They say the best things in life are free – and with much of life becoming more expensive than ever, it’s wise not to pay for anything you don’t have to.
Giving up takeaway coffee, books and trips to the cinema can help you save cash, but there are ways to continue to experience these ‘nice to-haves’ without paying a penny.
Read on to discover the things you’re probably paying for that you could get for free, potentially saving hundreds of pounds a year.
Coffee and other hot drinks
While a Thermos flask from home is the cheapest way to get your coffee fix, sometimes only a barista-made drink will do – and millions of us could be getting these for free.
Customers with Octopus Energy – that’s nearly one in four of us – can choose one free drink a week if they have the app and a smart meter. You can get the beverage in a Caffè Nero or Greggs.
Free drinks at the former include iced pistachio and cherry lattes of any size as well as all other cold and hot drinks that aren’t branded ‘luxury’, ‘speciality’ or ‘seasonal’. The latter’s list takes in speciality lattes, hot chocolate, espresso and cappuccino.
Octopus vouchers do run out but refresh every Monday. Once you’ve picked yours, you can use it all week. If you’re an Octopus customer, set a phone reminder for Monday morning to ensure you grab a QR code before the store runs out of the drinks.
Meanwhile, if you sign up to MyWaitrose, you can claim a free americano, cappuccino, latte or tea from the self-service machines in Waitrose stores without making a purchase, as long as you bring a reusable cup and scan your loyalty card. This entitles you to one free drink a day. The Waitrose loyalty scheme is free to sign up to.
You can also claim one free drink at Caffè Nero when you link your Caffe Nero app to MyWaitrose.
Books and audiobooks
If you have a subscription to Audible or read books on an e-reader or tablet, you can get these for free – instead of paying to listen or read – simply by joining your library.
Check it out to find which apps it uses for digital borrowing to get books and audiobooks for free.
Most libraries use apps such as Libby or BorrowBox but you’ll need a library card to access them and may need to go to the library itself with two forms of ID to get this. While you’re there, ask for your card’s PIN, as you’ll need to enter this to borrow on digital platforms.
If you have an Amazon Kindle, you won’t be able to use this to borrow from libraries because they can’t run the necessary apps. However, a Kindle Fire tablet will run the apps, while other e-readers such as Kobo and Nook allow you to download digital books from the library.
Newspapers and magazines
As well as picking up Metro for free, you can read most magazines and many newspapers using the PressReader app for no charge via your library card.
You must ensure you have a PIN and library card number, which you’ll need to ask for at your library.
The app includes overseas newspapers so it’s great for expats wanting to catch up on the news from home.
Gym and exercise sessions
Gym membership is expensive but with summer coming soon, finding a free outdoor gym could pep up your exercise routine.
Your council’s website may have details of outdoor gym equipment installed in its parks, while The Great Outdoor Gym Company – which installs a lot of the free equipment around the UK, has a postcode checker on its app and website. If you prefer to exercise with others, free Parkruns around the country give you the chance to run 5km with friends and the rest of the community.
Meanwhile, Goodgym is a free physical fitness programme focused on helping others while exercising in community.
parkrun turns 20!
This year Metro has partnered with the iconic charity parkrun to bring you a thriving new content series.
In a coming together of two game-changing powerhouses, Metro has been chosen as the first official media partner for parkrun as it celebrates its 20th birthday in 2024.
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It’s not just for the runners, though – it’s for everyone.
Come with us as we embark on a series of boundary-pushing wellbeing content designed to elevate and champion, but also to support mental health and societal cohesion. Whether you run, walk, jog or strut…
Read the stories of those who have found their calling, their community or had their lives changed through the simple act of lacing up their trainers (not that you have to do parkrun in trainers…as we’ll show you later on).
Get ready to be empowered, inspired, and energised!
Register for parkrun here. The best part is that it’s free and you only need to register once.
Food and drink
Stores and individuals throw out tons of perfectly good food every day, but the internet allows us to connect unneeded items to those who can use them up without going to waste.
Food-sharing app Olio is one of the easiest ways to get free food, particularly thanks to its Food Waste Heroes programme.
Here, volunteers pick up the food and distribute it through the app. You can download the app, see what’s available in your area and pick it up for free.
If you become a volunteer, you can keep ten per cent of the food you take.
For cheap but not free food, Too Good To Go lets you pick up heavily discounted Magic Bags of leftover items from participating stores.
What you receive can be a lucky dip but you’re guaranteed to get products that are sold for three times what you’re paying. If you’re disappointed, complain to Too Good To Go with a picture of the goods you receive – you’ll get a refund if the company believes they’re below par.
Lottery wins
Buying a National Lottery ticket costs money but you can try your luck with the Pick My Postcode lottery, which is funded by advertising.
The prizes might be a little smaller – £8,500 is the largest to date – but there’s no charge to play.
Cinema and theatre tickets
Love to go out but can’t bear the prices (and let’s face it, some West End tickets are obscene…)? Become a seat-filler for shows near you to get your culture fix for free.
Websites such as Show Film First, Central Tickets and The Audience Club offer free tickets for previews of shows and films, or those where the venue isn’t filling all the seats.
Tickets can be free but sometimes you’ll pay a small access fee. Get on the guestlist at Show Film First, Central Tickets, and The Audience Club.
Rosie Murray-West is Metro’s personal finance specialist.
If you want more tips and tricks on saving money, as well as chat about cash and alerts on deals and discounts, join our Facebook Group, Money Pot.