BUSINESS NEWS
INVESTING
- Stock Quotes
- Stock Charts
- Stock Ticker
- Portfolio
- Stock Screener
- Broker Center
- Mutual Fund Center
- ETF Center
- Money
- 24/7 Wall St.
PERSONAL FINANCE AT WALLETPOP
- Bargains
- Banking
- Budget
- Calculators
- College Finance
- Community
- Credit
- Deals
- Debt
- Economizer
- Food
- Home
- Fraud
- Insurance
- Interest Rates
- Loans
- Mortgages
- Real Estate
- Recalls
- Recession
- Retirement
- Saving
- Simplification
- Specials
- Taxes
SMALL BUSINESS
Fabulous Freebies
Previous-
iStockphoto
Fun for Free
Cheapskate, skinflint, tightwad -- whatever you want to call us, we hate spending money and love finding a good deal. If we can save a few bucks, we're happy. And if we can get something for nothing, we're in heaven. Put your wallet away. Here are 26 valuable goods and services that don't cost a thing.
Read the Full Freebie Story
Next: Free (and Legal) Music -
iStockphoto
Free (and Legal) Music
You can find a smattering of free and legal music tracks online at Amazon.com, CNet's Download.com and Walmart.com. But listening to Internet radio is the best way to get your free groove on. At Slacker.com, for example, you can listen to 75 genre stations and 10,000 artist-specific stations for free. Or be your own DJ and build a customized station. (It's in beta-testing mode, and the free service will be ad supported.)
Next: Free Shipping -
iStockphoto
Free Shipping
Many merchants offer free shipping if you spend a certain amount. (Some of our favorites: Amazon.com for orders over $25, eBags.com on orders over $50 and Sephora.com on orders over $75.)
But a few sites offer this freebie no matter how much you spend. These include Alyssagiftbaskets.com (special-occasion gifts), Bellacor.com (lighting and home furnishings), Bluenile.com (jewelry), Shopbop.com (clothes) and Zappos.com (shoes).
Next: Free PC Protection -
iStockphoto
Free PC Protection
Guard against spyware, viruses and other invaders with three free software defenders:
1. For a firewall: Zonealarm.com; 2. To annihilate spyware: Microsoft Windows Defender; 3. To kill viruses: AOL's Safety and Security Center
See Protect Your PC to learn more.
Next: Free Books, Music & Movies -
iStockphoto
Free Books, Music & Movies
If you haven't been to the public library since you graduated from high school, dust off your card. It's your ticket to mounds of free books, magazines, CDs and movies. Many libraries also offer free lectures, book readings and community clubs to residents.
Next: Free Credit Report -
iStockphoto
Free Credit Report
You're entitled to a free credit report by law once a year from each of the three main credit bureaus. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to see what lenders can see about your credit history.
Learn more about why your credit report matters.
Next: Free E-Mail -
iStockphoto
Free E-Mail
No more fretting over someone sending you a huge e-mail file: Free accounts from Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! now give you at least 2 GB of storage.
Sure, you get an e-mail address from your Internet service provider. But it's nice to have the freedom to change ISPs if you want without worrying about alerting all your contacts about an e-mail address change.
Next: Free ATMs -
iStockphoto
Free ATMs
A buck or two here and there may not seem like a big deal, but if you're frequenting ATMs outside your bank's network, the surcharges can add up quickly. Get money from an ATM that belongs to a surcharge-free network. Allpoint has about 200 participating institutions and 32,000 ATMs. Money Pass has 600 members and 8,000 ATMs.
Next: Free Money For Grad School -
iStockphoto
Free Money for Grad School
A year of graduate school costs, on average, anywhere from $17,000 for a master's degree at a public university to more than $56,000 at a private dental school. But free money abounds, from grants and scholarships to assistantships and fellowships. See Free Money for Grad School to learn more.
Next: Free College Courses -
iStockphoto
Free College Courses
Colleges and universities worldwide are posting course materials on the Internet, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School. You won't get credit toward a degree, but you can pursue an interest or sharpen your skills.
See Audit a College Course Online to learn more.
Next: Free Furniture -
Getty Images
Free Furniture
You'll find all sorts of stuff for free on your local Craigslist and Freecycle sites, including couches, chairs, and tables. Many are in heavily used condition and will work fine to furnish a dorm or first apartment. (One caveat: While free or cheap mattresses abound in classified listings, you should probably steer clear for sanitary reasons.)
Keep your eyes peeled for diamonds in the rough. We recently spied a free pool table in good condition in Baltimore.
Get More Freebies
Next: More -
AOL Money & Finance: We'll help you make it, save it and spend it wisely.
More Community Features
Annoying Corporate Mascots Distracted Driving Vices That Blow Your Budget
More AOL Finance Talk
Ways to Waste Your Money Most Expensive Mistake I Made Wacky Passions Turned ProfitWant to See More?
| Type | Current | APR |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Yr Fixed Mtg | 6.08% | 6.23% |
| 5/1 ARM | 5.78% | 5.78% |
| $30K HELOC | 5.55% | 0.00% |
| 36 Month New Car Loan | 6.70% | 0.00% |
| 1 Yr CD | 3.69% | 3.75% |
