7 innovative ways to use travel size freebies
You can often score travel-sized items for free by following coupon matchups on Mrsjanuary.com, contacting manufacturers, and collecting free samples. If your stockpile is piling up, it might be time to put these items to good use. Here are some creative ideas for using travel size items.
7 innovative ways to use travel size freebies
Travel light
Those tiny containers fit nicely into a cosmetic bag and lighten the load of any luggage. My friends also leave them for housekeeping staff when staying in under-resourced countries.
Support your own spending freeze
Do you like to save money by having a spending freeze in your home? This is a time where only the absolute essentials are purchased (ie. milk and produce) for a specified amount of time. This would be a perfect time to use up those travel-sized items that might be piling up. Check all bathrooms to see if you are running low in any supplies and pull out a few mini containers of shampoo, conditioner, or toothpaste.
Pamper your guests
Any overnight visitors coming? Put together a hotel-style hospitality basket with travel-sized items. This could include shampoo, conditioner, bubble bath, and facial cleansers. And my toothbrush stockpile has saved many of my kids’ friends when they have forgotten that important item.
Support higher education
Hit a home run by mailing a care package to a college student. Every item you tuck in is one fewer item students have to buy, which is sure to please this broke bunch. Make it a grand slam if you enclose a few items for their roommate too.
Swap it Out
If you hit an amazing sale and get a large quantity of one particular item for free, you may consider trading. My dentist gave me many $1.50 off Colgate Total coupons, and I combined them with a sale at Superstore and got many tubes for free. Any frugal friends also stockpiling? Perfect opportunity to trade freebies. 10 tubes of toothpaste for 5 deodorants? You will practically be a pioneer (minus the chickens).
Send overseas
It is never too early to start collecting free items to donate at Christmas time. This past year I filled several shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse with items I had collected during the year. Just be sure to read the fine print to see if any items are not allowed, such as mouthwash.
Give locally
Don’t forget that food banks collect more than just-food. Any donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoos, and soaps will be appreciated. Bundle up your overflow and give generously.
I love the challenge of collecting items for free. And to be a good manager of these free items, I am always on the lookout for creative ways to maximize their use.
What do you like to do with travel size items? What is your best trick for finding these deals in the first place?
