Freebies

How to Get Magazines for Cheap (or Free!)

POPSUGAR Smart Living — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 13:00:25 +0000

Beautiful, glossy magazines may be your guilty pleasure, but they don't have to cost you a pretty penny. There are ways to get them at a discount or even free. Check out some of these suggestions:

RELATED: 13 Ways to Get Free Books

Your Local Library

There are so many free goodies to be had at the library, one of which includes an extensive collection of magazines. Not only do libraries have current copies, but they will usually have backdated copies as well. They might even have copies of magazines that aren't currently being published.

Doctors' or Dental Offices

In waiting rooms, you'll usually see a collection of magazines to thumb through. Ask the receptionist if you can take the old copies when they get new ones. They are usually pretty accommodating.

Online Forums

Slickdeals.net is a cool forum that specifically features awesome free subscriptions, so it's a good source to check out once in a while. Past deals have included Every Day With Rachel Ray and Better Homes and Gardens.

Magazine Giveaway Sites

Some sites like RewardsGold, Mecury Magazines, and FreeBizMag will give you free magazines if you fill out a questionnaire and qualify for the freebies. Always read the fine print when you're signing up for these sites, and be careful when reading the emails they send out.

Subscriptions

Subscribe to your favorite magazines to enjoy huge discounts. You can either go to the official site or visit sites like Amazon and Magazines.com, which offer the same popular magazine titles at up to an 80 percent discount. You can also get a mail-in subscription signup form from the pages of the magazine.

Daily Deals

Magazine subscriptions often pop up on daily deals with phenomenal savings, so keep an eye out for them if there is a magazine you've been wanting to subscribe to.

Redeem Awards

If you have travel or credit card points that you need to use up, you can opt to redeem a magazine subscription. If the point program doesn't let you redeem the points for magazines, then there are magazine subscription services that let you exchange points for free subscriptions, such as magformiles.

Hold a Magazine Swap

Pick a good time for your magazine swap, and invite a bunch of people to come over with magazines. Not only will you get a chance to get rid of the magazines you've already read, but you'll also be able to get new ones for free. The people you hang out with tend to share common interests, so there's a good chance that you'll be interested in the magazines they like.

And when you're done with the magazines, don't trash them — here are some great ideas for upcycling them. You can even turn the scraps of paper into cute magnets!

Magazines are fun to read — but buying them at the store can get crazy expensive. Learn how to get magazine fix and save.

Guest Post Blurb:

This is a guest contribution from our friends at POPSUGAR Smart Living. Check out more useful articles from this partner:

This article is from POPSUGAR Smart Living of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

How to Become One of Those "Lucky" People Who Scores Great Deals

Carrie Kirby — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 10:36:18 +0000

A friend recently commented that I have the best luck at getting deals and freebies.

"I don't think it's luck," I replied. "I'm pretty sure it's genius."

No one likes to admit their success is just luck, right? But it made me think. Is it possible to make your own luck when it comes to frugal living?

I think it is. Here are my best 11 tricks for becoming a frugally lucky person and finding more than your share of deals and freebies. (See also: How to Win Sweepstakes)

1. Be Patient

You know how they say that if you want a dog, you should just wait, because eventually the right dog will come to you? I feel the same way about stuff. It may take years, but eventually, that end table or juice maker you need or want will probably turn up at a bargain price. (See also: 9 Easy Steps to Become More Patient)

This year I decided I wanted a record player. I started looking for them at rummage sales, but never found quite the right one. I considered just buying a new one, but I am way too cheap for that. So I waited. I even bought some brand new Beatles records on clearance and left them sitting on a shelf for the player that I hoped I'd find eventually.

Within a week of buying those records, I saw the perfect record player — sitting on the curb! It was so new it had a USB port, and someone was just throwing it out. I'm using it to play my Beatles records right now, and it sounds great.

Was this luck, or just having the patience to wait it out? Ask yourself this: How many times have you bought something new, only to find a much better deal on it a week later?

2. Be Constantly Vigilant

To a true bargain hunter, walking through a store or even down the street is like playing a video game. You have to always be on the lookout for treasure you can scoop up.

If I have extra time, I will always pop into an unfamiliar store just to see if they might have a clearance shelf. If it turns out to be a store with good deals, it'll be on my list of places to check back often.

3. Be Assertive

It feels awkward to ask for a better deal — whether it's haggling over a used car or simply asking for a markdown on about-to-expire milk — but remember that the worst that anyone will say is "no." I have found that most store employees are happy to help you save money if they can. (See also: How to Negotiate With Confidence)

4. Be Persistent

When I first joined Freecycle, I was able to easily get rid of stuff that had been cluttering up my house, but I didn't find anything I needed. Still, I kept my email subscription active, and I kept watching the offers. Eventually, items came up that interested me — but I wasn't the first to ask for them, and I didn't get them.

I continued to stick with it, and over the years I have gratefully accepted a number of useful items, including a futon, a bike trailer, and, most recently, a new-to-me bicycle.

5. Use a Checklist

When I need something, I go through a number of steps before breaking down and paying full price for it. My checklist looks like this:

Ask for it on Freecycle
Search Craigslist
Compare prices
Search for coupon codes
Shop through Ebates

I rarely buy something without going through my checklist, and when I do, I usually regret it.

6. Stay Up to Date

Just as doctors must constantly read medical journals to keep their knowledge fresh, so must bargain hunters keep up with bargain blogs to know the latest trends. (What? Bargain hunting is a lot like performing surgery, don't you think?)

Besides Wise Bread, I read Money Saving Mom, Mashup Mom, WantNot.net, and Brad's Deals to find out what's new in the bargain world — and simply to find hot deals.

In addition to the field research mentioned in item two, I also interrogate fellow shoppers about their shopping experiences. When a friend rents a car, I want to know if they got a free upgrade, and if so, how. Some friends might be annoyed by questions about prices, but kindred spirits love sharing how they got a deal.

7. Try New Things

Once I had never heard of Groupon or Ebates, and now they are go-to sites in my deal hunting routine.

Of course, the new thing you try won't always work out. When my husband and I were buying our first home back in 2001, we signed up for a new online real estate agency that promised to share its commission with buyers in the form of a 1% rebate. Not only did the company offer substandard service, but it ended up going out of business just before we closed our deal.

My husband was not happy with me for making our first buying experience more difficult in pursuit of a one percent rebate. But in my defense, we did end up finding a great place to buy, and we got the rebate. It just turned out to be a huge hassle.

8. Embrace Serendipity

Many frugal shoppers believe in strictly sticking to a list. I try to enter a store with an open mind. A few months ago I went to Salvation Army in search of a curtain. I didn't find it — on that trip — but I did find a Batman bedspread for my son's bed. Every night when I tuck him in, he thanks me for that bedspread.

9. Be Creative

In the same vein, there are bargains that you have to think up a use for before recognizing them as bargains. My grandmother — a Depression baby — is particularly good at this. Think old tablecloths as Halloween costumes and old tableware as bird feeders. If only I were really crafty I could do much more in this area, but I do what I can. (See also: Repurpose These Kitchen Cast-Offs Into Cool New Things)

10. Be Shameless

A lot of people are embarrassed to pick something up off the curb or out of a trash can, or even buy something second hand. I am not, and I have benefited greatly from this lack of shame. I even dabbled in freeganism for the first time recently, finding some mostly good produce discarded outside my regular grocery store.

Remember George Costanza and the trashcan eclair? When I was a schoolgirl, "garbage picker" was about the worst insult anyone could hurl. But I hope that environmental consciousness, the concept of upcycling, and shows like American Pickers have helped people get over this. If not, that's more treasures for those of us with no shame!

11. Have Fun With It

All the tips above are useless if you don't enjoy the thrill of the bargain hunt. This is not a list of virtues — to be honest, some of these habits make me extremely annoying to my family and friends. If you are strictly looking at a cost/benefit analysis, you may be better off spending your time studying investments or working overtime to earn more money than hunting for bargains.

But if you feel like a million bucks when you discover that one gem that every other shopper passed by? If you love having a good hunting story attached to every piece of decor in your home? Then these tips should help you win more often.

Now go forth and get winning!

What makes you frugally lucky?

This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Hurray! Annual Freebie Calendar

Carrie Kirby — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 10:36:41 +0000

Don't you hate it when you find out today was free ice cream day by seeing photos on Facebook of your friends chowing down? Print out this calendar of the freebies that tend to come up year after year, and you'll never be caught unawares. (See also: How to Watch Movies in the Theater for Free)

January

New Year's Day freebies on Jan. 1 have included free coffee at Sheetz (seriously, this is the name of a store chain), and in a few areas, a whole box of Dunkin' Donuts for the first few customers of the morning.

February/March

IHOP usually gives away short stacks of pancakes once a year, on or near "Pancake Day," or Shrove Tuesday. In 2012, this was Feb. 28.

Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day comes between late March and early May.

April

Every year a number of businesses offer something free on Tax Day, on or around April 15. Past Tax Day offers have included coffee at Starbucks and food at Panda Express, Cinnabon, and Arby's. Also watch for local Tax Day promotions, like special happy hours.

In the past, Baskin Robbins has offered its cones for 31 cents apiece in April — not free but almost. In 2012 they didn't host this event.

May

The first Saturday in May is Free Comic Book Day — check to see if your local shop is participating.

Haagen-Dazs usually chooses a day in May to give out free cones.

May 8 is Teacher Appreciation Day, and Buca di Beppo, OfficeMax, and others have offered teachers goodies around then. Homeschooling parents can sometimes collect those freebies as well.

National Nurse's Week falls in May, and certain chains such as Cinnabon and Buca di Beppo like to treat healthcare workers to a little sumpin-sumpin.

For the Mommas has a nice list of Mother's Day freebies that were offered this year, including a free cone at TCBY and some buy one, get one free offers.

June

The first Friday in June is National Donut Day. Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Donuts, and other shops have offered a free donut on this day in recent years, sometimes requiring a purchase.

A lesser-known freebie day, Free Roll-Playing Game Day, was celebrated on June 16 in 2012.

Free Fishing Days (PDF), when you can fish without a license, are locally scheduled by individual states, but most of them fall in June.

Dads can usually snag some freebies on Father's Day, such as free breakfast at Ikea and buy one, get one free coffee at Caribou.

July

Convenience store chain 7-Eleven has been known to give out free Slurpees to celebrate its "birthday" on July 11.

August

Whether you have kids in school or not, you should pay attention to the ads at office supply stores as summer winds down. As they compete to bring in back-to-school shoppers, OfficeMax, Office Depot, and Staples often offer a few items for free. Sometimes the goods are free upfront — usually smaller things like a pack of crayons or pencils. More expensive items, like backpacks, may be offered free or for a penny after rebate.

September

In honor of Make-a-Wish Month, Cold Stone Creamery usually holds The World's Largest Ice Cream Social during September, where you get a free creation and are invited to donate to Make-a-Wish. Last year, this happened on Sept. 27.

October

Walgreens often offers free photo collages around Halloween.

Chipotle used to give away a free burrito to kids who dressed like one on Halloween, but in recent years they've charged $2 for it — still a frightfully good deal.

November

On Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving), you can often find department store coupons for $10 off any purchase, which can lead to a free $10 item. Sometimes restaurants offer free coffee and other treats to tired shoppers.

Your Birthday

This is the best freebie day of the year! You can sign up for everything from free ice cream to free meals — and many, many local bars will give you a free drink as well. You can also check out our Big List of Birthday Freebies.

What did we miss? Leave your own favorite annual freebie in the comments.

This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

FREE 8GB iPod Touch From BBVA Compass Bank (Colorado)

Paul Michael — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:10:57 +0000

You only have 30 days left to take advantage of this one, but it's a great offer for a great product. The big picture is simple — open up a BBVA Compass Build-To-Order Free checking account in Colorado and you get a FREE iPod Touch valued at $199.99.

Of course, the small print does ask a little more of you, but nothing you wouldn't be doing with your current checking account. You may see other offers like this have ended, but I picked up the promotion card today at my own branch (so I'm not eligible, obviously) and asked when it ended. April 30th was the answer. There may be similar promotions in your state, so do some checking.

Here are the major details:

To qualify for this offer you must open a new BBVA Compass Build-To-Order Free Checking account by April 30th.
The minimum deposit must be $25.
Within 6 weeks of opening the account, have your first direct deposit of at least $300 from an unrelated third party (your paycheck most likely).
For at least 6 months after opening the account, have your minimum $300 direct deposit continue once each billing cycle.
You will have to pay $9.95 shipping and handling for your iPod Touch.
If you don't comply, you'll pay $180 for the iPod Touch.

There's some more legal jargon, but that's the big idea. Basically, if you change banks and do what you do now with the new BBVA Compass Bank account, you'll bag your iPod Touch. If it's just not worth the hassle, fair enough. Certainly something to consider though, especially if you're looking for a new bank anyway. And the iPod Touch also allows you to do mobile banking, which is another reason to take advantage of this deal.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Treat yourself to SELF with a free subscription

Paul Michael — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:35:21 +0000

Quick deal to start the weekend off just right. SELF magazine is giving away FREE ONE-YEAR subscriptions to their popular women's publication. Covering everything from fitness and food to health and beauty, it's a great magazine for this price.

Just click here and you'll be taken to the sign-up form. As always, these deals can expire quickly so get in there fast. As with most of these subscriptions, you can expect to receive your first issue after 6-8 weeks. So if you already read this magazine, don't expect to get your next issue in the mail. You'll still have to pick it up at the checkout.

Thanks to The Bargainst for the tip.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Get out the Vote and Grab a Tall Starbucks Coffee for Free!

Linsey Knerl — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:26:29 +0000

Voting anxiety is kickin' in big time. With only a couple days left until the final vote, many are more than ready to make their voices heard – and then head back to life as normal. In an effort to reward those who vote on Nov. 4, Starbucks is pouring free coffee.

Their ad (airing on YouTube and at their website) makes it clear. Come in on Nov. 4^th, say, “I voted,” and grab your tall coffee, no money required. It's a simple gimmick to get people to vote. I think there's a bit more to it than that, however.

It's been three long months of listening to my closest friends, clients, and family Twitter and email non-stop about how important my vote is (as long as it's for their choice of candidate). I'm ready for the vote to take place, and our new Pres to emerge (however disappointed I may possibly be at the results.) This means perhaps we can start getting back to a time when I was less a Party member and more a gal you used to have coffee with.

Starbucks is facilitating a step in the right direction. Free coffee just might get everyone sitting down together, regardless of affiliation. The marketing guys have also figured that a few of us may also buy an over-priced (but delicious) scone, and out of our gratitude for free coffee, we may leave a killer tip.

As with most free promotions, this is about money. Thankfully, it may turn out to be about something more. This promotion runs all day on Nov. 4, at participating Starbucks locations. Get out your vote, pull up a chair next to that voter on the other side of the partisan aisle, and drink one for free.

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Sears goes a little crazy - sweaters starting at 99 cents!

Paul Michael — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:25:28 +0000

Very quick and super deal for you folks, to follow my vent on mortgages. And considering what I was saying, we need to save every penny we can. Anyway, Sears is going a little gaga and selling off a whole bunch of decent clothes for 90% off, sometimes more! How much more? Well, when you click on the link you'll be greeted by items that have been reduced from $20-$30 to just 99 cents. I'm not even sure you could find a deal like that for a used sweater at a charity store.

As usual, these deals will go quickly and sizes will start to disappear fast. So, get over to Sears and get yourself some great deals (if you need them of course). If not for yourself, you could certainly fill up on gifts just in time for the holidays. I could find no indication of the sale expiration date, so take advantage of it while you can.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Free Food This Week and a Chance to Give to Make-A-Wish Foundation

Linsey Knerl — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:12:13 +0000

I love the free ice cream days at ColdStone Creamery. Another one is coming up real soon, but before you rush out to snag your treat, check out these other promotions for this week only. (And read about a chance to help make dreams come true!)

Kahala (the company behind ColdStone Creamery) has always had success with its free ice cream promotions. Past years’ efforts have dished out millions of creations and have managed to raise over $2.8 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. This year, they have decided to expand into all of their restaurant brands, and with a free treat every weeknight, it could be really successful!

Here’s the windup:

“Monday, Sept. 22 – Samurai Sam's: a free grilled eggroll

Tuesday, Sept. 23 – Blimpie: a free 3-inch cold turkey sub

Wednesday, Sept. 24 – TacoTime: a free small order of Mexi-Fries®

Thursday, Sept. 25 – Cold Stone Creamery: a choice of two 3-ounce ice cream Creations:

Emily's Creation – Nutter Butter® ice cream mixed with yellow cake, Kit Kat® and white chocolate chips or Jack's Creation – Marshmallow ice cream mixed with OREO® cookies, chocolate chips and fudge

Friday, Sept. 26 – Great Steak and Potato Company: a free small Great Fry

Participating US stores only. Please call to verify participation. Not valid in TacoTime stores in IN, MI, IA, CO and the Seattle area. Not valid in Blimpie locations within Hess convenience stores.”

And the pitch:

While donations are optional, the folks at Make-A-Wish are hoping you will purchase a paper Wish Star for a buck. Proceeds go to help see 150 wishes come true for very ill children.

More info on Make-A-Wish is available at their official website. (Thanks to Frugal, Freebies and Deals for the heads up via Twitter.)

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Laptop travel kit - FREE after rebate

Paul Michael — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:25:13 +0000

Sweet deal. Circuit City is currently offering a very handy Nexxtech Laptop Travel Kit for $39.99, which comes with a $40 mail-in rebate. If you're someone constantly on the move or just need some back-up equipment, this is a great kit at a price you can't beat.

The contents, which come in a decent travel case, are:

• Wired mouse

• 3' USB cable

• 512MB thumb drive (ignore the 256MB info, that seems to be out of date)

• 4-port USB hub

Nexxtech describes the kit as follows:

Travel accessories: These accessories are great for the plane, office, home, school, or coffee shop. Since this mobile case fits into most laptop bags, you can carry it easily anywhere you go.

Contents: A 1000dpi retractable USB travel mouse with five buttons lets you move forward or backward on web pages with the side buttons. Use the three foot retractable mini usb cable for downloading photos from digital cameras. The 256MB USB flash drive is great for quick storage for presentations, photos, and other files. A four-port USB hub adds extra USB outlets to your computer so you can attach mice, cameras, flash drives, or other USB powered devices. Finally, the travel case protects your accessories and maximizes space.

But is it any good? Well, the kit gets an average of 4.6 out of 5, based on 61 reviews so far. Seems like a winner to me. As with any mail-in rebate offer, you're required to jump through a few hoops. Read Andrea's excellent article here for more pointers on this. Bottom line, if this is something you need (or something you want to resell at a profit), I believe it's well worth 10 minutes of your time.

The rebate is valid on purchases made between 8/10 and 8/16 of 2008. You will have limited time after that to get your rebate form back to Nexxtech (and keep copies).

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Save $10 on $10 and Free Shipping At Blockbuster Online

Linsey Knerl — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:38:00 +0000

What's better than cheap, pre-owned movies delivered to your door? Free ones. And for a very limited time, you can take your pick of hundreds of movies at Blockbuster for the cost of tax.

Blockbuster online has a large selection of new and pre-owned DVDs for you to purchase. You don't have to be a member to buy, but you do get a nice discount (5-10%) if you are. With Christmas less than 6 months away, I had been meaning to buy a few pre-owned DVDs to put in the kids' stockings, and with the latest in promo codes, I got them at a very nice price (FREE!)

Here's what you do:

Go to Blockbuster online and click on the “Buy” tab.
Pick your choice of DVDs for purchase, and put them in your cart.
Use code “augappreciation” to get $10 off a $10 minimum purchase (before tax and shipping.)
Buy only pre-owned movies, and you get free standard shipping! (Discounts will not show up until you enter your credit card info, but you have a chance to review your order before you confirm it.)

For just the cost of tax, you can snag $10 worth of movies. And while the odds are slim that you'll actually find one for exactly ten bucks, it's still a great deal. I was able to get Evan Almighty ($9.99) and High School Musical Concert ($3.99) for just $4.26. And since I was set on getting these two flicks for a couple of kids, anyway – I'm convinced YOU can do better!

This code is valid until the end of August (or until they pull it.) Let me know how you do!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

BOGO on The Dark Knight (or any other film you'd prefer to see...if there is one)

Paul Michael — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:00:11 +0000

Quick, simple deal for all you movie fans out there (which is most of you I presume). FANDANGO is once again doing a BOGO offer on movie tickets, which means you can get a free ticket to a certain upcoming movie featuring that bat fella. It's a small, independet film with no real budget for advertising, you may want to check it out.

So all joking aside, I want to see The Dark Knight. I'm no fan of standing in line though, so I'll probably see it a few weeks after the initial release (but on IMAX for the best viewing experience for my money). I will, of course, be seeing it with a friend and we'll basically be paying half price thanks to FANDANGO .

The deal: All you have to do is add a minimum of two tickets to your cart and then pay using your Discover Card. The cost of one ticket will automatically be deducted from your cart. Fandango ran the same promotion last year and it worked great. But get your skates on, the deal ends 8/31/08. Thanks to The Bargainist for pointing this one out.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The Letter Always Wins

Maggie Wells — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:11:45 +0000

Somehow among our many ways to contact a company and complain about products: email, toll free numbers, in person—the old fashioned letter still seems to be the squeaky wheel getting the oil.

Case in point. This week Smucker’s Jam agreed to replace two of my grandmother’s Pineapple Jams that she ordered. She talked to them on the phone and they apologized that the shoddy packaging caused the glass to break. But it was her letter that got her two free bottle replacements. (I’m not sure why they even make pineapple jam but grandma digs it and hardly anyone seems to stock it).

The husband thinks all products made now should be made just like they were made sixty years ago. He holds companies—especially old companies to high standards. But he’s also a cheap bastard that predictably buys the same brand over and over again. He’s bought the same model of New Balance running shoes four times and they’ve all worn and cracked in the exact same place. He called and complained a few times, but his last letter earned him a pair of new New Balance shoes free.

Okay. Two is a coincidence. But we’ll go with three being a rule of thumb. Playtex replaced not one but two nursing bras I had because the stitching around the underwire came undone and nearly poked my son in the eye (it did poke him in the back before I realized what was happening). I called their toll free number and they apologized but I got two free ones after my letter was sent.

I have to credit my husband with all this. I am a product of our throw away culture and am apt to give up on a company or product and just move on, but Julian is another story. He insists that things should be of good quality and when things break down he believes it’s good for companies to be held accountable to his standard. I tend to believe that all wear and tear is my fault and so I should eat all cost. He, on the other hand, believes that a good product holds up with wear and tear. From the lowly toothbrush to my Toyota Corolla, he makes the inquiries, writes the letters, gets the answers—and many replacements, coupons and rebates along with it. I can’t complain.

I’m not sure where he gets the extra energy to write the letters ---always pleasant and detailed and not rants—but I appreciate that we have at least one family member crazy enough to believe that good companies should stand behind their products. ANd I shouldn't doubt him. His letters always deliver.

I’d tell you the stuff he got from Apple but I don’t want to jinx it.

This article is from Maggie Wells of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Cut Computer Waste in Half

Linsey Knerl — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 03:47:15 +0000

I’ve owned my desktop PC for a little over 3 years, and most days I’m scared to look into my folders to see what I’ve been hoarding. Wading through thousands of pictures, Word documents and PDF’s to “trim the fat” is not something I look forward to. A recently discovered free program, however, has taken that task and made it completely possible.

PC Magazine was the first to introduce me to the wonders of the Double Killer app. Free for download at several locations, I went directly to the official site to get my limited copy. This .zip file took little time to download, and I was running in no time. What’s it do? Everything I imagined, and more!

By selecting the folder I want to target, Double Killer scans for files that are similar in name, size, date, and CRC32 Checksum (think unique fingerprint.) Each of these scan criteria are optional, and I had best results with size and CRC32 checksum (which appear to be the default.)

Once the scan is complete, a list of all files with duplicates are listed (each grouped with it’s “twin”), and you have the option to go through them one by one, or just select all of the duplicates and trash them. It is recommended that you either select “Check first dupes” or “Check last dupes” but NEVER both! This could get rid of all copies of the file – not what we are intending. The same undesirable outcome will happen if you select “Check all.” Once you have selected the stuff you want gone, you can choose to send them to a new folder for careful review later (recommended) or delete them permanently. The premium version is $19.99 and allows you to send to a recycle bin, instead.

My first scan rid my Documents folders of over 1106 duplicate files and a 103,801 kb of unnecessary junk. My Pictures folder had even more garbage – hundreds of duplicate pictures that I downloaded without deleting from my digital camera more than one or two times. And since my FireFox browser is set to put a copy of all downloads directly on my Desktop, I had more duplicate installation files and application shortcuts than one girl should ever have! This cleaned it up in less than a minute!

Double Killer can mess things up if you’re not sure what you’re doing, but the included help index covers it fairly well. If you’re wanting to use the application for commercial purposes, you’ll need to spring for the full version. For one private workstation, however, this is one free app I’ll use often.

(I have also heard rumblings of some fantastic Open Source versions of a duplicate file scanner, but I haven’t tried them personally. For a good listing of OS options, visit SourceForge and search for "duplicate files".)

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

FREE 2GB iPod Shuffle from Compass Bank

Paul Michael — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:02:10 +0000

Key Bank clearly did very well from their iPod promotion, because Compass Bank is now running almost the exact same deal. With Compass though it's a very cool 2GB iPod Shuffle, and it's free to new customers.

There are a few stipulations (aren't there always?) but they're reasonable. Here's the lowdown on the deal:

Update: MOST IMPORTANT (thanks Bloggrrl):

You must register BEFORE opening a Compass Build-to-Order Free Checking Account online. To ensure timely delivery of email to your inbox, please add getgift@compassbank.com to your trusted email senders list.)

It's for NEW Compass Bank customers only
You need to open the Compass Build-To-Order FREE Checking
You must not have received any promo gifts from Compass in the last 12 months
You have to be over 18 (19 in Alabama)
You need to make a $25 deposit (which you can always get back later)
You have to apply for your Shuffle within 30 days of opening the account
You pay for shipping ($9.95)
Only for residents of Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Texas.
Offer available online only through 06/30/2008. So, hurry!

You can read the full details of the deal here , but trust me when I say I did it a few years ago with Key Bank and it was well worth it. I got the Nano for a $50 deposit and it's been terrific. Brand new, not a refurb, quickly shipped to me and the checking account is great. And as I have a Compass Bank free checking account, too, I can also tell you I'm very happy with that one.

May the music be with you.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Free Doughnut

Julie Rains — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:34:16 +0000

Friday, June 6, 2008 is National Doughnut Day. To celebrate, participating stores of a national chain will offer a free doughnut (one per person) to its guests.

Krispy Kreme announced the giveaway earlier this week. To find a Krispy Kreme store near you, use this locator. According to a spokesperson, nearly all stores will be participating but an online listing is not available, so you might want to call and ask if you are going out of your way in hopes of securing a free treat.

The Salvation Army has been recognizing “Donut Day” for many years, beginning in 1938 to honor the work of those who prepared doughnuts for soldiers during World War I. It all started, according to the Metropolitan Division (Chicago) website, in 1917 Salvation Army workers created the treats for soldiers near the front lines in Montiers, France. They made dough with leftover flour and other items on hand; rolled out and cut pastries with a wine bottle and baking powder tin; and fried them in soldier’s steel helmets on an 18-inch stove. (See this story for details).

In more recent doughnut-related news, all items on the Krispy Kreme menu are now trans-fat free. Though I consider myself impartial in regard to pastries, I should mention that Krispy Kreme’s corporate headquarters and I reside in the same North Carolina town. Hence, I may be more alert to this company’s news.

My favorite is the chocolate-covered, custard-filled doughnut. I used to stop by a store on the way home from swimming practice, after I swam a mile or two. Since then, I rarely partake but was glad to hear that I could enjoy calories at no cost.

If you have too far to go for a free doughnut, you can make these at home like my mom used to do: fry canned biscuit dough and dip in confectioner’s sugar or a mixture of mostly brown sugar with cinnamon. They’re not particularly healthy but they do taste good.

This article is from Julie Rains of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: