Kayce writes that back in June, she saw an offer online from beauty retailer Sephora promising a free manicure to promote the launch of a new nail decal. She hadn’t seen anything that claimed any kind of purchase was required, and was confused when she learned that the “free” manicure required a $15 purchase. [More]
free stuff
KFC Giving Away Free Sandwiches To Fast Food Workers Today
By 7.20.10
In a move to promote its new-ish Doublicious — aka the Double Down on a bun — KFC is attempting to entice employees at competing quick-service restaurants to give it a shot for free today. [More]
Score Free Coffee Grounds At Starbucks For Your Compost Heap
By 7.19.10
Living in the big city and not having access to any sort of garden of my own, composting is the last thing on my mind when I step into a Starbucks. But for those of you who could use some material for your compost heap, the coffee giant will apparently hand over their used grounds free of charge. Just ask the 94-year-old man in Texas, who does this every single day. [More]
Judge Throws Out $4,000 Fine For Picking Up Free Air-Conditioner
By 7.15.10
Yesterday, we wrote about a New York City woman whose car was impounded and who was fined thousands of dollars after her nephew used her car to — horror of horrors — pick up an abandoned air-conditioner from a city curb. Good news: Both she and her nephew have had the ridiculous fines erased. [More]
Picking Up Furniture From The Curb Could Cost You Thousands
By 7.14.10
Walking the sidewalks of just about any city — especially one like New York where apartment turnover is at a high level — you’re likely to find at least one or two chairs, shelves, mirrors, dressers, etc., that are in passable, if not pristine, condition. But be warned before you go putting that side table in the back of a cab — it could end up costing you a lot of money. [More]
American Apparel Promised A Free Thong, But I Remain Without Butt Floss
By 7.2.10
It’s a familiar story: company offers free item. The promotion goes viral and appears on deal sites, as well as the world’s greatest consumer blog. Company runs out of the free item and shuts down the promotion. That’s what B. says happened when she signed up for American Apparel’s e-mail list to get a free thong. SHe signed up, and then the company ended the promotion after the fact, perhaps hoping that customers wouldn’t notice. Update: American Apparel contacted us, and B. now has replacement thongs. [More]
Coffee Shop Hackers: How To Starbucks-Proof Your Laptop
By 7.1.10
Starbucks is offering free wi-fi in all of their locations starting today, so Lifehacker has some instructions that will help you keep your laptop safe while using public wi-fi. (Not just at Starbucks, obviously.) [More]
What Would You Do With A Forklift Full Of Wheat Thins?
By 7.1.10
Have you seen Nabisco’s new attempt to engage with customers through those social networking thingies that all the kids are into? They’re the latest brand to reach out through social media and find customers who are already talking about their brand, then engage with them. In completely ridiculous ways. Take, for example, the woman whose mournful Facebook post about running out of Wheat Thins led to the delivery of more Wheat Thins than one person could ever eat. [More]
Would You Pick $58 Out Of Dog Poop?
By 6.28.10
In these tough financial times, you have to make your money any way you can. And if that includes extricating some cash from the recently deposited canine feces, well… okay, that’s a bit gross. But that didn’t stop a man in St. Louis from doing it. [More]
Game Company Stunningly Uses Downloadable Content For Good Rather Than Evil
By 6.23.10
Rockstar Games trotted out a downloadable expansion to Red Dead Redemption, its epic Wild West-set action game. What’s remarkable is that the download, which lets players partake in online co-op missions and adds Xbox 360 achievements and PlayStation 3 trophies, is free. And not for only those who bought the game new. [More]
Google Voice Now Open To The Public
By 6.22.10
Gosh, it’s been almost 3 years since Google bought GrandCentral and transformed it into Google Voice, a service that lets you set up a phone number that can ring multiple phones. It’s been invite-only ever since, but today Google opened up registration to public. (U.S. only, sorry.) [More]
Freeload At Your Library Like A Champ
By 6.22.10
Any self-respecting cheapskate knows the library is your one-stop shopping for free access to the internet, magazines, DVDs and drinking fountains. [More]
T-Mobile Will Give You Any Phone You Want For Free Saturday
By 6.16.10
T-Mobile must really, really want your dad to get rid of his Zack Morris-style bricklike cell phone, because it’s offering any phone it offers in its stores for free Saturday with a 2-year new commitment or extension along with a switch to a family plan or an added line on your account. The offer is only good at retail stores. [More]
Starbucks To Offer Free 1-Click WiFi To All Starting July 1
By 6.14.10
For anyone who has ever wanted to sit at Starbucks and browse the Internet but either wasn’t an AT&T customer or didn’t feel like ponying up for access, the company has some happy news for you. [More]
A Weird And Expensive Way To Get A Free Cup Of Coffee At A Bookstore
By 6.8.10
If you’re one of the few people who own a Nook and enjoy taking it to Barnes & Noble to read a digital file you bought rather than paging through something off the shelf for free, you’re in luck this month. Barnes & Noble has some free coffee to reward your labor intensive, counterproductive, fiscally unsound practices. [More]
Enjoy Every National Park This Weekend For Free
By 6.5.10
Have you been wanting to get out and see the beauty at a national park, but didn’t have the scratch to pay the entry fees? Then you’re in luck this weekend, because they’ve all opened up their doors and gates to all visitors — for free. [More]
Get Plump And Hyper, It's National (Free) Doughnut Day
By 6.4.10
As if it weren’t awesome enough that today is Friday, you can also cruise around from doughnut shop to doughnut shop and get free goodies. You’ll know whether or not your doughnut shop is participating in National Doughnut Day depending on whether or not they call the cops on you after you make off with a free sugary delights, conspicuously shaped like the spare tires that’ll emerge around your gut if you munch too many. [More]
I Don't Want This Random Government-Subsidized Cell Phone
By 6.3.10
There are programs that provide government-subsidized cell phones to low-income people. This is all very useful and lovely…unless you’re Laurin, who is stuck with a subsidized phone that no one in her household ordered, and the company doesn’t seem to want back. [More]
