How to Shop Free
When most people head to the store they do so knowing that to pick up the goods they are after they will have to open their wallet. If you are lacking funds, or you simply want to keep more of your cash for yourself, you can change that paradigm. Though not always simple, shopping for free, without breaking any laws, is a possibility. By employing some useful tricks of the trade, you can trim your budget and fill up your trunk with goods without opening up your wallet at all.
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Instructions
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Become a secret shopper. Many on the hunt for free goods turn to secret shopping as a way to take home items without opening their wallets. By applying to work at one of the secret shopping companies available online, you can make your shopping trips profitable as many of these companies not only cover the costs of the goods you purchase but also pay you a small fee for carrying out the transaction and ultimately rating the company's performance.
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Clip coupons. Coupons prove an effective way to get things for free for many savvy shoppers. If you want to give couponing a try, start by clipping coupons out of newspaper circulars and printing them from online coupon printing sites.
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Seek out stores that double coupons. While you can get things for free without coupon doubling, doing so is certainly easier if a store doubles the coupons. Visit the customer service desks of grocery stores in your area and inquire as to their coupon policies. If you find one that doubles -- or better yet, triples -- make this your store of choice.
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Review sale ads. For coupon savings to equate to getting items for free you often have to combine a coupon with a store sale. Each week, study the sale ads either in print form or online at the store's website. As you study these ads, look specifically for items that are on sale for which you have coupons. If you notice, for example, that shampoo for which you have a coupon is on sale for $2 and you have a coupon that will give you a $2.50 discount on the product, your item will be free. When you find items that match your coupons, jot these deals down on your shopping list so you don't forget to take advantage of them.
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Shop early in the week. When you spot a hard-to-beat deal, you have to grab it while you can. When a store sale and coupon combine to produce an item that is free, many other couponers will likely be hot on the trail of this deal too. If you want to be sure you nab it up before the items in question are gone, head out early in the week or contact the store and request that items be held for you.
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Use rainchecks. If you miss a free deal, you may not be out of luck. Stop at the customer service desk and tell the employee that the shelves are bare of a particular item. She may be able to write you a raincheck, extending the sale price until the item you had your eye on comes in.
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