Free's always good, right? If you're willing to spend some time online, you can find all sorts of things for free.
And we love pointing this out. We've shown you some obscure tips over the years, like using IFTTT to be notified of freebies or how to get free stuff from Amazon. Today, Cool Websites and Apps is going to show you few more great sources for free stuff. There's an app with contests, and four sites that offer everything from free indie games to design and audio files. Let's get started!
ClaimIt (iOS, Android coming soon): Contests and Giveaways, Every Week
A new app hopes to promote products by giving them away – and if you live in New York City, you can take advantage. ClaimIt is an app that lets anyone enter sweepstakes in exchange for watching an ad. If you win, you'll be able to claim your prize nearby – either at the ClaimIt truck, or in a nearby store.
Right now there's only a giveaway van in New York City, but ClaimIt plans to expand to other markets eventually.
Intentionally subjecting yourself to advertising obviously doesn't appeal to everyone, but if you're willing to waste a bit of time you might end up with gift cards or other prizes.
GameJolt: Find Free Indie Games
If you haven't explored the world of free indie games, you should. Thousands of people who grew up dreaming of creating games are creating amazing projects out of sheer passion, and they're willing to share their work with you.
If you're interested, GameJolt is the site you should check out. This site acts as a database of free indie games, and if you love gaming there's no reason not to explore it.
We've shown you how to download free PC games legally, and where to find free to play Steam games, but if you want to try out some great passion projects GameJolt is where you should look first.
FreeSound (Web): Sounds for Your Next AV Project
If you're working on an audio or visual project, you know how hard it can be to find the right sound to use. FreeSound is a collection of Creative Commons recordings from volunteers, and there are a lot of them.
There's a good chance that whatever you're looking for is here, possibly even in the public domain. Be sure to check the license for each individual file before including it in a commercial project.
PlaceIt Freebies: Free Fonts, Icons, and Mockups Delivered Via Dropbox
You might be familiar with PlaceIt, which lets you create realistic product shots for your app or website. The team behind that great site also offer weekly design freebies, from fonts to icons to mockups.
Just sign up for the service and add their folder to your Dropbox, and files will be delivered to you regularly. It's a great deal for designers, who are always looking for something new to try out.
If this interests you, be sure to check out Freebbble as well – it's a site with all kinds of great icons and designs you can use.
Freebies on Reddit: Various Subreddits with Free Stuff
Getting free stuff in the mail is the best, which is why thousands of Reddit users pay close attention to r/freebies. We've talked about money stretching subreddits, including a few that give away great things.
But if you really want to use Reddit to find all the free things, you need to know about the master list we've linked to here. You'll find subreddits devoted to physical and electronic giveaways, including a wide range of different countries. Check it out.
Confused by Reddit in general? Check out the MakeUseOf guide to Reddit.
Where Do You Find Free Stuff?
We love free stuff. With this in mind, we want to know: what are the best giveaway sites on the web we haven't covered yet? Let's compile even more great sources in the comments below, okay?