Free Glucose Meter

My younger brother was diagnosed with diabetes at age 14, just over two years ago. Since then, I've had that little question in the back of my mind--could I be at risk for diabetes?

A few weeks ago, I had a little "episode" of lightheadedness, dilated pupils, and a strange buzzing in my ears. I mentioned these symptoms to several people, most of whom mentioned them as signs of low blood sugar. I went to my go-to freebie site, MySavings, the following morning and found this freebie advertised.

Providence? I like to think so. This is a OneTouch mini meter, which comes complete with a carrying case, 10 lancets, and 10 test strips... and full instructions for those of us who are new to glucose testing! Mine arrived in two weeks and two days. (Some MySavings freebies just never show up, so I'm happy to report that this one is completely legitimate and pretty quick, too!)

Here's the trick: you have to answer the questions correctly to "qualify" for the meter. My mother applied for one for my brother, who actually has diabetes, and didn't qualify. I made up answers and qualified. (?) If you are interested in getting one of these and want to qualify, here are the questions, along with the answers I gave:
1. Do you have diabetes? yes
2. Contact Information (fill in completely)
3a. When were you diagnosed with diabetes? 2007 (this was the year my brother was diagnosed)
3b. Select your meter. Bayer (Ascencia) Breeze 2 (I recognized the brand from a recent Walgreens deal)
3c. How long have you had your meter? 2 years
3d. How often do you test your blood glucose? 3 times per day
3e. What methods do you use to manage your diabetes? Diet, exercise, insulin shots
3f. How many shots of insulin do you take per day? 2 per day
3g. How often, if ever, do you make adjustments to the amount of insulin you take? Several times a week

Finally, check the box to agree to receive information from the manufacturer (tip: use your junk/deals email address). On the next page, you will be allowed to make your color selection; however, don't get your hopes set on a certain color. I asked for blue, and they sent me pink (my least favorite color of all, humorously enough)--but I'm not complaining, because it was free!


If you are like me and have to use the trial-and-error method to figure out how to use a glucometer (and waste 4 test strips in the process like I did), you may want to look into purchasing extra test strips. This meter uses the same strips as the full-size OneTouch Ultra models, and the best price appears to be on Amazon (as is often the case).