Do you need newspapers for reading, packing products, packing belongings for moving, cleaning, gardening, or other purposes?
Although Statista reported that newspapers aren’t as popular as before, some people still want to read and use them.
Still, they can cost money. So, we've searched the web for the best places to get free newspapers, especially in bulk, so that you can save money.
You can find newspapers without spending on costly packing or cleaning materials, so don’t skip this article. You can also avoid spending on subscriptions if you want to read newspapers.
Avoid spending money and time figuring out how to find free newspapers on your own.
Where to Use Free Newspapers?
Local free newspapers have uses other than being a source of information.
You can use them as:
- Gift wrapper
- Shoe and purse shaper
- Small pots
- Litter box
- Glassware packaging
- Grease cleaner
You can save money by getting free newspapers and upcycling them to create household and packaging products.
For example, when you use them as a gift wrapper, you can save up to $16. You can even have an extra $32 if you use newspaper as a litter box for your pets.
They also provide convenience when you clean glass items and countertops. You can have a streak-free surface without buying expensive cleaning cloth.
Where to Get Free Newspapers?
You can check out this list for 12 places where you can request newspapers for free. It’s time to start your projects without spending a dollar.
1. Craigslist
Did you know you can get free newspapers by mail? Craigslist is a classified advertisement website where you can get free items.
- Go to Craigslist’s homepage.
- Tap “free” under the “for sale” section.
- Type “newspaper” or relevant keywords on the search bar. Choose from the search results, then click the listing you want.
- Click the “reply” button on the product page.
- Select between “show phone number” or “show email” to contact the person who posted the product.
- Arrange for shipping and the costs you need to pay. You may also pick up the newspapers to avoid shipping fees.
2. Local newspaper office
Which establishment would have newspapers if not the companies that print them? You can ask local newspaper offices for old newspapers.
Here’s how you can find them:
- Go to Google, then type “newspaper publishers near me.”
- Check the search results with details, like website and address.
- Click the publisher’s name, then get the contact numbers.
- Inquire if they have spare newspapers you can get for free.
You can also use this button to find the local newspaper offices near you.
3. Local library
How can you get free newspapers in bulk?
Libraries receive daily deliveries of newspapers, so you can most likely get one from them.
You can check out the following steps to ask libraries for free newspapers:
- Go to Google, then type “libraries near me.”
- Check the top results, then get the library’s contact number.
- Call the librarian or administrator and ask if you can collect their out-of-date newspapers.
- Pick up the available newspapers from the library.
This can be a regular source of newspapers for you since libraries have new copies daily.
4. Local colleges and schools
Like libraries, colleges and schools have a daily supply of newspapers for staff and students.
Schools also have a newspaper subscription, and that’s why you can always see one on their libraries’ shelves. Sometimes, they’re placed in school lobbies for easier access.
However, schools and colleges don’t have enough space for used newspapers. You can contact nearby schools for a constant source of newspapers.
Instead of throwing newspapers away, you can help recycle these papers.
You can use the little box below to find the nearest schools in your neighborhood.
5. Local hotels
Newspapers are part of hotels’ complimentary service for their customers. They give free newspapers to their guests, but it’s rare for a visitor to bring these papers home.
As a result, newspapers pile up, so hotels would need someone to collect the papers.
You can call nearby hotels, and they might be more than willing to give away used newspapers because you’re helping them dispose of their trash.
If you’re unsure of their contact numbers, you can use Google to search for their contact information.
But it’s more convenient to use this button to find local hotels near you.
6. Coffee shops
Customers like to read daily newspapers to start the day right as they sip their coffee.
So if you’re looking for free newspapers, you can go to a coffee shop when there are only a few customers. This way, you can talk to the staff without interfering with their tasks.
You can try going to the shop during these hours:
- 10:00 to 11:00 AM
- 4:00 to 5:00 PM
It’s easy to spot coffee shops in your neighborhood, but you can use the little box below to search for them before you head out.
7. Banks
One of the few things you’ll immediately see in a bank is a newspaper stand. It can also contain business magazines and flyers.
Banks provide daily newspapers for their clients who want to be updated on current events. Customers also read those papers while waiting in line.
You can contact nearby banks if you need newspapers. They would probably want to give the items since they can also save from garbage collectors’ fees.
You can try going to the banks during these hours to avoid large crowds:
- 9:00 to 10:00 AM
- 2:00 to 5:00 PM
You can use the box below to discover banks near you.
8. Advertising pickup services
Did you know you can advertise pickup services to get free newspapers?
You can use social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, to promote your services.
- Download Facebook and Twitter.
- Create a post or tweet about your pickup services.
- Ask friends and family members to share your post.
After that, you can designate collection areas and schedules. There's no need to pay shipping fees or commute to different places to get free newspapers.
9. Family, friends, and neighbors
You can also contact family, friends, and neighbors if you need newspapers. It’s easy to collect items from them because you already know these people.
If you know someone who has a newspaper subscription, you can request old newspapers to help them with trash disposal.
It’s also a great way to help them declutter.
10. Nursing Homes
Residents of nursing homes have various activities, including reading newspapers. They also provide visitors with newspapers, which mostly come from non-governmental organizations.
They may not have enough room for old newspapers. So if you want to have a steady source of papers, you can reach out to their administrators.
Here’s how you can find local nursing homes:
- Go to Google, then search for “nursing homes near me.”
- Select from the results to get their contact numbers.
- Inquire about free newspapers and the proper time to pick them up.
11. Recycling centers
Recycling centers have all kinds of items that you can upcycle. You can visit them to go through their collection.
But first, you need to contact them to ask if they collect fees or give away newspapers for free.
Most of the time, you might need to spend half of your day finding the items you want from the center.
You can use search engines to find local recycling centers and their contact numbers.
12. Retailers
You can also ask for local free newspapers from:
- Grocery stores
- Gas stations
- Bookstores
- Convenience stores
They generally sell newspapers, but perhaps you can request unused ones. You can call them before going to the stores to know if you can have free newspapers.
Some of the widely available retailers:
They may also offer free booklets and magazines aside from newspapers.
How to Get Free Newspapers Online?
But what if you want free newspapers for reading?
You can check out these websites that contain newspaper archives:
New York Times and The Wall Street Journal offer free but limited articles that you can read. You can also subscribe to the 7-day trial by Ancestry and Newspapers.com by entering your email address and password.
Fortunately, Chronicling America, an initiative of the Library of Congress, doesn’t require registration to access the newspapers.
Where to Get Free Newspaper Coupon Inserts?
Coupons help save money when shopping for groceries and household items, and you can usually find coupon inserts in newspapers. You can also request coupon inserts from the following:
- Local libraries
- Convenience stores
- Dollar stores
- Grocery stores
- Gas stations
- Local schools
You can ask the staff or manager of these establishments if they have unwanted coupons to give away.
Summary
You can definitely get newspapers for free if you know where to ask. Several establishments offer them without complicated processes.
Free newspapers are available online or in local libraries, colleges, hotels, coffee shops, banks, recycling centers, nursing homes, and retailers. You can also ask families and friends, so you can recycle old newspapers.
Aidan has been writing about personal finance for over 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst where he specialized in Due Diligence, Company Valuations and more. He is a CFA charterholder.
