Getting a free meal* may not always be glamorous — a little more hobo on a dime than diva on a dime, perhaps — but it's always rewarding and satisfying to both your stomach and your wallet. The key is to be confident and take pride in your gratis gourmet ways, hopefully helped along by these tips from Shoestring staffers.
1. Freebies on Your "Birthday"
You can have your cake and eat it, too. Many restaurants
(not to mention service providers) offer freebies and/or steep
discounts to customers on their birthday. While some businesses
allow you to claim your gratis "gift" at any time during
your birth month, others limit redemption only to the actual day or
week of your birthday. For some birthday freebies, like the free
ice cream enjoyed by members of Coldstone
Creamery's Birthday Club, you must sign up online
(and, therefore receive a coupon via e-mail as your birthday
approaches), while others just require you to show up on your
birthday. A few of our favorite listings for Birthday Freebies
include
Gather.com, HeyItsFree.net,
which offers a pretty comprehensive general list, updated
frequently, and CheapStingyBargains.com,
which includes listings for both national chains and local
restaurants throughout the country.
2. Free Local Events
Not only can you find some fun, free, and interesting stuff to do
at local events, but there's a good chance there will also be
free hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, snacks, desserts, and the like
-- maybe even some free wine or beer. Art gallery events and
openings are always a promising option, and if you live in a
college town, there's likely to be a plethora of speaking
engagements, university lectures, and other presentations open to
the public (with some trays of cookies from the dining hall). Just
be sure to dress for the occasion. Several websites have popped up
recently to make finding free events with free noshing in your area
even easier, like Hungry Hungry
Coeds and FoodMoocher.com,
as well as groups like
Free Food Events on Facebook.
