This is a community list of Scroungeable FREE or "ALMOST FREE" items that can help keep your B.O.B. or Survival Kit in working condition and they won't cost you anything! Feel free to add to this page but I would ask you to keep like items together in categories and keep items found in the same place together in categories. Please do not remove anything from this page as it is still a WORK IN PROGRESS.


1.Knife- Kitchen knife (free because you already have at least 1) Small paring knife with good grip and 3" blade or all purpose kitchen work knife 3"-5" blade works best but anything that is sharp and dependable will do. Use a piece of cardboard to make the sheath!

2.Matches- Gather matches from bars, restaurants and the best free matches come from Cigar Shops! you can carry these matches in a pill bottle or an empty film container (what ever you have that is free!)

3. Flashlight- Free samples! Hardware stores, tool shops, Auto repair places and insurance salesmen often use small flashlights as freebies (logo printed on side)

4. Fishing Line/Hooks- You can actually get a few yards of heavy test weight fishing line from hunting/fishing specialty stores just by asking for advice and asking for a sample to prove weight strength! Hooks are sometimes freebies at bait shops and fishing specialty shops too!

5. Dental floss- Free at the dentist's office (get a check up regularly!)

6. Aspirin/nasal decongestant- Order free samples online. Participating brands may include: Bayer, Advil, Children's Tylenol, Sam's choice nasal decongestant, Kroger brand acetaminophen, and more. Check the manufacturer website.

7. Band-aids/ Gauze- "Borrow" them from a nurse station at school, "Med Box" at work, or from the Doc's office on your next physical.

8. Soap, Shampoo, Coffee, Tea, Salt, Pepper, Trash bags, Plastic utensils- Take some home next time you stay at a hotel. Utensils also available with fast food.

9. SMALL CONTAINERS of SEMI-PERISHABLE FOOD- Single serving peanut butter tubs and cereal boxes (small containers) can be found at complimentary breakfast bar at the hotel. They will often have "to go" food items for those on a busy schedule. Jam/Jelly/Sugar packets- On the table at breakfast restaurants like Denny's and Ihop.

10. Wipes- KFC, Long John Silvers, BBQ restaurants, HotWings restaurants. All have heavy duty wipes. Often businesses will have alcohol disinfectant wipes to clean your workstation with too.

11. Twist ties, small plastic bags- Grocery store produce section

12. Paperclips, safety pins, superglue- From work (hey it doesn't even have to be your work if you're feeling dangerous!)

13. Tin can- Free when you eat the contents (beans, fruit, veggies, etc.)

14. Plastic water bottle/Gatorade bottle- You know you could just reuse one of those instead of filling up the landfill.

15. "Meal Size" packets of food (perishable and non-perishable)- Unclebens.com, Kraft.com, Postcereal.com, Knorr.com...there are hundreds of heat-n-eat type foods available as free samples, just do a little research! Visit www.thunderfap.com/free-food-samples and look for non-perishable food samples.

16. 3-in-1 Survival Tool (Compass, Whistle, Mirror) Free for going to a Coleman outdoor camping and wilderness safety clinic! Similar items given at hunting/fishing license and safety courses!

17. Needle and Thread- you probably have this lying around the house but if not check your local cloth store for freebies!

18. Carrier for H2O bottle- Old sweater sleeve tied at 1 end with twine wrapped around wrist end then folded over the neck of the bottle and cinched up tight. use the rest of the string to loop around your belt or over your shoulder.

19. BAG/CARRIER- Ya know that sweatshirt you just cut up? cut the other sleeve off. cut the sweatshirt down either side up to the arms. Now fold each side in and sew the sides and bottom closed leaving a small hole at the top. shoulders and neck should stay intact. (if you can't sew try super glue, or no-sew adhesive for cloth) Cut 4 small holes at 4 corners and run twine/ string through. now you have a backpack/sack for your supplies. Line with trash bag or plastic grocery sack before sewing for added weather protection.

20. Spare clothing- It's America, we already have way too much clothing anyway. Just keep some items that you might need: Hat, socks, old shoes, hooded sweatshirt, etc.

21. Lighter- I actually found through signing up for a quit smoking seminar from an online survey. It led me to Camel.com and gave me a few hundred points to buy Camel logo Items! 3 free bic-style disposable lighters!!! IRONIC eh?

22. Dryer Lint-an idea from a friend on youtube, dryer lint is a perfect (and free) resource to make use of. Dryer lint is a good tinder for starting fires, and has similar properties to cotton ball, but dont need a chemical additive to increase burning potential(though a good soaking would do that anway). I did a few experiments with laundry room based chemical burning properties, dryer lint (collected after use of fabric softener is used) burns good. i should also take the time here to point out that dryer fabric softener sheets burn like a charm. keep some handy, or collect your lint.