Rain barrel

Next year I want to have a rain barrel. I am not sure how to do that without gutters, but I will definitely need a barrel. I wonder if I could get one for free? I remember my dad made one. It was up on blocks so that gravity provided the pressure for the water to leave the barrel out of a hose at the bottom. We also saved milk jugs to store the water during the rainy seasons. That way during the drought, we had a reserve to use on plants. So I definitely want a storage space for those jugs as well as the barrel. Perhaps if I make a rain chain that will work without gutters to direct the water into the barrel...