Things around the house are a little quiet this weekend... husband is gone fishing in Central Oregon, and dog-son is still recovering from a cut in his foot pad that required sutures. I've got HGTV on in the background (Flip or Flop marathon, anyone?) this afternoon while I take care of some domestic duties - laundry, vacuuming, the usual. But my weekend has also been filled with fun outings; Friday evening brought dinner with a college friend visiting from London, and Saturday was filled with shopping, Paint Nite with the bestie, and celebrating the album release of our friends' band.
All in all, another successful weekend in the books.
For today's post, I wanted to celebrate some of the freebies that I like to throw into my routines or onto my calendar. I remember learning from my high school economics teacher that "there's no such thing as a free lunch," but it's hard to argue with a good "free" deal when you find one!
1. Free REI classes
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My husband and I have attended a few of the free classes at our local REI store, and we've enjoyed learning new ways to enjoy the Great Outdoors from area experts. The ones that stand out in my mind focused on lightweight backpacking, and local hikes that are dog-friendly. I've also taken a couple skills classes through REI's Outdoor School, but those come with a fee (so they don't quite fit the nature of this list). If you live near an REI store, and you want to learn more about getting active outside, I definitely recommend signing up for their monthly email.
2. Free tire checks and tire repairs at Les Schwab
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I remember, when I first started driving, my dad always told me to go to Les Schwab for my tires. Sure enough, they've been my go-to tire shop; I recently bought a new set from them last fall. And I'm sure glad I stopped by my local shop a couple weeks ago - I noticed one of my tires was a little low on air, so I asked if they could inflate it (which they do for free). After taking a look at the tire in question, the employee who was assisting me informed me that I had a leak, and he repaired it at no charge. Another positive experience with a great company.
3. Free ring cleanings at Fred Meyer
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I had some time to spare while waiting for Les Schwab to fix my flat tire, so I wandered over to the Fred Meyer across the parking lot and asked for a quick ring clean for my wedding ring, which they provide for free. Because I work with children, my ring often doesn't stay clean for long, so I LOVE it when I get to see it freed up from the dirt and grime that dulls it. Plus, I had a Fred Meyer coupon for two free reusable shopping bags (no purchase necessary), so it was a double-whammy of freebies that day!
4. Free Victoria's Secret panties
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A friend once told me, after she moved into her new place, that she kept forgetting to check her mailbox at her new house until she realized that it'd been awhile since she last got her coupon for a free panty from Victoria's Secret! This is always a fun freebie - just sign up to receive mailings from them, and every couple months you'll get a coupon for a free panty, no strings attached. And the options are always cute - no granny panties here!
5. Free listings on Cragislist
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This one is my favorite, both for the potential of the free items that you could find, and for the entertainment value. If you're ever needing to kill some time, check out the "for sale" tab on the website and select "free stuff." And then the fun begins. From a practical point of view, I scored a free set of really nice bar stools for my new house - the only cost to me was the 10 minutes to find the listing and the 45 minutes of round-trip driving to Portland and back. However, my enjoyment from this freebie option usually comes from the random listings for things like "free chicken broth," "free Buddhist magazines," and a listing from a woman seeking revenge on her cheating boyfriend by placing all of his fishing gear and equipment up for grabs on the side of the road.
In a world where the bills seem to pile up quickly, it sure is nice to save some money wherever we can. What are some of your favorite free things?
A.
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