If you watched my most recent Youtube Video, I did a little glimpse of my sample (hoarding) drawers.
Well today I am going to teach you the basics of how you can acquire free samples!
A little background info on how it started for me. About two years ago I started to watch the show Extreme Couponing on TLC religiously. I thought that it was simply amazing that someone could use so much time looking for coupons to save money on groceries! Me and my brother do the grocery shopping for ourselves, and I thought it would be a good idea to find awesome coupons so we could save a couple bucks. Unfortunately, the coupon laws in Canada are way different than in the United States, which refrain people from using the same coupon more than once, and we aren't able to double coupons in most grocery stores. While my dream to be an extreme couponer ended, I discovered something better. FREE PRODUCT SAMPLES.
This blog post is to help you learn how to receive product samples from companies who are willing to give them out. These are my personal, favourite and convenient ways that I get free samples from companies.
Lets start with the basics. The easiest way to get beauty samples is from beauty stores.
Sephora
1) a. My favourite time to buy anything from Sephora online is when the have the mystery bag of samples.
2) b. Another way to get free samples from Sephora is to ask them.
Not a lot of people know this, or maybe they do, is that you can ask associates for a sample of a product so you can test it out before you buy it. You can ask for samples for foundation and usually they'll give you a 10 day sample. This can be applied to counters in The Hudson's Bay and Mac stores too. You just have to ask! Its better for customers to try a sample of a product first to see if they like it, than them buying it, returning it and the product having to be thrown away.
Most, if not all of the samples in my "beauty sample drawer" are from Sephora. I actually do most of my Sephora shopping online because you can get three free samples with your purchase, and sometimes they even have promos going on to receive mystery sample bags, which are my favourite.
Couponing Websites
3) My favourite way of finding out about free samples are Coupon/Freebie Websites. The three sites that I follow everyday are:
- Save a Loonie
- Canadian Savers
- Canadian Coupons
These websites keep me updated with current sales and promotions going on in stores, and whenever there is a freebie going on, I receive Twitter text messages from Savealoonie.com. These websites let you in on information regarding which brands and companies are currently offering deals and free products at the moment. Doing this guarantees my opportunity for free samples. I know, it sounds crazy but if you want to have a chance at free stuff, you gotta be prepared!
This is my sample drawer. Most of these things were acquired through the websites above.
Sampling Programs
4) The last way I receive samples are through sampling programs. What I mean by this is that I get sample boxes, from places such as:
P&G Brandsamplers- Procter and Gamble (P&G) is the company that offers us great products such as: Tide, Covergirl, Crest, Always, and Febreeze. Every year they have coupons available on the brandsaver website, and they also offer their Brandsaver Sample Box. These boxes offer various samples from detergent, shampoos, and sometimes beauty samples. In order to get these samples and coupons you have to make an account on their site.
(UPDATE 04/15/14): Accoring to Savealoonie, P&G is no longer offering the Brandsampler boxes! Which SUCKS since I posted this literally just yesterday and I read about it today haha. BUT the okay news is that you can still get FREE SAMPLES from P&G on their website: www.pgeveryday.ca . You are required to make an account on the website and read through articles and product reviews. Basically you have to get involved with the website now and you will get products based on your preferences, rather than a box full of goodies, you will get a couple things based on what you like. In a way this is a great way to target the right audiences, but who knows maybe they still will have more brandsamplers in the future! If you would like to register to learn about more products and get free samples, here's the registration link (End of update).
- Sample Source - is a website that offers free samples of products for consumers to try before buying. Similar to the P&G Brandsaver boxes, they offer seasonal boxes (spring, summer and fall) where you get a bunch of samples to try. You make an account with them, and when they have a box available (which you should keep a look out for) you fill out a survey and usually based on what you answered in the survey, they give you options of free samples of those products!
Here is a photo of all the Crest white strips I have got through various boxes. Sample Source usually has similar products you get from the P&G Brandsaver, which is good and bad.
Here is an overview of what kind of shampoo and conditioner samples you can get. Sometimes they offer shampoo and conditioner sachets so you won't always get bottles.
A lot of other ways you can get free samples are through magazines and Facebook pages of brands and companies. You just got to keep a good eye out for them. I hope my post will help anyone in their hopes of starting a sample collection! Its a great way to start trying new products or you know, becoming a hoarder like me.. haha.
Do you have any awesome tips to getting free samples? Please let me know!
Thanks for this awesome post! Legit, didn't know you can ask for samples! This will forever change my life! Thanks again for sharing this!
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