Getting free things in the UK can be fun and rewarding! Here are some creative and practical ways to access freebies:
- Attend Free Events and Festivals: Many cities across the UK host free events such as concerts, street festivals, and cultural celebrations. Keep an eye on local event listings to find free activities.
- Free Museum and Gallery Days: Some museums and galleries, like those in London, offer free entry on certain days or permanently. For example, The British Museum and Tate Modern are free to visit.
- Join Loyalty Programs and Sign Up for Free Samples: Many brands and stores offer free samples or free gifts through their loyalty programs. Check out websites that specialize in free samples, like FreeStuff UK.
- Visit Parks and Gardens: The UK is home to a variety of stunning parks and gardens, many of which are free to visit. Explore places like Hyde Park in London, Regent’s Park, and the beautiful gardens of the Royal Botanic Gardens.
- Free Trials for Services: Many companies offer free trials for services like streaming platforms (e.g., Netflix or Spotify), fitness classes, and online courses. Make sure to cancel before the trial period ends to avoid charges!
- Charity Shops (Free Clothing or Items): Occasionally, charity shops will have “free” days, where you can take home clothing or items without paying. Also, look out for Freecycle groups, where people give away things they no longer need.
- Use Apps for Freebies: Apps like OFFERZ or Groupon sometimes offer vouchers for free meals or products when you sign up.
- Community Groups and Facebook Marketplace: Local community groups or Facebook Marketplace often have people giving away free items, ranging from furniture to clothes to food.
- Food Banks and Surplus Food: In many cities, there are organizations that collect surplus food from shops and distribute it to those in need. Some organizations also offer free meals or food parcels.
- Public Libraries: Libraries often offer free access to books, films, workshops, and even events like free fitness classes or creative workshops.
- Student Discounts and Freebies: If you’re a student, make sure to get an NUS card or use apps like UNiDAYS, which often offer free or heavily discounted products and services.
- Attend Free Fitness Classes or Workshops: Look for free fitness classes, especially in larger cities where organizations or local councils sometimes offer free yoga, pilates, or outdoor fitness sessions.
Keep in mind that while you can find free things all around, it’s important to be cautious and verify the legitimacy of offers to avoid scams!
To save you having to spend time looking all over the internet for some freebies and bargains, we have sourced them for you so that you can find them in one place.
Join our Facebook group Heart to Hand
The Heart to Hand group was created to help those who have just moved from South Africa to the UK and are starting off with nothing and also for those who kindly have unwanted items to gift for free.
Feel free to post in the group if there are any items you are needing and maybe someone will be able to help you out.
Or look out for the posts where people are gifting unwanted items.
Charity shops
Charity shops are a type of social enterprise. They sell mainly used goods such as clothing, books, music albums, shoes, DVDs, toys, and furniture donated by members of the public, and are often staffed by volunteers.
Charity shops are able to reuse or recycle more than 90% of donated clothing.
Over 90% of donated books and 85% of donated electrical goods reduces landfill, by boosting re-use and recycling.
Charity shops help to reduce waste that ends up in landfill
Online charity shops
- Oxfam
- Woodgreen the animal charity
- RSPCA shop
- British Heart Foundation
- Red cross
- Cancer Research
- Sue Ryder
- Air Ambulance
- Barnardos
Freecycle websites for Freebies and offers
Whether you’re looking for free furniture, baby stuff, collectibles, kids’ clothes, or even free books and cd’s, you should find all these items plus loads more on freecycle websites and freecycle Facebook groups
- Freegle
- Pre Loved
- Freecycle groups in London
- Freecycle
- Freecycle groups South East
- Gumtree
- Trash nothing
- Freeads
- Magic freebies UK
- Latest free stuff
- Latest deals
- Free samples
Freecycle groups on Facebook for Freebies
- Free to a good home in Lincolnshire
- Free to good home FREECYCLE
- Freebay
- local Free stuff-recycle unwanted items
- Donington and surrounding areas freecycle
- Freecycle Congleton and Surrounding Areas
- Free stuff and for sale Fordingbridge
- Free items in Lincoln
- local Free stuff-recycle unwanted items
- Free Stuff Beckenham
- Freebay Surrey
- Freecycle Northampton – UK
- Freebay Burton on Trent
Freeloved for freebies and bargains
Freeloved is a website where you will find people giving stuff away for free.
In this section of Freeloved you will find adverts from people who are giving stuff away for free!
Freeads
Look for free items on the free stuff page of the Freeads website.
Reyooz
Take a look at Reyooz for second hand office furniture and equipment from corporate clearances, which not only saves you money but also helps to save the planet.
Freecycle network
Take a look at the freecycle network, a grassroots & entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own Towns.
Trash Nothing
The trash nothing site is simply an alternate interface for existing freecycle groups
The site was designed to make freecycling easier
If you are looking for free stuff or have stuff to give away, have a look at the Trash Nothing website.
olio
Olio mobile app for food-sharing, aiming to reduce food waste. It does this by connecting those with surplus food to those who need or wish to consume such food. The food must be edible; it can be raw or cooked, sealed or open.
How to get free (or cheap) food
Local eBay Deals Mapper
Pick-up only items are often cheaper, as there are fewer bids. This tool finds and maps those near you
