Get Freebies from Local Businesses using the Paypal Mobile App

Every once in a while there's a deal that just seems too good to be true. When a friend excitedly told me he had gotten free breakfast for a week using the PayPal App, I was skeptical. But never one to pass up a chance for a freebie, I downloaded the app to see what the hype was all about. Here's the skinny:

What is Paypal? An international e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet (Thanks Wikipedia!) Or in other words, it's a way to pay for items without cash or a physical credit card

How does it work? Once you've downloaded the app onto your phone (it's free and compatible for iOS, Android and Windows Phones), you link your account to an existing credit or debit card. You'll be asked to take a photo so that when you make a purchase, participating retailers can verify your identity. The app uses your location to display restaurants and retailers that accept Paypal in the area. Then you can select a restaurant and in some cases order ahead.

How can I get free stuff? The app's "Offer" section is where you'll find freebies and discounts. Businesses that are doing promotions are displayed in this section. The Bean, Pomme Frites, Viva Crepe, and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream are among the business that currently have offers which range from $3 to $10 off any purchase. What's great is that unlike a lot of couponing apps, there's no minimum purchase. In fact, you can redeem the offer for less than the promotional price and save the rest for another visit. For example, I used the $3 off offer at The Bean for an ice coffee and still have 50 cents I can use the next time I order there.

So go ahead and treat yourself to a free cone or coffee or muffin- you deserve it for being so frugal! 

Tell a Joke, Get a Free Pretzel!

Chewy, buttery, salty...don't get me started on how much I love soft pretzels. Lucky for me and my fellow pretzel-appreciators, this Friday is National Pretzel Day which means Pretzelmaker is doling out free pretzels (salted and unsalted) all day to anyone who a.) tells a joke or b.) says "National Pretzel Day." The participating New York City locations are...

MANHATTAN: Mrs. Fields/Pretzelmaker 501 5th Avenue Port Authority/Mrs. Fields/Pretzelmaker 625 8th Avenue, S. Wing, 2nd Floor BROOKLYN: Kings Plaza  5100 Flatbush Avenue, Suite 110 Atlantic Terminal  139 Flatbush Ave., #A-2

And, according to Pretzelmaker's  Facebook page, if you Tweet or Instagram a photo of your free snack with the hashtag #nationalpretzelday, you can recieve an additional "special twisted treat". So brush up on your knock-knock jokes and get ready to sink your teeth into a freshly baked pretzel.

Get a Free Beauty Bag from Aerie

Update: The Aerie Facebook page failed to mention that the "free" beauty bag will only be given out with a purchase of $35 dollars or more. Wish I knew that before I trekked out to Soho in the slush. Oh well! Aerie is having a great sale on bras right now though so if you're on the prowl for a new one, it may be worth a trip!

Tomorrow, January 16th, American Eagle will be giving out a limited supply of beauty bags from their in-house lingerie brand Aerie. What's in these beauty bags is a mystery and Aerie is being pretty secretive about what they will include. But my interest is peaked so I will definitely be stopping by one of the two participating stores in New York (either Soho or Times Square locations) to snatch one up.


Click here for exact locations from the Aerie Facebook page!

Free "Skinny Slice" at Sbarro

For all you health freaks and pizza lovers (can you be both?) tomorrow's your lucky day. Sbarro is handing out free slices of their new "Skinny Slice." Advertised as being only 271 calories, each slice is topped with portobella mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted red and green peppers, and soft mozzarella cheese. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. All you have to do is like Sbarro on Facebook and print the coupon. Not all Sbarro locations are participating in the giveaway but there are still several in NYC who will be handing them out. Check out the list below to see where you can get your free slice.

In Manhattan...

• 34th Street
• 5th Avenue And 46th St
• 33rd And 7^th
• 701 7th Avenue
• 49th And Broadway

And for you outer-borough folks...

• Kings Plaza Mall
• Staten Island Mall

I'll be dreaming of the cheesy goodness tonight! 

Free Gloves at American Apparel

American Apparel is giving away more free stuff! All you have to do is text "Apparel" to 23000. Then you'll recieve a confirmation text that entitles you to one free pair of fingerless gloves. The gloves are super warm (you can choose between an acrylic or wool blend) and are perfect for texting. Plus they come in a whole slew of fun colors! They sell for $12 dollars so be sure to stop in before December 10th when the promotion ends! Happy shopping!

Carvel Offers Free Cones Nov. 15th

For all those craving a sweet treat, stop into Carvel tomorrow between 12 and 8 to pick up a complimentary junior size cone. The only one located in Manhattan is in Tribeca but for all of you who work in around Wall Street or go to school in the area (I'm talking to you, Kings College students!) it would make a great mid-week indulgence. And if you're feeling especially generous, you can donate $3 to Hurricane Sandy relief and you'll receive a Carvel Coupon book with up to $30 in savings. Free ice cream and supporting the community sounds like a pretty good combo to me.

MANHATTAN: 

Carvel
118 Fulton Street
New York, NY 10038
212-732-7283

BROOKLYN: 

Carvel
Penn Station Plaza, Long Island Railroad Concourse
New York, NY 10001
(212) 244-3848

Carvel Express
569 Myrtle Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11205
718-783-3744

Carvel Express
625 8th Avenue
New York, NY 10036
212-239-1165

Free Nail Polish at American Apparel

What's better than wearing the season's hottest nail color? Getting it for free of course! Now through November 10th, American Apparel is giving out free nail polish in some of their most popular shades. Just stop into an American Apparel and show this coupon (in print or on your phone) to pick one up. I braved the blizzard to get mine, choosing Hunter Green which I plan to wear throughout the upcoming holiday season. Cheers to well manicured nails without spending a dime!

Free Pancakes at IHop!

It all started on Monday, when the L train was delayed. Flustered, I decided to walk instead of spending my evening trapped in the train. While I was strolling along, I stumbled across an IHop. Yes, an IHop in Manhattan! Right on 14th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. I could barely contain my excitement and when I got home, I immediately logged onto their website figuring they would offer some sort of freebie for signing up with their email club. I was right! Within one day I had received the coupon below for a free Rooty Tooty Combo (or any item on the menu of equal or lesser value!). Two of my friends signed up too and we made a (free) evening of it last night. Nothing beats chocolate pancakes for dinner...unless they're free! Follow this link to get your very own coupon. Just beware, the fine print on the coupon says there is a limit of one per customer, per table. We still all got our meals for free but I'd double check with your waiter before ordering, just in case.

Free Pies Please!

Australian comfort food pioneer Pie Face just opened a new location in Murray Hill and to celebrate, they're giving away free mini pies. They were offering them today from 12-2 and 6-8 and I stopped by for a mini chicken and mushroom pie. It was the perfect combination of flaky buttery crust and hot, gooey insides. They'll be celebrating some more this week. Stop by tomorrow (September 19th) between 8 and 9 AM for a free coffee or on Friday night between 1:30 and 3:30 AM for a mini pie. They'd make the perfect after-drink snack! They're located at 507 3rd Avenue between 33rd and 34th St.

Also, I found a link to the email club on their website which promises more freebies so guess whose signing up?

Shopping off the Curb in NYC

Lookit what I found! While strolling around my neighborhood last night, I stumbled across this table and stool set that is perfect for my little nook of a kitchen. My roommate and I loaded it into a taxi and took the short trip back to our apartment. For the price of cab fare (six bucks!) we now have a kitchen table and stools.

Shopping off of the curb is one of the perks of living in a city where people move frequently and storage costs are at a premium. You can check the sanitation department's website to see when trash is collected in your neighborhood, if you don't already know. These are the days when you'll find discards on the sidewalk waiting to be hauled away. You'll have especially good luck if you scout out the curb towards the beginning of the month when people are moving in and out. As long as you don't have a problem coping with the fact that you have no idea what went down on that furniture before it made it into you're home, you're golden.

I can't wait to start using this frugal find! Happy hunting and let me know if any curb finds have found their way into your apartments.