Ways of Getting Free Stuff in South Africa

Translations:
sw

When it comes to saving money, everyone wants to get free stuff. There are many ways you can get free stuff in South Africa, from hotel rooms, groceries and movie tickets. You can get free stuff online and even within your community neighborhood. Some of the free kinds of stuff are given by companies promoting their products or individual who have no use for them.

How then can you get free stuff in South Africa?

free samples south africa
South Africans save billions of rands by enrolling for loyalty programs with retails giants such as Pick n Pay.

Check From Your Community’s Neighborhood

You can check for free staff online and other platforms such as Facebook for advertisements. Also, you can ask people within your neighborhood if there is a place you can get free stuff. You could get giveaways such as furniture and appliances.

Sample Products

Stores give away sample products when they are advertising them. You can locate new brands such as beauty and fragrance products and keep checking when the company is giving away free samples. If you can’t find the samples in person, you can keep checking online from manufacturers. Some of the manufacturers give free product testing in South Africa. For example, you can join Home Tester Club in South Africa.

Free Food Vouchers in South Africa

To access free food in South Africa, individuals can apply for food vouchers or coupons from several organizations such as Siyabonga Africa. The organization issues free Food Vouchers delivered by SMS to assist vulnerable families impacted by job losses. Siyabonga Africa focuses on supporting women in distress, the elderly, child-headed families, zero income households, and people with disabilities. Additionally, CoCare Vouchers are redeemable at over 200,000 physical locations. You can apply for a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) food parcel by visiting your nearest SASSA office.

Enroll For Loyalty Programs

You can sign up for rewards from restaurants and retailers near you. More often, they give exclusive perks to their members during their occasions, such as birthdays, depending on how much you spend in them. You are likely to get free movie tickets, food, gift cards, or even merchandise.

South African consumers, for example, save billions of rands in loyalty programs.

According to Truth Loyalty White Paper 2018, pharmacy and beauty retail is leading in South Africa when it comes to loyalty programmes. Best retail for loyalty programmes in South Africa are Clicks Clubcard, Pick n Pay Smart Shopper, and Dis-Chem Benefit Programme.

free stuff south africa
Data on loyalty programs in South Africa.

Best Websites for Free Stuff in South Africa

In South Africa, it is possible to access free stuff on free stuff websites. One of the best websites for free stuff in South Africa is Freecycle, where individuals can give away items they no longer need or find items for free within their local community. Freecycle promotes sustainability and reduces waste by facilitating the exchange of goods between users, covering a wide range of categories such as furniture, electronics, clothing, and household items. Each item posted on the platform must be freely given, legal, and suitable for all ages. Users have the option to search for items based on specific towns such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, East London, and others.

Another popular website for free stuff in South Africa is Gumtree, which features a “Freebie” section where users can browse and request items available for free in their area. Gumtree offers a diverse selection of free items, from baby clothes and toys to garden tools and appliances, making it a valuable resource for individuals looking to acquire items without spending money.

Websites like Trash Nothing offer similar services, allowing users to share unwanted items within their communities. Additionally, the Buy Nothing Project encourages communal sharing by facilitating the exchange of goods between neighbors, while Online Free Vouchers offers free pre-paid electricity units, free match tickets of your choice, data bundles, Shoprite, Pick n Pay and checkers food voucher. These platforms foster a culture of generosity and resourcefulness while reducing waste and promoting community engagement.

Additionally, social media platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and local community groups often have dedicated sections or pages where members can give away or exchange free items. These platforms facilitate direct communication between users and provide opportunities to find free stuff within specific geographic areas or communities. For instance, you can join groups dedicated to “Free Stuff,” or “Community Exchange” in your area to share free stuff.

Get Involved in National Food Holidays

For people active on social media, you notice that there are holidays meant to honor most of the food items. You can locate a restaurant or a food outlet near you that participates in these events, and you could get a free drink or food. For instance, during the International Coffee day, which falls on October 1st, most restaurants treat their customers with a free cup of coffee.

Sign Up for Free Trials

You can get a free television or any appliance by just signing up for free trials. In other online services, most companies offer free one month trial. Therefore, in the case of a program, you can get a free service for one month by just signing up. Once the free period is over, you can cancel the subscription to avoid charges.

Take Part in Contests

By just taking part in a contest and other events, it is possible to win great prizes. For example, most radio stations in South Africa offer amazing gifts when people take part in contests. Besides, you can also get rewarded for reviewing a product, liking or tagging a product on social media such as Instagram and Facebook. Make sure to check for upcoming sweepstakes from different companies and then read the instructions. However, avoid taking part in contests that ask for confidential information.
free stuff giveaway south africa

Exchange Credit Cards for Rewards

Do you have a credit card? If you have some points from using the credit cards, you can exchange them for a reward for flights or even holidays. Some credit cards have special perks, such as access to travel insurance and entry to airport lounges. Research what kind of rewards you can get and cash in the credit card to get those rewards.

Take Part in Online Surveys

Online surveys for free stuff are common in South Africa. You are likely to get a gift card or money by just answering some questions. It just takes a few minutes to answer surveys to get free stuff such free airtime or even entry tickets in concerts. You can check online surveys sites available in your country, e.g. South Africa, and subscribe to be considered for the upcoming surveys. You can also use Consumer Rewards South Africa portal.

Most online survey are not genuine, and they don’t pay as they promise on their websites.

Make Use of Coupons

It is easy to get discounts from stores and brands near you. In most instances, when you purchase a product, you are given another one free. You can get coupons from online stores or supermarkets near you. You can also get from coupon websites such as Picodi, Boncode, Coupon SA, and Niche Market. Read the terms and conditions of the store so that you can qualify to get the coupon.

Check from Farms in Your Neighborhood

Most community farms give away some of their produce when they have a bumper harvest, or they have sorted out the quality produce. All you need is to identify farms that are communally owned and keep checking when they are offering free cereals or any other kind of produce. This is an excellent way of getting free food.

Try some of the ways mentioned above, and you could get free food, trip or win exclusive rewards such as a television. Make sure to keep checking when such opportunities are available.

This post is also available in sw.

Vincent is a writer and researcher with an interest in finance, banking, startups, and remittance. He holds a Bachelors degree in Applied Statistics with computing. He founded Nexin Startups, an online platform offering startup advice to investors and entrepreneurs. Read more about us and our authors.