Here Are 7 Great Freebies You'll Actually Use
Free long-distance calls, business cards, credit reports and more.
May 31, 2009— -- Free iPods! Free TVs! Free money! Unfortunately, these online offers are almost certainly scams. I'm using the word "almost" because I haven't checked every single one.
They fall under the same rule we've all heard a thousand times: There is no free lunch. But there are legitimate freebies. Here are some that you may want to use time and time again.
Long-distance Calling
Long-distance calls can be costly. That's particularly true if you're calling international numbers. But you don't need to spend a dime on long-distance calling. The Talkster website gives you unlimited free long-distance to more than 30 countries.
Here's how it works. You enter your friend's long-distance telephone number. Then, you're given a telephone number for your friend that's a local call for you. You call your friend using the local number. Your friend answers. You have 10 seconds to give your friend a local number for him to reach you. Your friend calls you back using that local number and you talk for free.
You may hear a brief ad when placing a call. You'll also see ads while you talk.
Faxing and Copying
If you have a camera phone, you don't need a scanner or fax. You can make copies and send faxes directly from your cellphone!
With Qipit, you snap a picture of a document with your cellphone. Then, send the picture via e-mail or text message to Qipit.
The photo is optimized and converted to a PDF. A copy is e-mailed to you. You can also fax or e-mail the PDF. Just enter an e-mail address or fax number in the message body.
You can also use your digital camera. But you'll have to forward the picture from your computer. Qipit is free.
ScanR is a similar service. It lets you upload five photos per month. Unlimited paid plans start at $5 per month.
Carrier charges may apply. International faxing is supported by both companies.
Directory Assistance
Looking up telephone numbers online is easy. But you don't always have a computer handy.
That doesn't mean you need to pay for directory assistance. You can find numbers for free from any telephone.
1-800-GOOG-411 and 1-800-FREE411 are two free directory services. Google's service (GOOG-411) relies on voice recognition to find results. At FREE411, you get a person. However, you'll hear ads while you wait.
Related Stories
ABC News Live