1 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: tip is to have fun with freebies. When a restaurant 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: or store offers a freebie that sounds like fun, build 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: a little adventure around it, and maybe try to include 6 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: others in your adventure as well. Last summer, I ran 7 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: an evening Hour's challenge to help participants make the most 8 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: of the time between work and bedtime. I surveyed people 9 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: about their experiences, and I was initially confused by how 10 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: many people reported going out for slurpees on a particular night. Now, sure, 11 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,320 Speaker 1: it was summer and going out for slurpees is fun, 12 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: but the ratio of slurpees to ice cream was surprising 13 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: until I so eventually put the pieces together and realize 14 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 1: this particular night was July eleventh, or seven eleven in 15 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: the way we Americans write dates, and seven eleven the 16 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 1: convenience store celebrated that day by giving out free slurpees. 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: A lot of people decided to turn this freebie into 18 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: an evening adventure. Now, I will confess that I am 19 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: not a huge fan of universal freebie days. That is, 20 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 1: when a store gives something free to everybody. Economics tells 21 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: us that this will create a line. Personally, I would 22 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: rather pay a few dollars for let's say, an ice 23 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: cream cone at Benning Jerry's and not wait in an 24 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,960 Speaker 1: hour long line on free cone Day. But sometimes freebies 25 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: are available at other times, and if you do a 26 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: little work, you might be able to build a discounted 27 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: adventure around them. For instance, lots of places will give 28 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: you a freebie or a discount on your birthday. If 29 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: you are looking to celebrate, maybe check who'll give you 30 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: a free or discounted meal, and then bring a friend 31 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:13,360 Speaker 1: with you to celebrate. You could split the cost and 32 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 1: both get some affordable festivities. Places like Starbucks have their 33 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: rewards if you've spent a certain amount, and so if 34 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 1: you know you have a freebee coming up, you could 35 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: plan to go with a friend specifically to redeem your 36 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: free item. Or you might check the coupons that come 37 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: in the mail. Most are not going to be worthwhile, 38 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 1: but maybe there's a coupon for a free bowling game 39 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: at a place you've never been to. If you've been 40 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: looking for some weekend fun with a friend, you could 41 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: suggest this. It's a great opener. Hey, I've got this 42 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: coupon I want to use. People might be gamed for it, 43 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 1: You just never know. I've been known to bid on 44 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: some less popular silent auction items in order to get 45 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: discounted little adventures. Now, obviously I'm putting some money out 46 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: the door here, But if I was going to donate 47 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: to that nonprofit anyway, how fun to get a free 48 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: pass to a helicopter museum or a gift certificate to 49 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: a tea shop or something like that. If it's somewhere 50 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: I might not have gone otherwise, this freebie could make 51 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: life a little more interesting. In any case, we could 52 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: all use some playfulness and abundance in our lives. Places 53 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: often do offer discounts or freebies for some reason or another, 54 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: So if you see one, use it as an opportunity 55 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: to plan an adventure and try to bring someone along. 56 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: You just might find yourself with more memories which are priceless, 57 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: even if they stemmed from something that's free. In the meantime, 58 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to me 59 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: making the most of our time. Thanks for listening to 60 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback. You 61 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 62 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts 63 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 64 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.