Keeping Track of Freebies

[LisaRKR]

I thought I would share my new "project" with you guys. I made a spread sheet that has the headings: Product, Date Ordered, and Date Received. I decided to start tracking my freebies that I have requested to see how many I actually get. It has been really kind of cool having a check list to go by.

[sweety19]

Thats really a good idea.......Thanks a lot.......

[patybear]

I like your idea. I use a much simpler method.I keep a 3-ring binder with a few sheets of notebook paper.When I order a freebie,I write it down in pencil.
When the freebie comes,I just cross it off the list using ink.

If the freebie never arrives,I just erase it,then fill the space in with a differnt freebie.
patybear

[slance68]

Please keep in mind that you are only going to get a small percentage of the freebies you request. You can keep track of the requests or do like I do - when they arrive be glad and if you didn't get one - no great loss. There are some that will go on and harp about not getting a freebie and want to take it out on the company that had the promotion. Keep in mind most smaller companies do not know what they are getting into when they post a freebie on their site until they get flooded with requests and their ISP has a fit over the use of their site. So just look at freebie hunting as a sport - you never know what you will get when you go out to the mail box and don't sweat the one's you don't get. Now get to HUNTING!! :D

[cath_31]

I list mine in a notebook and check them off when they come. For me, this is an interesting thing to do plus it is helpful for those times when you can't remember if you have already requested a particular sample or not. If you are looking at multiple freebie sites alot of them have the same item so this helps quite a bit.

[LisaRKR]

Please keep in mind that you are only going to get a small percentage of the freebies you request. You can keep track of the requests or do like I do - when they arrive be glad and if you didn't get one - no great loss. There are some that will go on and harp about not getting a freebie and want to take it out on the company that had the promotion. Keep in mind most smaller companies do not know what they are getting into when they post a freebie on their site until they get flooded with requests and their ISP has a fit over the use of their site. So just look at freebie hunting as a sport - you never know what you will get when you go out to the mail box and don't sweat the one's you don't get. Now get to HUNTING!! :D

I don't believe that any of the ideas in this thread were intended so that we could hunt down the company giving out the "freebies" and hassle them over not receiving a sample. It was just something to help you keep track of what you have ordered and like someone else said, so you don't order twice! Something kind of interesting or fun. It wasn't for figuring out who to blame, it was for making your day! For example, my hubby gets a kick out of seeing what new freebies I have ordered. This way I can just show him instead of racking my brain trying to remember.

How can anyone complain about not getting their "freebies"? They are just that......free! I am always glad when I get freebies and thankful. Sometimes thankful that I didn't buy a whole product, and sometimes that I have a coupon to go buy more!:D

[slance68]

I don't believe that any of the ideas in this thread were intended so that we could hunt down the company giving out the "freebies" and hassle them over not receiving a sample. It was just something to help you keep track of what you have ordered and like someone else said, so you don't order twice! Something kind of interesting or fun. It wasn't for figuring out who to blame, it was for making your day! For example, my hubby gets a kick out of seeing what new freebies I have ordered. This way I can just show him instead of racking my brain trying to remember.

How can anyone complain about not getting their "freebies"? They are just that......free! I am always glad when I get freebies and thankful. Sometimes thankful that I didn't buy a whole product, and sometimes that I have a coupon to go buy more!:D

I have been around a lot of boards over the past 10 years and it does happen. There are some out there (NOT saying that any of the posters in this thread are that way) that do get very indignant when they do not get a freebie they signed up for and threaten to e-mail or list a bad letter on Planetfeedback, the BBB and other reporting sites. I was just suggesting that tracking them can be come obsessive and I have seen it happen on too many times. I would just hope that when you track them just track them for the fun of it and don't take freebie hunting seriously - just keep it a hobby.

And I do agree - I am greatful and really enjoy getting stuff in the mail and have found tons of products I would have NEVER tried until I got a freebie and found out I really liked the product. That is what the samples are really for - advertising for the companies so that they can get their product out to the greatest number of customers for a lower cost than doing other types of advertising. So track them if you want (I would do a excel spreadsheet since that would be the easiest for me & it is sortable) just keep it in perspective which is what I was attempting to convey in my first post. Sorry if it was misinterpreted that also happens a lot on boards since you cannot post the emotion you are writing with (hope that made sense).

[cath_31]

Slance68, I do agree with you that it's hard to interpret posts on here. I am glad you tried to clear that up because when I read your first post I thought it came across as rather rude to LisaRKR- she was just giving an idea that others might like to do. I think that anyone can disagree with things posted on here. Perhaps you should have saved that post for one that was actually complaining about not getting samples (I have seen those posts in here too, so I understand what you are getting at). LisaRKR has a good idea that some of us enjoy doing and I don't think anything in what she posted was negative. It seems that your post, Slance68 ended up the one coming across as negative. This forum is intended to give information and options and everyone should feel free to give their opinions- not everyone has to agree with them. LisaRKR, I am sure many people appreciated your idea- thanks for posting it. Slance68 I am not trying to be rude to you either, just wanted you to know how a "neutral" person interpretted your post.

[susanktz]

I have an excel file that I use to track mine also. Very similar to the OP. If anyone is interested, send me an email or PM with your email and I'll be glad to send it to you!!

[mom363546]

I finally think without realizing I have a way of keeping track of what has been ordered.I really don't visit any other sample site.Anytime I have followed some of the links within a few hours or a day its listed in here.Most of the good samples show up in here.

Everytime I order one I respond by thanking the poster! Then later when I am going through the list of post I see my reply arrow and I know that sample is ordered. I guess I have a system and just didn't know it!

[elliedoom]

I maintain a freebies community on a blogging site. I always post an offer immediately after I register for it, so all I have to do is look back in my community and I know exactly what I sent for when. :)

[elliedoom]

I have been around a lot of boards over the past 10 years and it does happen. There are some out there (NOT saying that any of the posters in this thread are that way) that do get very indignant when they do not get a freebie they signed up for and threaten to e-mail or list a bad letter on Planetfeedback, the BBB and other reporting sites. I was just suggesting that tracking them can be come obsessive and I have seen it happen on too many times. I would just hope that when you track them just track them for the fun of it and don't take freebie hunting seriously - just keep it a hobby.

I do send an E-mail to the company and ask, "Hey, I registered for this eight weeks ago, any idea when I can expect to receive it?" But I generally don't get combative about it. (There was one exception, but it was a small business owner who decided to write me back and call me names. Bad business practice!)

And I *do* post on various freebie forums and let people know which offers arrive and which ones don't. It amazes me how many of these companies don't seem to realize that the free offer is often the first contact people will have with their company, and first impressions can make or break your business. But there are some great offers, too, and I will often purchase full-sized products after trying a free sample.

[Jaymison84]

I am begining to see a problem. I will fill out the forms for the same sample. I have done about three already in the last twenty minutes. I forget what I sign up for. Does anyone have any suggestions so I don't loose track?

[Cpogie]

I am begining to see a problem. I will fill out the forms for the same sample. I have done about three already in the last twenty minutes. I forget what I sign up for. Does anyone have any suggestions so I don't loose track?

Yes, Do you have a small tablet or old date keeper? write them down with the date you signed up, I am guilty of the very same thing, I don't write it down! I should do the same thing just to keep tract....;)

[Jaymison84]

I have thought of that.. and i have thought about when I usually am signing up for samples.. ha ha ha.. and it would be a major task. I really should start doing something.. its one of those things that you put off. I will try the tablet idea(I'm hoping to keep this out of my three year olds reach long enough for it to be useful)

[cath_31]

Someone was asking about this topic so I am bumping it back up to the top.

[cath_31]

We had discussed this topic a few months earlier. I bumped the post back up near the top so you could find it. Hope those ideas help. :)

[Cpogie]

We had discussed this topic a few months earlier. I bumped the post back up near the top so you could find it. Hope those ideas help. :)

Thanks Cath! I totally forgot about that, so I just merged them together!:)

[livesimple]

I have started keeping track of what I request simply because I have a couple of elderly family members who do not have computers so I request things for them too. It really makes their day when they get a freebie in the mail and I get lots of excited phone calls lol. So I try to keep track of what I requested and for who. Its not hard to do. I have a spiral notebook and I do it by what day I requested it. No need for it to be complicated after all they are freebies!

[mood4amelody]

Wow. Chill Pill time at the Okay Corral.

It is hard sometimes even in real life to understand what someone is conveying, so if it sounds harsh on the internet, just take a moment to look for the "intended message" and forget about how you perceive the "tone" to be. Life's tough, gotta make your own silver linings!

[Cpogie]

Wow. Chill Pill time at the Okay Corral.

It is hard sometimes even in real life to understand what someone is conveying, so if it sounds harsh on the internet, just take a moment to look for the "intended message" and forget about how you perceive the "tone" to be. Life's tough, gotta make your own silver linings!

question?, what or who are you talking about, I see nothing offensive on any of these posts, just suggestions.

[mood4amelody]

Sorry (I'm shamefaced), I was looking at page 1 when I posted.

[Cpogie]

Sorry (I'm shamefaced), I was looking at page 1 when I posted.

no problem, all is well.:)

[mom2fussbudgets]

Sorry (I'm shamefaced), I was looking at page 1 when I posted.

LOL! It happens. No worries!

It is easy to misinterpret someone's tone on the Internet. Best thing to do, I guess, is to give the other person the benefit of the doubt. Easier said than done, I know!