SolveYourProblem
Article Series: Freebies
How To Get Stuff For Free
Freebie
Websites, What's The Catch?
Remember that old saying, "There's no
such thing as a free lunch?" Well, it's not true—there
are plenty of freebies out there. However, there are some things
you should know about if you are going to go after these freebies.
The World Wide Web is awash with web sites that like to offer
visitors with loads of tempting freebies. But although many
of these are legitimate offers, there are some things you should
know about these freebie sites. Here are some things to know
about these freebie sites.
Getting Things for Free—A Caveat
Here is the basic caveat when it comes to these freebie offers—there
is usually something you will have to endure in order to get
your freebie. Although you may not have to make any sort of
financial contribution or monetary expense, you will have to
pay in some small non-monetary way. Here is a quick rundown
of various kinds of 'catches' that you may come across as you
seek out the best of the web's freebies.
Watching Ads Before You Get to the Good Stuff
One of the most common techniques that websites will use before
you can get access to their freebies is to force you to watch
ads. There are many different versions of this method. Many
sites that promote freebies will support their site through
advertisements. Most advertisements show up as pop-up or banner
ads. Some websites also use video websites. With the ubiquity
of high speed Internet, video ads have lately become the preferred
method of advertisement on many websites. The less subtle of
these ads are the pop-up and banner ads. Pop-up ads are often
quite obtrusive and they can interrupt your enjoyment of the
website. You might want to avoid ad-based freebie sites at
work, as these can often interfere with your screen. Many popular
freebie websites also offer ad-free versions of their content.
This may be something to consider if you really find the website's
content valuable.
Be Wary of Automatic E-mail Sign-Ups
Many freebie websites will sign you up automatically for their
email newsletters. The worst-case scenario is when the website
allows its partners to bombard you with email ads. What is
the best way to avoid getting on an unwanted email list? Read
the fine print, and whenever you get the option, uncheck the
opt-in box at the very bottom of the page.
Take Care of Your Privacy
Many sites that offer freebies make money by selling the personal
information that they gain from their web traffic. In order
to avoid having your personal information being sold, you should
avoid giving your personal information to websites that can't
provide you with an upfront privacy policy. You should also
look for the TRUSTe seal that ensures your personal information
is kept secure and private. Also, never provide more information
than you need to provide.
Avoid Large Downloads Whenever Possible
Another thing you should watch out for are large downloads.
Although there are many legitimate large downloads out there,
you should avoid sites that don't tell you exactly what you
are downloading, how long the download will take, and how big
the file size is.
Watch Out for Disappearing Websites
If there is one thing to know about freebie websites is that
they are often 'here today, gone tomorrow' type enterprises.
Many freebie websites simply don't survive for very long. You
should think hard before committing to a website that offers
free services that you will have to depend on. The last thing
you want is to depend on a website's services, and then have
those services disappear or suspended.
# # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2009
> Home > Freebie
Tips: Main Page
|
