Freebies 101

Thanks to http://athriftymom.com/freebies-101/ for this post:

I think we all put up a red flag when we hear the word free. I will be the first to tell you there are a lot of gimmicks out there. So read and be care full before you go giving personal info out. But there are a lot of great companies out there willing to give you things TOTALLY FREE. Just so you all know anything I post I have checked out, signed up myself and try to make sure it is worth your time. I just pass along the deals I see, please use your own judgment.
Here are a few tips when signing up for freebies, Samples, Entering contests or Downloads.

1. Make a 2nd email account- You will find that as you sign up for free products or contests, that you will start to receive A LOT more spam. But you will also get more offers for coupons, and other use full info. I would HIGHLY recommend that you take a few minutes and set up a 2nd email account. Use a free email service, and use this as you enter in give aways, surveys and contest. This way you can have your personal email account free of all the extra mail.
2. Don’t give out to much personal info- You will need to give them your name, address, phone and email. Many companies want a lot more info too, they want to know, birth dates, how many kids you have, and much more. They want this info to find out more about the people that are using their product. So if they ask how many kids I have I tell them, BUT if they ask their names, will use a different name. I don’t think anyone needs to know what my kids names are, just for a free bar of soap. When they ask for my birthday I always give them the the correct month and year but I change the “real” day. This helps protect my personal info. NEVER give out your credit card or SS# for a giveaway, unless you have done a lot of homework and know its legitimate. If they ask for your phone number, unless you actually want telemarketers calling, don’t give the correct number.
3. Free Trials - Many offers will get you hooked by giving you a free month supply, or free product. Then what they may or may not say is that you are also signing up for a subscription to their product on a continuing basis. If you are not watching carefully, in a short while you get a whole new box of that product and you may not even notice the charge on your credit card bill. Now we don’t want to talk you out of the free products, but you need to make sure you ask questions, or be prepared to cancel the subscriptions. Watch your credit cards that you use. It’s sujested to use one card that you monitor closely, that way you know what you are, and are not getting into.