Crafty West Midlands student Mike Essex has amassed a huge haul of freebies - by convincing companies to let him review their products.
The 21-year-old, from Essington, near Wolverhampton, has been sent food, drink, toys and even a miniature toilet.
So far Mike, who goes by the internet nickname Blagman, has managed to collect around 40 products including one shoe, toys, makeup, KP Nuts and a 5cm tall sink. The Aston University student set up Blagman.co.uk in July in a bid to get 100 freebies of any description.
He said: “I used to run a video game website and companies were always sending me games to review so I thought I’d see what else I could get just by asking.
“I contact companies, they send me their products and I give an honest review on the site.
“They get some expose and I get free stuff.”
Mike is studying business and management at university and said he set up the website as something to do in his summer break.
He said: “The site was featured on Yahoo and since then it’s been getting about 2,000 hits a day which is great.
“If that carries on I might be able to start putting advertisements on it and making some money.”
Mike tests all of products he receives himself - even a home leg-waxing kit and 500ml bottle of Drambuie.
Some of the stranger products he has received include a 5cm toilet and sink.
Then there was a fortune-telling Japanese doll which he describes as “pure evil”.
An one firm sent him sound-activated household lamps called Mood Beams.
Mike said: “I set myself the target of getting 100 products but I didn’t expect to receive so many so soon.
“It’s going so well I don’t think I’m going to want to give it up.
“It’s amazing what you can get if you just ask.”
The torrent of free goods shows no sign of stopping.
This week, Mike is featuring his first ever DVD blag, and a 21st century Etch A Sketch.
And he has been teasing readers by promising “by far the most dedicated food blag so far”
Blagman is updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Visit it at www.blagman.co.uk
By Daniel Pountney
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