branch in the form of a paid online survey site.

Users complete the free signup process and earn rewards for completing market research surveys.

Ipsos i-Say surveys usually take about 10 to 30 minutes to complete.

How Much Can You Make With Ipsos i-Say?

Surveys are how you’ll earn money through Ipsos i-Say, but there are a few bonuses here and there.

There’s also a bonus system based on the number of surveys you successfully complete.

You’ll most likely take surveys worth 45 to 90 points each, yet there are occasional ones that give you 200 or more.

Redeeming For Prizes

You only need to earn a minimum of 500 points to redeem them for a free $5 Walmart gift card. Your gift card code is delivered instantly.

You can also save up for multiple $5 gift cards. 

Other Ipsos i-Say Rewards

If you want to choose another gift card, there are others available starting at $5.00 and $10.00, Some examples include Amazon, VISA, Starbucks, Olive Garden, and Uber.

If you want PayPal cash, you need 1,530 points for a $15 payment. You also have the option to save up points for a $20, $25, or $50 PayPal payment. 

Frugal For Less Ipsos i-Say Review

8. TopCashback

TopCashback is a cash back portal for online shopping that gives you cash back when making online purchases at thousands of retailers.

They even offer a guarantee that they’ll offer the best rate possible by matching competitor’s rates.

You can receive your earnings in cash or gift cards, and you get a 5% payout bonus if you choose a gift card.

There’s no payout minimum, so you can redeem your earnings anytime you want to. 

This is double the number of partners Rakuten has.

You can also stack coupon and promo codes to save money while you shop.

How Much Can You Make With TopCashback?

How much you earn totally depends on your shopping habits. Below are some examples of the impressive cash back rates currently listed:

• Amazon – up to 10%
• Gap – 8%
• Foot Locker – 6%
• Macy’s – 8%
• Sephora – 5%
• Best Buy – up to 7%
• The Home Depot – up to 8%

These rates are very impressive, and you’ll always get the best deal thanks to their guarantee.

Also keep in mind that these rates are not permanent and do change from time to time.

When you refer a new user to Topcashback, you’ll earn $10 once your referral earns $10 in their account.

Signup bonuses are often available, but there’s not a set bonus. 

Earn Points For A Free Walmart Gift Card

Since there are no payout restrictions, you can exchange your earnings for free Walmart gift cards whenever you want. You’ll get a 5% bonus every time you get your free gift cards, too. 

Other TopCashback Rewards

TopCashback offers a total of 14 payment options. If you want cash payments, you can choose from PayPal or direct deposit.

Your other free gift card options include Amazon, Target, American Express, and more. 

9. Fetch Rewards

Fetch Rewards is a pretty well-known receipt scanning app, and it’s different from Ibotta and Shopkick.

You buy the items featured in the app to receive cash from scanning receipts.

Yet unlike Ibotta, it doesn’t matter where you buy the item – it can be from any random retailer.

You can buy eligible products anywhere as long as your receipt confirms the purchase. The drawback to Fetch Rewards is that there aren’t tons of items available. 

Most of the money you’ll make will be through earning cash back on purchases.

However, you’ll also discover bonuses and limited-time offers that pay extremely well.

How Much Can You Make With Fetch Rewards?

It’s a little difficult to know how much you’ll earn from Fetch Rewards until you see what offers are available.

It seems like having a few dozen or so offers is typical.

These are a few statistics and examples from user reviews and the app itself:

• 2,000 bonus points for signing up through a referral link or code – ours is HH3MN.
• 2,000 bonus points for referring new users.
• The 2,000 point referral bonus occasionally increases to 3,000 points or more for short amounts of time. 

While there aren’t as many cash back items as Ibotta, the amount you make per item tends to be higher.

Combined with the low payout minimum, your earning potential isn’t bad.

How To Exchange Points For A Walmart Gift Card And Other Prizes

Once you’ve earned 5,000 points, you can exchange them for a free $5 Walmart gift cards. If you save up points, you can get $10, $25, and $50 Walmart gift cards. 

Other Fetch Rewards Prizes

Some gift cards are available starting at 3,000 points, but others require at least 5,000 points. Options available include Amazon, Target, Whole Foods, The Home Depot, Panera, and Barnes & Noble. 

Don’t forget to read our Fetch Rewards review.

10. Toluna Opinions

Since 2000, Toluna has been popular in the online survey community. You can use either the website or smartphone app to take surveys on any device.

Surveys are the top way to earn rewards, but you’ll also get paid to:

• fill out profile sections with demographic info
• answer one-question polls
• refer new users 

According to the Toluna FAQ page, their surveys usually last 15 to 20 minutes. It also notes that pay per survey depends on how long it is. 

Toluna surveys range from 15 to 50,000 points each. They use a points-to-cash system where 3,000 points equal $1.00. 

How Much Can You Make With Toluna Opinions?

To earn as much as possible, fill out your profile to get matched with plenty of surveys. These are a few stats and earning examples:

• 100 points for each Profile Survey you complete; there’s about 12 of them for a total of 1,200 points. 
• 15 points for each Quick Vote poll you answer; these are one-question polls. 
• Referral bonus points when you refer new users. The Toluna Opinions referral system is being changed as of August 2019. 
• 300 points for an online survey about your lifestyle
• 3,000 points for an online survey about entertainment
• Several 1,200 to 2,000 point surveys about various topics. 

It may take a while to reach the payout threshold, so boost your access to surveys by filling out every Profile Survey. 

How To Get Free Walmart Gift Cards

Once you’ve earned 75,000 points or more, you can redeem them for a free $25 Walmart gift card. 

Other Toluna Opinions Free Gift Cards And Rewards

Additional gift cards are available starting at 30,000 points. Some popular picks include Amazon, Target, Best Buy, Cheesecake Factory, Sephora, and Starbucks.

To get PayPal cash, you need to have 95,000 points for a $30 in PayPal cash. You can save up points and cash out in higher $30 increments, too. 

For more information, we suggest reading our Toluna Opinions review.

Are There Other Ways To Save Money At Walmart?

Want to increase your Walmart savings?

If the above methods don’t work for you, we’re going to show you in 4 simple steps how you can save up to 5% or more on almost all Walmart purchases.

Personally, this is one of my favorite way of saving at Walmart stores.

Unfortunately, this method doesn’t work when purchasing a gift card from Walmart, but it works on almost every other product.

Step 1: Register With TopCashback

Above we mentioned that if you use TopCashback, you can redeem your rewards for a discount on Walmart gift cards.

However, you can also use the shopping portal to get discounts on everyday Walmart purchases.

You can register for the site by going to the TopCashback homepage. All you will need is your email address and to create a password to sign up.

Step 2: Search For Walmart

Search for Walmart in the search bar and you’ll see the amount of cashback they’re offering.

Keep in mind that these rates may change. For example, from the image below you can see that Walmart was giving a Memorial Day special in which they gave 7.7% off of almost all purchases.

The typical rate is usually anywhere between 3 – 5%.

Step 3: Make Your Purchase

From here, click on the “Get Cashback Now” button to be redirected to the Walmart homepage.

By clicking this button, TopCashback automatically installs a cookie in your browser that tracks your purchases and will give you credit for them.

Step 4: Cash Out

Within 30 days you’ll receive your cashback amount to your account.

You can exchange this money for free prizes such as gift cards (Amazon, Walmart and more) or direct deposits into your bank or PayPal account.

Save Money At Walmart By Checking For Specials

You can continue to save money at Walmart.com and Walmart stores by checking out their specials page.

This page is updated on a daily basis, so be sure to keep checking back.

Get The Walmart Credit Card

Applying for the Walmart credit card is a great way to increase your Walmart savings even more.

The Walmart credit card gives you 5% back on all purchases at Walmart.com and the Walmart app.

When you shop at Walmart stores, you receive 2% back on all purchases.

How Can I Get A Free Walmart Gift Card?

You can get free Walmart.com gift card codes by using apps and websites to earn points from doing simple online tasks such as watching videos and answering surveys.

Keep in mind that these Walmart gift cards can be used both online, on the Walmart app and at Walmart stores.

Once you earn enough points you can exchange them for a free Walmart gift card code.

One thing we want to point out is to watch out for gift card scams.

You should never sign up for any website or claiming to give you a free gift card code in exchange for your credit card or payment information.

With these 10 ways to get free Walmart gift cards, you can easily earn them and save money while you shop. Combine as many of the options above to get as many gift cards as possible.

If you want to learn more about how to get free gift cards, then we’ve got you covered.

Check out these Frugal For Less posts to start earning in other ways:

• 17 Best Ways To Get Free Xbox Gift Cards And Codes
• 10+ Best Apps For Free Amazon Gift Cards
• 10 Legit Ways To Get Free Steam Gift Cards And Codes

Know of any other ways to earn free Walmart gift cards? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

The post 10 Best Ways To Get Free Walmart Gift Cards And Codes appeared first on Frugal For Less.

If you’re a frequent user of electronics in your home like I am, you’ve probably noticed the high fees that appear on your energy bill.

Not to mention how unfair it feels when utility providers actually increase the rates during certain parts of the year, like the summer.

So, you’re using more energy because it’s summer and you’re home more on vacation, during holidays like Memorial Day and Independence Day.

Then, it’s hot, so you’re running your air conditioner constantly.

The icing on top is that your utility bill is higher.

You’re using utilities more, sure.

And, rates are higher during the summer.

But, there’s another reason why your bill is higher than it needs to be.

A hidden reason: phantom energy.

What most people realize is that a lot of these costs come from when these appliances are not in use.

Phantom energy is the term that describes energy drained from your outlets when appliances aren’t in use.

This article is going to share how you’re using phantom energy and how it’s costing you hundreds of dollars every year.

Bookmark this post to come back to it later.

Let’s go.

What Exactly Is Phantom Energy?

Let’s break it down, shall we?

What is phantom energy, anyway?

As long as your appliance or electronic device is turned in, it has the potential to continually withdraw electrical energy from your outlets.

While this energy won’t be as much as when the device is in use, it still can add up to quite a bit.

The best example of this is your refrigerator.

It’s rarely in use, but that constant humming sound that it makes let’s us know that it’s using up at least some type of power to keep your food cold.

Most electronics won’t be as obvious in their power consumption since they display “phantom-like” behavior when it comes to draining energy, emitting no sound or light.

Your TV, cable box, game consoles or even our iPhone charger will continue to drain power long after they’re not in use.

Let’s not forget all of the other things we might not think of, such as your garage door, dishwasher or your washing machine.

As long as they’re plugged in, your energy use will still be in use, thus increasing your utility bill. How much they actually consume is another question entirely.

How Much Energy & Money Is Wasted Through Phantom Energy?

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL) conducted a survey that showing that the average household contains 40 products that are continually draining power.

The devices that are turned off but are continually plugged in take up as much as 10% of energy use, and ever since the study was conducted in 1996, this number has only grown.

The devices that take up the most power are usually ones that use a remote control (TV), a continuous display (alarm clock) or some type of charger.

Older devices generally don’t draw as much energy in standby mode since they aren’t expected to do anything.

This includes appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines without any digital clocks that use manual dials.

Many newer television sets are expected to meet energy consumption standards and draw in less energy, but it’s always difficult to determine how much energy an appliance is actually draining without a Kill-A-Watt Electric Usage Monitor.

These cost around $25, so is it worth it to actually buy one?

Let’s Do An Example

Just to get a basic understanding, each time a device uses 1 watt of energy per day translates into about 9 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.

Let’s take the example of a VCR.

These are usually left on 24 hours a day with some type of digital clock displayed on the front.

On average they drain 13 watts a day.

Multiply the two numbers mentioned (9 kWh x 13 watts per day) and we conclude that a VCR uses up about 117 kWh per year.

After researching various costs from different utility companies, I found that on average it costs 11 cents per every kWh used, making the total cost of using your VCR $12.87 per year.

What’s the Conclusion?

Looking at this number, I’m led to the conclusion that it isn’t a great deal of money, even taking into account how frugal I am.

It’s when I calculate the other 20-30 devices that are left on standby in my house that I really start to be concerned.

Assuming I had just 20 devices that are constantly plugged-in draining only half of the power consumed by the VCR, I’m still spending around an extra $120 per year.

What if you had 30, 40, or even 50 devices left plugged-in?

It can definitely add up, and some devices will drain more power than others. I counted up all of the devices in my house, and I found out that there’s a total of around 70 (I have a lot of housemates).

This means I could be spending $300 – $400 per year in phantom energy.

Energy Star estimates that the average household spends a little over $100 per year on this so-called phantom energy.

While it may not seem like much, it’s always best to get an accurate reading by using a kill-a-watt energy meter or by unplugging a device when not in use.

I’m very set on saving money, but what I detest is saving money when it eats up a lot of your time.

That’s why we’re going to mention a few quick and easy ways to reduce your electric bill without a lot of effort.

If you want to figure out the exact amount of power that your appliances are drawing, Standy Power created a summary table that lists commonly-used devices and their power consumption.

How Can You Fight Phantom Energy

Now that you see phantom energy can be a big waste of energy and waste of your money, here are some things you can do to reduce your use of phantom energy:

• Unplugging appliances when not in use
• Using power strips
• Try Sleep Mode
• Use energy-efficient products

Unplugging Your Appliances

Keep phantom energy on top of mind and make changes to lower your usage.

It all starts by unplugging.

If you’re not using it, unplug it.

This is a behavioral change where you will adjust your mindset.

It might take some practice but if you keep at it, you can turn these changes into habit and then it’ll become routine.

Make it a habit to do things like turning off the computer when you’re not using it, or unplugging your toaster after you make your morning toast.

Easy changes that can save you a lot every year.

Here are some examples of devices and appliances to unplug in your home, including those shared above:

• Microwave
• TV
• Gaming console
• DVD player
• MP4 player
• Fax machine
• Shredder
• Printer
• Lamps
• Lights
• Essential oil diffuser
• Small kitchen appliances like toasters, blenders, coffee maker, electric tea kettle, etc.

A smarter way and faster way to unplug is just to use power strips.

This is the next way you can lower your use of phantom energy.

Use Power Strips

I highly recommend plugging in a set of devices into a power strip. ‘

This way, when you go to unplug each device, you can simply power off the power strip or unplug it instead of having to unplug each one individually.

In your office, plug in your computer, printer, shredder, and fax machine into a power strip.

In your bedroom, plug in your cable box, internet modem, television, DVD player and gaming console.

For your kitchen, plug in your toaster, bread maker, panini machine, coffee maker and microwave.

These are just a handful of examples of how power strips can be used throughout your home.

How Do Power Strips Work?

Power strips are designed not to draw any power when not in use.

You can even get one for as little as $6 on Amazon.

For those wanting to be lazier yet willing to spend a bit more, there also exist smart power strips that can set a “master device,” in which power is automatically shut off to peripheral devices not in use (e.g. speakers, keyboard, monitor etc.) while still giving power to your master device (e.g. computer).

Of course certain devices need to be left on, such as your refrigerator, but the least you can do is turn off the ones that are most obvious.

Usually this includes ones that having some type of light or digital clock display.

Sleep Mode

If your device has a sleep mode, use it.

For example, to avoid falling asleep with the TV on and having your television run all night long, set your sleep timer.

Most TV’s have this but a lot of people rarely use this feature.

When you sleep with the TV off, you’ll get a more restful night’s sleep and you save energy and save money by not having your television on.

Use your remote control (or the TV control panel) to navigate to the sleep function.

Set your sleep timer and you’re done.

If you’re tired and you think you’ll be asleep in an hour, set it for an hour.

If you want the TV off sooner, just adjust the sleep timer to whatever time you wish.

Easy!

Energy-Efficient Products

Go for products with an Energy Star label.

They use up to 50% less energy than less-efficient brands, while delivering the same great performance.

This could be for your upcoming TV purchase, washer and dryer, or other appliances or electronics.

Give this a try.

7 Products to Help You Save Energy

Other than forming good money-saving habits to reduce your use of phantom energy, you should consider investing in these 7 products which can help you save energy on autopilot.

1. Smart Power Strip

This one was covered a bit above so I won’t rehash it.

Bottom line, it’s the top easiest way to control your energy expenditure, which can save you tons of money.

This smart power strip from Amazon comes with voice control with Alexa and Google Home, plus 4 USB ports, under $27.

They even have cube power strips that sit atop your desk, like this one for $25.99.

It rotates and lets you control the power for each section in the cube.

Plug in your laptop power cord, cell phone, printer, tablet, everything you need right at your fingertips.

It’s sits on your desk or table, making it super easy to access cords.

Super convenient for your home office or work space.

2. Energy-efficient Light Bulbs

Jump on the bandwagon.

Energy-efficient light bulbs have been around for years.

Do you use them?

This 3-pack comes in at around $10 and helps you save nearly 80% in energy savings, compared to similar bulbs.

It has 10,000 hours of life and top rated for energy efficiency, longevity, and brightness.

3. Smart Plug

Ever wonder if you could control the lighting in your room with your voice?

Well, now you can, with smart plugs!

How do smart plugs work?

These things are the coolest ever.

They work with Alexa and Google Home, no hub required.

Use voice command to control from anywhere.

These are not only great for turning lights on and off without manually doing it, but you can also control:

• Home appliances
• Lamps
• Christmas lights
• Coffee maker
• And, more!

It’s super easy to install and safe to use.

Do not wait until your birthday or the holidays to treat yourself to this.

Get these smart plugs on Amazon, in a pack of 4 for under $27!

4. Smart Charging Station

The way a smart charging station works is, it actually cuts the power to your device once it’s fully charged.

This is great for your utility bill and also great for your device.

Did you know that when cell phones continue to charge even after they reach 100%, it actually puts your phone in a high stress state, wearing down on it?

Go for a smart charging station so you don’t have to worry about keeping an eye on your device when it gets fully charged and save on energy.

This smart charging station comes with 10 USB ports, non-slip padding and LED ambient light.

It is super sleek, stylish and of course, functional.

Check it out, at under $50.

5. Smart Appliances

If you have the budget to upgrade your appliances, you will save so much money!

Smart fridges and kitchen appliances come in energy-efficient varieties, which is what we recommend.

Smart refrigerators work by using less power during peak times.

Utility companies are in favor of smart fridges and oth er smart appliances because they put less stress on the grid.

If you’ve got one of these, reach out to your utility provider to see if you can get an incentive payment!

And, look at earning some free cash with the company Ohmconnect.

You get paid an incentive payment to reduce your energy use during peak times.

It’s really neat how it all works but in a nutshell, save energy, save money on your utility bill and make money from Ohmconnect.

Here’s our full Ohmconnect review so you can learn more.

6. Smart Thermostat

Shared above, smart thermostat systems like Nest have so many cool features which make it fun to use and of course, you save money too!

• Auto-schedule
• Wi-Fi Thermostat
• Home/Away Assist which can turn itself down when you’re away
• Amazon Alexa compatible
• Energy-saving

Top rated for it’s ease of use, easy installation, temperature control, and Alexa integration.

Grab this one on Amazon for around $225.

7. Energy Saving Apps

Yes, there are energy saving apps to help you optimize your home’s energy.

Answer a few questions about your lifestyle and get a report on how to improve your efficiency, with the app Homeselfe.

Other apps/tools that can help you save on energy:

• Arcadia Power-Get a free account and get matched with clean energy alternatives like wind and solar
• Billshark-Take a picture of your bill, like your utility bill and get help negotiating it down. They have an 85% success rate.

Other Ways to Save on Electricity Costs

Other than investing in smart tools and products to help you use less energy, there are some simple tactics you can employ to save more money on your utility bill.

Try one or more of these ideas:

• Time water use
• Switch to a programmable thermostat
• Embrace low flow fixtures
• Use window coverings in your home
• Call your utility company

Timing Your Water Use

First, your water consumption is a big part of the cost of utilities.

Your water bill can add up big time.

And even something which may feel small like having a broken toilet, can cost you tons in extra water usage.

Pro Tip: If you have a broken toilet, get it fixed ASAP. The cost of a plumber will be far lower than your water bill, trust me.

Here are some ways to time water use:

• Time showers
• Brush your teeth to a timer
• Don’t run the water continuously when washing dishes, brushing teeth, etc.
• Have set days for washing your clothes

Use a timer.

Monitor water use.

These tricks do work.

Try them and see what you think.

Using a Programmable Thermostat

This device is the coolest thing ever.

You can program your thermostat.

Instead of leaving your thermostat to one temperature all day long.

You can set it to a warmer temperature during the day, while you’re at work.

And, have it switch over to a cooler temperature upon your arrival home.

This way you’re not paying for the expense of cooling your home all day, when you’re not there to take advantage of it.

Low Cost Low Flow Fixtures

Low flow fixtures reduce the amount of water you use.

You can install a low flow shower head, for example, which will output less water and save you money on your water bill.

This low flow shower head on Amazon is under $30 and is super easy to install, according to the reviews.

Easy to install, easy to remove, low maintenance and great value for the money.

You can’t beat that.

Examples of low flow fixtures you can install in your home:

• Shower head
• Urinal
• Toilets
• Faucets

Window Coverings Are a Must

Window coverings are a big money saver.

You’d be surprised how many people don’t have simple curtains in their home.

Besides the design aesthetic, they serve a purpose.

They help keep your home insulated.

In the summer you want your home cool.

Curtains or blinds can keep the A/C in your home and keep the warm sunshine out.

And, in the winter when you want your home insulated and warm, window coverings are your solution.

Hit up your local general goods or discount store to invest in window coverings that will not only make your home look amazing but also keep your utility bill down.

Call Your Utility Provider

Last but not least, pick up the phone and call your utility provider.

There are so many opportunities for untapped savings available just by reaching out to your provider.

You never know if you could score a deal on a promotion, get free energy-saving supplies or more.

Try this with all your bill providers, to be honest.

You can snag deals on cable, internet, your cell phone bill and more.

You are missing out if you’re not proactive and speak out.

Final Thoughts

Overall, you’re not going to save a lot of money by unplugging devices not in use, but it could cut your energy bill by as much as 10 – 15% without a lot of work.

I highly recommend using power strips so that you can unplug and plug back in a set of devices all at once without having to do so individually.

Plus, all smart devices are really cool to use and help automate your life, saving you time and money.

You do have the power to reduce your utility bill and keep phantom power at bay.

What do you think?

Are you going to make some of these changes to reduce your use of phantom energy?

Are there any devices that you’ve noticed that use up phantom energy that aren’t so common?

Let us know in the comments below so that we can unplug them too.

Thanks for reading and happy frugaling!

The post What Is Phantom Energy? It Could Be Costing You Over $300/Year appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Curious about reasons to never buy a new car?

It can be tough to face.

Maybe you really love that new car smell?

Well now you can buy it in a bottle.

And that’s a good thing, because you probably should never buy a new car.

You know they’re expensive. 

Still, once you’re making enough money doesn’t it make sense to buy a car that isn’t used? 

Maybe as a personal choice, but not as a financial move.

In fact, when Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko researched their book “The Millionaire Next Door” they found that more than 20% of millionaires buy second hand.

For some wealthy individuals this is just one more of the many smart money moves that help them build and preserve their wealth.

Furthermore, CarFax says that cars can lose more than 10% of their value during the first month after you drive it off the lot!

10 Reasons To Never Buy A Brand New Car

In order to steer you clear away from buying a car new, here are 10 reasons why you should never buy a new car.

1. Newer Almost Always Means A Higher Purchase Price

No surprise here, and we aren’t talking about sticker price alone. 

It’s the total expenditures over time that you should consider. 

Think about it:

• Car dealer fees
• Maintenancec (like oil changes, etc.)
• And, more

This doesn’t even touch car insurance, sales tax, and other auto purchase-related costs from the start.

Then, there are the car repair costs.

Eyebrow raised?

And this is where we bust the myth that a new car makes financial sense because it requires fewer repairs.

You see, when comparing the total costs over six years (which includes maintenance and all of those repairs), Edmonds.com found that buying car that’s three years old beat out buying a brand spanking new car by thousands of dollars.

Saving money is the single biggest reason to buy second hand.

Who couldn’t use a few thousand dollars extra? 

So most of the rest of this list details the reasons why you save so much when you buy used or “pre-owned,” as the salesperson will say.

And before you get tempted by the idea that driving a new car somehow provides you with a different, better experience than a used one, consider this: 

Even if you start new, aren’t you driving a used car once you’ve driven it a while?

By the way, when we bought our van we paid about $8,000, which was $15,000 less than a similar new model would have cost. 

And no, we have not spent anywhere near that much on repairs.

2. You Pay More Interest

How much will you save when buying a used car? 

That depends partly on whether you pay cash or finance the vehicle. 

Loan rates are normally lower for new car loans, so you might think that’s a reason to not buy used

But because you usually borrow significantly more money for a new car, you normally pay more in total interest charges than if you buy a used vehicle.

Use an auto loan calculator to compare car costs for a specific car loan or personal loan amounts and to find out your loan rate.

If you pay cash you eliminate all interest costs. 

That’s what we did when we bought our van. 

And for most of us, saving up enough money for a nice used car is probably more realistic than saving up to pay cash for a brand-new car.

3. New Models Depreciate Faster

Still asking yourself if you should buy used?

At some point you’ll have to trade in or sell your car, and that’s when you’ll realize how much value your car has lost. 

When Edmonds.com did their comparisons, they calculated the remaining value of each vehicle at the end of six years. 

Not surprisingly, depreciation is greater with new models — a big part of the extra cost.

According to Carfax.com, a new car loses about 20% in value the first year, and some can lose up to 50%. 

On average the depreciation is 60% for the first five years.

Depreciation does slow as the years go by, but in any case, if you buy a cheaper used car there is less total value to be lost. 

A $30,000 car will probably depreciate at least $6,000 the first year according to Carfax.com, and possibly as much as $15,000. 

In either case, that’s more than the depreciation our $8,000 minivan has suffered in the entire three years we’ve had it.

4. You Pay Higher Taxes and Licensing Fees

Most states have sales taxes and registration fees for any car purchase. 

These can be significantly higher for new versus used, mostly because of the price difference.

It’s easy enough to understand the higher sales tax. 

Whatever the rate is, if you pay twice as much for a new car versus a used one you’ll typically pay twice as much in sale’s tax. 

But most states also base registration fees on the vehicle value.

For example, if you live in Santa Monica, California and you buy a brand new car for $25,000, your total taxes and registration will cost you $2,515, according to the DMV registration fee calculator. 

A used vehicle bought for $12,000 will cost you $1,241. 

That’s still a lot, but it’s a savings of $1,274 (not to mention the $13,000 you saved on the sticker price).

5. You’ll Pay Higher Insurance Rates

Normally second hand cars are cheaper to insure than newer ones, because the insured value is lower. 

Allstate insurance says you’ll save an average of $756 annually when buying a used one.

Of course the model matters too. 

Some are just plain expensive to insure, whether new or used. 

So to save even more money take a good look at a list of the least and most expensive cars to insure before you go shopping.

6. You Have to Fully Insure Brand New Cars

There is another way to lower insurance premiums on a used vehicle. 

It has to do with the fact that you might be able to save enough to pay cash for a cheaper second hand car, but not a more expensive new one, and that leaves you with an additional money-saving insurance option.

You see, when you borrow to buy a car, lenders require collision coverage.

But when you buy a car for cash (and if you can afford a possible loss in the case of an accident), you can drop the collision coverage altogether and pay much lower premiums as a result.

We don’t carry collision coverage on our van, saving us hundreds of dollars annually. 

Without a lender to dictate what kind of coverage we have to buy, we’re also free to opt for lower liability limits to lower our premiums further (I’m not recommending this, but it is an option).

7. A Brand New Car Limits Your Choices

Let’s suppose you have to keep your vehicle purchase under $20,000. 

In that case you can’t buy a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, because they start at just over $41,000 before you add options. 

In fact, there aren’t many new models you can buy for less than $20,000.

Fortunately, by looking at used models, your options open up immediately. 

In fact, if you would like a Mercedes Benz C-Class, but can’t afford a new one, consider a 2009 model. 

It makes the Autobytel.com list of the most luxurious used cars you can buy for under $20,000.

Or consider this writer’s example. 

My wife and I could have bought a brand new car, but we would never go into debt to buy a depreciating asset, so with our cash we would have been stuck with a new but small car that couldn’t be used for camping or carrying furniture. 

Instead we bought exactly what worked best for our needs.

In other words, buying used allows you to upgrade the kind of cars you buy, giving you many more options regardless of how much you have to spend.

8. You Worry More When You Buy New

When I lived in Colorado I sometimes saw drivers of newer 4-wheel-drive trucks avoiding scenic mountain roads because they worried about a scratch or two. 

That’s just sad. 

What’s the point of having 4-wheel-drive if you can’t have any fun with it?

Meanwhile I let the branches rub against our van on those narrow dirt roads without concern. 

The new scratches just blended in with the old.

Let’s face it; when you have something new and perfect you’re worried about any little thing that might damage it, right? 

When buying a new car you might also worry more about the next item on our list…

9. New Cars May Be Targeted By Thieves

Not all cars are at more risk of being stolen. 

But it’s a safe bet that our ten-year-old minivan is not at the top of any car thief’s to-do list.

Of course the probability of being stolen also depends on the condition of the car and what type it is. 

A list of the most-stolen vehicles will tell you which models are most likely to be targeted by thieves. 

Consider buying less-desired vehicles if you live in a high-crime area.

10. Used Cars Can Be More Reliable

Low miles doesn’t always equate to being more reliable, and this will seem counter-intuitive. How can second hand models be more reliable than new ones? 

It has to do with the fact that some car models are just better from day one, but you can’t know that until they have been around a while. 

Let me explain further…

The number and severity of mechanical and other problems varies by model.

And if you look at the ratings in Consumers Reports’ Used Car Buying Guide you’ll notice that even the reliability of the same model can become much worse from one year to the next.

The important point is that because they are based on real owners’ reports, these ratings become more meaningful and accurate after a number of years. 

Look at that guide and at a glance you can see the rows of black marks that tell you to avoid certain cars.

In other words, with the help of a guide like this you can choose a used car that is proven to be reliable, instead of taking your chances with a brand new car.

By the way, if you don’t subscribe to Consumer’s Reports, you can find their car buying guides in most local libraries. 

They list cars by model name and year, with ratings for everything from brakes and electrical systems to paint quality.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Buying a New Car

Advantages

• Low financing rates
• Extended warranty
• New previous owners
• Known vehicle history (virtually none since it’s new)
• Limited choices
• Possibly more targeted by thieves
• Higher cost usually
• Low mileage

Disadvantages

• More expensive (probably the single worst disadvantage)
• Quick depreciation
• Auto insurance costs
• Higher tax and other costs
• Difficult to put on a credit card

Is It Worth Getting A New Car?

For those that buy brand new cars it can be a very important financial decision. Furthermore, buying used comes with a lot of advantages along with a sound peace of mind.

Let’s recap on the 10 real reasons on why not to consider buying a new car.

• New models cost more with limited choices
• You pay more interest
• New cars depreciate faster
• Higher taxes and registration fees
• Higher insurance rates
• You have to fully insure new cars
• A new car limits your choices
• You worry more when you buy new
• New models may be targeted by thieves
• Used cars can be more reliable
• You save a lot of money buying used

And this doesn’t even cover negative equity.

Negative equity means the value of your car is less than your balance.

How does this impact you?

First, if you happen to get into a car accident and your car is deemed a total loss, you could end up in a bad spot.

For example, if your Ford Explorer is valued at $20,000 and you owe $25,000, you have $5,000 in negative equity.

Because insurers typically offer you a settlement equal to the vehicle’s value, you’ll be left with $5,000 on the auto loan.

How do you think it will feel to pay money for a vehicle that you don’t have?

Horrible!

Plus, finance companies rarely re-amortize your loan on a lower balance caused by a total loss.

You’ll be left paying your full car payment for a vehicle that you no longer own.

Or, if you go to trade in your vehicle with negative equity, dealerships typically roll the excess (or $5,000 in this example) onto your vehicle purchase but, sometimes depending on the amount you’re negative, they can’t!

So, if you’re trying to upgrade your sedan to an SUV or minivan for your growing family, you might be stuck because the car dealer won’t absorb the negative equity on your trade-in vehicle.

This means you go into the purchase with instant negative equity.

While this can happen with new and used vehicles, it is more likely with newer vehicles that depreciate so fast.

Consider this when you make your car purchase decision.

Consumers Reports, in addition to the ratings in their used car buying guide, has free online resources on how to avoid a lemon when you buy used cars and used cars to avoid. 

You can also buy a report on a vehicle’s history from an online service like CarFax.com.

In short, don’t make buying a car one of your worst financial decisions. Keep the extra money and go used.

Do you have any reasons to never buy a new car or reasons to buy a car that’s a few years old? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 10 Biggest Reasons Why You Should Never Buy A New Car appeared first on Frugal For Less.

There are plenty of food subscription box services out there. However, only a few come with free-trial offers.

All of the items on this list give you some sort of food box for free when you either sign-up or place your first order.

With that said, let’s get started.

Here’s a list of 10 free food subscription boxes for a free meal or snack.

Meal Kit Subscription Boxes

Meal kits are great. They eliminate the need to plan and shop for meals.

They cut down on food waste which costs the average household $640 per year. Meal kits help us to eat more healthfully and to control our portion size.

Preparing a meal with your partner or family is a great way to spend an evening. It’s also a good way for novice cooks to gain some skills and confidence in the kitchen.

Kits come with very detailed instructions and often even include step by step photos to help you along.

1. DoorDash

• Free Offer: $7 discount or free delivery on first order (promotions vary)
• Join DoorDash

DoorDash is quickly becoming one of the most popular meal kit apps out there.

This food delivery service was founded in 2013 to quickly bring fresh food to your door.

The great thing about this service is that since they’re so popular, you’ll find almost any type of cuisine on their app.

When you sign-up, you automatically get your first delivery free.

Sometimes they’ll give you a $7 discount on your first order – it really depends on the promotion that they’re holding.

Yet there’s usually a lit bit more when it comes to getting special discounts with DoorDash.

They also frequently have promotions to help their clients save even more money.

For example, take a look at this DashPass exclusive that gives you 50% off your next order over $12:

If you’re looking for an app that gives you frequent deals and discounts on food, DoorDash is the one you want to stick with.

If you’re looking to earn some extra money, you can also sign-up to become a DoorDash driver.

2. Blue Apron

• Free Offer: First 3 meals are free
• Join Blue Apron

Blue Apron meal kits include seasonal produce, meat raised without hormones, and sustainably sourced seafood. You can order for two people or a family. New customers get their first three meals for free!

Meals start at $8.99 per serving with free delivery, and there is no commitment, you can skip a week or cancel your subscription at any time.

You can choose the meals you want each week, and there are vegetarian options for the two-person subscription. Each meal usually contains a main course and two sides.

Some recent meal choices were beef medallions and brown butter caper sauce with Italian spiced potatoes and turnips, basil pesto and broccoli pasta with roast carrots and Thai chicken curry with mushrooms and bok choy.

Prepared Meal Delivery

Some of us just don’t like to cook no matter how simple the recipe. That’s okay. You can let others do the hard work for you.

3. Munchery

• Free Offer: 1 free meal and 30 day free-trial
• Join Munchery

Munchery is a prepared meal and meal kit delivery hybrid. You can choose a ready to eat meal or a meal kit with pre-measured, pre-prepped ingredients that you cook yourself. Munchery is only available to subscribers.

The monthly fee is $8.95 or $85 per year. New members get one free meal and 30 days to try out the service before subscribing.

Ready to heat meals range from around $8-18. Meal kits start at $51.95.

Munchery has something for even the fussiest eaters. You can choose your meal based on dietary restrictions, the type of cuisine, locally sourced, and sustainable ingredients.

You can also order side dishes, kid’s meals, and even non-alcoholic drinks. Currently, Munchery is not available nationwide, but you can enter your zip code to see if the service is available in your area.

Snack Box Subscriptions

Eating healthy meals isn’t too hard if you do a little planning.

But healthy snacking can be a little tougher. Most “snack foods” are just junk food. But there are some subscription boxes that will help you snack smart. And a candy one which isn’t good for you, but everything in moderation!

4. Naturebox

• Free Offer: 1 free sample box
• Join Naturebox

NatureBox snacks never contain artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. They don’t use corn syrup, hydrogenated oils or MSG. New subscribers will receive a free sample box that contains six snacks; you just pay for shipping.

Your monthly subscription for $29.99, shipping included will contain eight full-size snacks that include things like dried fruit, nuts, trail mix, and popcorn.

5. Graze

• Free Offer: 1 free trial box with 4 sample snacks
• Join Graze

Graze snacks contain no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Each snack is portion controlled and never contain excess amounts of sugar or salt. New subscribers will receive a free trial box that includes four sample snacks.

You can choose to receive a box of snacks weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Each box is $13.99, shipping included and contains eight snacks. You can choose your food preferences and Graze will tailor each box to your tastes.

There are more than 100 snacks to choose from including mixed nuts, cookies, and cereal bars.

6. InstaCandy

• Free Offer: 1 free trial box
• Join InstaCandy

If you’ve never branched out from Snickers bars and Reese Cups, you’re missing out. InstaCandy will expand your candy horizons with a free trial box; you just pay $4.99 for shipping for new subscribers.

Your subscription will be sent monthly and includes eight full-sized candy treats for $19.99 with free shipping. Each box will contain sweet candy, sour candy, and chocolate.

7. Heirloom Mail

• Free Offer: 1 free box of ingredients
• Join Heirloom Mall

We love this one! Heirloom Mail scours the world in search of interesting ingredients. When you subscribe to a three month, six month, or one year plan, you will receive a free box. The pricing is $81 for three months, $156 for six, and $300 for one year. Each box ships for $5.

Your monthly box contains one hand chosen ingredient meant to teach you about a new food and a food culture different from your own. The box also contains stories about the ingredient, a recipe that utilizes it, and an art postcard from the region your ingredient is from.

Some of the recent ingredients were hazelnuts from Oregon, Za’atar from Lebanon, and dates from Egyptian Oasis.

8. Pete’s Paleo

• Free Offer: 1 pound of their bacon
• Join Pete’s Paleo

There is no way around it. If you want to follow the Paleo diet, there is a lot of cooking involved. No bowls of cereal for dinner when you’re Paleo. But you don’t have to do the cooking. Pete’s Paleo will do it for you.

For new customers, Pete’s is offering a pound of their bacon which is made with no added sugar, contains no nitrates or nitrites, and comes from pastured pigs.

This bacon isn’t cheap, nearly $12 a pound so this is a good incentive. Everything is better with bacon, and everything is perfect when the bacon is free!

Each meal uses ingredients that are 100% Paleo compliant, organic, pastured, and grass fed. Pete’s Paleo offers customers several meal plan choices.

Your prices for single orders range from $101 for the five meal plan to $287 for the family plan. Subscriptions range from $94.94-$269.78. Most orders ship for free.

You can also order special program, the 21-day sugar detox plan. The price for the program ranges from $147.50-$350. Shipping is free.

You place your order on Monday, the meals ship on Wednesday, and arrive on Thursday or Friday. The meals come vacuum sealed and can be heated in the microwave or a sauté pan on top of the stove.

Some recent meal choices include chicken fajitas with sautéed bell peppers and roasted boniato, rendang beef with roasted turnips and sautéed kale, and grass-fed beef hash with country sweet potatoes with mushroom and look medley.

Drink Subscriptions

You’re going to need something to wash down all this free food. Good thing that there are drink subscriptions offering free trials too.

9. Wine Awesomeness

• Free Offer: 1 free bottle of one
• Join Wine Awesomeness

Wine Awesomeness will send you a box containing three bottles of wine each month. New subscribers will get a free bottle.  Each box is $45 and shipping is included.

The wines will be chosen based on that month’s theme and tailored to your chosen preferences. You can choose red, white, or a mix. Your wine comes with a magazine detailing each wine and includes tasting notes and food pairings.

If you’re a wine novice looking to branch out and gain some wine knowledge, this is a great subscription.

A recent theme was the French harvest and included a 2015 Canteperdix, Ventoux, a 2016 Chateau Allegret, Bourdeaux, and a 2016 Chat Allegret Entre-Deux-Mers.

10. Blue Bottle Coffee

• Free Offer: 1 two-ounce bag of coffee beans from 3 choices
• Join Blue Bottle Coffee

Are you a coffee snob? Then you will love Blue Bottle Coffee. New customers can try the coffee out with a free two-ounce bag of one of the three types of offerings.

Subscriptions are $15-18 and don’t include shipping, and you can choose a weekly or monthly plan. The company offers blends, single origins, and espressos that are sourced by the founder from sustainable coffee farms.

The beans are roasted to order and shipped within 48 hours for maximum freshness.

Getting Free Food Through Subscription Boxes

Subscription services can be seen as a bit of an indulgence, but in some cases, they can help save money.

If you waste a lot of money eating out because you don’t like cooking or you waste a lot of food because you don’t get around to cooking it before it goes bad, then meal kit or prepared meal subscriptions can help you save money.

Wine Awesomeness’s price, $45 for three bottles of wine and free shipping is a pretty great deal. You can certainly get wine for less than $15 a bottle, but this service lets you try some high-quality wines for a great price.

True, no one needs fancy snacks or coffee but remember, being frugal isn’t about spending the very least amount of money you can. It’s about getting good value for your money and spending money on things that you enjoy.

If those things to you are fancy snacks and coffee, you are allowed to spend some of your money on things that give you pleasure.

The post 10 Free Food Subscription Boxes To Try For A Free Meal Or Snack appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Do you JUST love getting TONS of free stuff?

If getting freebies is like cyber crack to you, look no further than this article to snag that which you’re jonesing for.

In it, you’ll find out how to turn the no-cost goodies flowing into your mailbox into a never-ending river of awesomeness.

Free is one of the most beautiful words in the English language.

And, there are plenty of sites on the Internet where you can satisfy your desire for free stuff of all kinds.

Free samples allow you to try out a new product before spending money on the full-sized version.

Getting stuff you don’t have to pay for is like having Christmas every day!

Just remember that you won’t get rich sending away for freebies.

Nobody is going to give you a complimentary 2021 Tesla Model Y.

But you’ll get lots of other things that’ll be useful to you without paying a single penny.

This could make you more excited to check the mailbox than you’ve been in years!

Freebie giveaways are a win/win/ for both companies that manufacture products and customers.

That’s because you score some fantastic free stuff, and the retailer gets an opportunity to entice you to try one of their products.

They hope once you get a taste of their wares, you’ll splurge for the full-size version.

There’s plenty of deals like this in cyberspace—you just need to know where to look.

And in this article, I’ll tell you EXACTLY where to look.

Plus, you’ll get a few tips, tricks, and pointers to make your freebie hunting SO much more productive.

But you’ll have to be quick at the trigger because a lot of the offers are only for a limited time!

A Few Tips Before You Dive In

Before you start scouring the Internet for free stuff, you should set up a separate Internet account from your primary one in case you get spammed.

The first thing you’ll want to do is to create an email address separate from your primary account to send away for all the freebies.

That way, you won’t get spammed in your regular account which could be problematic (to say the least).

Another thing you should get into the habit of doing is reading the comments of people who got the very same freebie you want.

Based on what you read, you might change your mind because some of these deals might be getting horrible reviews.

1. Freeflys

When you go to Freeflys, you’ll think you died and went to free sample heaven.

This site is so good at what they do that they’ve even been featured on the Today show.

That’s because this fantastic company scours every nook and cranny in cyberspace to find killer freebies just for you.

They curate the best of these finds and then offer them to you by the boatload.

Lucky you!

The samples include shampoo, coffee, makeup, candy bars, over the counter medications, and hundreds of other products.

Whatever free sample you might be hungering for, you can find it at this site.

There are literally THOUSANDS of free goodies in dozens of categories here for your sampling pleasure!

And the site is CONSTANTLY being updated as they come across new goodies.

2. Bzz Agent

At Bzz Agent, you’ll help companies by participating in robust social media campaigns to create buzz for the products you sample.

To start the unabated stream of amazing goodies you can get through them, create a free membership at their website.

Then, start filling out surveys.

This helps determine what interests you and which products you regularly use.

Once they’ve got you all figured out, they’ll start sending you freebies by the truckload.

Then, you’ll have to share your honest opinion about these products.

If you LOVE sampling a veritable smorgasbord of freebies and sharing your opinion about them on social media, you’ll enjoy this site.

3. Hey, It’s Free!

Hey, It’s Free! is a world-famous website that devotes itself to finding the absolute best freebies to be found anywhere.

They make it their business to screen out all the spammy malarkey clogging up the intertubes so that they can find the genuine freebies that glitter like diamonds amongst all the dreck.

The site’s homepage features a blog listing each freebie and the information on how to get your no cost swag.

The guy who writes the blog is a friggin’ comic genius, and his humor makes the site massively entertaining.

However, you don’t have to scroll through the blog posts if you’re looking for a specific freebie.

Instead, you can use the search bar in the upper right hand of the page or go directly to the “TOP FREEBIES” tab.

The day I checked them out, I found offers for That’s It brand fruit snack bars, a Vegan Starter Kit, a Charmin toilet roll extender, and lots of other amazing things!

4. Sweet Free Stuff

The mission of Sweet Free Stuff is to become the number one source for legitimate freebies that will delight you.

To that end, the people who run the website are running themselves ragged, continually updating it with all the latest killer free stuff.

Reap the benefits of their hard work and sign up today so you can partake in these sizzling hot deals!

Once you enter your email, you’ll get their newsletter chock full of cool free offers.

I couldn’t wait to read it.

When I did, I wasn’t disappointed.

One of the things I saw was an offer for Anthelios 60 Melt-In Sunscreen.

This is a brand I never heard of before, but hey!

It sounds really fancy.

And in the summer, I spend a lot of time outdoors, so I sure can use sunscreen.

So, this product is definitely something I can use.

You can also get free samples of Emergenc-C through the site.

When I was younger, I used to use it a lot because it’s much healthier than drinking coffee or energy drinks.

To score your own, head over to the site ASAP to see if this offer is still available!

5. Freebies.org

Freebies.org is another excellent site where you can get tons of free samples in such categories as books, food, cosmetics, and pet products.

To make sure you know about their most sizzling deals before anyone else on the planet, become a mailing list subscriber.

You’ll also get enough tips, tricks, and pointers in these highly useful newsletters to make it well worth your time.

The site also has a well-written blog that talks about some of their most incredible finds.

When I checked out their site, I saw some astounding deals.

They included a free quart of paint at any Kelly-Moore retail location, a free sample for Take-Off Adhesive Remover, and Dylon Color Catcher laundry sheets.

6. Totally Free Stuff

In Internet years, Totally Free Stuff is ancient beyond belief because it’s been around since 1998.

For cyberspace, that’s practically the stone age. 

This easy-to-use site has a design that’s simplicity itself.

When you get to the home page, you’ll find a simple list of the latest freebies.

You can browse via the list or click to go to one of the specific free stuff categories.

The site also boasts an incredibly helpful forum where people can talk about the avalanche of free stuff they’re enjoying.

You get to see which ones are the bomb and which ones are duds, so you don’t waste a moment of your precious time.

7. Free Stuff Finder

Free Stuff Finder is a comprehensive site that is laid out exceptionally well.

And, its user-friendliness is off the charts!

You’ll find some fantastic back-to-school deals, it has a terrific coupon database.

It even has videos on how to hone your couponing skills to a razor-sharp point.

One thing I absolutely love about this site is that it’s the brainchild of a hard-working wife and mother.

She has a keen passion for helping others save money and in doing so, have a better life.

If you want to read an incredibly cool story, check out her “About” page.

She also has some fantastic pictures of all the freebies she’s snagged over the years.

The photos prove that this freebie finder really knows what she’s doing when it comes to curating free stuff!

8. Freebies4Mom

Freebies4Mom is another site run by a mother who curates deals for fellow moms.

This super cool mother goes by the name of Heather Hernandez, and she’s intensely passionate about helping mothers everywhere find the best product samples.

Heather lives in Houston, TX, and left her engineering career to be a stay-at-home mom.

Every day, she serves up a dazzling array of the hottest free offers you’ll find anywhere.

You’ll be ASTOUNDED to find out what you can get without having to open up your pocketbook!

The site is specifically geared for those with kids.

However, there is a lot of stuff that will appeal to the non-moms among us too.

So even if you don’t have any kids of your own, it’s worth checking out.

9. Freesamples.org

At freesamples.org, you can get free cleaning products, food products such as coffee samples, and vitamin supplements.

Join their mailing list, and you’ll get a plethora of deals exclusively for subscribers!

The day I checked it out, there were offers for Carolina Herrara perfume, Billy + Margot dog food, and a free half-gallon of iced tea at Bojangles restaurant.

These are just a little taste of the exquisite finds you can get at the site.

I hope I whetted your appetite!

10. My Free Product Samples

My Free Product Samples is a website wholly committed to digging up the best free offers found anywhere.

The site began in 2007, and over the years, they’ve led so many frugal warriors to the promised land of no-cost merchandise.

You’ll have a cornucopia of no-cost goodies to choose from here.

You just have to perform a little mental triage and decide which of the hundreds of deals you want to participate in.

There are a mind-boggling number of them, so it’ll be virtually impossible to get everything they have to offer.

If you did, you’d probably have to rent a warehouse to store them all.

They have regular blog posts for each category of free stuff offered to inform you of the goodies that can be yours for free.

And in each post, there will be a link exclaiming, “Get My Free Sample Now!”

Always click that link if you want THE GOOD STUFF.

The link will instantaneously whisk you away to the website of the company giving away that sample.

From there, you’ll fill out a form that won’t take much more than a nanosecond to complete.

And then, the sample will be on its way to you!

For example, one of their recent offerings is a free plant-based burrito from Alpha Foods.

I was super excited to find this because I’m vegan!

I’m always deliriously happy when I can score vegan freebies.

11. Freestuff.com

The people who run freestuff.com are obsessive about finding the best free stuff on the Internet so they can offer it to you.

In fact, they love free stuff so much they spend hundreds of hours each month relentlessly tracking down amazing free goodies you’ll flip over!

When I checked them out, I found incredible offers for Maybelline XXL Mascara, Love Scent Pheromones, herbal potpourri.
There are so many no-cost goodies on this site, it’ll make your head spin.

12. Just Free Stuff

Just Free Stuff is an amazingly compendious site offering all kinds of deals for free samples for every category you can possibly think of.

So if you want to be astounded by the dizzying array of freebies they offer, mosey on over!

The website was started in 1997, and over the years, it consistently ranks in the top ten of sites offering free stuff on most search engines.

And, it boasts 350,000 unique visitors each month with over 100,000 newsletter subscribers.

It’s also been featured in numerous magazines, newspapers, and even on television news programs.

Clearly, they’re doing something right.

Head on over to the site right now to find out what all the buzz is about.

It has dozens of freebie CDS on a dizzying array of subjects such as personal finance, education, and even how to plan a dream cruise.

It also has books galore.

The day I perused the site, I found offers for a copy of “The Quiet Gut Cookbook” (recipes to soothe the symptoms of gut-related diseases and conditions), cans of Revive Kombucha, and lots of other things.

13. Samples Avenue

Another place to snag TONS of free samples is Samples Avenue.

So, take a stroll down the bounteous paths of this cyber street if you want to taste what they offer.

To qualify, you need to be a US resident 18 years of age or older.

And, you need to register with valid information including your full name, address, phone number, date of birth, and email address.

The day I visited the site, they were offering a bottle of Tamar perfume, a free bath sponge from the Bath Club, free Duracell and Energizer batteries from Office Depot and OfficeMax, and lots of other swag at absolutely no cost to you.

14. Freebies

There’s also the simply named site Freebies where you can access unlimited free stuff.

Here you’ll find an astonishing number of products to try out to see if you want to get the full-sized version.

You can also amass points by completing a wide variety of tasks on the site.

To get your samples on this site, you’ll have to complete tasks to accrue points you can use to get your freebies.

These are such things as referring friends, participating in polls, and taking advantage of sponsored offers.

There are no tedious surveys you must take to get your no-cost goodies, not do you have to pay shipping costs.

This means you can get your free stuff faster!

To get started here, log in and head on over to the section of the site labeled “Freebies Exclusive Giveaways.”

Then, use your points to bid on the samples you want.

15. Everyday Family

Another terrific site to satisfy your craving for free samples of every kind is Everyday Family.

Here, you just answer a few questions, and they’ll hook you up with generous quantities of free stuff every single month.

To begin the bounteous stream of free stuff into your mailbox, you’ll first have to connect with the corporate partners generous enough to give you the sample.

However, this shouldn’t take too long.

Then, you’ll further personalize your Everyday Family experience by telling them a little about yourself.

This ensures you’ll get items that are tailored to your own unique tastes.

16. PINCHme

With PINCHme, you’ll wake up to a veritable avalanche of freebies coming through your mailbox.

Only you won’t be dreaming!

Like most of the other sites in this article, you pick out free samples to try, and they send them to you.

Companies who partner with PINCHme do so because they hope you’ll love their free samples so much that you’ll buy their full-sized products.

PINCHme does a superlative job of making sure the freebies you get are perfectly matched to your profile.

So, make sure you answer all the questions when you register to increase your chances of getting the highest number of possible free samples.

They also offer you the opportunity to provide feedback on the samples you try.

If you give this feedback, you’ll get more free samples in the future.

Occasionally, you won’t get any samples for the month.

But this rarely happens, and you usually find your mailbox flooded with free PINCHme stuff.

Make sure you sign up on the designated time and day to grab your offers before they’re gone.

You can get things like makeup wipes, Clorox cleaning wipes, fabulous skincare products, pocket tubes of soothing lotion, and even chocolate cookie squares all the way from France.

J’ai hâte d’y enfoncer mes dents!

17. Influenster

Another place you can snag free stuff is Influenster.

Try a product, write a review, and then receive more products to review in your mailbox.

Sometimes, there are an assortment of different products in one box.

Other times, they’re organized around a theme.

For example, a box might have a holiday motif to it.

So, everything in the box will be organized around a single holiday.

Just remember to write a review after you try out a product.

The more reviews you write, the more boxes they’ll send you.

18. Smiley360

At Smiley360, you’ll be grinning like a cosmically crazy monk when you see how much free swag you can score through them.

But in order to get your free stuff, you’ll have to complete what they call missions.

So, they kind of enlist you as a “freebie spy” of sorts.

These missions include telling all your social media friends about what was good and bad about the box you got.

But first, you’ll have to qualify for a mission by filling out a survey.

If you fit their exact criteria, you might be offered one.

If you choose to accept it, your freebies will be sent to you as soon as you complete the task they set before you.

You can increase your chances of getting more missions from Smiley360 by completing the missions and answering any surveys available to you.

19. BzzAgent

BzzAgent wants you to help them create irresistible BUZZ about the samples they offer.

To this end, you’ll have to share your experience with them on social media.

Regularly check out their website and see what deals they’re currently offering.

Then, you’ll have to tell them all about yourself by filling out a questionnaire.

If they think you’re a good match for one of their boxes, they’ll send it to you.

After you receive your goodies in the mail, you’ll be expected to complete social media-related tasks they assign you.

20. Ripple Street

Ripple Street, formerly called House Party, is another terrific way to get free samples.

Also, they have a rather unique and fun way to get the word out about the products you’ll be sampling.

Ripple Street gives you a product, and then you throw a house party to promote that product.

They’ll even give accessories (like decorations) to make your party more fun.

21. SampleSource

SampleSource sends out sample boxes around four times a year.

Your box will contain from six to twelve samples.

The great thing about this is you don’t have to do a thing to get these freebies.

Just register with the company, and they’ll automatically send you a sample box when they become available.

Final Thoughts

There are hundreds of online sites that offer freebies.

These items are given away by companies not out of the kindness of their hearts, but because they want to make you a lifelong customer of what they sell.

So, keep that in mind.

Also remember that many of these freebies are distributed on a “first-come, first-served basis.”

So, hop on an offer quickly when you see one!

The more samples you request, the higher the odds you’ll get one.

Sign up for freebies, and you’ll discover for yourself what millions of frugal warriors all over the planet know: cheap is good, but free is the absolute best!

The post 20 Best Freebie Sites To Get Free Samples To Your Door appeared first on Frugal For Less.

Looking to learn on how to get free food delivered to your door?

There’s been a growing popularity in food delivery services over the past couple of years.

In order to attract customers, they often give away free account credit when you sign-up as a new member.

Keep in mind that this credit is usually only good for the first meal.

If you’re simply looking for free food, the best thing you can do is sign-up, order your first meal and then cancel your account. It’s a great way to save money for those who are in need.

Note: If you are trying to order food during the COVID19 outbreak, keep in mind that certain promotions may not be available.

10 Easy Ways On How To Get Free Food Delivered

Here are 10 services with restaurants offering free food delivered straight to your door and will give you a significant discount on your first order.

With that said, let’s get started.

1. DoorDash

• Registration Bonus: $7 off your first order over $10 (offer comes and goes, but always a minimum of free delivery on first order)
• Join DoorDash For Free Food Now

DoorDash is another service that partners with local restaurants in your area with some of the best food deals.

Their registration bonus isn’t the best at $7 off your first order over $10, but it can significantly bring down the cost – even down to only a few dollars.

Keep in mind that this offer comes and goes, but you almost always get free delivery on your first order.

They promise to deliver to your door within 45 minutes or your money back.

Given this promise, it’s actually quite surprising that they’re located in a large number of heavy-populated cities.

DoorDash has some of the best service and meal delivery times out of all of the sites on this list.

Their strong reputation makes them a great choice for any meal, especially if you need something to eat quickly.

You can also sign-up for the DoorDash Meal Delivery Program and make money delivering food to homes in your local area – with tips!

Download the app for even more convenience.

2. Blue Apron

• Registration: $50 off your first 2 boxes (sometimes is $60 off your first 3)
• Join Blue Apron

You won’t find a higher bonus than $50 off your first two boxes when going with Blue Apron.

This service has been around for quite some time now, so they definitely know what they’re doing.

The great thing about Blue Apron is that the food stayed packed in a refrigerated box.

This means that even if you’re not home and the food arrived at your door, it will still be fresh.

Furthermore, Blue Apron has plenty of specific 2-person and family meal plans.

When you do sign-up for Blue Apron, you have to enroll in a subscription.

That’s why recommend getting your $50 bonus and then cancelling your subscription.

We recommend Blue Apron as the best way to get a great start learning about how to get free food delivered to your door.

3. InstaCart

• Registration Bonus: $10
• Join InstaCart

InstaCart serves purely as a groceries delivery service by partnering with local supermarkets in your area.

For example, in Seattle you can get groceries delivered from Whole Foods, Safeway, Costco and QFC.

When you sign-up using a referral link, you get $10 in credit.

Your first order also gets your first delivery fee waived.

The referral bonus isn’t much at $5, plus there’s a cap on a maximum referral reward of $25 bonus from 5 different friends.

The great thing about InstaCart is that it’s quick.

Most places you order from will have the free food delivered to you within an hour.

However, the service is quite expensive.

There’s up to a 15% markup of what you’d see in-store (sometimes there’s no markup depending on the store).

Don’t use it unless you really don’t have time or you still have free account credit to use. Keep in mind that Blue Apron is giving away free delivery is a limited time delivery deal.

4. PlateJoy

• Registration Bonus: $10 off when you place your first order and use code GET10
• Join PlateJoy

PlateJoy is great for serving those with dietary restrictions.

They make specific meal plans for those who are vegans, carnivores, those working to maintain a ketogenic diet or when you make your own meal plan.

This company does its best to tailor to your own dietary needs.

When you sign-up and order your first meal, you get $10 off when you use the promo code GET10, resulting in yet another way to get a free meal deal.

Not only that, but they also give you a $20 bonus to new Instacart customers when you sign-up through them. Download the app for even more convenience.

5. Gobble

• Registration Bonus: $30 off your first order with free shipping
• Join Gobble

Unlike most meal services, Gobble does all of the prep work and allows you to prepare your meal at home.

While for some this may be a hassle, it can be great for slowly learning how to cook or passing a great time with friends or family.

When you sign-up with Gobble, you get $30 off your first order along with free shipping – this is one of the highest discounts that you’ll find on this list.

Gobble kits are designed to have the meal so-well prepared that it should only take you 15 minutes to prepare your dish.

This meal service is particularly great for those who still want to cook but want to go through 100% of the hassle.

6. HelloFresh

• Registration Bonus: $30 (coupon code HFNOW30)
• Join HelloFresh

We recently did a post on HelloFresh, one of the most popular meal delivery services worldwide.

This service prepares their own ingredients and recipes and sends them directly to your door with no delivery fee.

Their ingredients are always fresh and of high-quality.

All of their recipes can be viewed online beforehand to see if you like them, and all of them were created by famous chef Jamie Oliver.

Right now there are 3 different meal options to choose from: vegetarian, classic and family.

Keep in mind that when you order your first meal, you’re automatically signing-up for a subscription.

This is why we recommend canceling right away after your first order if you wish to discontinue the service.

One amazing feature that I love about HelloFresh is that as a new member you also have the option of sending 4 free meal boxes to friends and family members.

In fact, they even encourage you to have your friends share these boxes with you.

The more meals that you order, the more free meals that you’ll be able to send.

When you convince a friend to sign-up using a referral link, you get a $20 bonus and your friend gets a promo code that will give them $30 off their first order with promo code HFNOW30.

Normally a meal would cost you $9 – $10 with their service, but with the promo code it drops it down to $4 – $5.

Right now they deliver to every state in the US along with other countries such as the UK and Australia.

It’s also quite easy to order from their mobile app and use it to pay directly with cash or your credit card.

7. Caviar

• Registration Bonus: $5
• Join Caviar

Unlike HelloFresh, Caviar connects with local restaurants in your area and provides a service for them.

Your order is sent within 40 – 60 minutes, and you need to place a minimum order of $15 in order to use any account credits.

You get $5 upon registration and $15 as a referral bonus when your friends sign-up using your link.

One downside about this site is that they are currently located only in major cities such as Atlanta, New York along with quite a few others.

If you live in medium-sized or small town, chances are that you won’t be able to order from them.

8. Uber EATS

• Registration Bonus: $10
• Sign Up For Uber EATS

We’ve all heard of Uber, one of the most popular car sharing services out there.

The same company has created a similar concept but this time with free food. Sign-up as a new member and get $10 off your first meal with UberEATS.

In order to get your bonus, you must enter in a referral code. We’d appreciate it if you’d use ours: eats-7yog9.

This way we both get $10 in credit – thank you!

UberEATS works with hundreds of the best, local restaurants in your area.

One unique features is that when you can track exactly where your food is on your app.

Furthermore, if you have an Uber account already, you can use the same credentials to log-in.

You can work on your own schedule when you sign-up to deliver food with the UberEATS food program.

9. Munchery

• Registration Bonus: $20 (promo code TASTY50) or 50% off your first meal
• Join Munchery

Munchery is one of the best food programs out there.

They work in most large US cities, and usually have quite a wide variety of restaurants affiliated with them.

Often times you’ll find that the meals are at a decent price, and you even get $20 in credit toward your next order when you use promo code TASTY50 on your first meal.

I personally love Munchery because their menu changes on a daily basis.

There’s no question as to whether you’re going to receive a variety of meals or not.

The only downside is that you don’t get the free food upfront, as you have to make your first order to get credit.

However, you’re easily able to get the second meal for free with this amount, making it one of my favorite food deals on this list.

10. NatureBox

• Registration Bonus: 50% off first purchase with promo NEW50
• Join Naturebox

Naturebox is intended for you to get healthy snacks sent to your home regularly.

You can select between paleo, vegan, low sodium and lots of other healthy choices.

Right now when you sign-up as a new user you get 50% off of your first order with promo code NEW50.

A lot of the snacks that NatureBox provides are snacks that usually take a long time to prepare.

If you’d like, you can setup a subscription to get healthy snacks daily, weekly or monthly.

They offer free shipping on any orders over $25, and snacks you don’t like will even be refunded to you.

11. Delivery.com

• Registration Bonus: $7
• Join Delivery.com

Delivery.com is a way to hire someone immediately to get your daily tasks done.

This includes dry cleaning, grocery shopping, restaurant deliveries and more.

While it’s more than just free food, you still get $7 as a new member which can be applied toward grocery or restaurant purchases.

In order to use your free account credit, you have to make a minimum purchase of $15.

This means you’ll be spending at least $2, but for a meal or for some groceries, it’s not a bad deal.

Delivery.com has a great reputation for being an excellent service, but unfortunately they’re only located in 4 cities for the time being: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

However, like all of these sites, we suggest signing-up no matter where you live.

You never know when their sign-up promotion will end, and most of the time they expand quite rapidly to other locations.

It used to be that each referral also netted you a bonus of $13, but this has recently dropped to $7.

12. Saucey

• Registration Bonus: $10 (promo code SAS)
• Join Saucey

Saucey is a bit different from all of the others on this list.

Instead of delivering food, they solely delivery alcohol. You need to use a promo code SAS upon registration to get the $10 bonus.

For each friend you refer you also get $10.

You need to be over the age of 21 and within one of their areas to be eligible to use this mobile app.

The price you see includes tax and delivery.

However, adding a tip to the delivery man would show some gratitude for his work.

Last time we checked, they were only delivering to the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego with plans of expanding to Dallas.

It may take between 20 – 40 minutes, but can take up to a maximum of an hour.

We personally find the alcohol on here to be a bit expensive, but if you get enough credits you can get some for free.

13. SkipTheDishes

• Registration Bonus: $7
• Join SkipTheDishes

SkipTheDishes is another free food delivery service that partners with local restaurants.

Their HQ is located in Canada, but they’re rapidly expanding to major cities in the US such as Colombia, Cleveland and more.

You get a $7 bonus for signing-up using a referral link, and an additional $7 in credit for each friend you refer.

Unfortunately, this is only enough to cover the delivery and service fee. You’re going to have to refer a few friends before you can qualify for a free meal.

Even if they aren’t located in your city, we still recommend signing-up while they have the new member bonus and because of their rapid expansion.

14. Atkins Free Diet Quick-Start Kit

• Registration Bonus: $5
• Join Atkins

Sign-up for the Atkins Free Diet Quick-Start Kit absolutely FREE!

When you sign-up, you get their quick-start kit, a mobile app and plenty of different diet tools that will help you track your goals and weight loss progress.

You also get a list of low-carb meals, recipes, food and much more with the Atkins diet.

And in case you want to buy an Atkins diet product, for a limited they’re giving away $5 off of any of their products.

15. GrubHub

• Registration Bonus: $7 off your first order over $15
• Join GrubHub

GrubHub, like a lot of other sites on this list, partner with local restaurants to deliver food to your door.

However, one key difference is that they also have a pick-up option.

The prices for pickup at the same as in-store prices.

This can also serve as a great way to view menu prices before actually going to the restaurant.

This makes it easy to not get delivery fees while still being able to use your free account credit.

Sign-up using a referral link and get $7 off your first order of $15 or more.

Each time you refer a friend you also get $7, but unfortunately there’s a cap at 20 friends.

This means you can earn a maximum of $140 in credits through referrals. Still not a bad deal.

GrubHub has been around for quite a while, so if you live in any major city, there shouldn’t be a problem finding some food nearby.

Other Ways To Get Discounted And Free Food

Take Online Surveys For Free Restaurant Gift Cards

If you’re interested in other ways of getting free food delivered, you might want to look into online surveys.

Paid online surveys offer you free cash and gift cards (often to restaurants) in exchange for your opinion.

The best part? They’re 100% free to join!

Here are some of our favorite paid survey sites to earn free restaurant egift cards:

• Survey Junkie
• Swagbucks
• Vindale Research

Amazon Deals

While you most likely won’t be able to have free food delivered via Amazon (unless you’ve earned a free egift card from the survey sites mentioned above), you can often find some great deals.

Check out the Amazon Deal page for coupons and discounts and common food items.

Rewards Programs

A lot of restaurants have specific rewards programs available to those who come back often and earn up points.

Here are just some of the plenty of rewards programs that we suggest signing up for:

• iHop eClub
• My Chili’s Rewards
• Burger King Rewards
• TGIFridays Rewards
• Smoothie King Healthy Rewards
• Olive Garden Rewards
• Red Lobster Rewards (sometimes with specials on your next family meal deal)
• Del Taco Raving Fan Club
• Krispy Kreme Rewards
• Panera Bread MyPanera
• Buffalo Wild Wings Blazin’ Rewards

Earn A Birthday Freebie

If you don’t want to use these delivery services for free money, what about restaurants offering a birthday freebie?

Here’s a list of 40 birthday freebies to get free stuff and food items at restaurants such as these:

• Red Lobster
• Buffalo Wild Wings
• Olive Garden
• Boston Market
• Starbucks (I get a free iced coffee every year)
• Plenty of fast food chains
• More (with many restaurants offering a special kids meal deal for children)

How Can I Get Free Food With No Money?

To be honest, I tend to use these food service sites only once.

Why?

Because I can only get credit my first time around. Also keep in mind that you may need to pay a small fee for delivery (but most of the time you’ll be eligible for free free delivery if you order a large amount).

Not only that, but some of these offers are available for a limited time.

Most of the time you’re going to be spending a lot more than if you were to cook at home.

However, if you detest cooking and don’t mind referring friends, it can easily help you save money.

Again, keep in mind that if you’re trying to order during the COVID19 outbreak, certain free food promotions may not be available.

Do you know of any other delivery deals or are there any other recommendations you have on how to get free food delivered?

Feel free to list them down below.

Thanks for reading and happy frugaling.

The post 10 Ways On How To Get Free Food Delivered To You appeared first on Frugal For Less.

You’ve finally retired, and you’re looking for a way to pass the time. Free online courses for senior citizens can be a great way to pass the time.

It gives you a chance to learn something new at a relaxed pace from inside your very own home.

And with the internet at your fingertips, there’s literally thousands of choices to explore for both old and new areas of interest.

In this article, we’re going to give you a list of the 22 best free online courses for senior citizens. We’ve broken down these courses into specific categories as well.

After that, we’ll show you some pointers on how and where to look for free courses, as well as what “free” might actually mean on different websites.

For each free online course listed here, we’ll give you a description along with a link to a website in which the course can be found.

Let’s go ahead and get started.

Finance

1. Retirement

This “click through” course offered by The Vanguard Group, Inc. is easy to get through.

You simply click on the links that apply to you and follow the information as it’s presented.

There are several options for all stages of life, and information on everything from social security to money management.

This kind of course is typical on investment websites.

We listed the one on Vanguard, but if you have your retirement with Merrill Lynch (for example) there is a very good chance that they, too, offer a free course on retirement.

Technology

This is probably the area where most senior citizens need some kind of training or assistance.

There are so many new apps and platforms being introduced that it’s difficult for anyone to keep up.

Techboomers.com offers over 100 free classes dealing with technology.

A simple search of “basic computer skills” turns up 72 pages of classes for just about every interest and skill level. Here are a few samples of what they have to offer:

2. How to Save a GIF on your Computer

Next time you see that funny cat GIF, you can save it to show the grandkids.

3. What is Antivirus Software + How Does it Work?

Learn more about malware and viruses, and how you can protect your computer and personal files.

4. How to Transfer Pictures and Videos from iPhone to Windows PC

Free up space on your smartphone so you can take more pictures and video of the grandkids.

Don’t worry, they have classes for Android and Mac users as well.

Most of the courses are easily to follow.

As you scroll through and read them, they contain links to take you where you need to go at an appropriate step of the course.

In today’s reliance on technology to communicate, it can sometimes be difficult to get younger family members to engage.

If you have an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” attitude, you could start your own blog as a way to keep them connected.

5. Step-by-Step for Beginning Bloggers

This course offered by SkillShare breaks the process down into 14 short videos.

It’s a literal step-by-step process that shows you exactly where to click and what to type.

You will be up and writing your first post in just a few hours.

Want more information on blogging? We also put together this detailed guide on how to start a profitable blog for beginners.

Health and Fitness

6. Introducing Ageing

This one addresses increased longevity and how to improve your health as you age.

It’s offered by The Open University (OpenLearn), which is another website that has a lot of classes that are searchable by topic and interest.

This particular course can be downloaded to read on other devices, which is a handy feature.

You can start it on your computer then download it to your Kindle to continue the course wherever you’re most comfortable.

7. Yoga with Adriene

If you want something more active this site has free yoga videos.

Each video is about 20-30 minutes long, and Adriene guides you through each step of the practice.

She runs monthly themed practices, with each day building on the previous.

All of the videos are available on her site or on YouTube, so you can go at your own pace throughout her yoga course.

8. HealthCare System

As we age, we have to deal with doctors and healthcare more often, and that can sometimes be a very confusing and frustrating process.

Khan Academy’s video course includes an overview and discussions about drug pricing.

Nutrition

9. Nutrition in Aging

Nutrition is a huge part of our health and fitness, and there are several courses that address all aspects of nutrition.

This one from Imperial College London is extremely interesting.

The course is 4 weeks long, and only requires 2-4 hours per week, but it’s packed with information that will give you both the fundamentals of nutrition and some guidelines for enhancing your nutrition.

10. Diabetes-the Essential Facts

You can also often find classes on nutrition in relation to specific health issues.

Coursera’s is from the University of Copenhagen and covers fundamentals of the disease, prevention and treatment, and new research.

The course consists of short videos and takes approximately 8 hours to complete on your own time schedule.

Now, remember all of that free time that we talked about at the beginning of the article?

It doesn’t always have to be filled up with “real life” stuff. Sometimes you may just want to take a brain break and look at something that interests you.

Fortunately, at least one other person somewhere probably has the same interest.

There are courses across a wide spectrum of topics that match just about any interest or hobby you may have or want to explore.

Art

11. Pyramids of Giza: Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology

Offered by Harvard University and available through edX, this introductory-level class runs for 8 weeks, but is self-paced.

It has a recommendation of 2-4 hours per week to complete the materials.

You will notice that it does mention that the course is free of charge.

However, if you put your cursor over the dollar sign, you will notice a message pop up.

It reads, “Upgrade for formal credit, premium content, and extended access.”

This isn’t to say that you will not get a decent course for free.

You will still get the material for the class itself.

But you should be aware of what might else be offered so you’re not surprised when you sign up for a course.

Whether it’s for your own health or financial well-being, there are some things that you should just be knowledgeable about.

Here are some courses that will help keep you informed and up to date.

12. Free Drawing Lessons for Beginners

John C. Kline graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

He offers this course on his website. Broken down into 14 lessons, the videos are clear and easy to understand.

13. The Will Kemp Art School

If painting with acrylics is something that interests you, try this page.

Their free video courses include Still Life, Landscape, and Townscape tutorials, as well as how to set up materials and color mixing.

Maybe just looking at and learning about art is more your style.

If this is the case, there are quite literally thousands of free courses that can meet your needs.

14. History of Western Art and Civilization: Prehistory through the Middle Ages

SmartHistory has put together contributions from over 200 professionals and scholars to create their amazing course.

It’s a simple syllabus in document form that links out to videos and articles for each of the subjects.

All you have to do is read and click on the links to follow the course.

The course was so popular that the creators added two additional syllabi in the same style to cover more historic periods.

If you have ever wanted to see great works of art, but haven’t had the opportunity to travel, the internet is your passport.

15. Hermitage Main Museum Complex

Although this isn’t exactly a structured course, the Hermitage offers virtual tours of everything that falls under their purview.

This includes their main museum complex and the Winter Palace of Peter I (among others).

You will need decent internet speed and a good mouse to click on all of the offerings, but navigation is very simple.

Once you have picked your tour and the floor plan is loaded, you have two choices.

You can click “Begin the Tour” and it will give you a panorama shot as if you were actually looking around there.

To proceed through the tour, you simply click the arrows at the top.

There is also an information button at the top that gives a description of what you are seeing.

If you just want to view certain works of art or areas, you can click on each identified spot and it will take you to that part of the museum.

As the camera pans, there are information dots that you can click on to get descriptions.

It’s very well done, and truly the next best thing to being there.

Music

Sure, you like to listen to it, but have you ever wanted to learn more about your favorite music?

There are courses for every style to fit your listening pleasure. (It goes without saying that you will need good audio and video capability for these courses).

Have those headphones ready.

16. The Music of the Beatles

One of the most popular bands of all time gets its own 6-week course.

Produced by the University of Rochester, the video lectures track the band from the beginning, while examining the impact they had on music in general.

17. History of Rock, Part One

Want a more general look at Rock and Roll?

The University of Rochester offers this course, which is actually on its regular class schedule.

This is a more structured 8-week long class with actual start dates, but still only requires an effort of 2-4 hours a week.

There are two parts to this particular sequence of courses.

Part One covers the time before rock (pre-1955) to the end of the 1960s and explores the birth of the genre in great detail.

18. Jazz Appreciation

If you’re a little more laid back, the University of Texas at Austin offers a class that is completely self-paced.

It uses performances, examples, and lectures to tell the history of jazz music, and covers the greats like John Coltrane.

This is definitely one of my favorite free online courses for senior citizens.

19. Introduction to Classical Music

If you have ever wanted to dive into classical music, Yale has an excellent class.

This one is similar to the History of Rock class mentioned above, in that it has actual start dates, and covers approximately 44 hours of instruction and information.

While that may sound like a lot, the site suggests 9 weeks at 2-3 hours per week to work through the materials, and everything is flexible.

You set your own schedule and can change it as needed.

History

From ancient civilizations to modern politics, there are multiple courses to explore.

20. Introduction to Ancient Greek History

Yale offers this course consisting of 24 YouTube videos broken down into 30-40 increments.

It covers Greek history from its initial development to the end of the classical period.

The videos can be watched at any time.

21. Health and Wellbeing in the Ancient World

The Open University has a course that uses archeology and literature to examine how ancient Greeks and Romans dealt with societal issues.

It runs for 6 weeks and starts on specific dates.

22. Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree

Ever wanted to trace your family history?

Take a look at this course from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Over 6 weeks, at roughly 4 hours a week, you will gain an understanding of basic genealogy techniques that will help you build your family tree.

Where to Look For Free Online Courses For Senior Citizens

The information that you’re looking for will determine the best websites to search.

AARP

This is the absolute clearinghouse for information geared toward senior citizens.

They have an excellent description of lifelong learning as well as links to some individual websites and organizations that offer free courses.

Libraries

Check your local or county branch.

Even though some have changed focus and offer more technology than actual book lending, they are still a fantastic resource.

Many, like the Hancock County Library System in Mississippi, have dedicated senior citizen programming, as well as links to courses for seniors.

City and County Recreation Programs

You probably have seen rec programs for kids of all ages.

However, many people do not realize that city rec departments

This includes examples such as the Hayward (CA) Rec & Park District.

They usually offer a wide range of programs and courses for senior citizens as well, many of them offered online.

Both this option (and the library option above) will give you more focused courses, sometimes even particular to the region you live in.

If you can’t find the contact information for the recreation department, you can contact your local City Hall and they will direct you to the correct area.

Depending on the area that you live in, the recreation department may fall under the supervision of the county itself.

If all else fails, contact the county offices for information specific to your location.

Continuing Education

There are several websites that are devoted to free courses, sometimes called e-learning.

Some are at elementary or high school level, and some are offered by actual colleges.

Regardless, continuing education websites are a great place to find courses of varying difficulty on multiple topics.

Colleges

As mentioned in the previous section, many colleges offer continuing education courses free of charge.

Local community colleges will be more likely to have online college courses designed specifically for senior citizens.

To be clear, classes offered at colleges will be much more academic than casual.

However, most do run on a self-paced schedule with an option for more rigorous academics.

In addition, when you get to this level of looking at courses, it’s also important to understand exactly what “free” means, and what you might be getting if you take a free course.

Other Definitions of Free

It’s much more common to see senior discounts than actual offers of free items. Sometimes, free does mean exactly that: you do not have to pay.

However, there are times that what is advertised as free is very basic and to get to the “good stuff” you have to pay a fee.

Many courses, including some we have listed below, are actual college classes that are being offered in real time.

Enrolled students are taking these classes as part of their college curriculum.

Colleges and universities have gotten smart, however, and now offer several of these class with an “audit only” option.

This is why it’s free to you.

You sign up to “audit” the class. You get the instruction, materials, videos, etc., but you usually do not have to do the assignments or quizzes.

There are also several definitions of “free” when it comes to online courses: grants, reduced fees, and reimbursement are very common.

Whatever course you look at, be sure that you understand how any payments work, and guarantee that the course will not cost you money in the long run.

Also, some sites may require you to register to be able to access the courses.

Most of these are free registrations, because they only want to know who is interested in taking their courses.

Once registered, some will curate your choices, and notify you of any new courses in your chosen interests.

These sites will sometimes charge for premium materials.

This could be extra videos, a certificate of completion, or extra help if needed. It will be up to you to determine whether you want to take that extra step.

Now that you have an idea of what to look for, let us take a quick look at what you will need for your online courses.

What You Will Need For These Courses

Computer

You will need something to view the courses on.

Most classes are compatible with both Windows and Apple products, so it should not matter if you have a laptop or an iPad.

Many that are document based have the option of downloading the course to multiple devices.

Be sure to check when you enroll, because that could influence your availability for time commitments.

Internet

A good internet connection will be vital, especially if you’re taking a course with audio and video.

If your internet is slow or spotty, as it’s in many rural areas, you can still take courses.

But to save yourself frustration, you might want to stick to the courses that you can scroll or click through and avoid videos.

You can also check to see if the videos in a class are available to download, or if you have to watch them via YouTube or other video platform.

If you can download them, you can take the time to do so, and then watch them at your leisure.

Headphones

If you’re the only one taking the course, you may want to have a good pair of headphones ready.

Sometimes the sound on videos is distorted, which can make it hard to hear over laptop or tablet speakers.

Headphones can also cancel out background noise, allowing you to concentrate on the course, and not be distracted by what is going on around you.

In the case of a music course, others in the house may actually prefer that you use the headphones.

Notebook and Pen

Depending on why you’re taking a course, you may want to have a notebook and pen or pencil nearby so you can take notes.

Some courses have a lot of useful information, and it might be good to write things down so you remember them easier.

About the Courses

There are all different types of courses online.

Many are available at any time and you can return to them repeatedly to gather information.

There are others that have more structure to them.

They have set lessons that should be completed in order, but you can still do so on your own schedule.

Still others are even more structured.

These are usually the ones that are offered by universities and colleges, like the first class listed above.

They will often have a set start and end date, and lessons will need to be watched/completed in a certain amount of time.

The information from these courses will be much more detailed and in depth.

They are all 100% online and have suggested time commitments (i.e. 2-3 hours a week) necessary to complete the material.

That’s not to say that you will have a lecture to watch at a certain time.

Most of these types of classes are asynchronous, which means you can take everything at your own pace and on your own schedule.

The times and dates assigned are just guidelines to help keep you up to date.

We recognize that we have given you a lot of information, so now we are going to share 22 free online courses.

We tried to find a cross-section of interests to show you just how many courses are out there.

Keep in mind, also, that there are often several different versions of these courses available.

Final Thoughts On Free Online Courses For Senior Citizens

As you have probably been able to tell, this article could go on for pages and pages listing all of the wonderful free online courses that are available for senior citizens.

We did mention some pages that serve as clearinghouses. They have gathered all courses for a topic and put them in one place.

These include, but certainly are not limited to:

• FutureLearn
• edX (this one will give you mostly structured college classes)
• SkillShare
• Coursera
• OpenLearn
• Khan Academy.

Notice as you browse these sites that classes are offered from literally all over the world.

Do not be overwhelmed with the amount of information that you find.

Embrace the fact that we live in a time that we can have all of this information literally at our fingertips.

Go out, explore, and have fun learning new things.

If you have any other courses you’d like to add to our list of the 22 best free online courses for senior citizens, let us know in the comments below.

The post 22 Free Online Courses for Senior Citizens appeared first on Frugal For Less.

We all need a little help getting our finances in order, and with so many fantastic finance apps out there, there’s no reason why we all can’t start getting our budgets on track this year.

One of the most popular financial management apps available today is Spendee, a full-service finance app that gives you all the financial tools and resources you need to be successful.

Focusing on ease of use, a wide range of features, and tiered memberships, Spendee is changing the way that consumers manage their money and track their expenses.

In our thorough Spendee review, we’ll show you why Spendee is one of the most popular budgeting apps available today by discussing features, pricing, and how you can use Spendee to take control of your financial health.

• Direct Link to Spendee

An Introduction to Spendee

Spendee was created to help everyday consumers make smart decisions about their money.

What was originally an expense-tracking app has developed into a robust, full-service financial management tool used by millions of people around the world.

While managing your money is certainly important, it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience.

With simple, straightforward tools and resources, the team at Spendee has created a platform that lets you succeed financially.

Connect your accounts at over 2,000 banks across the world in just seconds, and start the journey toward financial success. No matter what you need in your next financial app, Spendee is a great option.

Spendee gives you a complete picture of your overall financial health, allowing you to make sound financial decisions when it comes to spending, saving, and investing your money.

How Does Spendee Work?

Spendee is a comprehensive financial dashboard right on your phone, giving you insights into where your money is going each and every month.

With a wide range of intuitive financial tools, you can make the most of Spendee and get control of your finances. You can easily track your cash flow by linking your bank accounts to your Spendee account.

When you connect your bank accounts, all of your incoming and outgoing transactions are automatically imported into Spendee, meaning you get an instant overview of your cash flow month over month.

In addition to linking your bank accounts, you can link your crypto wallets and you can manually enter your expenses to keep an accurate record of your finances.

Once your accounts are linked, you can review real-time reports detailing your finances, from monthly spending to your historical cash flow trends.

With one tap, you can view an incoming versus outgoing cash diagram to see if you’re spending more than you’re making.

Spendee lets you set specific budgets for all of your spending categories, such as entertainment, travel, and bills.

These budgets will alert you if you’re reaching the top of your budget or if you go over, which makes it easier to manage your money and make adjustments to your spending if necessary.

Spendee breaks down your budget into a daily allowance as well, so you know exactly how much you can spend on any given day to stay on budget for the month.

You can link your Spendee account to multiple users, which is particularly useful for families and roommates.

Since Spendee is an international app, you can even choose your specific currency to make money management that much easier.

What Can Spendee Do for You?

Spendee provides a streamlined approach to financial management, and the entire experience of using the Spendee app is simply enjoyable.

Compatible with hundreds of banks across the world, you can get your financial accounts connected in just seconds.

You can save your financial accounts on the app for continual updates to track and monitor your incoming and outgoing transactions.

As soon as you link your accounts, Spendee will analyze your spending and provide you with a detailed snapshot of your account.

You can track expenses and income, spending categories, and budgets all from your phone, making it easy to stay on top of your finances at any time.

Multiple Currencies

No matter where you are in the world, you can use Spendee to track your earnings and expenses throughout the month. Spendee supports hundreds of currencies, and you can switch your default currency at any time.

In addition to viewing and tracking your finances in multiple currencies, Spendee updates currency exchange information daily, meaning you get the latest information on exchange rates.

Signing Up for Spendee

Signing up for Spendee is incredibly simple, and it takes just a few minutes to register, link your accounts, and start using the Spendee app.

When you sign up for Spendee, you’ll just need to enter your name and email address to get started.

Then you’ll have the opportunity to enter some additional personal information, customize your account, and link your external financial accounts.

The more accounts that you do link, the more accurate the financial dashboard will be.

Since some of Spendee’s suggestions are based on your personal financial profile, the more information you connect to Spendee, the more accurate the suggestions will be.

We do understand that some people can be very hesitant to link sensitive information to any website, and for good reason.

If you’re not careful, you could end up being the victim of an online scam, which could be devastating for your finances.

Being cautious online is definitely important, but we are here to tell you that Spendee is a completely safe and legitimate financial management site, meaning there isn’t risk when you link your financial accounts to Spendee.

Spendee uses bank-level encryption to keep your personal information safe and secure at all times.

You can delete your Spendee account at any time, and if you do, all of your stored data is automatically deleted from Spendee servers.

Pricing

Spendee has three price tiers that provide various financial features.

We like that there are multiple subscription options because consumers that don’t feel they need all the features aren’t forced to pay them.

There are other financial management apps out there that use a “one size fits all” pricing approach, so it’s nice to see that Spendee has multiple pricing options.

Spendee is currently offering a 7 day free trial for the Premium plan, which unlocks all of Spendee’s fantastic features.

If you don’t want to pay for the service, Spendee’s Basic plan is completely free.

This plan gives you a basic overview of your finances and allows you to connect your bank account to review and monitor your cash flow.

You’ll also have the ability to set up one budget and one cash wallet, but you can’t share the wallet with other users.

The basic plan is ideal for anyone looking for a general overview of their finances to simply track and monitor.

For those that need more features, there are two additional plans to choose from – Spendee Plus and Spendee Premium.

Spendee Plus includes all of the features of the Basic plan, and allows you to use an unlimited number of cash wallets and an unlimited number of budgets.

You can also share cash wallets across multiple users, making it great for families and roommates that want to create a strict budget for the household.

Spendee Plus is just $1.99 per month, or if you pay annually, you’ll pay just $14.99 per year.

Spendee Premium offers the most features, making it a great option for anyone looking for a full-service financial management platform.

You’ll get all the great features and benefits that come with Spendee Plus, and you’ll also get automatic transaction categorization and the ability to connect all of your bank and financial accounts, allowing you to analyze and track your finances in one simple dashboard.

If you’re interested in the Spendee Premium plan, you’ll pay just $2.99 for the monthly subscription, or just $22.99 if you pay on an annual basis, which is a huge cost savings compared to the monthly option.

Customer Support

Spendee has a growing database of in-depth knowledge and support articles that you can browse right on the support page.

The page is broken up into multiple categories   Features, Payments and Billing, and Security, to name a few.

Spendee also has a dedicated support team to help you with your questions and concerns.

You can contact the support team directly via email on the About Us page, or you can submit a message in the contact form on that same page.

In addition to a support team that handles and resolves questions quickly, Spendee takes it a step further and gives you the direct emails of some of Spendee’s top executives.

You can email virtually anyone on the executive team, and Spendee even lists the CEO’s email on the About Us page.

There aren’t many companies out there that openly give out executive email addresses, so it’s nice to see that Spendee is open and transparent when it comes to communication and support.

Comparing Similar Sites

With so many budgeting and finance apps available on both Android and iOS devices, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you.

When compared to other finance and budget apps, it’s clear that Spendee is a high-quality, easy to use app that virtually anyone can use.

It rivals top personal finance apps such as Mint and Personal Capital.

Taking a look at Spendee’s features compared to Mint’s, they go head to head and both offer an impressive lineup of financial tools.

In both apps, you’ll be able to connect your accounts, get detailed reports, view spending in specific categories, and create a personalized financial action plan based on your saving and spending habits.

The same goes for Personal Capital – both Spendee and Personal Capital offer very similar, insightful financial tools right within the app, which is why Spendee is such a great choice for anyone looking for a new financial app to get them on track with their budgeting and spending.

Why Spendee Is a Solid Choice

If you’re looking for a solid app that can help you manage virtually every aspect of your finances, consider downloading Spendee today.

When it comes to understanding your expenses and creating a simple, straightforward budget, Spendee has the tools that you need to get your finances back on track.

From spending categories and analysis to automatic updates and syncing with your financial accounts, Spendee is quickly becoming a top app for users around the world who are looking for help with their finances.

What once was only available in specific locations is now available around the world – Spendee’s insightful financial tools are available in hundreds of currencies, making the app a success on a global scale.

Offering multiple subscription options and a wide range of features in each price plan, Spendee is an app for everyone.

Do you use Spendee to track your finances? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!

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