12 Ways Free Is An Advantage

I love free items but I'm not a fan of having a drawer full of one dollar sample products. Instead I look for free items I can use over and over again or that have a higher retail value. I make certain to check for any hidden fees before using though.

1. Birthday Food - I sign up at different eating establishments that I would normally go to, that offer free items or meals for my birthday. If I'm already going out to eat that day, then why not get part of the meal free.

2. Phone Apps - My phone is expensive enough and I have yet to purchase an app since there are quite a few free ones out there. I have the garage sale rover (free version), I use a calorie counter app to input my food and exercise without wasting paper. And I have the kindle on my phone for reading as well.

3. Free Books, Movies and Music - Besides the free items that can be gotten from the local library or downloaded e-book or music online. I have to say watching tv shows and movies online has been a great way to save time (and money for a second cable box) while I do other things online.

4. Free Diamond Cleaning - Although this isn't something I do more than a couple times a year, I do like to take my ring in for a free cleaning and they also check it out for any loose diamonds. True I could clean my ring with any number or free items around the house, but this is a better cleaning in my opinion and those are fine for a quick clean in between.

5. Free Computer Protection - I haven't bought any anti-virus and mal-ware software for years. I use free items that are available and well recommended by CNET.

6. Free Workouts - This can tie back in to the possible free trial traps, but many gyms and fitness areas have free workout times, know 24 hr fitness has a 7 day pass and Core Power Yoga has a free week as well. Of course there are also the workout videos from the library and the many options available through cable On Demand.

7. Free Phone Service - When I'm at my computer I use Google Voice to call friends and family through the speaker/mic of my computer and I also use Google Voice on my Droid instead of my minutes as a way to save minutes if I'm near the end of the month. The downside is that google voice through droid uses a random area code and phone number. It is now free to everyone and you don't need an invite.

8. Free Wi-Fi - Besides my library, I have found that book stores, many eating establishments (Village inn and McDonalds) and even some malls allow you access. The site Wififreespot has a few of the locations by state. Although beware of some free public wi-fi

9. Free E-books - I don't like buying books and I don't like buying the "cheaper" e-books either. On my phone Kindle I have a few classics like, Brave New World and The Count of Monte Cristo, but also I have Trent's book that was free a while ago, Simple Dollar: How one man wiped out is debts... I'm always on the look out for interesting free books from my library or offered from amazon. You can also download e-books and audio books from Project Gutenberg for free

10. Free Days for Sights and Sounds - Fee-free days at the national parks and free days at museums and zoos are wonderful. I absolutely believe that paying entrance to these is the best way to support and keep them around, but when they have free days it's a little piece of heaven, especially at the Denver art museum. Also check out FactoryToursUSA for free tours that might be in your area and many times they give away free stuff - Such as Coors giving away 3 free beers, but some don't, Denver Mint does not give out free money!

11. Free Bill Paying - Most banks offer this free and if not, I have also used Mycheckfree.com to keep them all in one place or go to the billers website to pay. I now buy stamps for sending out holiday cards.

12. Free Credit Report and Score - The Annualcreditreport.com is the only place to get a free report for my state without strings attached. And now I also use Quizzle.com to get a credit score from experian. It isn't the FICO score, but it gives a good estimate and I can check it out every 180 days (6 months). Another free site is CreditKarma.com for a free score and report.

What do you use free that is an advantage for you?