10 Secret Free Things Nobody Tells You About
Summary of the video “Things That Are Secretly Free But Nobody Tells You” by Chill Dude Explains.
Libraries offer free streaming services like Kanopy and Hoopla; museums have hidden free days; college move-out week provides free furniture; professional software alternatives to Adobe are completely free; doctors have free medication samples; dental schools offer low-cost care; SCORE provides free business mentoring from retired executives; companies pay you to test products; unclaimed property worth $70 billion sits unclaimed; banks pay $200-500 bonuses just to open accounts.
Entertainment & Culture
Library Streaming Services
Most library cards grant free access to streaming platforms like Kanopy and Hoopla, which offer thousands of movies, documentaries, audiobooks, comics, and music. Some libraries provide both services, and you can even purchase non-resident cards (like Brooklyn Public Library's $50/year option) for less than two months of major streaming subscriptions.
Museum Free Days & Passes
Nearly every major American museum offers at least one free day per month, with some providing free evenings or pay-what-you-wish hours. MoMA in New York offers free admission Fridays 4-8 PM; Bank of America cardholders get free admission to 225+ museums on the first weekend of each month; public libraries often have museum passes available for checkout.
Furniture & Home Goods
College Move-Out Week Free Furniture
During the last week of May, college students discard high-quality furniture (couches, desks, mini fridges) that they replace each semester. This creates a free supply of items worth thousands of dollars that people furnish entire apartments with. Some colleges now organize official donation zones for this purpose.
Software & Creative Tools
Free Professional Software Alternatives
GIMP replaces Photoshop; DaVinci Resolve (used by Hollywood to edit Marvel movies) replaces Adobe Premiere; Inkscape replaces Illustrator; Krita is a free digital painting tool some artists prefer over Photoshop. All are permanently free with no subscriptions, compared to Adobe's $60/month ($720/year) subscription model.
Healthcare & Wellness
Free Medication Samples from Doctors
Doctors' offices receive free prescription drug samples from pharmaceutical companies that are rarely offered unless requested. Asking your doctor for samples of prescribed medications can yield a month's supply worth $200+, including expensive newer medications. This works for regular prescriptions like allergy or blood pressure medications, but not controlled substances.
Dental Schools Offer Free/Low-Cost Care
Dental schools provide free or heavily discounted dental work (cleanings, fillings, root canals, crowns, wisdom teeth removal) performed by final-year students supervised by experienced dentists. Appointments take longer (2 hours vs. 30 minutes) but save hundreds of dollars. Find them by Googling 'dental school clinic' plus your city name.
Business & Money
SCORE Free Business Mentoring
SCORE is a government program matching entrepreneurs with retired Fortune 500 executives and CEOs as free mentors. Mentors help with business plans, investor connections, and industry-specific guidance. Access via score.org by filling out a form to be matched with someone in your industry, providing expertise that typically costs thousands in business coaching.
Unclaimed Property from Government
Over $70 billion in unclaimed property sits in government vaults, including old bank accounts, security deposits, and forgotten funds. Finding your unclaimed money takes 5 minutes by Googling your state plus 'unclaimed property.' Some people discover thousands; most find smaller amounts. You can even check for deceased relatives' unclaimed property.
Bank Account Bonuses
Banks offer $200-500 bonuses to new customers for opening accounts and setting up direct deposit. Most bonuses require only 3-6 months of account maintenance. After that, you can switch to another bank offering a bonus. You can repeat this with dozens of banks yearly, potentially earning thousands. Soft pulls don't affect credit scores; check fine print for minimum balance requirements.
Free Products & Perks
Product Testing Programs
Companies pay you to test unreleased products via sites like BzzAgent and Influenster. Sign up, complete lifestyle surveys, and companies send you free products (sometimes prototypes not yet in stores) in exchange for honest reviews. You may keep items that never reach market. Honesty is required since companies use feedback to fix bugs before mass production.
Notable quotes
Your library card is basically a free Netflix subscription in disguise. — Chill Dude Explains
The same tools used to edit Marvel movies are just sitting there, free for download. — Chill Dude Explains
There's over $70 billion just sitting there. That's billion with a B. — Chill Dude Explains
Action items
- Check your library card benefits for Kanopy, Hoopla, audiobooks, and music access
- Search your state's unclaimed property website to find forgotten money
- Visit score.org to find a free business mentor in your industry
- Sign up for BzzAgent or Influenster to test products for free
- Research your nearest dental school clinic for low-cost dental work
- Check museum websites for free admission days and hours
- Compare bank account bonuses and open new accounts for $200-500 bonuses
- Ask your doctor about free medication samples at your next visit
- Mark late May on your calendar to collect free furniture during college move-out week