388. Your Guide to Free Services and Savings

Katie, shares practical ways to cut costs and free up money for savings and faster debt payoff, drawing on her own journey of paying off over $254,762 on a single income. She describes getting a free haircut as a community college hair model and suggests similar savings through schools and training programs (cosmetology services, dental cleanings, trade-school auto repairs), plus free Home Depot workshops and trades training resources. She encourages using libraries for books and more, local buy/sell/trade and giveaway groups, community pantries, and reviewing workplace benefits for services and discounts. Other tips include using free trials carefully, working or volunteering at venues for concerts/sports, earning travel rewards, and maximizing restaurant rewards and birthday freebies, including apps like Flashfood and resources like food banks and Feeding America.

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Episode Transcript

Kati (00:00):
Did you know that you don't have to pay for
everything?
And no, I'm not talking aboutstealing or robbing a bank.
I enjoyed some great dealsrecently and thought I'd share
some ideas with you on how tocut costs to make room in your
budget.
That will help free up funds tobuild your savings and pay off
debt faster.

Announcer (00:22):
You're listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast with
Brad Nelson.
Brad and his co-hostsexperience the anxiety of living
paycheck to paycheck beforelearning the fundamentals of
financial success.
They are now on a mission toempower regular people to pay
off their debt for good andenjoy happier, less stressful
lives.
Keep listening forinspirational interviews, tips,

(00:44):
tricks, and practical advice togain financial freedom.

Kati (00:50):
Thank you for listening to the Debt Free Dad podcast,
where we help everyday peoplelike you take control of your
finances and live a happier,less stressful life.
My name is Katie and I'm yourhost for today's episode.
And I am still on my journey todebt freedom, which I've been
doing for about seven and a halfyears now.
And in that time, I've paid offover $254,762 in student loans,

(01:17):
car loans, medical bills, andcredit card debt, all on a
single income.
The other day I signed up to bea hair model for a stylist in
training at my local communitycollege.
She was very friendly and gaveseveral options for my style.
She was thorough and attentiveto detail, and she did a great
job cutting, washing, andstyling my hair.

(01:39):
Don't worry, there was alicensed salon instructor who
checked her work multiple timesthroughout the service, so I
wasn't worried about losing abig chunk of hair or having a
crooked cut in the end.
I got my split ends freshenedup and some really cute layers.
And the best part, it was allfree.
Well, of course, I tipped her.

(02:01):
But that same cut would havenormally cost me almost $100 at
my regular salon.
This program also does haircolor, nails, and skincare
services, all part of theirtraining.
So they appreciate havingpeople help them practice as
they work toward graduatingtheir program and getting their
license.
For those fresh out of theprogram, their pricing is also

(02:24):
lower than someone who has beena stylist for many years.
This experience did give me theidea to search for other deals
and compile some options for youto check out.
So along the same lines, youcould get dental cleanings at a
dental school, or you could haveauto repairs done at a trade
school with significant savingson what your local shop might

(02:47):
charge.
Home Depot offers free classesfor kids to adults.
On the first weekend of everymonth, they offer free in-store
kid workshops with funactivities and cute crafts.
Just be sure to register onlineso they have enough supplies.
They also offer workshops andhow-to video classes for adults
looking to do home improvementprojects and build their skills.

(03:09):
And I also just found out theyhave a free trades training with
self-paced Path to Pro classesand the opportunity to earn
HVAC, carpentry, electrician,and construction certificates,
which are all high high-demandprofessions.
There may also be some ways toget creative with the help of

(03:30):
your local schools.
When I was an interior designstudent in college, let's not
say how many years ago, one ofmy classes had a project where
we went to a local home, tookmeasurements and photos, and
then presented our design ideasfor the remodeling project that
the homeowners were looking todo.
In 2019, a Minnesota toddlerwith a rare genetic condition

(03:54):
that affected his mobilityneeded a special wheelchair.
Similar chairs cost up to$20,000, and his parents'
insurance just didn't cover it.
The Farmington, Minnesota HighSchool Robotics Team took on the
challenge and made an electricwheelchair for the child,
receiving help from theUniversity of Delaware's Go Baby

(04:14):
Go program, which createscustom vehicles for children
with limited mobility.
Talk about a wonderful life andlearning experience for those
students on the robotics teamand a priceless life-changing
outcome for that child and hisfamily.
Do you ever find yourselfspending a lot of money on books
at Barnes and Noble or ebookson Audible?

(04:37):
I often forget about one of myfavorite places where I spent
days on end as a child, thelibrary.
Not only do you have access tothousands of physical books for
free, they also offer ebooks,movies, music, classes, puzzles,
workshops, and special events.

(04:57):
Some even loan tools, smallappliances, and other items you
would otherwise buy or rent fora one-time, rare, or random
project.
Have you ever heard the phraseit takes a village?
There are so many local onlinebuy-sell trade groups on
Facebook, Craigslist, Next DoorFree Cycle, Offer Up.

(05:18):
There's also usually a few freeor giveaway groups that you can
check out in your area too.
Near me, there's a neighbors inneed group.
So people can can't ask formoney, but they can ask for
furniture, clothes, or kitchenitems that they might need.
And people who are springcleaning or have something

(05:39):
sitting in their basement canhelp fill those needs.
Sometimes an apartment complexmight have a community pantry,
either a resident-led or managedinitiative offering 24-7 no
questions access tonon-perishable food, hygiene
items, and essential goods.
These are often situated nearmailboxes or in lobby areas for

(06:03):
neighbor-to-neighbor support.
When's the last time youchecked out the benefits that
were available through yourwork?
I did a refresh of my benefitsand found that my employer
offers free or inexpensivenutritionist counseling, therapy
or life coaching lessons, legalservices, menopause support,

(06:24):
education reimbursement, evendiscounts on child or elder
care, moving services, carpurchases, and more.
If you're thinking about tryingout a new product or service,
there might be a free sample ora free trial for anything from
hair products and personalclothing stylists to streaming
services.
Just be sure to set a reminderfor yourself to cancel the

(06:47):
service a few days before thatfirst charge is going to be
billed.
So your free trial doesn't endup costing you big bucks,
especially if you're notinterested.
Do you love attending concertsor sporting events?
Lots of venues need volunteersor have paid part-time positions
to be an usher or greeter orwork in concessions or security,

(07:09):
giving you the opportunity tocatch parts of that big show or
game while making a littlemoney.
If you've been bitten by thetravel bug, try to fly with the
same airline or airline allianceand sign up for their mile
rewards program.
This allows you to earn pointstowards discounts on future
flights and even free.

(07:29):
Same thing goes for hotels toearn free nights.
And one of my favorites, lastbut not least, free food.
If you frequent a restaurantregularly, whether it's chains
and fast food or your local cafeor family restaurant, be sure
you're signed up if they offer apunch card or some kind of

(07:49):
rewards program.
In January, I got an inbox fullof emails with offers for free
food throughout my birthdaymonth.
You bet I took advantage of afree burger at Red Robin, a free
entree at Qdoba, and some more.
Plus, earn points every timeyou order and redeem those
points for a variety ofdiscounted or free items or

(08:10):
entrees.
By the way, my dinner afterthat free haircut the other day
happened to be a burrito bowlthat I had redeemed by using my
accumulated Qdoba rewardspoints.
If you work in a restaurant,you often get a meal for your
shift, or you can take leftovershome at the end of the night.

(08:31):
Some organizations, likeHabitat for Humanity, offer
meals for their volunteers thathelp with their home building
projects.
I was intrigued by some posts afriend made recently about an
app called Flash Food, whichhelps grocery stores place
excess produce, meats, and othergrocery items with families
instead of being tossed out.

(08:52):
She got two big bags, one offruit and one of veggies, for $5
each that would easily retailfor over $40.
And it helped her meal plan fortheir family for the week.
And of course, if you are in asituation where you are truly in
need of food, please check outyour local food banks and food
centers.
Look for food rescuecommunities near you, which

(09:15):
intercept surplus food fromgrocery stores, restaurants, and
farms, distributing it tofamilies in need to reduce waste
and fight food insecurity.
Volunteer-driven initiativesand organizations like Feeding
America, provide nutritiousmeals, and build sustainable
local food networks.
So, which of these tips do youplan on checking out?

(09:38):
Share in the comments on thisepisode.
And until next time, thank youfor listening to the Debt Free
Dead podcast.

Brad (09:44):
Now listen, if you're ready to break free from living
paycheck to paycheck, which ifyou're listening, I hope you
are.
You want to reduce financialstress, you want to build
savings, you want to finally payoff debt for good, but you're
not sure where to get started.
Don't worry.
We've got to cover here at debtfree dad.
Simplify My Money is sent eachSunday to your email.
We make it easy.
And Simplify My Money, it'syour step-by-step roadmap to

(10:06):
better financial control.
And you're also going to learneasy to follow strategies to
manage your money effectively.
You're going to get stress-freemoney decisions that will help
you simplify your financial lifewith proven tips that actually
work.
You're also going to gain thetools and the confidence to
tackle your financial goals headon.
You can sign up for Simplify MyMoney by clicking the link at

(10:26):
the top of the show notes.
Thanks for joining us ontoday's show, and we will see
you guys on the next episode.

Announcer (10:37):
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(10:58):
Catch you next week.