Fantastic Freebies

Happy summer solstice everyone!

Pagans, Druids, etc. are out there in capes celebrating the longest day of the year. For the rest of us: it's BBQ time.

To aid in your quest to grill meat and assorted side dishes to perfection, download this free grilling cookbook from Martha Stewart Living Radio. Say what you will about Martha and her jail stint, but I will defend her recipes to the grave. I've never, ever had a bad result under her guidance. You could throw one of her roast beefs into a mud puddle then douse it in arsenic and it would still taste good.

In addition to main dishes, the book also covers salads, sides, appetizers, desserts and drinks.

Nifty. I feel like I stumbled upon a treasure trove of goodies this morning: Tourism Ontario's website is fantastic these days and includes a whole page full of e-coupons for destinations around the province.

The list is inspirational. (I love local road trips.) Although some coupons are a little cheesy (10 per cent off?) others more than make up for the rest.

The AGO, CN Tower, Dundern Castle, Grey Line Toronto and several others are all offering 20 per cent off regular adult admissions; Putting Edge Fun Centre coupons let people play for 25 per cent off; the Canada Air and Space Museum, Children's Museum, Castle Kilbride, Mariposa Cruises and several others are all offering two for one deals. Attractions like the Hockey Hall of Fame and Medieval Times even have coupons listed that get children in for free!

All told, there are over 75 attractions to choose from last time I counted, ranging from helicopter and jet boat tours to water park admissions and discounted camping. Visit AttractionsOntario.ca for more details.

Ask any female: forking out for feminine products (or "feminine paper," as I saw it listed in Shoppers Drug Mart the other day) is not a satisfying feeling.

Unless you have opted for an alternative product, such as The Diva Cup, you'll find yourself back at the cash register month after month, handing out a substantial amount of moolah for something you're going to throw in the trash.

Lately, I've seen a pile of free samples you can order online in this department. Get 'em all, and it may tide you over for a while. Here are your options:

- Tampons / liner / pad from U By Kotex

- Choice of 3 tampon samples from Playtex

- o.b. tampon sample pack

When I moved to Ontario from British Columbia, I was soon introduced to the holy trinity of Eastern Canadian fast food obsessions: Tim Hortons, Second Cup and Harvey's.

I never really deduced why people were so smitten by Harvey's - was it the gentle, tong-enhanced application of the pickle to the patty? Was it the metal bowls of condiments? In any case, I gave up trying to understand.

However, if you are one of the aforementioned Harvey's enthusiasts, you will appreciate the fact that it's buy one get one free week at Harvey's from June 14 to June 20. Buy any burger (cheese, bacon, plain, etc) and get a second burger of equal or lesser value free.

The offer isn't valid for combos, and you can't use it to buy a pair of tongs.

Listerine has launched a new product: Whitening Plus Restoring Fluoride Rinse.

As the name suggests, it helps whiten teeth in addition to strengthening enamel and killing bacteria that cause that horrific dragon breath that we've all experienced on pervy uncles.

If you're interested in giving it a whirl (the Listerine, not your uncle's hell breath), email vanessa.principe@edelman.com with your mailing info. She will give the first five WalletPop.ca readers a free sample (value: $9.99).

Only the five recipients of the giveaway will receive a response.

I was surfing around the net for a deal for you guys, and just happened to come across an offer from Ganong Chocolates. This is quite the coincidence because I visited their old plant in St. Stephen, New Brunswick earlier this week!

In case you haven't heard of it, Ganong is one of Canada's oldest chocolate companies. It's still family-owned and operated, and they have kept their factory in this small town in the maritimes since 1873. New Brunswickers are fanatical about these chocolates, with good reason. They're very high quality!

The offer is for 15% off online orders, and is intended to inspire a Fathers Day gift purchase (but nobody will be the wiser if you just want to stock up for your own chocolate binges). Just enter the code GF15 at checkout.

Some of the classic faves from Ganong are Chicken Bones (chocolate with a cinnamon hard candy exterior), Pal-o-Mine bars and hand-dipped chocolates.

While we're on the topic, I should also mention that The Chocolate Museum in St. Stephen gives you all-you-can-eat Ganong chocolates with your admission. There are literally platters of chocolates just sitting out throughout the museum. No coupon code necessary for that freebie - just use your hand.

If you are going to soil yourself, you may as well do so in style.

At least, that is the thinking behind new Huggies Jeans. The motto for these babies is actually "the coolest you'll look pooping your pants," which I think is pretty funny.

We have an exclusive giveaway for WalletPop.ca readers: the first 10 people to email Camille.Kowalewski@edelman.com will receive coupons for a jumbo pack of Huggies Jeans. The very first person to respond will also be mailed a sample. Please specify your mailing address and the diaper size you want (3, 4 or 5).

Only the ten qualifiers will receive a response.

Air Miles vs. Aeroplan: it's an age old question that has given many Canadian flyers pause, and now WestJet's on the scene with its Frequent Guest Program that relies on money spent rather than points or miles. So many 'WestJet dollars' equal rewards and you also have the opportunity to collect them through an RBC credit card program. All three programs cost nothing to join, so it's widely recommended you sign up for all of them to maximize your complimentary trip opportunities. But what's the easiest way to determine which frequent flyer plan will fly you farthest soonest?

Sitting around a campfire roasting marshmallows and singing songs with your friends is just dandy ... unless your friends include bloodthirsty insects.

Seeing as how it's still early in the game, why not arm yourself with as much bug spray as possible? This printable coupon promises a buy one get one free deal on all Off! Deep Woods Products.

If you don't spring for the repellent, at least have the decency to slap at the critters in time with "Kumbaya."

Got an exclusive freebie for you WalletPop.ca readers today!

Becel just launched pro.activ calorie-reduced margarine. It's a product that contains a high concentration of plant sterols, which are scientifically proven to help block the absorption of cholesterol. If you eat 5 teaspoons of pro.activ per day, you can reduce your overall cholesterol level by up to 15%.

The margarine is great for spreading on bread and veggies, but not is recommended for baking or frying.

** Update: DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF RESPONSES, THIS FREEBIE IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE** However, I will be posting more great deals/freebies in the coming days so please keep checking WalletPop.ca.