Places to Find Freebies Useful for a Pack

[AnonEmous]

Goal: Create a list of items that normally can be found for free which are useful in a pack.

Several items in my pack or stored for an emergency are available for free in many places. And who can beat free?

- self-contained plastic cutlery with napkins:
where: CVS, grocery stores, some fast food restaurants (Chick-fil-A has them individually wrapped).
I often pick up one or two of these whenever I get anything from a local CVS, grocery store, or even fast food restaurant. These often are found next to the "fresh" refrigerated food in CVS or the grocery store and are made available as a courtesy. I only take them when I buy something from the store. I like these because in an emergency situation at home, I do not necessarily have to waste water washing them as I would with regular forks and knives. I am a fan of reclycling, but if water is short, I would use these.

- self-contained handy wipes/ sanitizing wipes:
where: Chick-fil-A, some fast food restarants
I like these as part of a FAK; they are simple and small, but are helpful to clean hands or small cuts and scrapes. I have found these in a local Chick-fil-A and some other fast food restaurants may offer them.

- sample sized soap, tooth brush, sewing kit:
where: hotel
No big surprise here. When staying in a hotel I usually take one of the soap bottles/ bars and the sewing kit.

generic ziplock baggies:
where: some airports at the security line
Ziplocks are great for organizing gear in a pack for all kinds of reasons.

What other examples can people offer?

[azoth]

most fast food restaurants will have packets of condiments including salt, pepper, ketchup and mustard. some even have honey packets.

[aa1pr]

Ziploc bags fail when you least expect it

invest in some dry bags & save yoru headaches for the battles you know you can win

[geoffreys7]

self-contained handy wipes/ sanitizing wipes - many gas station like Hess will give you these when you pay if you ask for them.

I love the little paper cups for katchup at Burger King and McDonals for fire starters. Fill with dryer lint or sawdust and wax and light them to start a good fire.

There's also many uses for straws. Many hotels will give you free disposable shavers and toothbrushes for the asking if you "forgot" yours!

[hutchb25]

Fill with dryer lint or sawdust and wax and light them to start a good fire.

One of my projects this spring: Do the same thing, but with cut-up egg cartons. It's going to be -awesome-.


I keep the hotel soaps and shampoos in a shoebox in my food storage. In a genuine recovering PAW, they could become valuable in trade, if not for my own use.

At restaurants, I grab a select jam packet or two. Not more than two though...gotta be reasonable. Hmm...is that considered stealing? :/

[Lynn LeFey]

KFC has little packets of butter and jam for their biscuits.

Chinese food places have soy sauce and often cayenne powder.

Taco Bell has hot sauce packets.

Most everywhere has sugar packets.

Any public restroom can score you a day's worth of TP without you feeling like a total jerk. I am utterly NOT suggesting you swipe a whole roll.

For plasticware, I think Wendy's has the most stout stuff. Or, if you have a 'Panera' bread company near you.

[KnightoftheRoc]

Chopsticks come free for the asking if you order Chinese, and yes, even with delivery.

Film canisters, free for the asking at Walgreen's photo dept. Watertight and durable.

Alcohol wipes or treated napkins in the little envelopes.

Book matches- just ask for them, most of the time, you don't even need to be buying cigarettes (but buy something- the cost the store money, after all). Dip the heads in melted wax, and you have waterproof matches that are also a bit more windproof.

AND- let's not forget curb picking! If it's legal in your area, keep an eye open along the curbs on trash days, or the day before. A lot of localities have things like a Spring Cleaning Day, where all sorts of stuff not normally picked up can go out for free, forming a veritable treasure trove for the free thinking prepper on a budget. Be considerate- don't leave a mess!

[Zen Chameleon]

I really don't have anything extra to add at this time but this thread has some good ideas: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=18698

[Texas_Marauder]

I pick up condiment packets from restaurants all the time. Is there a way to tell how long they stay edible? I also hear people say you can get free food grade buckets from grocery stores. I never have luck.

[hutchb25]

I pick up condiment packets from restaurants all the time. Is there a way to tell how long they stay edible? I also hear people say you can get free food grade buckets from grocery stores. I never have luck.

I haven't tried grocery stores, but we have a salad dressing factory (North Idaho, capitol for scientific progress) where I can get buckets for like $0.50 a pop.

Look for food production facilities.

[duodecima]

I pick up condiment packets from restaurants all the time. Is there a way to tell how long they stay edible? I also hear people say you can get free food grade buckets from grocery stores. I never have luck.

Depends on the chain, I've had one big box claim they weren't allowed because they sold them (they don't but whatever). My local grocery chain is happy to, I get to wash out the frosting. I have also heard to try bakeries and delis. If food-grade not important, check construction-job sites, apparently they have some stuff that comes in them too. Sea salt for fish tanks also comes in them.

Not sure that the buckets are really useful for a BOBag, tho. For vehicular bug out, a BOBuckets make sense.

[Nycene]

i would recommend your local freecycle and the free stuff sections on craigslist and kiijii. people are constantly giving away things they no longer need.

www.freecycle.org

[creepingdeath]

Requesting free samples. I saw an Emergen-C commercial the other day, the said go to their website and sign up to receive free samples by mail. I would think there are many other similar sign-ups out there for drink mixes, trail mixes, OTC meds, etc. Do an interweb search maybe. My mother works at a Curves gym and they give free gift bags of drink mixes, trail mix, etc, maybe other gyms do.

[bltjr1951]

Walmarts in big cities have free samples, besides five finger discount.
Several store sites have sample page, here's Walmart's:
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Store ... ISNSAMPLES

There are even freebie sites that tell you the latest free/coupon item happening.
Some sample sites have long memories, once you get freebie, you'll never get another.

And yes, on several forum sites, people say you're stealing when you take home more than one item. If you sit and eat there, you can consume/use as much as you want.

[AcidGambit]

Conventions:

Stainless, or plastic, waterbottles
Hats
Lighters
Flashdrives
Flashlights
Those little drawstring knapsack thingies.

I know an army recruiter, most of the time I just go in and he let's me snag a few things.