# Do you get free company products where you work? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 2, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052 "2006-08-02T19:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/21 "2006-08-03T00:21:23Z")
I work for Sony, so I get dirt cheap Sony games and electronics. I also get a free CD each month. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/22 "2006-08-03T00:21:37Z")
Not on a regular bases, but when a company demanded perfect blemish free product, we got to take home product. I have 10 chef quality and sized spatulas. I always got free small engine parts like handles and caps and knobs. I got some nice protypes when working with engineers. I also could drop a coment to some product engineers, when an appliance had a defect, to get a new improved component. Alas no more. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/23 "2006-08-03T00:24:42Z")
For my current consulting job, I am not quite sure what they could give me if they wanted to. I am a consultant consulting for a consulting company so unless they want to hand out raw information, there isn’t much left. I worked at Bose headquarters for a while. They have lots of giveaway contests for the employees. Everyone should win something if they work there for a few years. I won a pair of noise cancelling headphones but I gave them to my mother. They also let you “Check-out” Bose systems for parties or whatever else you want and there is no specific return date. I didn’t like the job much but those things were cool. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/24 "2006-08-03T00:27:01Z")
Mon Cheri sent a case of thousands of their chocolate candies for free samples. The store manager hired a person 3 times to distribute samples. It didn’t make much of a dent. My co-worker and I however each ate at least 500 ourselves over a month. Eventualy they were all gone, and I don’t ever need any of that particular candy again. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/25 "2006-08-03T00:37:58Z")
Generally no. Usually if I get anything it’s freebies from our suppliers, or one of the free pens we give out (we never run out of pens. The free samples the pen company gives us alone is more than enough). My parents own a sales and service place dealing with marine electronics–there’s little there we’d want. However, it does allow us to get some stuff easier–Dad’s had a satellite radio for a couple years now, despite Canadian service only launching last winter, and since computers have become a part of the business I was able to get mine for cheaper than I probably would have elsewhere (although Dad paid for it). The company also pays for my gas 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/26 "2006-08-03T02:06:39Z")
Well, yeah. But then, I’m a pimp. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/27 "2006-08-03T02:28:52Z")
I do advertising for a bunch of different companies, so while I don’t get so much free stuff from my own agency, we do get lots from freebies from our clients. Lots of calendars, mousepads and office equipment, but sometimes also free cosmetics and soccer balls. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/28 "2006-08-03T02:36:51Z")
Internet tech support - we get a free dialup account, with 100 hours each month. There’s also a 20% staff discount on broadband, but you couldn’t pay me to use that service. We also get free gifts from our “wishlist” that we get points for for various promotions, but that’s more bonuses than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/29 "2006-08-03T02:52:51Z")
I get discounted auto insurance. I like to think of that as a pretty big perk. ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/30 "2006-08-03T03:02:02Z")
I work for an airline and we get unlimited space available travel on our airline for free. We get travel on other airlines at free or reduced rates. Most of our station agreements with other airlines are $25.00 one way $50.00 round trip. My bennies extend to registered domestic partners, spouces, childern under 25 yrs and parents as well. We get 10 “buddy passes” a year to give away for $55.00 round trip to friends and other non-eligible family members as well. [QUOTE=EuroMDguy] I work for a large hospitality company though I get no freebies, I do get associate rate (ranging from $49 to $69) for myself and Friends&Family rate ($69 to $119) for well friends and family… [/QUOTE] You and I should buddy up!!! ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/31 "2006-08-03T03:49:26Z")
Some years ago, I worked for a pharmaceutical manufacturer. They didn’t really have “freebies” in the sense that you were given, say, a bottle of aspirin a month; but if you needed some off-the-shelf or OTC medication, all you had to do was ask. ASA, decongestants, antihistamines, and the like; if you weren’t feeling well, you could get a free bottle or package of whatever you needed. You just had to ask. This did not apply to prescription medications though. Oh, they certainly made such things, but the company couldn’t fill a physician’s prescription at the workplace. You still had to go to the drugstore for those. Kind of ironic that when you got a prescription filled at the drugstore, you’d often end up with something you helped to make. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/32 "2006-08-03T05:06:34Z")
[QUOTE=Spoons] Some years ago, I worked for a pharmaceutical manufacturer. They didn’t really have “freebies” in the sense that you were given, say, a bottle of aspirin a month; but if you needed some off-the-shelf or OTC medication, all you had to do was ask. ASA, decongestants, antihistamines, and the like; if you weren’t feeling well, you could get a free bottle or package of whatever you needed. You just had to ask. This did not apply to prescription medications though. Oh, they certainly made such things, but the company couldn’t fill a physician’s prescription at the workplace. You still had to go to the drugstore for those. Kind of ironic that when you got a prescription filled at the drugstore, you’d often end up with something you helped to make. [/QUOTE] I assume no licking the spoon clean? ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/33 "2006-08-03T09:58:07Z")
Condoms. My flatmates are always sneaking into my room to pilfer supplies from my stash. Well, I guess someone should be getting some use out of them. (I work in a refuge for homeless people who are HIV-positive, injecting drug users and sex workers. We give them out like candy.) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/34 "2006-08-03T10:10:38Z")
I sure hope not, we make electrical generators 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/35 "2006-08-03T11:35:07Z")
A good friend of mine use to work for Dial Soap. Any time there was a product label change, boxes and boxes of dial products would be in their office for employees to take home. She use to have most of her one car garage filled with it. My only beef with her is she never gave anybody any of it. Even just a freakin’ bar of soap. I think her husband, reclaiming that pitiful space, took a truck load to the local charity. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SeaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/36 "2006-08-03T11:41:45Z")
I work in a rendering plant. There is NOTHING I would want to take home! ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/37 "2006-08-03T11:42:35Z")
One of the major pharmaceuticals in NJ. Our prescription drug plan is fairly standard (maybe a $10 or $15 copay), but if the drug is one of the ones that we or one of our subsidiaries makes, we get it for free. I didn’t know this until I went to get a prescription filled at the local CVS a few years ago and was surprised when they just handed it to me with no exchange of $$$. I guess I really don’t want to have to take advantage of this. ---
**Author:** ![MegaBee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f0a364/32.png) [@MegaBee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MegaBee)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/38 "2006-08-03T16:09:09Z")
Free vaccinations, baby! ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/39 "2006-08-03T16:37:29Z")
I work at a jazz magazine, and can take all the CDs I could possibly want to listen to. Since I don’t listen to jazz much, there isn’t a whole lot of interest to me, but occasionally something comes through that I’ll grab. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052/40 "2006-08-03T22:25:53Z")
I work for a phone company. From the company I get a free phone(unlimited minutes, web access, etc). I also get special pricing on purchasing wireless phones through the company(basically I get the post-rebate price any time I want it) and $30 worth of long distance on my home phone. I can get a broadband wireless data card with unlimited access for $15 per month if I want to give up my free phone, or for $25 a month if I don’t. That’s it for stuff I get that we have a hand in making/running. Normal company-branded swag at events, and an extensive “employee discount” program which gets me discounts on everything from purchases at Radio Shack or Dell(among hundreds of other shops) to discounts on new cars and various types, including pet, insurance. There is a “benefits store” website which is kind of like [Overstock.com](http://Overstock.com). I can login through their website with my company ID and get “clearance deals” on all kinds of random crap(and most of it is really crap and not that much cheaper than retail or sale prices). The company also foots the bill for membership in “preferred” class memberships for things like airline frequent flyer programs and rental car programs and I can use those benefits for personal travel/rentals. All in all not a bad package I guess. Enjoy, Steven [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-get-free-company-products-where-you-work/367052.md?page=3)