How to live for free: 7 tips from an expert

In a recent study, two thirds of Britons who received a freebie or bargain said they would feel "happy and cheerful" for the rest of the day.

And according to Deepak Tailor, who launched his own freebie website, LatestFreeStuff.co.uk, three years ago and has now written a book – How to live for free – it is easy to get freebies and discounts on virtually everything, from food to clothes and the gym.

1. Free clothes

It can be difficult to resist the temptation of spending a fortune on clothes, especially during the sales. Thankfully there are many ways to get clothes for free (albeit these tips are more beneficial for women). If you haven't already heard of "swishing", it's an organised clothes swapping event for which each person attending must bring along one item of unwanted clothing and can take home another.

Generally, the value and the type of garment doesn't come into it – a designer dress can be exchanged for a Primark poncho. It only depends on what you're willing to donate and what takes your fancy. Mrs Bear's Swap Shop hosts parties exclusively in London and it's free to go along and browse. Swap In The City UK "is the Ascot of swishing" because only good-quality clothing is on offer, but a ticket does cost £12.50.

It might also be worth organising your own private swishing parties with your friends – a great, fun way of socialising and getting free clothes in exchange for ones you no longer want or wear.

2. Free fitness

If your New Year's resolution is to get fit then you will think of a gym membership as a must-have. Over half of new gym members sign up in the first two weeks of January. But getting and staying fit can be achieved for free. With the emergence of outdoor park gym equipment, free gym day passes and digital personal trainers, you can get fit without opening your wallet.

Why not try outdoor wild swimming? The cold water gets the heart rate up and you won't need to worry about the swimming lane being busy – find your nearest wild swimming spot here.

There are also hundreds of free outdoor gyms in parks run by local councils, that are excellent for a light work out. Most are provided by The Great Outdoor Gym Company and are completely free.

As a third tip for free fitness, go online for free day passes to the gym. At the moment you can get a free seven day pass to LA Fitness and three personal training sessions at Fitness First on online freebies sites. You can keep track of some of the latest deals here.

3. Free taxis

You can get free taxis via Uber, the ridesharing app, if you use it the right way. If you refer people to the app you will receive £10 free credit each time, plus the person who signs up will also get £10 free credit. "I currently have about £2,000 of free Uber credit," said Mr Tailor.

Similar referral systems are available, such as YPlan, the events app. That too gives you £10 free credit per referral, and it's a good way of getting free theatre and music tickets each week.

>> Freebie websites: our pick of the best five

4. Free DIY beauty treatments

Make your own beauty treatments for fun and save yourself some money in the process. For instance, you can make your own full body exfoliation by mixing brown sugar with honey. Honey has been used for centuries to heal and to soothe. Pinterest is a great way to discover such recipes – take a look at this board for some examples.

5. Free yacht sailing trips

Learn to sail and the world will be your oyster. Join sailing clubs (they are often free) such as The London Sailing Club, We Love Sailing, and Sail Away Weekends, and get free training and experience.

Once you have learnt the ropes you can join forums such as CrewSeekers to become a member of a crew on someone's yacht. Yacht-owners post where they want to sail to and who they are looking for. Accommodation on the yacht and food should be included. Owners will often take on amateurs, but one of the best ways to find a boat is to put a note up on the local marina's noticeboard.

6. Free cars (almost)

"A very good friend of mine, Antonio, is a free car expert. He picks up cars for near to nothing from scrap yards (around £50 to £100), and fixes them up for free using mechanical skills he learnt online and from books," said Mr Tailor. "His tactic is to buy two of the same cars, for example, a Volkswagen Golf (often getting a discount for the bulk buy) and swapping the good parts of one for the bad parts of another. He has done it over and over, and sells the fixed cars for a profit on eBay at a reasonable price, typically £500 to £1,000. He uses the profit to fund the next purchase, and tends to stick with popular models he has experience with."

7. Free tea

Here's how you can get a free cuppa while you're out and about:

John Lewis – shoppers get free tea and coffee vouchers to use in store. Sign up for a free My John Lewis card to be emailed vouchers and offers.

McDonald's – Food and drink freebies are frequently offered on the free McDonald's app.

Waitrose – Sign up for a free myWaitrose card and claim your one free regular cup of tea or coffee in store each day.

IKEA – IKEA do a free Family Card. Get it and you're entitled to a free cup of coffee whenever you visit an IKEA between Monday to Friday.

'How to live for free' by Deepak Tailor is the no.1 Amazon 'Personal Finance' Best Seller, and is available to buy in paperback for £8.99, and £2.99 on Kindle.

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