Be Nice and Get Free Stuff!

Good Morning Everyone.  I don’t know about you, but I love getting free stuff.  Whether it’s an extra Iced Coffee in the morning or a new lampshade, I love getting free stuff and I am sure that you do too! This past week as I was adding up my personal spending and I realized how many items that I actually got for free last week.  At first I thought that it was just really good luck, but then I realized that it is actually my personal relationships that get me free stuff.

Think about where you get your coffee in the morning; is it always at the same cafe? When you do your grocery shopping, do you always check out with the same cashier?  The best way to get free stuff is to build personal relationships with the people who assist, serve, and help you when you are shopping.  In other words…smile and be nice to people and you will get free stuff!

Check Out These 3 Great Tips for Getting Free Stuff

1. Be a Loyal Customer.  In our daily routines if we always see the same people they will become more comfortable and acquainted with our daily habits. As people become more comfortable with us they will start to talk with us.  As we talk to people and learn more about their lives we can relate our own lives to them.  I enjoy talking with my Starbucks Baristas about their day and asking their opinion about which flavours of Tea and Lattes I should try.

Last week my Starbucks Barista offered me a Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte as well as a Grande Caramel Macchiato for Free.  Thursdays are my Eat Out day.  Every Thursday I usually eat lunch at the same Quiznos and it is always the same cashier who works that shift.  Last Thursday the cashier offered me my combo for free.  With my personal relationships last week I saved money on my daily coffees and my weekly lunch. 

2. Be Nice To Everyone.  Have you ever heard the expression “Kill them with Kindness?” This is true to fight our enemies and it’s also true when we are trying to make friends.  We can attract more attention with sweetness than we do with bitterness.

Bad days are contagious and if we spread our unhappiness then other people will be unhappy too.  Have you ever had a really bad customer service experience? Was that experience bad because you were having a bad day or because the customer service agent was having a bad day?

I recently had to return to IKEA for the 2^nd time, to return a lampshade for the 2^nd time.  Needless to say I was not pleased but I calmly explained my situation to the customer agent, I could have definitely yelled but that wouldn’t be fair because it wasn’t her fault.  To make a long story short, she empathized with my story and she gave me 2 lampshades for free; thanks to my friendly attitude.

3. Sign Up for Rewards Programs.  If you are not a sociable or friendly person you can still save money without building personal relationships.  A great way to get free stuff is to sign up for Rewards Programs. Some Rewards Programs are free and sometimes we have to pay to become a member; trust me when I tell you that not all Rewards Programs are worth it.  We should always read the fine print before we sign up for a new Rewards Program.  Duane Reade Drug Stores, Air Miles, and Sephora all offer Free Rewards Programs.

What is your favourite way to get Free Stuff?

Photo by Christine Warner