Strapped for cash and looking for free Christmas gifts 2024? There are several ways to find totally free gifts for everyone on your list. You can even find free money! Finding free stuff can take a little time to hit just right, and others can be completed within an hour or two. Get started with these fun, easy ideas and a few options if you really need financial relief while sourcing gifts for the holiday season.
Repurpose What You Find Outside
There are actually scores of things you can pick up from outside and turn into a free (and meaningful) Christmas gift for your loved ones. Pine cones, scraps of wood, twigs, and acorns make for decorative artwork and center pieces. All you need is some good Pinterest inspiration and a plan for how to pull it all together. But it doesn’t need to be complicated, either. A collection of wild flowers in an old mason jar with a ribbon wrapped around it looks lovely. So do pine cone wreaths and simple flourishes. Here’s some “pinspiration” to get started.
Did you know you can sell pinecones on places like eBay and Etsy? You may be able to earn enough to put together some cash or a frugal Christmas gift this year.
Scour Facebook
There are hundreds of outlets for free (and frugal) items on Facebook. Start with your local community pages to see if any neighbors are discarding their old stuff. You can also search for “no buying” or “no shopping” groups to look for free things in your area. It takes time to come up with options, so keep checking back. It’s also worth asking for what you want. “Is anyone giving away old toys that are suitable for a 10-year-old?” is one way to start.
Offer Up the Gift of Time and Dazzle Your Loved Ones
Not all gifts need to be something tangible that you wrap up and hold. You can put together a meaningful gift that your loved ones will remember forever by offering your time. Here are a few ideas:
- Offer to go on that long hike
- Volunteer to deep clean someone’s home who needs extra help
- Spend the afternoon teaching someone to cook your famous cookies
- Drive someone across the state to that appointment they’re dreading
- Spend the day watching movies and reminiscing with someone
Even if you have plenty of money to spend, the gift of time almost always makes a bigger impact than anything you could buy.
Offer to Haul Away Leftover Items After Garage Sales
The holidays seem to bring out the garage sales. People are trying to raise money for gifts or clear out their junk to make room for new stuff for their family. But there are almost always leftovers that need to be hauled away and discarded. When you see a garage sale listing go up, send an email or drop off a note offering your services. A simple “If you have anything left over after the garage sale, I’d love to haul it away for free, provided it fits into the trunk and backseat of my car.” You can keep what you want, repurpose some items, or even try to sell it on your own. The rest you can donate.
It’s also possible to turn this strategy into a weekend side hustle. Most people are so over the garage sale that all they want to do is lock their doors and call it a night. You can charge a nominal amount, like $25, to come get everything and make sure it’s discarded. You’ll need a truck for this side hustle, or you can make multiple trips to complete the service.
Check the Free Section on Craigslist
Craigslist has fallen out of popularity with the rise of Facebook, but people still post all sorts of things there, including free stuff. They want it off their curb or out of their house and don’t necessarily want to take it to the dump or Goodwill themselves. If you’re diligent about watching the listings, you can find everything from free furniture to electronics, musical instruments, and housewares. If you realize they’re trying to get rid of several items, you can ask about taking it all off their hands for a nominal fee.
Watch for Nextdoor Curb Alerts
You can also find free Christmas gifts 2024 on Nextdoor by watching for curb alerts. People don’t want bulk items piling up outside their homes or risking being fined by the city. Depending on where you live, you may also find the quality of the items posted on Nextdoor to be better than on sites like Craigslist. Just like with the Facebook strategy, you can also ask if anyone is giving away items you need or has anything worth looking at before the city’s scheduled bulk pickup.
Make a Holiday Video with Free Tools
You can make basic videos without any skills and a few simple tools. You can edit your videos on your smartphone, YouTube, or Vimeo without needing to invest any extra money. The results are somewhat like a digital scrapbook or special message that can bring your loved ones to tears. Once you edit the movie, you can host it for free on a site like YouTube with an unlisted link. Only the gift recipient will have the link and can treasure it without worrying about it expiring or being deleted (unless you want to).
Look for Sweepstakes and Promos
The odds may be stacked against you to win the lotto, but winning sweepstakes or signing up for some kind of promo could result in household items, toys, bath items, fun merchandise, candles, and more. Local sweepstakes are often easier to snag, and there’s always something going on at local retailers, restaurants, and even utility companies. Our gas provider is always sending out sweepstakes to win theater tickets, dinner out, and physical items.
Gift Free Books
Does your community have Little Library stands scattered around town? They’re filled with free books for everyone, from babies to adults. Some also have surprises, like coloring books and crayons or crafting kits. Many of the books are in excellent, like-new condition and make the perfect gift for a literary lover. When you’re back on your feet or have old books of your own, make sure to donate some back to keep paying it forward.
Tap Local Churches and Nonprofits
If you’re in a bad situation financially, local churches and nonprofits could be helpful. Many have their own private Secret Santas to help families who need toys and clothes for their kids. They may also have ideas for area programs that give away items to those in need. Start with the church you or a friend already attends. You can ask for discretion and ask that your request be kept private.
Go Dumpster Diving
There’s an entire movement and industry that’s developed around dumpster diving. Some people do it because they think the world is already too littered, and there are plenty of useful items that are constantly discarded. Others go dumpster diving to find brand-new clothing and electronics that retailers are discarding. These are either kept, given away, donated, or sold on places like eBay and Poshmark.
It is important to exercise caution. Some retailers have policies against dumpster diving, which could land you in some legal trouble. Make sure there are no signs posted about it being unlawful to dumpster dive or that you’re trespassing. Some stores also give dumpster divers permission to comb through their dumpsters, provided they keep things clean and tidy.
There are entire YouTube channels dedicate to dumpster diving. My favorite is Breafkast who dives to reduce waste, earn more money by reselling what she finds, and raises money for charity. Check out her dumpster drive that resulted in finding Versace, Coach, and Gucci.
Raise Money with with a Weekend Side Hustle
There are lots of ways to find free Christmas gifts 2024, but there are also lots of ways to pull together some cash quickly with a weekend side hustle. It’s true that some of the more lucrative side hustles can take time to get off the ground, but there are several that put money in your pocket right away. Get started with some of these quick and easy ideas: