70 Valuable Things You Can Get for Free

Free podcasts

Whether you are a fan of true-crime, comedy or personal finance podcasts, there are apps and websites that can help you avoid subscription and download fees so you can listen to your favorite podcasts for free. 

Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, Pandora and Spotify let you listen to unlimited podcast episodes without paying. You can listen online, or install their free apps to listen while you’re at work, in the library or tackling a home repair project on the weekend.

Free music lessons

Have you always wanted to learn an instrument? Or are you itching to revisit your glory days of playing the drums in your best friend’s garage? Those dreams can become a reality with free websites and apps that help you beat the often steep prices of private music lessons and recording software.

Hoffman Academy and Drum Ambition offer free tutorials and practice sheet music to beginning learners. MusicTheory.net also offers free lessons on music theory for those looking for a more advanced understanding, and MuseScore is a free, open source site for composing and notating sheet music. Additionally, SoundGym can help you learn audio engineering and recording for free.

Free credit reports and freezes

You used to have to pay for credit freezes at the three major credit bureaus, but a federal law enacted in September 2018 prohibits Equifax, Experian and Transunion from charging a fee to freeze your credit. A credit freeze prevents new creditors from reviewing your credit report, making it more difficult for identity thieves to take out credit in your name.

Go to Equifax, Experian and Transunion to initiate the freeze and find out more about how it works. Also check with your state attorney general's office or consumer protection bureau to find out whether your state offers additional consumer protections on security freezes beyond what the federal law provides.

Free counseling

Sometimes you just need somebody to talk to. The website 7 Cups provides free counseling and listening services to those in need. The site (and its corresponding app) is based around an instant messaging model where you can either volunteer as a listener or message confidentially with a volunteer. The site does have a premium version where you can chat with licensed therapists, but it’s designed to be an initial step for those seeking help.

Similar to 7 Cups, Blah Therapy offers a premium version where you pay a monthly subscription fee to message a licensed therapist. However, it also has a completely free version that connects you with a trained listener who most likely has also been diagnosed with anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. We Are More, while not designed to take the place of in-person therapy, is a network of people diagnosed with chronic illnesses that provide peer counseling to each other.

Free smoke detectors

According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths occur in houses that don’t have properly working smoke detectors. For this reason, most states require smoke alarms in all residential dwellings. So, if you want to stay safe while also saving money, check out organizations near you that provide free smoke detectors, free installation and free battery replacement services.

Several local fire departments offer free smoke detectors, and will even come to your house to install them. For example, residents of Baltimore City or Fairfax, Va., can call the fire department’s non-emergency number to request a free smoke detector (contact your fire department’s non-emergency number to see if they offer free smoke detectors and installation). Through its Home Fire Campaign, the American Red Cross provides free smoke detectors to residents of several states. You can submit your request through GetASmokeAlarm.org.

Free stock trades

The 4 million customers of online and mobile brokerage Robinhood don’t receive the investment research or portfolio tools offered by more-established brokerages. And no, the brokerage’s app doesn’t let you steal from the rich to give to the poor. But Robinhood does offer no-commission and no-fee trades for all U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs. There’s also a free options trading service and, in some states, cryptocurrency trading. (Robinhood’s revenue comes from selling premium subscriptions that allow after-hours trading and margin trades.) There’s no minimum to invest. Just sign up, link your bank account and enjoy the savings.

Also, check with more-traditional online brokers such as Fidelity or Charles Schwab to see if they are offering any promotions.

Free resources for income investors

You can find millions of pages of free information online, but how many of them let you reap a tangible benefit? Consider our favorite free sources for reasoned discussion and hard-to-find financial data for income investors. 

For example, the Closed-End Fund Association has a tool for sorting and screening more than 600 closed-end funds. InvestinginBonds.com offers real-time market data on bond trading action and prices. Screen the tax-free bond universe for top yields with the Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) system. And, get monthly updates by sector (such as the High Yield and Mortgage Market updates) from TCW.

Free ETF trades

The less you pay in investing fees, the more you have to actually invest — and grow with the magic of compounding. So it really pays to focus on trading commission-free exchange-traded funds. Most online brokers offer a host of commission-free ETFs, and Vanguard offers the most with roughly 1,800 funds, including names from iShares and State Street.

A slew of the major online brokerages also offer commission-free trading on all stocks, ETFs and options (technically, the options have a separate small fee, but it still greatly reduced the cost on them). Among the big players doing so are Vanguard and Fidelity.

Free samples

You can score everything from small tubes of toothpaste, bottles of shampoo, mouthwash and deodorant to books, magazines, food and clothing. One of the easiest ways to find free sample products is to visit blogs and websites that cull freebie offers from a variety of sources, such as I Love Free Things (ilft.com) and FreeSamples.org. Manufacturers such as Betty Crocker, Pillsbury and Procter & Gamble regularly offer a limited supply of samples and full-sized products in exchange for subscribing to email newsletters. (Beware offers that require you to pay for shipping).

Signing up for rewards programs is another easy way to get free samples delivered to your door. For those with a sweet tooth, joining Godiva’s rewards program gets you free chocolate every month as well as free shipping on online purchases. And follow your favorite brands, companies or retailers on Facebook and Twitter to hear about freebies first-hand.

Free perks for your pooch

Caring for Fido can be expensive, but there are plenty of free goods and services dog owners should take advantage of to save money. Dog-lovers can subscribe to BringFido’s weekly emails to receive free samples for treats, food and dog shampoo. Additionally, some restaurants offer free treats to dogs during happy hour. And some hotels, such as Red Roof Inns and the Kimpton hotels, don’t charge extra for pets.

Free eye care

EyeCare America, which is a public service program of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, provides free eye exams and up to one year of care for any disease diagnosed during that exam for those without private insurance who are 65 and older and haven’t seen an eye doctor in three or more years. Visit EyeCareAmerica.org for program guidelines and to see if you qualify.

Free preventive care

As part of the Affordable Care Act, most health plans now must provide a variety of preventive-care benefits free — even if you haven’t met your plan's deductible for the year. Among the benefits that are fully covered: screenings for high blood pressure, mammograms for women older than 40 and routine vaccinations for children, as well as a long list of other tests and services. 

See the preventive-care page at Healthcare.gov for a full list of these preventive services and eligibility requirements.

Free rx drugs

Several supermarket pharmacies offer free prescriptions. For example, Meijer pharmacies offer free generic antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, medications for those with high cholesterol and more. At PriceChopper, you can access free diabetes medication and supplies (including a blood glucose monitoring device) through the store's Diabetes AdvantEdge Plan. You might need to enroll in a pharmacy loyalty program to receive the free drugs. Also: check with your supermarket pharmacy to see if they offer free prescription meds or supplies.

Pharmaceutical companies also offer free and low-cost drugs to low-income people without prescription-drug insurance. You can use the RxAssist database to find free medication through drug companies' patient assistance programs.

Free diet and fitness help

Need help sticking to a diet and exercise plan? Turn to apps such as MyFitnessPal.com, Sworkit, Nike+ Run Club and Runkeeper for free meal plans and calorie counters, plans to track your progress and for help mapping out runs and designing daily workouts. While these apps offer premium subscriptions, they all have free versions for Apple and Android phones. And if you’re an Apple Watch owner, there are free fitness apps built in.

You might also get free diet and fitness help from your employer; ask if your workplace has a wellness plan. These programs may include free gym access, weight-loss support groups and smoking cessation programs. Some will even pay you for your progress.

Free wellness classes

You may be able to find free fitness and wellness classes taught by experts in your area. For instance, certain Lululemon Athletica stores offer free yoga classes weekly. Many communities also host free workouts in public parks, libraries or community centers.

Want to try meditation? Centers often offer free introductory classes. Shambhala meditation centers located across the country offer free “learn to meditate” classes. We also found free intro classes at Zen meditation centers in Houston, Des Moines, Cambridge, Mass., and other locales.

You can try surfing the web for free workouts, too. YouTube hosts a multitude of instructional videos for yoga, Pilates, Zumba and other fitness practices.

Free park entry

Our national parks boast beautiful scenery, and you can take in the sights without paying a dime at some, including the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway. Plus, on several days throughout the year, you can get in free to all national parks that usually charge admission. Here’s the free-admission schedule.

Several state park systems — among them Maryland, New Hampshire, New York and Texas — offer older adults free admission or free annual passes. (Some passes require a small processing fee.)

Free museum visits

Many top-notch museums, galleries and zoos offer free admission year-round, including the Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., the Getty Center in Los Angeles and Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Others, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, let you in for free on certain days of the week or month.

Plus Bank of America cardholders can gain free admission to more than 225 museums and cultural centers on the first full weekend of every month.

Free concerts and performances

A great way to see performances for free is to volunteer as an usher at a local theater. Call the theater manager to find out how to sign up.

If you can’t commit to a long-term volunteer gig, take advantage of the occasional free concerts that some performing arts centers hold. For example, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., hosts a free concert Wednesday through Saturday at 6 p.m. (And for those of you outside the beltway, many of the concerts are viewable online.) Communities across the country have free lunchtime and evening concerts in the park during summer months. Check the websites of your local government or downtown development district for details.

Free sports

You needn’t pay a small fortune to see world-class athletes in action. You can watch Olympic athletes train for free in Park City, Utah, Colorado Springs, Colo., and Chula Vista, Cal.

Also, get an up-close look at your favorite baseball and football teams in action during spring training for Major League Baseball and summer training camps for the National Football League. In most cases, you still have to buy tickets, but the games are far less expensive than during the regular season and the stadiums are more intimate. And your chances for getting up close and personal with star players are far greater in the preseason. 

Tennis fan? The U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, Queens, NY, has Fan Week every year the week before the start of competition, featuring a variety of tennis-centric events including qualifying rounds and exhibitions with major players. 

Free fishing

Grab your pole and hang a "Gone Fishin’" sign on the door. Most states have select days when you can fish for free without a license, saving you about $7 to $30, depending on your location. You’ll find a list of states and dates at TakeMeFishing.org, or you can check with your local fish and wildlife agency for details.

Many locales let kids fish for free year-round. The age cutoff varies by state but is usually in the teens.

Free hobbies

Want to learn something new in your spare time? Many local retailers offer free workshops. For instance, you can improve your culinary skills at Williams-Sonoma’s free technique classes (some classes charge a small fee or require a purchase). At REI, you can take free clinics on bike maintenance, backpacking, camp cooking and more (you may have to pay for certain classes, and more if you’re not an REI member). Apple, Home Depot, A.C. Moore and Michaels stores also offer free classes for adults and kids.

Check your local library, too. We’ve seen hands-on workshops for computers, chess, knitting and more. Or check out a book or DVD on a topic that interests you, such as origami, pilates or international cooking.

Free movies and TV

Cable and streaming-content subscriptions can add up. Watch free movies and TV series online at SonyCrackle.com or head to the TV networks’ websites. You can also test out Hulu.com and Netflix for a month before they start charging your card; just don’t forget to cancel before the trial period ends. Also, make sure you’re on your cable provider’s email list, as they’ll often send you dates when the likes of HBO, Showtime and Epix are free with no signup required.

Free e-books

At Gutenberg.org or the University of Pennsylvania’s Online Books Page, you won’t pay a cent to legally download thousands of books that have expired copyrights, including War and Peace, Moby Dick and Little Women. You can also search for free e-books at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and iTunes.com. And if you have a library card, you can use the Libby app to borrow e-books for free from your library.

If you have a Kindle or the free Kindle reading app, you can swap e-books with your friends for as long as 14 days per book. 

Free audiobooks

If listening to stories is more your speed, download free audiobooks legally from Digitalbook and Loyal Books. (Both sites also offer free e-books.) The sites offer up classic books with expired copyrights, including works from Jane Austen, Edgar Allen Poe, Ayn Rand and other renowned authors. They also have children’s titles, such as The Three Little Pigs and The Secret Garden. Audible also has a selection of free titles for you to listen to.

Free music

Get your groove on with music streaming services, such as Pandora, iHeartRadio and Spotify. All three offer free versions, as well as premium subscriptions. You can listen online or install their handy apps for on-the-go access.

Free tuition

You don’t have to earn a four-year scholarship to get a free ride at college.

For example, Berea College, in Berea, Ky., provides all students a four-year tuition scholarship that amounts to nearly $100,000. Alice Lloyd College — another Kentucky school — doesn’t require students from a 108-county area in Central Appalachia to pay tuition, but it does require students to work at least ten hours a week to offset the cost of their education. College of the Ozarks in Missouri also requires students to participate in a work program rather than pay tuition. The City College of San Francisco recently started offering free tuition for city residents. And New York is the first state to make attending its public colleges free for residents with incomes of less than $125,000 a year.

Free grad school

If you want to get an advanced degree, your employer might help you pay for it. According to the Society for Human Resource Management’s 2023 report on employee benefits, 58% of the companies surveyed reported offering graduate or undergraduate educational assistance. On average, employers offer a maximum reimbursement of about $4,764 for tuition and education expenses (some of us got our master’s degree for free, thanks to our employer’s tuition assistance program).

Typically, employers that help employees pay for grad school require that they maintain a certain grade level and remain employed with the company for a period of time after completing a degree program.

Free courses

Many colleges and universities, including all eight Ivy League schools, offer free, open, online courses — without the rigorous admissions standards. You can search through hundreds of course offerings on sites such as Saylor.org, Coursera and Class Central. You can even get official credits and certifications for certain programs

And more-seasoned knowledge-seekers can even enjoy free courses offline. Many accredited, degree-granting institutions offer tuition waivers for older adults to earn credit or audit classes. Indeed, we found free or cheap college for retirees in all 50 states. Several states have laws requiring state-supported institutes of higher learning to waive tuition for older residents (usually age 60 or 65 and older). For example several Kentucky institutions, including the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville, waive the tuition and fees for anyone 65 or older. Ohio residents age 60 and older can audit classes for free as part of Kent State University’s Senior Guest Program.

Free computer classes

Brush up on your computer skills at your public library, which may offer a variety of free computer and technology classes. Some common courses include Internet and email basics, spreadsheet and word processing, digital photography and image editing and family history research. For instance, New Yorkers looking for free tech guidance can attend the New York Public Library’s TechConnect program, which offers more than 80 tech classes at the library’s branches across the city.

If you’re looking to add a few new skills to your resume to keep up with the tech wave, Khan Academy, Codecademy, Coursera and Free Code Camp offer free classes in programming languages, data science and other STEM subjects. Note that some websites also charge money for premium classes, but all have extensive libraries of courses for free.

Free language lessons

Whether you want to learn a new language to boost your résumé or prepare for a trip to a foreign country, you can take free lessons online. Go to Open Culture for a list of lessons around the Web. Duolingo offers game-based lessons online and on their popular app in languages including Spanish, Welsh, Hebrew and even Klingon.

Your public library may also offer courses or software to help you learn a few key phrases or even become proficient in another language.

Free resume help

Whether you’re applying for an internship, searching for your first job out of college or polishing a seasoned résumé, you can get free help with your job hunt. Stop by a One Stop Career Center (a service provided by the U.S. Department of Labor) in your area. Trained staff can help you with résumé writing, interviewing skills and online job searching techniques. The centers also offer job training programs, or they can arrange on-the-job training and apprenticeships with local employers.

You can also watch for workshops at your local library, community center or college.

Free financial advice

Shameless plug time: The actionable, straightforward guidance found all over Kiplinger.com and our social-media platforms is indeed free and can even help put more money in your pockets. Learn how to cut your tax bill, maximize returns on your investments, save more for retirement, stop insurance leaks, get the best banking and credit deals, and so much more.

Sign up for our free e-newsletters to get our best tips delivered straight to your email every week. You can also follow Kiplinger on Twitter, TikTok and Facebook.

Free capital gains

Who wouldn’t love to let their investments grow 100% tax-free? Take a pass on paying capital-gains taxes by investing in a Roth IRA. Any money you put into your Roth grows tax-free, and you won’t owe Uncle Sam a dime when you cash out in retirement. It’s all yours.

Check out the current Roth IRA contribution limits to see how much you can invest.

Free baby stuff

In total, parents spend an average of $13,000 in the first year of their child’s life, not including birth expenses, according to American Heritage Credit Union. Fortunately, there are a variety of freebies that can help keep down the costs of having a baby.

You can score free samples of formula, diapers, wipes, diaper cream and many other baby items from your hospital and doctors’ offices. Many companies also provide free samples of their baby products. Hit up their website or contact customer service.

Free portfolio checkup

Are your investments as diversified as you think they are? You needn’t pay a financial planner to evaluate your holdings. Simply use Morningstar.com’s Instant X-Ray tool to check for balance among stock sectors, investment styles, geographic regions and more. Many online brokerages provide similar tools for their account holders, too.

For ideas to round out your portfolio, consider Kiplinger’s 25 favorite no-load mutual funds, Kiplinger’s top ETF picks and our list of top dividend-paying stocks.

Free retirement planning

A free tool at Fidelity.com enables everyone, not just Fidelity customers, to estimate future retirement expenses and income. It recommends appropriate investment strategies to generate steady income (with or without using annuities) and provide growth to keep pace with inflation.

Free credit reports, scores and monitoring

You can get a free weekly credit report through AnnualCreditReport.com, whereas in the past a free report was only available once every 12 months. Additionally, you can also visit a number of other websites to get your FICO or VantageScore credit score free. On top of that, some sites will monitor your reports for suspicious activity and ping you via e-mail as soon as changes appear.

To join an online service that grants access to your scores and reports, you’ll have to enter a few personal details, including the last four digits of your Social Security number, and answer questions to verify your identity. Because you’re handing over personal information, stick to reputable, well-known sites (we trust the sites listed below). Be sure to enter the URL exactly, to avoid ending up on a “copycat” website that lures you into paying for these products. One dead giveaway that you’re at the wrong website: It asks for a credit card number in order to see basic credit information. The site is probably trying to sell you information that you can find free elsewhere.

At Credit.com, you can see your Experian credit score, view your personalized “report card” that shows how you're doing in five key credit areas and receive alerts when something changes on your report. Credit Karma offers weekly updated free credit scores and reports from Equifax and TransUnion and will monitor your reports daily and notify you of any significant changes. Credit Sesame offers a free credit score from TransUnion and free monitoring.

Also check with your bank or credit-card company — some provide FICO scores to their customers pro bono. Even if you don't have a Discover card of your own, you can get your FICO score for free at Discover.com.

Free credit card perks

Using your credit card may entitle you to some valuable freebies. For example, many of the best travel credit cards come with free rental-car insurance, and some will cover the cost of your vacation if you have to cancel your trip or even reimburse you for luggage that is lost, stolen or damaged during flights purchased with eligible cards. Other credit card perks include free extended warranties, free cell-phone replacement and free museum admission. Contact your card issuer to find out what perks you qualify for.

Free interest

For the best return on your savings, look to high yield accounts at banks such as UFB Direct and Brio Direct. By saving your hard-earned cash in one of the best high yield savings accounts, you'll earn free interest (free money!) on your deposits, thanks to the high APYs associated with these accounts. And while some accounts have minimum opening deposits, many have zero fees.

Free Cash Back on Your Purchases

You have to buy groceries and gas anyway; why not use those purchases to get a little more green in your wallet? Sign up for one of the best rewards credit cards to get free money, gift certificates, airline miles or other perks. (Of course, it's only free if you pay the balance in full each month without incurring interest charges.)

You can get even more free cash when you shop online by starting at rebate portal sites such as BeFrugal.com, Ebates, and Extrabux. You select a retailer from their lists, and they pay you back a percentage of your purchase price (typically between 1% and 10%).

Free food at restaurants

Your favorite snack shop or fast-food restaurant may have an annual freebie day. And some places offer freebies on certain holidays or special days, such as tax day, Mother's Day and Veterans Day. Here's a list of what you might expect throughout the year:

• Free California Tortilla chips and queso, free cookie from Great American Cookies and free Schlotzsky’s sandwich on tax day in April
• Free treats for moms on Mother's Day from restaurants such as McCormick & Schmick's, Fogo de Chao and Shoney's in May
• A free doughnut from Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme, LaMar's and Tim Hortons Cafe and Bake Shop for National Donut Day in June
• A free 7-Eleven slurpee on 7/11
• Free meals for veterans at Applebee's, Chili's, Golden Corral, Lone Star Steakhouse and more restaurants on Veterans Day in November

Check with your favorite establishment to see if it offers any other freebies throughout the year.

Free ice cream

Several ice cream — and frozen yogurt — shops offer freebies throughout the year. Some require you to join a club and sign up for e-mail alerts, but others simply give it away. For example, participating Bruster’s Real Ice Cream stores offer free mini ice cream cones to children shorter than 40 inches. You can join Dairy Queen’s Blizzard Fan Club to get a buy-one, get-one-free Blizzard coupon. And Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops have a Free Cone Day each year in the spring — usually April. For 2023, it was April 3.

Free fruit

Run by so-called urban foragers, FallingFruit.org has an interactive map that shows where you can harvest your own fruit — as well as herbs, nuts and vegetables — from trees and plants that grow mostly on public lands. You can sort by location or fruit type. Then you can drill down to individual locations to see what type of fruit grows there, when it’s in season and whether it’s on public or private land. You also can see reviews by other foragers and a street view image courtesy of Google.

Free kids meals

Don’t you hate buying a $12 entrée for a picky 6-year-old? You can stop throwing away that money (if not the leftovers) at participating locations of many national chains including Applebee’s, TGIFriday’s, IHOP and Denny’s on select nights. Visit KidsMealDeals.com to find restaurants where kids eat free. Better yet, call your local eateries or connect with them on Facebook to find out if they offer kids’ deals. Some do but don’t advertise them, so it’s worth asking.

Free birthday treats

A number of eateries offer birthday freebies to customers who sign up for their e-mail lists or join their clubs. For example, you can get a free scoop of ice cream on your birthday if you sign up for the Baskin-Robbins Birthday Club, a free beverage from Dunkin’ Donuts if you sign up for their rewards program, and a free waffle from Waffle House when you join their Waffle House Regulars Club. Or at Ruby Tuesday, So Connected members can celebrate another trip around the sun with a free burger or garden bar entree.

Free stuff on the road

Traveling is expensive enough. Don’t get nickel-and-dimed every step of the way. You might know already that many hotels offer free breakfast, basic Wi-Fi, fitness facilities and parking. But did you know you may be able to borrow bikes, enjoy happy hour or upgrade your room — also all for free? 

And if you're traveling with kids, you deserve even more freebies. Children under age two can fly any airline or ride Amtrak free of charge when they sit on a paying adult’s lap. Also, watch for kids-fly-free, kids-cruise-free and kids-ski-free promotions, and ask the cruise or resort in advance about free supervised kid programs so you can have some much-needed grown-up time.

Also, avoid these 10 annoying hotel fees to save even more money next time you travel.

Free hotel stays

If you tend to stay at one hotel chain’s properties more than others, sign up for its loyalty program to rack up points for your stays and earn free nights. For example, Hilton Honors members earn 10 points for each dollar spent on room rates and other eligible room charges. Earn a free night’s stay with as little as 5,000 accumulated points.

There are other ways to score free hotel stays. Stash Hotel Rewards offers members who stay at more than 150 participating inns, resorts and boutique hotels in 100 cities the ability to earn points for free nights. And with the Hotels.com Welcome Rewards program, you can earn a free night after booking ten nights through the site.

Or get a hotel-branded credit card to earn points toward free stays every time you make a purchase. Just watch out for cards with annual fees, and make sure you pay off your balance each month so you don’t incur interest charges.

Free flight perks

Domestic airlines are stingy with giveaways. But some airlines still offer a few freebies for fliers. One of our favorites: Southwest lets you check two bags for free — which can save you up to $130. JetBlue gives you access to free TV, satellite radio and all-you-can-eat snacks.

Free price watcher

Don’t you hate it when you pay for a flight, and then the price drops? If you notice a lower fare after you've already purchased a ticket, check your airline's ticket refund policies. For example, Southwest Airlines has no change or cancelation fees so if you find a lower flight price, you can cancel for a travel credit to rebook. American Airlines also does not charge any change or cancelation fees on anything but basic economy fares, so you can cancel your flight and rebook at the lower price or receive the price difference as a trip credit to be used at a later date.

AutoSlash.com offers a similar service for rental cars. For hotels, try SmarterTravel, which automatically rebooks your room at the lower rate if the hotel drops its price. You'll get a refund for the difference.

Free lodging

Everyone knows crashing at a friend’s place is a good way to save money on travel. Well, what if you had millions of friends all around the world? Couchsurfing makes it kind of possible. The global network allows you to search for hosts in more than 2,000 cities who can offer a place to hang your hat along your travels. It may sound a bit sketchy, but the group offers certain features — verified reviews and references, messaging systems to communicate with potential hosts and secure payment options —  to help ensure your safety. Want to travel the world with a buddy and a backpack? Hostelz.com has listings for nearly 50,000 hostels across 9,000 cities, and provides its users with professional reviews.

Looking to avoid the high membership fees of an online house swapping community? HomeExchange is a completely free house swapping network with a presence in 187 countries. You aren’t sacrificing security to ditch the fees, either. They offer home, cancellation and travel insurance.

Free tour guides

To get a real feel for a city when you’re traveling, team up with a local. The Global Greeter Network organizes volunteers in several cities worldwide to show you around, give you the inside scoop and answer your questions. Tours can last a couple of hours, and there’s a strict no-tipping policy.

Prefer to explore at your own pace? Browse the free audio walking tours available for download at iTunes.com, Audisseyguides.com and iAudioguide.com. You can also search the web for walking tours of your destination. In our simple search, we found free audio tour downloads from Boston and Chicago to Dublin and Jerusalem.

Free travel apps

Several free mobile applications can help you save time and money when you travel by car. For example, GasBuddy helps you find the cheapest gas prices near you. Waze provides real-time traffic information contributed by users, so you can find the best route and avoid backups (so you don’t waste gas). You also can use Waze to find the cheapest gas station along your route. Yelp is great for finding restaurants, shops, attractions and more because it provides reviews, star ratings and directions to help you get to the place you want to go. And the Last Minute Travel app offers travelers access to wholesale prices for hotels in more than 150 countries and discounts on theme parks, sporting events and similar activities.

Free passport photos

You’ll pay about $15 at the post office to get your picture taken for your passport. Instead, take your photo with your own digital camera, then upload it to ePassportPhoto.com, which will help you size it properly before printing on your home printer. The Passport Booth app works similarly. The best part? With either, you can redo your picture as many times as you like. After all, who wants to get stuck with a bad photo for the next 10 years?

Free document shredding

Don’t own a shredder, or don’t want to clog yours up shredding a stack of papers a mile high? Local governments, police departments and solid-waste agencies in at least 23 states offer free shredding events once or several times a year to help residents keep documents with personal information out of the hands of identity thieves. Shredding companies such as Shred-it also organize free shredding events in cities where they have a presence.

Free calls

To limit your landline costs or avoid using precious minutes on your mobile-phone plan, use a free calling service such as Skype, Viber or Vonage Mobile. All three allow you to make free calls to other users of these services. Skype and Viber can be installed on mobile phones and computers. Vonage Mobile is available only for iPhone and Android users.

Free texting

Save money on your cell phone plan by using a free texting service such as Textfree. It assigns you a free phone number through which you can send and receive texts as much as you want on your Android and Apple devices. Or try WhatsApp, which lets you send messages to other users for free over a WiFi connection. Is a relative retiring abroad? Get the whole family on WhatsApp to message that traveler without paying steep international texting rates through your phone provider.

Free legal advice

Nolo's Legal Encyclopedia has been Kiplinger's go-to source for legal information for a long time, and it's still the best. The publisher does sell books, software and other products, but the site is also packed with free advice on a wide range of legal issues, such as estate planning, buying and selling real estate, managing a business and more. Nolo is authoritative, yet clearly explains when your situation calls for hiring a lawyer.

Free tax guidance

Preparing your income taxes doesn’t have to cost a lot. A number of tax software providers offer a free product for filers with simple returns. Even with a more complex tax situation, you have a few free options to consider. For example, check out the IRS’s Free File program. If your adjusted gross income is $69,000 or less, you qualify for free tax-prep software and filing. If you make more money than that, you can still file for free, but you don’t get the free software to prepare your return.

If you made $56,000 or less last year, you may qualify for free tax help from the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Through this program, IRS-certified volunteers help taxpayers prepare their tax returns for free. At some locations, qualifying taxpayers can also e-file their returns through one of the IRS Free File software partners.

Free digital storage space

With free online backup storage, you can share files and protect them from computer crashes, theft and natural disaster. Google Drive offers 15 gigabytes of free, secure digital storage space. Windows OneDrive and Apple iCloud both give you 5 GB for free. You can also use Dropbox (2 GB free).

Free auto services

Auto service chain Pep Boys offers five free services: battery tests, code retrieval, windshield wiper replacement, brake inspections and alignment checks. No purchase is necessary to take advantage of any of the services, but free brake inspections are limited to Pep Boys Rewards Members. At Advance Auto Parts, you can get electrical testing, wiper installation, loaner tools, and oil and battery recycling for free.

If you’re buying a new car, consider the value of free maintenance programs offered by various automakers. New cars typically don’t require a lot of upkeep, so a nonluxury brand, such as General Motors, Toyota or Volkswagen, with a free maintenance program might not offer you a lot of savings and shouldn’t sway your purchasing decision. But free maintenance on a luxury brand, such as BMW, Cadillac or Volvo, can save you a lot because service costs are much higher than they are for nonluxury brands.

Free trees

Some utility companies offer customers free trees to help reduce energy use through strategic planting, so check with yours to see if it offers such a program. Local governments and conservation districts also give away seedlings on Arbor Day (April 26 in 2024) or during other events. For example, the Sacramento Tree Foundation gives residents of Sacramento, California, up to 10 free shade trees through a partnership with a local utility company. Residents can select their free trees from a list of 30 deciduous trees, and can receive guidance on planting and tree care through virtual or in-person appointments.

Plus, many cities, counties and utility companies also offer residents free mulch, made from recycled leaves or wood from tree trimmings and tree removals, if you pick it up.

Free tools

National auto-parts retailers, such as Advanced Auto Parts, AutoZone and O’Reilly Auto Parts, let you borrow expensive-to-own, specialty tools to repair your car. You’ll have to pay a deposit (which varies depending on the tool), but you’ll get it back when you return the tool.

Several cities also have tool lending libraries that let residents borrow tools —from plumbing tools to circular saws to demolition hammers and more — all for free. Check to see if there’s one near you, but note that some of these libraries require a membership fee.

Free shipping

If you love to shop online but hate to pay for shipping, go to FreeShipping.com. The site can direct you to retailers who offer free shipping on every order, big or small. The site also gives you coupon codes to snag free shipping at other retailers.

Another option: Many retailers’ sites offer free shipping if you’ll pick up the order at a local store, including AceHardware.com, BestBuy.com and REI.com.

Free sales tax

The chance to make purchases free of sales tax isn’t technically a something-for-nothing deal, but it’s definitely a money-saving opportunity you don’t want to pass up. More than a dozen states have sales-tax holidays in July or August that allow consumers to make noncommercial purchases of back-to-school items, such as clothing, computers and school supplies, tax-free.

A few states exempt purchases of Energy Star products on certain days of the year. And three states have sales-tax holidays for hurricane preparedness items.

Free shopping apps

Are your key ring and wallet getting crowded? Use the free Key Ring app to store all of your bar-coded loyalty, membership and library cards on your phone. You simply scan your phone at the point of service. To help you get the best price, use ShopSavvy, which scans any bar code in the store and instantly compares prices for the same item online. For in-store coupons, try Coupon Sherpa or RetailMeNot.

Free beauty products

If you sign up (for free) for cosmetics store chain Sephora’s Beauty Insider rewards program, you’ll get a free beauty product during your birthday month, and you can take free beauty classes at select stores. You can also get a free gift during your birthday month from Ulta by signing up for emails from the beauty retailer. 

Allure magazine periodically gives away free beauty product samples while supplies last; you just have to fill out an online form. And, several makeup companies alert their Facebook fans to free samples, so check with your favorite brand for offers.

Free money

State treasuries and other agencies are holding billions in unclaimed assets, and some of it could be yours. Accounts that have been inactive for at least a year are considered unclaimed assets and can include checking and savings, payroll checks, utility deposits and tax refunds. They may also include stock certificates, certificates of deposit, insurance benefits, pension payments and safe-deposit-box contents.

Anyone can search a state’s unclaimed property database (go to Unclaimed.org for links) or go to Missingmoney.com to search 40 states’ databases at once.

Free energy-saving tools

Homeowners may be able to get a free energy-saving or water-saving kit from their utility providers. For example, Duke Energy provides free energy kits every 36 months to customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The kits include LED bulbs, an energy-efficient showerhead, a kitchen faucet aerator, switch and outlet insulators and more. (Non-Duke customers are eligible for partial kits.)

Saving energy could also save you money. Check with your utility providers, as well as your state’s department of energy and dsireusa.org, to find rebates, tax credits and other financial incentives for residential energy efficiency improvements. Your electric or gas company might also offer free energy audits.

Check out these tax credits for energy-efficient home improvements.

Free care

Don’t discount the kindness of strangers — after all, it’s free. If you’re in need of assistance with transportation, running errands or even simple medical care, you may be able to tap into a local care circle. Especially useful for our aging population, these networks of volunteers offer free help with a variety of simple tasks, whether it’s for a one-time call or an extended period.

Residents of San Francisco’s Bay Area, New York City, Atlanta, and Philadelphia (and a handful of other cities) can try the Transition Network’s Caring Collaboratives. Also check with your local government, religious groups and other community organizations to see what volunteer services are available to you (or whether you might organize a new group yourself).

Free LTC guidance

Long-term care can be as complex as it is necessary. No wonder every state is required to have an ombudsman who can help you, at no cost, navigate difficult LTC issues, such as assessing and selecting facilities and resolving complaints you might have about a particular facility. Visit the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center to find your state’s LTC ombudsman and other local resources.

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