Lying about their birthday. Creating fake accounts. Waiting in line for more than two hours. Americans will go surprisingly far to get something for free.
Nearly
8 in 10
Americans (79%) have started a free trial intending to cancel, only to forget and get charged. Nearly
9 in 10
(88%)
have added items they didn't need to an online cart just to qualify for free shipping. And
65%
have taken home extra condiment packets, napkins, or other items specifically to save money.
A new national study from Dimers.com, surveying
2,000 U.S. consumers, reveals how much Americans are willing to spend, wait, and even bend the rules to get a freebie.
Key Findings
- 79%
have started a free trial intending to cancel, then forgotten and been charged.
- 88%
have added extra items they didn't need to an online cart just to qualify for free shipping.
- 65%
have taken home extra condiment packets, napkins, or other items specifically to save money.
- Americans spend an average of
$45 a month
on forgotten free trials, while the average charged in their single most expensive forgotten trial is
$87.
- 41%
created fake accounts, while 1 in 6 lied about their birthday.
- 1 in 6 Millennials
downloaded 10+ apps to get discounts or offers
The Hidden Cost of "Free"
Free trials may be designed to get consumers through the door, but forgetting to cancel can turn a free offer into a recurring expense. According to the Dimers survey,
79%
of Americans have started a free trial intending to cancel, only to forget and get charged.
Nationwide, Americans spend an average of
$45 a month
on forgotten free trials. The average respondent's highest-ever charge for a forgotten free trial is $87.
1 in 4 (25%)
say they have accidentally remained subscribed to at least 1 free trial, while
1 in 8 have
forgotten to cancel at least 2. And the cost varies significantly by state.
Washington
has the most expensive free-trial habit in the country, with residents spending an average of
$98 per month
on forgotten free trials, followed by
North Carolina at $90
and
Texas at $76. When it comes to the highest single amount paid for forgotten free trials,
Washington
again comes out on top at
$211, followed by
New York
and
North Carolina
at
$161, and
Georgia
and
Texas
at
$160.
When Free Samples Become a Meal
Forget coupons. Some Americans are willing to turn free samples into a full meal.
Nearly 3 in 10 (29%)
say they have eaten enough free samples to consider them a meal. And
65%
say they have taken home extra condiment packets, napkins, or other items specifically to save money.
Younger generations are particularly willing to make a meal out of free samples.
Gen Z
leads the way:
40%
say they have eaten enough free samples at a grocery store to consider it a full meal, compared with
28% of Millennials,
26% of Gen X, and
27% of Boomers.
The Free Shipping Trap
The pursuit of "free" doesn't stop at the checkout counter. Nearly
9 in 10 (88%)
have added extra items they didn't need to an online cart only to hit the free-shipping threshold. And shoppers are willing to make other small sacrifices for a deal:
30%
have signed up for a newsletter purely to receive a welcome discount, only to immediately unsubscribe or ignore it afterward. Meanwhile,
1 in 4
say they have pretended it was their birthday to claim a free item.
Breaking the Rules for a Freebie
For a discount or freebie, Americans aren't always afraid to bend the rules.
41%
say they have created fake accounts to get a free offer, while
31%
have sat through a long and boring sales pitch to get a discount or freebie. And some are willing to go even further.
22%
have lied about their birthday.
16%
have waited more than two hours in line for a free sample.
14%
have dressed up in a costume to get a freebie.
Filling Their Phones for a Deal
Getting something for free can also mean giving up your phone storage. Among Americans who download apps for free items, sign-up rewards, or discounts,
33%
say they have downloaded 3-5 apps. Meanwhile,
1 in 9
have downloaded 6-10 or more apps specifically to get a free item or sign-up reward.
Millennials
are the most likely generation to fill their phones in pursuit of rewards:
25%
have downloaded more than 10 apps solely to receive a freebie or sign-up reward, compared with
8% of Gen Z
and
5% of Boomers.
The Loyalty Program Hustle
Americans aren't just chasing one-off freebies. They're also signing up for loyalty programs, discounts, and rewards at a remarkable rate. More than
35% of respondents
say they participate in 3-5 loyalty programs at the same time, while
1 in 6
participate in 10 loyalty programs simultaneously. Millennials are also highly engaged with loyalty programs, with
18%
participating in more than 10 loyalty programs.
The Time Cost of Free
The price of a freebie isn't always measured in dollars.
34%
say they have waited less than
15 minutes
for a free item or sign-up reward. Another
26%
have spent between
15 and 30 minutes
waiting in line, while
13%
have waited more than
an hour.
Americans are also willing to put miles on their cars for a deal.
29%
have driven 15-30 minutes to get a discount or free item, while
31%
have driven more than 30 minutes. And when it comes to free parking, Americans are surprisingly persistent: they are willing to circle the block an average of
5 times to find a free parking spot. In
New Jersey, that number jumps to
9 times.
Americans may love the word “free,” but Dimers' findings suggest that free often comes with a price — paid in dollars, time, fuel, phone storage, and effort.
Methodology
On September 1, 2026, Dimers.com surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults who were English speakers and residents of the United States. The sample included men (43%), women (55%), and non-binary respondents (2%), with an average age of 42. Respondents were surveyed about their consumer behavior, reactions to, and willingness to pursue freebies, free trials, offers, and discounts. The data were cross-referenced to compare consumer habits across generations. State-by-state breakdowns were also analyzed to identify regional differences in spending habits, the time and distance consumers were willing to spend pursuing offers, and specific amounts spent. The following states were excluded from the analysis due to insufficient data: Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and Wyoming.
Dimers noticed that the appetite for sign-up rewards, loyalty perks and promotional offers also extends into online entertainment.
Sweepstakes casinos, for example, have become another way consumers encounter sign-up offers, daily rewards and promotional currencies - part of a much broader rewards culture that now spans everything from shopping and food delivery to gaming and entertainment.
If you or someone you know is struggling to gamble responsibly, these free, confidential resources can help:
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by
Jason Bevilacqua
as part of our fact-checking process.
Available with Dimers Pro
