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Contents INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Great Big World of Bargains There are a lot of freebies and bargains out there. To get your share, get started right now. PART ONE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE CHAPTER ONE All About Bargains and How to Find Them Free money, free stuff, and other great bargains aren't widely advertised-or at least the real ones aren't-you have to ferret them out; here's a primer on how to go about it. CHAPTER TWO Traps and Scams to Look Out For "If it's too good to be true ..." is not always a reliable guide in the realm of bargains, but still, there are some definite telltale signs that an offer is not all that it seems and is trap rather than a bargain. Here are the con artists to look out for. CHAPTER THREE The 33 Most Useful Things You Can Get For Free or Next to Nothing From free health supplies to a free suite of office software, here are the best bargains to be found anywhere today. PART TWO LOW-COST SOLUTIONS FOR EVERYDAY LIVING CHAPTER FOUR Home and Family Free samples of cleaning and laundry products; bargain games, books, videos, and other entertainment for children; free pets, free samples pet products, and reduced cost vet care; Free samples or coupons for canned, frozen, and packaged food; free cookbooks and recipes; reduced price produce from farmers' markets and pick-your-own farms. Food stamps and other family assistance. Free or low-price fluorescent bulbs, timers, and other aids to cut energy costs; free office, photo, virus and other software for your home office. CHAPTER FIVE Appearance Free samples of cosmetics, lotions, shampoo, conditioner, and other beauty products; low-cost haircuts and styling; getting half-price bargains on catalog and store-sales clothing and accessories; free tee shirts and baseball caps. CHAPTER SIX Health Where and how to get free flu shots; blood pressure readings; reduced-price and free samples of prescription drugs; free skin screenings; free help with dieting; free newsletters, information, support groups, recipes, charts, and other giveaways for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, AIDS, and other serious and chronic conditions; free addiction treatment; low-cost dental clinics; free toothpaste, brushes, mouthwashes, and floss. CHAPTER SEVEN Entertainment Free or cheap movies, theater, concerts, sports events, museums, historic sites, bargain dinners and other meals at restaurants; free and cheap books; free legal MP3s; free audio books and podcasts; free PC games; bargain CDs and DVDs; strategies for cutting cable costs in half. Free or low-cost city and school gyms, pools, tennis courts, and running tracks; cheap yoga and stretching classes; community softball and pickup hoops. CHAPTER EIGHT Travel Getting bargains when traveling: inexpensive hotels, reduced airfares, cruises, and car rentals; find the best last-minute and book-well-ahead Web bargains; getting a free flight by being bumped; making the most of air miles, coupons, and other offers; best cheap resorts and vacation sites in the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and farther afield; freebies and bargains in Las Vegas and other popular destinations; making the most of national and state parks. CHAPTER NINE Education Scholarships, loans, housing and food allowances, and other aid for students of all kinds-especially low-income and minority students; students with high grade averages; children of deceased veterans and police officers; and students entering critical fields such as medicine, dentistry, nursing, teaching, the military, and law enforcement. Reduced-price textbooks. Aid for grad students and for studying overseas. Also: low-cost adult education, bargain language courses, art history courses at museums, and other enrichment studies. CHAPTER TEN Transportation Strategies for reducing the cost of public transit and lowering auto expenses; the in and outs of carpooling, using HOV lanes, and cutting or avoiding tolls. CHAPTER ELEVEN Employment Where to find free classifieds, getting free or inexpensive job training, help with creating a resume, getting a government job, free help finding a job overseas, help with fighting harassment or discrimination; free help with pension problems. CHAPTER TWELVE Small Businesses How to get free help writing a business plan, selling an idea, licensing a product, writing contracts, complying with business and tax laws, selling overseas, getting a government contract, selecting the right equipment and mostly getting a low-interest loan to start a business or a microloan to keep a business going. Special loans for businesses started by women or members of a minority, and for businesses in a rural area or special economic zone. CHAPTER THIRTEEN Money Matters Free checking, bill paying, safe-deposit boxes, and other bank services (with minimum balance or online); low-cost stock and bond purchases; getting the lowdown on companies and solid stock tips at no cost; buying Treasury notes without a fee; free money-management and tax software; getting free tax advice; filing taxes online for free; getting low-interest mortgages and cheap life and home insurance. Ins and outs of annuities, reverse mortgages, and other retirement/senior-years financial products. CHAPTER FOURTEEN Unclaimed Property How to claim unclaimed bank accounts, insurance, paychecks, tax refunds, etc. Every state seems to have a central office where you or your heir can see if the state is holding something of yours. Some states boast of having millions in unclaimed property. Other sources of unclaimed items include lost and found offices, police auctions, foreclosure, etc. CHAPTER FIFTEEN Nonprofit Community Projects How to get government and foundation money for your favorite soup kitchen, daycare center, job-training program, or to restore a historic structure, or to start your own nonprofit. How to write a winning request for a grant, get cheap postage for your nonprofit PART THREE SUPER SPECIAL BARGAINS FOR SUPER SPECIAL PEOPLE CHAPTER SIXTEEN Seniors Bargains available to 65 plus: half price public transportation; free or cheap auditing of college courses and special courses for seniors, reduced movie tickets; reduced airfares. Getting the most from Medicare. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Veterans Government and other programs for those who served their country: education and job training, assistance in finding employment, especially a veteran-preference civil-service job or a government contractor job; benefits for surviving spouses, dependent children and parents. Free headstone and burial benefits. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN The Disabled How to get free transit and special handicapped parking permits if your mobility is limited; free guide dogs and talking books, and large-print publications you are visually impaired. Meals on wheels and other special assistance for the housebound. CHAPTER NINETEEN New Mothers Free advice on all aspects of pregnancy, selecting names, giving birth, breastfeeding, even potty-training. Free samples of diapers, baby shampoos, baby formula, baby foods, baby photos, and other baby products. Free diaper bags, free pregnancy countdown calendars, free baby magazines. Discounts on cribs, bedding. CHAPTER TWENTY Teachers and Other Local Government Employees Special deals for el-hi teachers, police, fire fighters, and other city, county, or state workers; overseas summer sabbaticals for language teachers. APPENDICES Key Federal and State Government Agencies A listing of the addresses, websites, and 800 numbers of the major federal and state assistance, small business, education, improvement zones, and other agencies involved in making grants and loans or providing information. Non-Government Sources A listing of foundations, businesses. associations, websites, universities and other institutions that are major sources of information, money, or free stuff. Index
Library of Congress Subject Headings for this publication:
Free material -- Catalogs.