None of that "Buy One, Get One" stuff here. We report on actual free stuff. Keep checking back, we're always adding items, often with the help of Miserly Maxine, a frugal friend who can sniff out a freebie ten miles away!

SELF-EMPLOYED? CONSIDERING IT?
You'll want to read "It Sure Beats Working: 29 Quirky Stories and Practical Business Lessons for the First-Time, Mid-Life, Solo Professional." Author Michael Katz is offering a free download of the first four chapters. This book is full of insights and humor about striking out on your own.

TIPS ON TIPPING
Jodi Smith of Mannersmith.com will send you a wallet-size reference card to guide you to an appropriate tip. You'll also find a Thank You Note Wizard.

SIMPLIFY THAT SECURITY CHECK
Natalia Ippolito's book title says it all. You can get a free sample of her good advice and good sense at her website where you can download

• "369 Must Know Tips" - to help you sail through airport checkpoints,
• "Airport Security Violations and Fines" - did you know it could cost you up to $1,500 just for annoying TSA screeners?
• or "Ultimate Packing List" - details on what you can carry on, check, or leave at home.

LOVE TO READ? FREE BOOKS HERE!
This is brilliant. It's an online exchange for used books. You list at least 9 books you want to swap. Every time you send a book, you get a credit for another book. You pay the postage when you mail a book to someone else (probably $2.13 at Media Mail rates.) Check out PaperbackSwap.

HOUSEHOLD STUFF
Free wine charms. Answer questions about South Africa. Doesn't matter if you get them right.

Nice reusable shopping bag from Rice Select.

Rocky water nourishes house plants, outdoor plants, and shrubs!

Stainless steel cleaner from Elkay.

AND LOTS TO READ FROM UNCLE SAM
The US Government Printing Office is a great source of useful information on health, finances, consumer issues, and more. Many of their publications are free. The rest typically cost $0.50 to $2, but you can often download a free PDF version. Start here. Explore, order some booklets. Let us know what you find.

FREE FLU SHOTS
Don't put it off. And don't trivialize it. You have probably had a flu at least once and you were over it in a few weeks. You were lucky. The flu kills 30,000 - 40,000 people each year. And there is something we can do about it. Flu shots aren't foolproof, but they improve your odds and may help you fight it off if you do get it.

You can find free or inexpensive flu shots at some town halls, senior centers, and at chain drugstores. Just do it!

FREE 411 SERVICE: On my cell phone, an Information call costs $1.95! That's ridiculous, even if they do connect the call for me. But I've found an alternative. Call 800-373-3411. You'll have to listen to a very short ad, but you'll save $1.95. As they say on TV, that's 800-373-3411.

SPEAKING OF PHONES...NEW CELL ON OLD ACCOUNT
We all know you can get a free cell phone with a new account. I asked the AT&T/Cingular store if they had a free phone for a faithful old customer. They turned me down.

But a few days later, the folks at Radio Shack gave me a FREE Samsung camera phone. I had to sign up for two more years, but I had planned to stay with AT&T so that's no problem. They tell me they can do this for any AT&T/Cingular customer with a phone more than two years old. And they can access your account and see how old your phone is. They know that the AT&T/Cingular stores can't offer this and they don't understand it any more than I do.

They gave my husband a new phone too. And we're on a pretty low-end plan. If you're going for email, internet access, heavy texting, they'll probably offer you an even better phone.

Radio Shack also offers Sprint services, but I didn't look into what they offer Sprint customers. If you do, let us know.

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT....STARGAZING
The Museum of Science's rooftop observatory is open on Friday evenings, 8:30-10 for stargazing (weather permitting). Peek through their 12" Meade LX200 telescope. Museum staff is on hand. Call 617-589-0267 or click here.

BIRTHDAY FREEBIES
Birthday coming soon? Cool off with ice cream - courtesy of local establishments. Sign up for a free birthday ice cream from Baskin-Robbins, Friendly's, and Coldstone's, among others. And, on your way, stop for a free vehicle wash, if you are a member of car wash 'clubs', like RoJo's and ScrubADub.

For restaurants that give you a free dessert (or other deal) on your birthday, click here.



FREE AUDIOBOOKS
I listen to audio books while I drive. Mostly, I borrow tapes or CDs from my town library or libraries in neighboring towns. But there's an even easier free source.

Many public libraries belong to a service that provides downloadable audio books. The systems and access vary; just inquire at your public library. You can download to a computer, then onto an MP3 player (not an iPod for at least one of the vendors.)

LEARN SOMETHING - FREE

• Aerodynamics, Music Theory, Econometrics, Whatever. If they teach it at MIT, you'll probably find it in their Open Courseware Program. You'll find hundreds of courses listed.
• Learn a language. The BBC, yes the BBC, offers podcastable lessons in many languages. www.bbc.co.uk/languages.
• The Small Business Administration, SBA, offers classes to help you start or run a business. Everything from business plans to taxes. Go to www.sba.gov, click on local resources, then select "counseling and training" in the right column.
• Apple Stores offer free workshops, about 50 minutes long. The downside - it's all about Mac. Go to Apple.com, click 'visit an Apple store"

FOR THE KIDS

• Baby cereal bowl from BeechNut
• print these coloring pages for your kids
• "cool spuds" washable tatoos

FOR HISTORY TEACHERS
Classroom manuals from the History Channel: Choose as many as you want:

• The Declaration of Independence.

• The Missouri River: A Journey with Stephen Ambrose.
• The National World War II Memorial.
• The White House 200th Anniversary

FOR ALL TEACHERS
Wall poster of the Earth at night lists the ten ways to help save Planet Earth. It's Cool to Care

CONTACT LENS WEARERS
Clear Care Contact Lens Cleaning and Disinfecting Solution from CibaVision. Get the rebate certificate here.

PERSONAL CARE

CVS has some nice offers in December:

• buy their bagged cough drops - assorted flavors - for $0.99, get $0.99 back in CVS Extra Bucks. You can get up to 5 packages. The Extra Bucks are used like cash the next time you shop at CVS.
• Oasis moisturizing mouthwash is $5.99, with $5.99 back
• Extreme Energy 6-hour shot is $4.99, with $4.99 back. (I'll admit I'm skeptical. The label says "world's most extreme energy shot".)

Mystery Shampoo seems to be a new brand.

Three types of Jergens skin moisturizer.

Head & Shoulders shampoo - select Dry Scalp Care or Smooth & Silky.

Neutrogena Soap Dish & Cosmetic Brush. Call 1-800-582-4048 8am-5pm EST. Press 0 for an operator and tell them you'd like the Soap Dish and Cosmetic Brush. They require name, address, and daytime phone number.

Maybelline Superstay Silky Foundation from Walmart.

Walmart offers vary and they run out of samples quickly. Last time I checked, they had skin care, 2 kinds of shampoo, Nutrasweet, and TylenolPM.

Kroger also offers samples. I found Pepcid Complete, Kotex, Nicoderm, Huggies, Fiber One Cereal, and Biz laundry detergent.

Dunhill Pursuit men's cologne

Lacoste Essential Fragrance For Men Look for the "try it now" button

Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Skin Care products

Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer.

Anti-flatulence filter for your underwear. We don't make this up, we just report it.

EDIBLES
Old El Paso taco seasoning and recipe book.

Paradise Coffee.

Nescafe Taster's Choice Coffee.

Sun Crystals Natural Sweetener. I think this is brown sugar dressed up in party clothes.

Monkey Brains Oatmeal.

WEARABLES I don't think many of us need more tshirts, but we included them because they're free. Maybe you're that unusual person who wears out tshirts and needs more.

Hat sizer. Do you know what size hat you wear? I don't.

Shirt from Wendy's.

Dixie Rebels tshirt from Dixie State College, Utah.

Runner's socks.

National Guard t-shirt

Tshirt from Contitech. What's Contitech?

YOUR OFFICE I haven't included offers for free pens because most of us are already overwhelmed with promotional pens.

Peachtree Pro Accounting 2008: Buy it at Staples for $169.99. Get $30 instant savings, then $140 mail-in rebate. And if you've got a Staples Business Rewards card, I think you get 2% back. Yeah, it's only $3.40, but now you've made money. I'm not sure how long this offer runs, probably through December.

Assortment of Post-It products.

Enter a drawing for a high-end copier and request Xerox paper samples - at the bottom of the page.

Request a sample of a very nice bubble mailer.

Packing supplies: if you use USPS Priority Mail, you don't have to pay for envelopes, cartons, or tape. Just ask at your PO. If you're going to be shipping lots of packages, order your own supplies.

Samples of transparency film and durable paper from 3M.

National Scenic Highway maps of US and Canada.

Free trade magazines in your industry.
. . . and more free trade mags here.

Prepaid envelopes. I know there has to be a catch, but I haven't figured out what it is.

YOUR PETS
Pet food, shampoo, vitamins, and more. Request one sample each month.

Dry catfood sample from Walmart.

AND MORE
Free Wildflower seeds from Burt's Bees.

Arts & Crafts glue film. They claim this is an alternative to your glue gun. Request your sample here.

Music from Bass beer.

Free music CD when you request a catalog. We don't know what kind of music it is.

Sync magazine, targeted for guys who love techie gadgets. Ten-month subscription.

ArmorAll Car products Select "offers", then find the free sample link.

Pedometer from Del Monte Starter kit toward healthy living includes the pedometer, coupons, and recipes. They even enter you in a weekly drawing for $250. Click on "take the pledge." They do ask a few nosy questions. You decide if you want to tell the truth.

Little cross-stitch projects from DMC.