FREE MOVIES from Redbox

(and that's not the only free movie deal available!)

Do you rent movies from Redbox DVD rental kiosks? They are pretty much everywhere, and a movie rented from any of them can be returned to any of their locations, so you don't have to visit the video store to return your movie. And the prices aren't bad either, at only $1.20 per night for DVDs. You have until 9pm the following night to return your movie to avoid paying an additional day's fee.

Compared to local video stores, that makes Redbox a much more savvy choice, since video stores usually charge about $3 on average for a new release, and you must return your video to the same location even if you weren't going in that direction two days in a row - if there is much driving involved, the price of gas will figure in.

But wait ... did you know that you can rent from Redbox at an even better price? How about FREE??? (That's my kind of deal!) And it's completely legal and ethical. Redbox and some of the locations that host the kiosks offer free rentals to customers with the use of codes.

Each code will work once on each credit/debit card that you use. If you have more than one card, you can re-use the code to get additional free rentals.  (This is one I haven't tried, since I only have a single debit card.)

Some of the codes offered are reported to be standard codes - always available to every customer, and not supposed to ever expire. They are:

• DVDONME
• BREAKROOM
• REDBOX
• DVDONUS
• RENTONME

Some codes are offered by the hosting businesses, and work only at Redbox kiosks at those locations.

At HEB

• REDBOXHEB

At Walgreen's

• DVDATWAG
• WALGREENS
• BREAKDOWN

At Kroger

• DVDATKROG
• DVDATKROGER
• DVDKROG

At Sonic Drive-ins

• DVDATSONI
• DRIVEIN

In addition to all those one-time-only free movies, there are other promotions coming out all the time. Right now Redbox is offering a code for a free video game rental that doesn't expire until December 31, 2012. To receive that code, text JUSTDANCE to 727272 (if you don't have free texting, your carrier will probably charge you).

You can also visit the Redbox website and sign up for either email or sms updates (or both) and you'll get a message with a code for a free movie every week, and other freebies and specials as well.

After you've done that, if you still want more free movies, check with other sites that offer coupon codes. Here are a few I found:

• redboxcodes.com - when you register, you receive access to codes, as well as current information from other uses about which codes are still active; you can also follow along on Facebook. 
• retailmenot - has a section for redbox codes with comments from users about which worked 
• also check insideredbox, which used to be one of the better redbox code sites, but it appears not to have been updated recently
• and dealspl.us was only marginally useful, but may offer better codes at some other time, so you may want to check them out

You should have a number of codes ready before you head to the rental kiosk, since sometimes codes may expire or be restricted in some way. That way you'll have a back-up and hopefully still get your free rental. Or if you have a smart phone, you can bookmark this page and have access to all of the information once you get there. 

I've heard of close to 100% success with the "always good" codes I listed first (and maybe the ones that couldn't use them had already used the code on that card and just didn't remember?). And if you sign up with them, Redbox will continue to send you freebies weekly. 

And for anyone who has concerns about this being unfair or illegal ... these are not "hacks" as some have called them. They're legitimate codes offered by Redbox, and you will be invited to share them with friends when you receive them by email from Redbox. The ones offered by Walgreens, Sonic, etc. are in the hopes that you'll visit them and buy something while you're there, but it's not a requirement. If they didn't want you using them, they could easily discontinue them or institute a one-per-mailing address policy. There is nothing about this that is cheating, stealing, or hacking, so relax and enjoy your free movies!