13 things you can get for free

Travel

Road trip: Feel like a vacation but can't afford to fly? If you don't mind hitting the road, Auto Driveaway will let you drive someone else's vehicle from one point to another. The company has 45 U.S. locations and lists about 150 opportunities per month. Requirements: You must be at least 23, possess a valid driver's license and put up a refundable deposit of $350. You have to cover your own gas, food and lodging.

For more information, check out Auto Driveaway's Web site or call 1-800-346-2277.

Free digs: Hotel rooms cost a bundle, especially when you're overseas spending anemic U.S. dollars. Duck that expense by joining the Home Exchange Network and shack up in someone else's home for free. You can either swap digs with someone you meet on the network or host each other as guests.

The network membership fee is $99.95 per year for an unlimited number of exchanges.

Wave rider: Imperial Majesty Cruise Line offers last-minute deals to fill empty cabins in hopes of winning repeat business. Lucky couples can enjoy three-day, two-night cruises gratis. It may be a bit hard to plan a vacation on such short notice, but if you're the spontaneous sort, this deal is for you.

Advice

Wisdom of the ages: These folks have seen it all. Better yet, they are looking to share. At the Elder Wisdom Circle, find a "cyber grandparent" willing to lend insights gleaned from decades past. (Surely the irony of transmitting their thoughts via e-mail has crossed their minds.)

The program is geared toward people in their teens, 20s and 30s, but it's open to anyone looking for enlightenment.

Legal counsel: Hard-core do-it-yourselfers (or those who would just like to keep closer tabs on what their own lawyers are up to) can find free legal advice at freeadvice.com. Founded by Gerry Goldsholle, a lawyer and former Metropolitan Life Insurance executive, the site features advice from hundreds of lawyers on more than 130 legal topics, including insurance, real estate and estate planning.

Though the service is free to visitors, lawyers pay between $1,000 and $10,000 to be listed in the online directory. (For more penny-pinching strategies, check out "How to lower your legal bills.")

Health care

Deep rubs: Recession got your back in knots? A good 45-minute massage could run between $50 and $90, but aspiring therapists will knead you for free at local massage schools. Students, like pilots or machinists, must practice a certain number of hours before getting their licenses. Sure, they're not pros, but how bad could an amateur rubdown be?

Prescription drugs: Perhaps nowhere does inflation sting more than in the health care industry. Luckily, big pharmaceutical companies shower doctors with more drugs than they can store. The next time you need a pricey prescription, just ask for a sample at your appointment. You could save hundreds of dollars.

Indeed, snagging deep discounts often doesn't require as much rooting around as you'd imagine, says Linda Bowman, the author of the "Free Stuff" book series.

Her abiding rule of thumb: "Whether shopping in a department store or booking a vacation, if you're looking for a discount, it never hurts to ask."

This story was reported and written by Melanie Lindner for Forbes.com.

Published Sept. 5, 2008

< previous |  1 | 2 |