Originally from my blog:

I'm not sure if this is a residual habit from watching my parents cut out coupons from the flyers during my childhood Saturday mornings before the weekly shopping trip, but I love coupons. Better yet, I love coupons that give me free samples or products. I'm a Canadian girl a year out of school that doesn't work in the Alberta mines, so money is tight. I need to save where I can.

Over the past couple of years, I've become that crazy coupon lady that is almost always redeeming some obscure coupon at every grocery visit. For example, from November until last month, we didn't have to buy paper towels due to a gross supply of Free Jumbo ScotTowels coupons I had amassed.

Here's a list of some of the things I've received in the past year, most in the past four months, thanks to coupons and sample requests:

- Twenty-four free rolls of jumbo-sized ScotTowel paper towels
- Six free bags of Purina kitten chow
- Two free bags of Purina Cat Chow
- Two free bags of Iams cat food
- One free bag of Greenies cat treats
- Six free movie passes
- Six discounted Movie & Concession combo coupons (admission and a single combo for $9.99, inc. taxes)
- Four twin-pack samples of Tylenol Extra Strengh
- Two twin-pack samples of Tylenol EZ Tabs
- Two twin-pack samples of Tylenol Rapid Release (two more on the way)
- Three twin-pack samples of Advil LiquiGels
- Four packets of Carnation Instant Breakfast chocolate shakes
- Two free travel cases with samples of OB Tampons
- Two Tampax Pearl samples
- One free 300g block of Kraft ProBiotic cheese
- Free Scrubbling Bubbles "disposable" toilet brush and two 12-packs of refills
- Three samples of Witchy Poo body lotions
- Two free travel-size samples of SunSilk Hairapy shampoo/conditioner

Those are, of course, not counting the innumerable coupons I received for discounted items. I've even received weird items like free samples of alternative sugar sweeteners, which I threw out because they looked like baggies of coke, and even a parcel with a performer's demo DVD, CD, buttons and stickers promotion package.

Not one to horde all the free goodies of the world, I'm offering to share some of my coupon sources and techniques.

1. Corporate Websites
Are you interested in trying a different cold medicine, but don't want to spend ten dollars on something you aren't sure will work? Before you run to the store, check the brand's website. Often times, they will advertise for free samples or coupons. Tylenol, for instance, has had free sample offers for over a year, and you can request multiple samples. Most common items up for free sample promotions are beauty products like deodorants and shampoos, cold and pain relievers, feminine hygiene products, and laundry detergents.

2. Coupon Distributors
Some websites allow you to browse their site and select which free coupons you'd like, and they will send them to you in the mail. Some sites require you register first, but my favourite is 100% free and doesn't need registration: Save.Ca. You simply need to select your province, and pick out which coupons you'd like. Sometimes they have coupons for free products. Within a couple of days, they will arrive in your mailbox and be ready for use.

3. Freebie Blogs and Forums
The best place to find a wide assortment of coupons and freebies are in freebie blogs. These sites update almost daily with new user-submitted coupons and samples from companies all over. The larger ones have forums where you can register for even more information on coupon-finding. Sometimes, they will even offer freebies just for being a frequent poster. Many of such sites are American- or UK-based, and a large quantity of Canadian sites rarely update. My two most-trusted websites are Smart Canucks and Canadian Free Stuff.

4. Be Appreciative
This one is hit-or-miss, but can pay off. If you love a certain product or want to try a new one, contact the company directly. Most companies have a contact form on their website, and some even have a section for requests. You can either be blunt by outright asking for a freebie, or be more subtle by thanking them for such a great product. If it's a larger company, they'll sometimes send you free coupons or samples for being a "valued customer." Club House sent me coupons for several free marinade packs last year because I told them I loved one of their recipes. You never know, you may get something nice in return for saying something positive.

So there you have it! Hopefully you can put some of this to good use and start collecting your own freebies Happy shopping! Feel free to share your coupon tips here, or over in my original blog post.

- JB