Do you just love opening your mailbox and finding a free product you scored through a promotion or giveaway?

Do you want to pull out your phone and call your best friend when you use a coupon that makes your purchase just about FREE?

Do you feel like singing when your kids tell you they had the best day ever, and you got that experience for half off the retail price?

We’re talking about that rush you get when you know you are getting something great for little-to-no cost! We love that feeling just as much as you do, so we decided to compile this list of websites that offer opportunities to earn FREE rewards or find amazing deals. If there are sites you use and love, let us know about them; leave a comment or send an e-mail to whatsdoingtampabay @gmail.com so we can add them to this ongoing list.

Enjoy!

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FREEBIES

Inbox Dollars
This is a FREE Online Rewards Club. You get $5 just for signing up. Then you get sent emails to your email address. Once you click on the affiliate link, you can come right back to your original email and delete it. You do not have to purchase anything and still get paid to read emails. If you do make a purchase through this rewards program, they will pay you for it. It’s a win-win!
(Ashley: I have been a member for about 5 years. I read emails and participate in surveys. The emails don’t pay very much to read but they also don’t take that long. A few clicks and I’m done for the day.)

MyPoints
MyPoints members earn points when they shop through the MyPoints website. Those points can then be redeemed for rewards like gift cards, cash back or travel miles. Be sure to check the MyPoints website before you make an online purchase because chances are the site you want to buy from is affiliated with MyPoints. You also earn points through MyPoints e-mails by visiting websites and participating in special offers. Another way to earn points is by taking surveys; If you want your opinion heard, this is a great way to do it. Looking for a coupon to save money? This site has that, too.
(Nikki: I get tons of e-mails in my inbox from MyPoints, which I got involved with through BzzAgent because they rewards you with MyPoints for tasks performed as part of your BzzAgent campaigns. I open the MyPoints e-mails daily, click through the ones that give you 5 points if you visit their page, and then delete the e-mails. If you try to qualify for a survey, you can get 10 points even if they don’t accept you, but I rarely do these myself. Still, I have managed to accumulate more than 3,200 points. If I were to participate in surveys and special offers, I would accumulate a lot more points, but I’m happy with a gift card now and then.)

Recylebank
Learn how your family can make a positive impact on the world while earning points you can use to score discounts on the items you need to buy. Recyclebank offers a wide variety of ways to easily earn points — by taking quizzes, making pledges, watching videos, recycling, making “greener” purchases, referring friends. Most rewards are coupons for a percentage off a purchase, but there are also a couple gift cards and magazine subscriptions to choose.
(Nikki: I love all the interactive features many of the companies use in their quizzes and videos on Recyclebank, and I find it’s super easy to earn points in this program. Last year McDonald’s was in the rewards catalog with coupons for FREE oatmeal and FREE ice cream cones, which I used as giveaways for halloween. I also picked up a “$10 off two entrées” coupon for Ruby Tuesday, which my husband and I combined with a gift card we had, making our dinner not only delicious, but very inexpensive!)

Swagbucks.com
Sign up for this free online rewards program and earn points that can be redeemed for a variety of reward items. Swagbucks can be earned randomly as you search online just like you would on Google. You can also earn swagbucks by taking daily polls, watching videos (Swagbucks TV), playing games, printing coupons, participating in surveys, and taking advantage of special offers. For those who are particularly dedicated, you can hunt for swagcodes — it’s like an online treasure hunt. How deeply involved you want to be is completely up to you; the more opportunities you take advantage of, the more swagbucks you’ll accrue faster.
(Nikki: I have to say that I don’t put much effort into it, and still I manage to score enough points to earn a $5 Amazon e-Card every couple months (450 sb). For the most part, all I do is a some online searches each day and answer the daily poll.)

Stouffer’s Dinner Club Rewards Program
Accumulate points by enjoying individual Stouffer’s dinners. You get 20 points per dinner, and there are some pretty good rewards once you hit about 750 points. (NOTE: They offer rewards points only for their single-serve products, NOT for their larger family dinners.)
(Nikki: I used to eat a lot of these meals when I was working in an office, but I have still managed to collect 680 points with the occasional meal, some bonus codes I’ve found in their e-mail newsletter or passed along on my favorite freebie sites, and by completing their monthly survey and poll. Once I get to 900 points, I’ve got my eye on the 2-in-1 Glass Cake Stand/Punch Bowl! The rewards are generally for kitchen-type items or Stouffer’s products.)

Pampers® Gifts to Grow Rewards Program
If you have a baby or toddler, you already know about Pampers Rewards Program. But even if your little one is getting big, you can still enjoy this rewards program. Register and you can get bonus points just for signing up. The easiest way to earn points is to purchase Pampers products featuring Gifts to Grow Rewards codes.
(Nikki: You can also find codes by following freebie blogs to stay on top of the latest codes. Most of the rewards are geared towards babies and toddlers, but you will also find several Shutterfly offers, as well as magazine subscriptions and donations to charity that you can enjoy even if your little one is now big. My daughter is still using the foam alphabet bath set I got her with my reward points two years ago; I’m still trying to decide what to get her this year.)

Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards Program
Just like Pampers’ reward program, you can most easily earn points by purchasing Huggies diapers and logging the codes you find on the packages. Plus, there are opportunities to earn additional points by taking polls, reading specially marked tips and insights, and inviting friends and family (by giving Huggies their e-mail addresses) to join the program.
(Nikki: I’ve spent the past year enjoying Family Fun magazine thanks to my Huggies points! Most of the rewards are geared for little ones, but there are also magazine subscriptions and music downloads, as well as charitable donations. I find it’s harder to earn points in this program, but the points needed for each reward tend to be lower as well. You can get 5 music downloads for a little as 161 reward points, and some cool toys and gifts beginning at only 250 points.)

Disney Movie Rewards
You can collect Disney Movie Rewards my purchasing Disney movies on DVD or Blue-Ray. If you sign up for their e-mail newsletters, you can also collect bonus points that way; the newsletters will sometimes contain a box that you can click through and get points. And on occasion, the Disney Rewards Site will have a promotion where you can earn free points just by visiting the site.
(Nikki: We’re not big on purchasing movies, so it wasn’t until this past year that I got involved with Disney Rewards Points. For the most part, I earn points through their e-mail newsletter and their reward point promotions, which I’ve found out about by following my favorite freebies blogs. Last winter I used my points to get a Muppets Vinylmation.)

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Freebies, Deals & Giveaways Blogs
Following freebie blogs is another excellent — and easy — way to find FREE (or really cheap) products for your household. If you spend a lot of time on Facebook, follow them in your feed to stay up-to-the-minute on available freebies. You can also get their RSS feed so the latest freebie posts show up on your Google homepage, or subscribe to their e-mail newsletters for daily updates. We’d like to share some of our favorite blogs with you:

Ashley’s Favorites:
— Freebies2Deals
— Get It Free
— Addicted to Savings
— Woman Freebies

Nikki’s Favorites:
— Hey! It’s Free!
— Hunt4Freebies
— Surviving on a Teacher’s Salary
— Blessed Elements

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DEALS

Not long ago Groupon took the world by storm offering us experiences we didn’t even know we wanted and prices we couldn’t say “no” to. Today, there are many sites competing for space in your e-mailbox, offering you up to 90% off retail prices. Choose one, or subscribe to them all. Either way, you are sure to find something you and your family will enjoy!

— Groupon: Find Today’s Daily Deal on the Best in Tampa Bay at Groupon.com
(Nikki: You can also let others know about Groupon Deals; if you use your personal link and someone signs up for Groupon for the first time, you’ll receive credits you can use toward deals you can purchase for your own family. We’ve used our referral credits for a bowling package and parking at the airport.)

— DealChicken: DealChicken.com | hatching deals daily
(Nikki: DealChicken Tampa Bay is hosted by 10News. For those who are hesitant to purchase from a deal site, you may feel more confident with a site backed by a respected local television news source.)

— Mamasource: Mamasource Daily Deals by Mamapedia.com
(Nikki: What I particularly enjoy about this daily deals site is that each item is geared specifically to Moms, be it something for our children or ourselves. Plus, like Groupon, you can earn credits by referring friends and family to use towards your own purchases.)

— LivingSocial: Once you sign up for LivingSocial, deals will be sent to you daily via e-mail. It’s very similar to Groupon. After you order your LivingSocial deal, you will be notified by e-mail when your offer is available to use.
(Nikki: Recently, I picked up a $10 Starbuck’s gift e-card for just $5!)

— Moolala: Get Great Daily Deals @ Moolala

RELATED LINKS:
Check out more family-friendly, kid-friendly freebies!
Find some great deals for families.
Birthday freebies and deals you don’t want to miss.

Colorful Mailboxes Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Mailbox Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net