Everyone likes getting free stuff. Whether you are a broke college student, business professional, or stay-at-home mom, getting a good deal is something we can all support. An impressive discount or coupon can be useful, but what if you could have enough of your favorite product to last a lifetime— without paying a dime? Some people have lived to tell the tale, and winning a lifetime supply of something can be an absolutely wild ride.
Below are some people who have shared their own personal stories of getting handed a limitless amount of a product. Although this may seem like the chance of a lifetime, these true stories will give you a new perspective. Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? These Reddit users will make you be careful what you wish for. All that glitters is not gold, just ask Charlie Bucket!
Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!
#35 What An Interesting Combination
"Free internet for life" and a year's supply of Coca-Cola checking in.
I got the free internet through an Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL) program for middle school students in 1994 (Sacam). I used it consistently for something like ten years but, at that point, dial-up was so far behind cable or DSL that I just kind of stopped using it. I honestly don't know if it would even work anymore as I've had no reason to try it.
The free Coke products was a little weirder. Basically, when I was attending university, I noticed that the Coca-Cola I bought near the school was really bad. Like it didn't taste like Coca-Cola at all, more like an RC mixed with Pepsi. I commented on this to all my friends and they had no clue what I was talking about but I could blind test Cokes from home versus "university Cokes" and get it right every time. Eventually, I sent an e-mail to Coca-Cola basically just asking why the Cokes in Cookeville were so bad and could they fix it. They (quite surprisingly) took it really seriously and asked for numbers off of the affected cans tracked it down to the bottler and had it fixed within six weeks. Sent me a stack of hundreds of silver "Free 12-pack of any Coke product" coupons and thanked me for my time.
Worked out great. Still had over a hundred of them left at the end of the year.
#34 The Halloween Hero We All Need
I found a gray M&M in a pack in the late 90s. At first, I thought I won $1 million, but I won the second prize of a year's supply of M&Ms. I had no idea what that meant when I sent in the wrapper. They sent me back a box of 400 coupons, each good for a pack of M&Ms.
I love M&Ms, but after the first 30 or 40 packs, I started to get a little tired of them. I'd take some coupons with me every time I went grocery shopping, and if I saw kids not being brats, I'd go up to their parents and offer them some coupons to give their kids M&Ms. A few thought I was weird or something, but most parents and kids were happy to get them.
I also gave out multiple regular size packs for Halloween that year. Near the end of the coupon expiration date, I just went out and bought the remaining 50 or so and kept them around my apartment, which lasted me about another year or so.
#33 Every College Kid's Dream
Not a lifetime supply, but I once won a year of free Grubhub. It wasn't a full calendar year, but it was around a thousand dollars in free food, and their system kept track of how much was left each time I ordered. Pretty sweet deal, especially since I was in college at that time.
#32 Just Some Comforting Nostalgia
When I was a kid, Crayola was running a create a new color contest. If you won, your color went in one of their big boxes of crayons and you got a lifetime supply of crayons when they retire colors and make new ones. I made Swamp Green and won. They send me a new big box of crayons 1-2 times a year and have been doing it for 20+ years.
#31 You're. Welcome.
Sitting in my doctor's office one day and I find a card for entry into the lifetime subscription lottery for National Geographic. Seventeen-year-old me slips this card into my pocket to take home and fill out. I notice that you needed a subscription number to complete the form so I take it off the label on the cover. Long story short I won my doctor a lifetime subscription to National Geographic.
Layla
#30 Better Get To Grilling
UGH! I won a lifetime supply of hot dogs at a hot dog festival once. It came with a nice grill, except when I went to pick up my hot dogs, the company gave them to me all at once. I was 30 at the time, and their figures all worked off an 80 yr lifespan. Three hot dogs a day for 50 years works out to be 54,750 hot dogs. That's 5,475 packs of ten; 228 cases of 24 packs; 23 boxes with 10 cases each. I had to buy an extra freezer just to hold them. I gave away what I could not store. Churches, homeless shelters, food banks. We ate them for years.
#29 These Parents Had To Be Overjoyed
My parents won “a lifetime supply” of diapers for me when I was about three months old. It was a contest where I apparently had won on a cute picture. They received three years worth of diapers and figured I wouldn’t need more after that.
They were right... so far.
#28 He Definitely Changed History
My great-grandfather was a farmer and won a contest for plowing the straightest row in the county fair. This was about 1910 in Saskatchewan, Canada. He won a lifetime supply of seed. Each weekend he would go pick up about 20+ bags of seed and, with his horse and buggy, take them to the train station where new families were exiting the train. In 1910, Saskatchewan was giving away land to new immigrants, and for years and years he would give each family bags of seed to start their new farm.
#27 A Little Overboard
I won a lifetime supply of Slim Jim beef jerky from a contest at my local grocery store. By lifetime supply, I mean six huge cases of Slim Jim minis, with each case containing hundreds of them. For the first three months, they were my go-to snack. It got to the point where I was eating dozens of them per week. By the end of the third month, I ended up sick and puking profusely and never touched a Slim Jim again. I gave the remaining boxes to my family. It has been eight years and I still have not eaten a Slim Jim since that day. The thought of eating one or even smelling one makes me nauseous.
#26 Seems Like A Sad Consolation Prize
A friend of mine was going to paint her nails the day she was supposed to fly to Europe for a vacation.
The bottle of OPI polish broke as she opened it, cutting her hand so badly she had to go to the ER and missed her flight.
She wrote to them to complain, and they sent her a new bottle of polish a month for a very long time (at least ten years, I think).
#25 Marketing Tactic Gone Horribly Wrong
I won a year supply of pizza from a new pizza place that just opened up in town. At the grand opening, you had to be the first 100 customers to win. We were number five and six and got there at 6 AM to wait in line. During the grand opening, they tried to say it was one medium pizza a month for the year, but nowhere on the advertisement did it say the size. I guess a bunch of people complained because when we went in for our first pizza they said whatever size we wanted. We both got extra large pizzas with as many toppings as we wanted. They also had free cannoli Tuesday’s so we would go on a Tuesday, get our free pizza and a bunch of free cannolis and pay for just the drink.
Needless to say, by month 11 when we went to get our free pizza, they closed up shop with nothing but a note on the door.
#24 Rest In Peace
My brother won a lifetime supply of Twinkies. He would get a couple large boxes a month. Then, the company went bankrupt. The new company does not honor the lifetime supply agreement.
#23 A Literal Punishment
I won a lifetime supply of Redhots. I legitimately hate Redhots and they just sent me another supply this last weekend. I HATE RED HOTS!
#22 Heaven On Earth
I won a year's supply of milkshakes from Chick-fil-A. They gave me 52 coupons for one free milkshake (large). And it was not limited to one per transaction.
#21 A Big Fat Lie
In primary school, my school was giving away a "lifetime supply of Oreos" and I won. But, they stopped as soon as I left the school.
#20 Some Delicious Holiday Spirit
When we moved into our current house, every year around Christmas we'd get this massive box full of assorted Keebler crackers always addressed to the previous owner. This went on for about ten years before they finally stopped coming. To this day, we have no idea what kind of deal the previous owner had with Keebler, but let me tell you, we always looked forward to that cracker box every year.
#19 Some Sweet Memories
I won a lifetime supply of camera film from the publisher’s clearing house.
I had to send it to them to get developed and they would send me back a new roll with my pictures.
Their prices for development was actually really good so I did for a good decade or so until digital cameras took over.
#18 Overindulgence Is Expected
My friend won a "lifetime supply" of Pringles. She got something like 300 cans of Pringles and they were gone in a few months, but she lives on.
#17 Worth Every Mouthwatering Second
Our local Krispy Kreme burned down one day, and about a year later it reopened. The first 100 people in the door were given free donuts for a year and the first person got them for life. A friend and I camped out overnight with over 100 other people, the first guy in line was there for an entire week. We ended up getting our year of donuts, and it was a punch card which let us each come back once a month for a free dozen donuts.
Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce
#16 Way To Stay Hydrated
I won a lifetime supply of water from Deer Park, a water brand in the south. And by 'lifetime' I mean only throughout college.
After the first year, they realized how difficult it would be to keep supplying water and decided to give me something that would equal out to its worth... which to them was a $500 gift card to Target.
Long story short, I now own a Nintendo Switch.
#15 An Absolute Ice Cream Icon
I am not sure if this counts. But a family friend did the original art for Ben and Jerry's ice cream. At the time, they didn't have money to pay her so they said if the business was successful she could have free Ben and Jerry's for life. She can walk into any Ben and Jerry's, show them her card, and walk out with as much ice cream as she wants. We also invite her to parties. But we also always joke she should have just asked for stock options.
#14 Choose Chik'n!
I didn’t win a lifetime supply but I did “win” a year’s supply of Chick-Fil-A. They opened a stand-alone store here and the first 100 customers got them, and I was a high school student with nothing to do but wait in line for a couple hours.
Five or six visits into using it, I tried to get a nugget tray with it and the manager clarified to me that it was basically good for 100 combo meals. He apologized for the misunderstanding by giving me another card for a free sandwich.
#13 Something Most Would Treasure
I won a lifetime supply of coffee beans in a contest.
Each month they mail four pounds of excellent quality coffee beans of my choice. Sometimes I give them away as gifts as I can't use them all.
#12 That's Some Serious Dedication
About fifteen years ago, LEGO did a thing where there were gold tabs on the corners of instruction manuals. If you collected enough and mailed them in, you'd get a lifetime subscription to the magazine. My brother and I spent all our allowance on sets during that time and got enough to send in! We got the magazine for probably about five years after that, we even moved and got the address changed a few times. They stopped after a while though and would restart for a few months after we called, but eventually, we never heard back.
#11 This Is A Definite Win-Win
It's not quite the same but I have a lifetime membership to my gym. I pay maybe a few dollars a year for some taxes and that's it. I have to pay those few dollars to keep it alive. But, even if I go once a year it's worth it and I go probably three to four times a month. I've had this for about 18 years now.
Sun Life Financial Philippines
#10 Too Many Meats?
My cousin won a lifetime supply of meat from the local butcher. He gets up to five kilograms a month and he chooses the meat. I thought he would be getting bad quality stuff but the butcher keeps providing. It’s been five years now and my cousin got venison, beef, pork, and wild boar.
#9 Definitely Not A Clean Sweep
Years ago, I won a "lifetime supply" of some Sham-Wow competitor's cleaning cloths. I received one box of felt swaths in the mail a couple weeks later, they did not perform as advertised, and we never received another package.
YouTube
#8 Yikes
CiCi’s Pizza gave me a card after finding caterpillars in the salad bar. For ten years, I’ve had free reign; for ten years, I haven’t stepped through their door.
#7 Rice For EVERYONE
My brother went on The Joker's Wild in the early 80's when he was in California in the Navy. The prize he got was Rice-a-Roni for life. He would get 32 boxes three times a year in assorted flavors.
#6 This Would Come In Handy
I won a year's supply of razors from Bic's "100 Days of Summer" contest on Facebook. I got the Bic Soleil. I thought they would cheap out but I got a large flat-rate box full of multi-packs. I think there were 18 packs of four razors? It was very awesome because it came at a time where I still cared to shave.
#5 Better Than Nothing
My dad got a year of free Klondike bars when he got second place in Jeopardy back in the early 90's. It was that or a free day at a crummy water park.
#4 The Simple Things In Life
I know it's not a "lifetime supply" but it was a lot. Just out of college, I lived in a group house and worked a local landscaping job for the summer. One of the guys I lived with won a year's supply of Lay's WOW! chips. Yeah, remember those? It was the Summer of 1998 and they were new and popular. A delivery guy showed up with about 10+ cases of chips. These were enormous boxes off pallets. We loaded the boxes into a small back room where they took up most of the space. Throughout the summer I had free chips for lunch. It was great. When I left, several months later, there were still many boxes left.
No, they didn't affect me in that bad way. For those that may not know, WOW! chips contained Olestra, a substance which had an unfortunately bad side effect for some folks who ate it— abdominal cramping and gastrointestinal issues. They were eventually discontinued.
#3 If You Had To Win A Lifetime Of Anything...
I won $4,000 a week from the Michigan lottery. So kind of like a lifetime supply of money. I just get a check once a month.
#2 That Didn't Go As Planned
We had a new local hamburger place that offered a lifetime of free burgers to the first ten people who purchased a burger at their new flagship store.
#1 Fights broke out as people lined up two days before launch.
#2 Local police officers were forced to confirm the first ten people in line and hand out vouchers before the store opening.
#3 Yellow tape was placed instructing for people NOT to wait in line.
#4 The place went out of business six months later.
#1 Every Kid's Dream
As a kid, I won a lifetime supply of Tang. My mom was afraid it would rot my teeth and made me take the cash value option of $150. I got some Tang drinking glasses from them with my check. Was pretty happy with my winnings.
