More Free Products and Great Deals During COVID-19

(If you'd rather listen to this post on my podcast with expanded content, go to my podcast page and look for episode #13.)

Shortly after the pandemic started about six months ago, I wrote a post about several companies that offered products or services at deep discounts as a way to help those affected by COVID-19. Some even offered their products for free.

I never dreamed that six months later I could write a “part II” to that post. I figured COVID-19 would be far in the rear view mirror, but here we are.

Two of the offers I wrote about back then are still ongoing: Kudos to Amazon and Sam’s Club for not pulling the plug on their free offers.

Amazon’s Audible audiobooks for kids of all ages are still 100% free, with no credit card or membership needed. Go to stories.audible.com to check out the selection.

Sam’s club is still offering health care workers and first responders the opportunity to shop without membership every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Membership normally costs $45/year.

I discovered some new offers worthy of writing about. Several of these discounts are dependent on your job. To prove you meet the criteria for the offer, you might have to verify your employment status through SheerID or ID.me.

If you need some new winter clothing for the upcoming cold months, you might consider shopping at North Face and Helly Hansen. They are both offering 50% off to health care workers.

If your shoes are wearing thin, Reebok can help. Reebok is offering 50% off for college and university students, government workers, health care workers, teachers and those serving in the military. Visit www.reebok.com/us.discount-programs for more information.

Helm Audio is also giving a 50% discount to the same group of workers as Reebok. (College and university students don't get the discount though, sorry!) This discount applies only to two products: Their True Wireless 5 Headphones and their new Sportsband HD Wireless Headphones. Headphones can be costly, so check it out if you need a new pair. Go to www.helmaudio.com, and scroll down until the you see the section headlined “For our frontline heroes: 50% off.”

If you are shopping for a new car, be sure you check to see if the dealership has any deferred payment programs. TrueCar has listed almost 30 car companies that are working with customers to delay or defer their first payment during the pandemic. Most of the offers allow the buyer to defer payment for 90 or 120 days.

Be careful here though. Deferring payment for 90 days should not be what tips you toward buying a new car. Only take advantage of these deals if you were already planning to buy a new vehicle. If you literally need a deferral program to afford a car, then this probably isn’t the right time to buy one.

Also, several of the deals at the website have expired, so check the dates. According to TrueCar, deals are still valid for vehicles made by Buick, Cadillac, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Jeep and several others. Go to TrueCar for more info.

Lastly, since wearing masks has become a way of life for everyone, I know I’m not the only one tired of the constant tug and rub of the string on my ears. Glowforge, a company that makes 3D printers, has come up with an item to give your ears some relief.

It’s called an Ear Saver. It fits on the back of your head and has grooves that you attach your mask to instead of your ears. It’s a bit hard to imagine. If you go to https://meet.glowforge.com/earsavers/ and look at a picture of it, you’ll see how it works instantly. Glowforge is making these available for free to anyone who needs or wants one. Just visit its site to request one.

Hopefully at least one of these deals will be useful to you. And let’s all hope that we don’t see a “COVID-19 Deals part III” column in another six months.