Free Stuff
Saving money isn’t always easy. The more free stuff we can get our hands on the better. So, with that in mind, here’s my list of things that you can get for free:
Free Accommodation
Going on holiday soon? I know Christmas has only just passed by but some of you may have missed out. Instead of paying through the nose for your holiday why not try some free accommodation? Surprisingly, there are many families around that will offer you a place to stay in return for some good, old fashioned friendship.
How To Get Free Accommodation
First off, you’ll need to subscribe to Couchsurfing.org (don’t worry, it’s a free service). Once signed up, simply type your preferred destination into the search bar. Once you’ve identified potential hosts, get in touch with them.
Free software
A little while ago I wrote about free office apps for the iPad. For some of you, Microsoft’s Office productivity suite might be just fine. At over £100 for a home user license, this software might be a little too expensive to justify.
How To Get Free Software
For word processing, spreadsheets and anything else productivity related try OpenOffice.org. For everything else you’ll ever need for you PC, Mac, etc then take a look at my little guide to iPad office apps.
Free Audio Books
Some of you like to read, some to watch and some you like to listen. Ebook readers are all well and good but how well can you read one when you’re running or driving (not recommended)? Audio books bridge the gap. Free audio books are just the ticket.
How To Get Free Audio Books
Librivox.org has a massive selection of free audio books. The audio books they offer are all in the public domain i.e. there is no copyright on them. Don’t expect to find the very latest best selling audio books there. If you’re feeling helpful, you can even volunteer yourself as a recorder.
Free Food For Children
When your monthly budget is tight you want to maximise the savings. Getting free food for your kids is something that you might not have considered. I’m not talking about school meals or sneaking one more into the birthday party! Restaurants need customers to survive which means you get to reap the rewards
How To Get Free Food For Children
You’ll have to a little digging to get these gems. Take a look at places like Pizza Hut and Pizza Express to find out dates of their promotions.
Alternatively, you can get the latest restaurant voucher codes emailed to you. Follow the link, type in your location and you’ll be shown the best deals currently running in your area. Simple.
Free Foreign Language Courses
Ever wanted to try and learn American but decided it would take too long and cost too much money? Learning any language doesn’t have to cost you anything (apart from a bit of your time).
How To Learn A Foreign Language For Free
The BBC has a range of free language courses available for anyone that’s interested in picking up some foreign lingo. Courses last for 12 weeks and are designed to give you a good grounding in the basics. There’s more info on the BBC languages section.
Free birthday presents
Ever wanted to shower yourself or a loved one with gifts? Wouldn’t it be even better if all those gifts came free of charge? Well, today you can have your cake and eat it.
How To Get Free Birthday Presents
This is really simple; all you need to do is sign up at http://www.thebirthdayregister.com/ . The description of the site states. “Businesses love to help you celebrate your birthday. Is there a catch? According to the site, they’ll send a ‘no purchase necessary’ coupon from a merchant in your local area. The site is still growing and you may find that there are no retailers in your area but it’s worth signing up for.
Free Anti-Virus
Yes, I could have added this to the free software list but it’s just too important. Free anti-virus software is all around. Most freebies come with limitations e.g. AVG Free is a fantastic piece of software but doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the paid version (full details here: http://free.avg.com/ww-en/free-antivirus-download).
How To Get Free Anti-Virus
Go to you preferred AV supplier and download their free versions. Here’s a list of the top 5 free anti-virus suppliers:
Free AVG
Avast
Avira
PC Tools
Trend AV
That’s all the money saving tips for today. Did you like this post? If so, why not retweet on Twitter or share on FaceBook. Before you go make sure you come back soon to check out our new voucher codes (still under construction right now).