Condoms and babies
Frequent condom use can easily turn into a costly practice, so why not get some for free? Plenty of websites such as Zerocondoms.nl let you keep your money in your wallet, along with condoms.Just enter your name and email address, and they will send you a package in a discrete wrapping, without even charging you postal costs.
In case it is slightly too late for protection and you are facing a family extension, get drug store Etos' free pregnancy box, valued at around €65 or one from Prénatal. Fill out their application card in the shop, or do so online, using Google Translator or help from a Dutch friend. When the baby is born, you will also receive a free baby box, stuffed full with diapers and other baby products.
Roaming while snacking
Obviously, it is rather difficult to consume whole meals for free while roaming about in the city center -other than if you steal the food, which we do not encourage. But there are certainly ways to avoid dangerously low-sugar levels, without spending one euro. On Saturdays during store hours, you can pop into Jumbo supermarket. Besides free try-out snacks at the cheese and meat department, a small stall offers you pizza slices, pancakes or whatever new product might be on offer to sample. The nearby Albert Heijn gives customers freshly brewed coffee every day. Combine it with some yummy free 'pepernoten' available in their bread department. Still, if you have to stand while drinking, you can become rather tired.
For that reason, be sure to take up Bookshop Kruimeltje's offer of a free coffee on your birthday, served in their cozy caféat Zuiderhagen 35. If your stomach is still growling and doing somersaults, mark your calendar for open market days at the Van Heekplein square, every Tuesday and Saturday. No less than 160 market stalls are set up, selling fresh vegetables and fruit, meat and fish, and as an added bonus, you might just come across products from your home country. Vendors set out free samples of mandarins or apples and other fresh produce.
Language Learning
The Student Union runs a language exchange program in which any UT-er can participate. Lacking the time for an exchange? Then access free online resources, including a crash course in Dutch or, improve your reading and writing with Leesenschrijf!, a program offered for free in the public library. The UT's Language Coordination Center also offers several self-study language resources free of charge.
Furniture
Unless you live in a pre-furnished apartment, decorating your house can easily consume hundreds of euros. So why not get stuff for free? Surf to Gratisaftehalen.nl (take away for free), then type in ‘Enschede,’ next to the ‘zoek’ button on the screen. Use Google Translator to translate the offered items. Ask friends with a car, or even better a van, to give you a lift and a hand with taking away the furniture and enjoy your new bookcase, table, lamp or whatever else is on offer – all for free!
Massage
When suffering from stiff shoulders or sore wrists after too much computer work, a sports massage to undo the damage can be highly relaxing -until your eyes catch the amount of the bill. Not at the UT Sports Centre, however, where you can get a UT chair massage for free. Visit the Department of Human Resources' website for further information and arrange for an appointment.
No money in your pockets? Then arrange for a free chair massage at the UT, provided by a professional masseuse.
Concerts
Having a love of concerts can, sadly, become tough on one’s pocket, so why not go for free ones? The ArtEZ Conservatorium of music holds free lunch concerts in Enschede's prestigious Music Center (Arke room), every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30pm. On Thursdays, you can listen to classical music. During Tuesdays, jazz or pop concerts are scheduled. Surf to find the agenda for the exact schedule. If you love to hear music during the weekend as well, then keep being tuned into the record shop Plato's Facebook page. Soon they will be organizing their ‘unplugged’ concert series at the Haverstraatpassage 54, on Sunday afternoons. The venue brings upcoming local talent on the stage. For more tips on how to save money, visit the College Students are Poor website.
