10 Household Items You Can Get For Free

With the cost of so many things rising day by day, it is nice to be able to get something for free every once in a while.  The following are 10 everyday products that you can often get for no cost with just a small amount of effort on your part.

1. College Courses

If you have a computer and an Internet connection, you can download college course lectures from most prestigious schools for free.  You won’t get credit for the class, of course, but you will be able to learn from the courses, and apply your new knowledge to your own career.  With so many colleges having budget cuts and accepting fewer applicants, this is a great option to continue learning in a struggling economy.

2. Tax Preparation

Tax preparation, provided by volunteers gathered by the IRS, can be a great free service if you are on a low income.  Another way to get a free answer about your taxes is to sign up with Turbo Tax before the 31st of January.

3. Antibiotics

Another free item you can try your hand at getting is antibiotics.  If you have a prescription, you can find drugstores that will offer the generic version for free, in the hopes that you will use them for all your other prescriptions.

4. eBooks

If you love reading, you can get free eBooks from a number of places.  If you have an e-Reader, such as the Kindle, you will be able to download a number of free books each week.  Even if you don’t have an e-Reader, you can find apps for your phone or computer that allow you to read the full text on your device.

5. Television

Television is free today too, at least partially free.  You can watch a number of your favorite television shows online on the web via free TV sites, such as Hulu.com.  Most of the shows have commercials, but the content is free if you have a computer to watch it on and a decent Internet connection.

6. Help/Advice

If you can’t afford professional help for a number of everyday issues, ranging from pest control to DIY advice, you can find a number of online sites that offer free “how to” advice on many different subjects.  Online video/ article sites such as eHow, wikiHow and Howdini, offer free “how to” videos and articles that provide clear, step-by-step advice on a variety of different subjects. 

7. Financial Advising

Staying online, you can find sites that can help you with your budget planning and retirement.  There are a number of online calculators on sites, such as PaycheckCity, that can help you calculate everything from your income taxes, to how much money you’ll need to make to retire on. 

If you are interested in keeping your finances in order for free, keep track of your credit score with a free credit report once per year.  Contact your local bank to find a reputable site with no hidden costs.

8. Gym

Also, it is easy to find a gym that offers a free week’s membership.  If you have a lot of gyms in your town, it is perfectly possible to get months of free workouts without paying a penny.

9. WiFi

Of course, WiFi access through public places is free, as well!  Try your local library for the best free signal.

10. Products

While you’re online, check out the “Free” section of items for sale on Craigslist in your local area.  This section offers a ton of free products offered by people who are cleaning out their houses and garages, or who have unsold items from a garage sale that they want people to come and haul away. You can get everything from working free jacuzzis to TV sets, to furniture and clothing.  Some people even make a living by driving around all day, collecting free Craigslist items, fixing them up and then selling them!