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FREE (AND ALMOST FREE) STUFF FOR WRITERS

© Roxianne Moore

They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, and judging from an article in this morning's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, I guess it's true. Seems workers in county nursing homes are being charged tax on their free lunches, thanks to IRS officials, who hate to see people getting something for nothing. But don't despair. There's plenty of free stuff on the web, including some great equipment for writers.

If you've never searched for freebies, here are a few good starting places:

Free ... On the Web lists all kinds of free items. This week's freebies include $9 in 1-800-COLLECT calls, and mousepads from AT&T and JC Penney.

The coolest offering is a $5 CD-ROM from NASA. The SIR-C Educational CD-ROM has satellite images designed for use by educators and students in middle schools, high schools, and universities. The CD-ROM contains lesson plans, presentation materials, and a teacher's guide. While it may not be strictly writing-related, it's bliss for the information junkie.

Another good site for freebies is The Zone. This week's specials include Post-It brand notes and signs. You can get free samples to print on your laser or inkjet printer, and download the software.

Download a free copy of @Backup, and you get a 30-day trial of this online-backup system. Features include virus scanning and secure off-stie backup. They guarantee that no one can read your data without your password. As an added bonus, they'll send you Microsoft Automap Trip Planner, free of charge. I didn't try this one, since it requires Windows 95, which I don't have (yes, I know I'm in the Dark Ages).

Next to Nothing has some toll-free numbers you can call to get free products, mostly cosmetics and personal care items. You can also get a free angel bookmark with an SASE. You can also order additional angel bookmarks, or get personalized bookmarks here.

The Free Stuff Continuum has lots of listings, which are difficult to page through. I didn't find anything specifically of interest to writers, and some of the links are outdated, but you can find plenty of free samples here.

Volition calls itself the oldest Free Stuff site on the Internet. They have lots of trial issues of magazines, which can make a good addition to your sample issues collection. One interesting section is the "Mystery Shoppers" page, which highlights companies willing to pay you to shop. Aside from writing reports on stores and restaurants, I'm not sure how this applies to writers. Still, there's potential to get free meals and more, so I thought some of you might be interested in a fun way to make some extra money.

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