Freebies

eazybreezy225

I did a search and found that any information on this was scattered around and would take all week reading.

I wanted to start a thread on Freebies related to pregnancy or baby. Things like samples, really good coupons, promos where you only pay for shipping, goody bags, etc. There's a lot of "free sample" scams out there where you give your info but never actually receive the sample(s) or the products are not what is advertised. So please share what ones you've signed up for and got what was promised, or if you signed up for something and it was a disappointment.

AMCsquared

Great idea.
I went to motherhood maternity and with my first purchase they gave me a bag of coupons. For like a milllionnn things at really good rates. I plan to use a lot of them. A LOT. like dozens.
 One was for a baby wearing wrap (don't know the real names of these things yet lol).
They also gave me 2 years subscription to 3 parenting magazines. And a baby bottle. I had to pay just 3 bucks for everything.

andipandicWed121369

When we registered at Target for DD they gave us a ton of coupons for their store and also like shutterfly and things online.  It was very handy.

eazybreezy225

Ones that I've gotten that were totally worth it:
Formula companies (Similac, Enfamil, etc) will send gift boxes of sample cans and coupons, often these sample cans are full size cans or just a tad smaller, and they give a variety (newborn, infant, soy, etc) I'm part of a local mommy group and moms are often swapping the cans they don't use.
I've also used the Carseat Canopy promo when I had DD2, you only pay for shipping. Shipping is expensive, the cheapest option is $15, but I found it to be totally worth it. You'd spend more than $15 on the materials if you made it yourself. It's really good quality. They try and up-sell you by offering embroidery or complete sets, but if you avoid all that and just stick to getting the original canopy you get the best value. The canopy is far more breathable than other covers and offers protection from wind/sun/rain/etc.

NME44

I would say don't bother with the Seven Slings. They are a cheap piece of quilters cotton that is difficult to size properly and use. Wasn't worth the cost of shipping. 

splsmama2016

Similac/Enfamil for sure!! Although rumor has it, they only send it for the first baby. But we will see! I also purchased the $3 bundle from Motherhood Maternity with DD, and I used a few of the coupons, the magazines I don't actually read, and the bottle didn't work well for her. But it was super cute!!! Target, I used the coupons (Starbucks was the first one to get used), the pacifier and bottle were used, and the bag it all came in i use all the time. BRU, same thing. Coupons, bottle and pacifier. 

cait5413

Yes, when you register with target make sure you go to the customer service desk and pick up your sample box. Amazon (as mentioned in another thread) will send you a great sample box as well when you register if you have prime, but I think you can only get that one once (I have not figured out how to get one this time if there is a way). Register with Enfamil and Similac. In addition to the samples, they will send you valuable coupons. I was breastfeeding DD til we got pregnant, but I passed along the coupons to friends using formula and they really help. Formula is expensive, so coupons for $5-16 off really add up. (PS-now that DD is on formula, she gets generic unless I have a great coupon. They are all held to high standards, so as long as she will drink it, she's getting the cheaper stuff). Babies R Us sometimes has registry events--I have heard of people scoring great free stuff at those, but I have not been to one. 

eazybreezy225

Has anyone figured out how to get diaper samples? I know you can get diaper coupons directly from their sites (pampers.com, huggies.com, etc) but I haven't been able to find samples.

MJDsquared

Since I'm a creep I found this deal on November: free bundles from Honest Co, just pay shipping. However, you have to create an account and it signs you up for automatic monthly subscription boxes, so you just have to make sure to opt out of that before they charge you!
https://www.honest.com/account/select-bundle

However, I'm irrationally angry because they are insisting on asking my child's 'gender.' It's not the term pissing me off, it's the fact that I don't know yet so why are they trying to make meeeeeeeeeeeee? Ugh. (Also, you get to pick the prints of the six diapers, so it's not to send you a boy or girl diaper bundle.)

cait5413

@eazybreezy225 My target sample box had honest co. diaper samples in it. I've also gotten seventh generation samples (check their website; they have a community group you can get some samples through). We got Pampers in the hospital when DD was born. I had already decided to do Pampers Swaddlers at first and then switched to Up & Up for the bigger sizes (I think we started at size 2) due to recommendations from friends/online and we've been happy with them. DD has never tried Huggies or Luvs. 

flowerpower5838

So I don't know how...um...ok this is. But for any reason you find yourself in L&D prior to having your kid, I know at my hospital there was a small package of diapers in there in the baby cart thing and I totally took them. Twice. I mean, that's what happens when you leave a curious Carol in a room by herself for too long I guess. Free, but maybe unethical? IDK. Whatever. Big purse perks.

(ETA - as a patient, not like on a tour not that that really makes a huge difference lol)

thatlauragirl

@flowerpower5838 This just made me lol! I was in L&D a few times before having my son but never even considered looking around in there. Great idea, free diapers! And from an ethical standpoint, they're all donated by the diaper manufacturer anyway, right? 

cait5413

@thatlauragirl I don't know if they are donated. Once you actually go in to deliver, I'm pretty sure you get charged for them, so you should take everything on that cart--you're paying for it. 

balletnerd

Yeah I've heard that they often charge you for the diapers used in the Hospital and to bring your own

dkizz82

I don't know if they're donated either but I took took several packs after I had DD. 

Tennis11785

I started my registry at Buy Buy Baby today.  The free giftbag included: 

• Dapple bottle soap sample (one time use) and $1 off coupon
• Lansinoh sample pack (2 nursing pads and 2 storage bags) and $2 coupon off a bottle
• Baby on Board card sign
• Aveeno Baby lotion (travel sized) and $1 coupon
• Rhoost emory board and $2 off grooming kit (I got two of these, might be an error)
• 1, tiny pampers diaper, 6 pack of baby wipes, and a carrying case
• Buy Buy Baby $5 coupon (off order of $15 or more)
• Avent coupons (10% off bottle warmer or steam sterilizer, $3 off bottle multipack or .50 off trainer cup)
• $20 shutterfly coupon
• Mustela gel cleaner and $10 coupon (spent $40 or more)
• Chicco Naturalfit pacifier
• Blue Lizard baby sunscreen (one time use)
• Boogie Wipes sample and 50 cent coupon
• Chicco coupon for $5 off NaturalFit Advanced feed system purchase of $20 or more, and a but 2 get on 1 for NaturalFit pacifier packs.  

cait5413

@Tennis11785 I wish we had a BBB somewhere nearby!  sounds like a good haul

eazybreezy225

@Tennis11785  thank you so much for the detailed information!! This is awesome!

Tennis11785

And in case people care, here's what comes in the Babies R Us registry bag. 

• Coupon for $10 off a babyganics essentials gift set, $1 coupon and a .5 oz size lotion trial
• Coupon for save $5 off an order of $25 or more are Babies R Us
• $20 coupon to Shutterfly
• A refrigerator magnet for your u/s photo
• MAM anti-colic bottle (4oz size)
• Kiinde Twist Sample kit and coupon
• The exact same Pampers kit that came from Buy Buy Baby (tiny diaper, 6 pack of wipes and the same carrying case)
• Mommys Bliss Gripe Water one time use sample
• Balmex Diaper Rash cream one time use sample and $2 coupon
• Palmers Cocobutter Formula Firming Butter one time use sample
• 7th Generation Coconut Care Moisture lotion sample
• Munchkin Latch nursing pads (2)
• $1 Dapple coupon 

eazybreezy225

Thank you so much @Tennis11785 !!
I'm super bummed because the nearest BuyBuy Baby AND BabiesRus stores are over an hour and a half drive to Las Vegas. I was really hoping I could snag those freebie gift bags for doing registries with them.
We do have a Target here in town so I'm definitely going to hit them up for a registry.

I did complete a registry with Amazon, I'll let you all know what comes in the gift box when I get it. I do know they had a few stipulations before they would send it. I had to be a Prime member  (which I have been for a number of years now), I also had to complete their registry checklist, and then a first purchase had to be made from the registry of at least $10.
I do like that I could register for pretty much anything on the site. So I added things like laundry detergent and just purchased something I needed anyway from the registry to qualify for the $10 purchase requirement.

Tennis11785

Amazon is out of its gift box right now.  They had it last week when I made my registry, but today when I went to order the box it said it was sold out.  :-(

cait5413

@Tennis11785 Did you have to go to BRU to get the gift bag? I registered with them last time, but I think I did it online and I don't remember getting any freebies (but maybe I just don't remember). 

Amazon will get their sample boxes back in stock--they change them up, so you can get all different kinds of stuff depending upon when you order it. I so wish they would let me get another for this baby, but I guess it only works once!

Tennis11785

@cait5413 yeah I had to go into the store to get it. I had some time to kill and it was near the grocery store, so I popped in, created a registry and got my bag. 

eazybreezy225

@Tennis11785 The amazon gift boxes are back in stock! I just snagged mine! Make sure you don't click on a payment method, it automatically selects the promotional value for you.

Tennis11785

@eazybreezy225 - Thank you!! Just ordered mine! 

elcd458

@eazybreezy225 @Tennis11785

Do you have to have a minimum number of items on your registry to get the box? Is there a delay in qualifying? I added something from each big checklist category and marked the rest as complete but I'm not getting a checkbox with that part to qualify (even though it says 100%):

Tennis11785

@elcd458 - The item needs to ship. So if you just added it to your cart and hit "purchase", that might be the delay you're seeing.  If you did it a couple days ago, I'm not sure the issue.  I put about 10 things on my registry before buying some belly butter as my qualifying item.  

I just went and checked, and it looks like my box will be here tomorrow!  

MJDsquared

@elcd458 Mine was weird for a while. I just went to another page and came back and it eventually updated.

ashtynmo

@elcd458 there's this silly checklist you have to go through or just check every box. It should look like this:

disneyfan0511

Babylist sends you an Enfamil welcome bag if you go through their checklist - I haven't received it but I just signed up. When it arrives I can post what's included and if it's worth it.

eazybreezy225

Got my Amazon Welcome Box today!!
I hear the contents are different at various times because they change it up. But here's what I got in mine::

   - 2 Huggies Little Snugglers size 1 diapers
   - 2 Babyganics size 1 diapers
   - 1 Pampers size newborn diaper
   - Pampers sensitive wipes (6 count sample pack)
   - 1 full size pack (56 count) Huggies wipes 
   - Bloom baby sensitive wipe (1 count sample)
   - Swaddle Designs muslin swaddle (mine is a hedgehog print, super adorable)
   - 1 Avent 4 ounce bottle
   - Munchkin Latch nursing pads (2 count sample)
   - 2 bottles of Baby Dove Tip to Toe Wash (1.8 FL Oz each, sample bottles)
   - 1 bottle of Aveeno Baby Lotion (1 FL Oz sample)
   - $5 coupon off of any Babyganics box of diapers (priced at $24.99 or higher)
   - 1 mini sample (.03 oz) of Aquaphor Baby ointment 


Overall, I'm very pleased with the Amazon welcome registry box. I'm most excited by the baby swaddle, which is really soft and adorable, and the diaper samples.

I should also add that I recently received my Honest Company samples... tip: you can get both the home products samples AND the baby samples in the same box under one shipping price ($5.95) by ordering at the same time. It WILL automatically sign you up for the subscription, however if you cancel within 7 days of receiving the samples you won't ever be charged. Also, there's no cancellation fee if you do opt-out (at any time).

kyrwyn

@eazybreezy225 YAY! I am so excited. Mine shipped yesterday for Monday delivery.  I hope we get hedgehogs too, that sounds adorable.

EtA: pushed send before finished sentence

Tennis11785

@eazybreezy225 - I got mine today too!  Mine looks the same (even the same super cute hedgehog swaddler), except I don't recall seeing the aquaphor and I think I got 2 samples of the Bloom wipes.  

eazybreezy225

@Tennis11785 if i had any complaints about the box, i was kind of bummed by the fact that there was only 1 coupon. And the Bloom wipes sample, only 1? Really? How is a single wipe going to help me determine if I want to buy their product? The manufacturer should take a note from Pampers.

threatlevelmidnight

Can you get registry bags if it's not your first baby? Adkins for a friend lol jk

elcd458

BAHHH it still isn't working! Clearly Amazon thinks I am unworthy of free stuff. 

cait5413

@alyssaleighw you can at target. Not at Amazon. Haven't tried bru yet

dkizz82

@elcd458 you have to fill you list 100%. You can add something from each category or mark it already complete. 

elcd458

@dkizz82 I have!   

It even recognizes that it's 100% complete, but the godforsaken checkbox won't check. (Before I figured out you had to follow the checklist, that number in parenthesis was like 18% or something like that.)  I may need to just delete a bunch of stuff and start over.  To be fair, it is a bit of a sham registry... maybe Amazon can tell 

Amber_Waves

elcd458 I would email Amazon and ask whazzup.  They should be able to fix it or tell you what to do.

dkizz82

@elcd458 that's crazy