Why companies want to give you something for free: Companies generally love to offer free product samples because it gives consumers the opportunity to take a product for a test ride before they have to financially commit to it. People generally don't step out on a limb for a brand they don't know - even if it's more affordable, but given the chance to try it without a commitment, consumers often find a product they actually prefer that may even save them some money.

A crash 101 on freebies: To sum it all up, freebies are free products and samples that can range from bath products, t-shirts and makeup to electronic devices, condoms, and gourmet food. Companies that offer free products will ship them right to your mailbox ---again--- for free.

Avoiding the dark world of non-freebies: I'm sure this is fairly obvious, but a non-freebie is anything that is not free. Don't be deceived though, there are plenty of offers out there that claim to be free that aren't. Stay away from the "just complete these paid offers to get a free..." (laptop, ipod, or whatever it is). Yes, you might get the "free" laptop, but probably not until you've spent six months and your life savings completing paid offers! Another one to be careful of is the - "just pay shipping and handling" offers. You'll likely pay a good bit more than the freebie would cost if you went out and bought it! That's because these scams overcharge on shipping so that they actually turn over profit on something they're claiming is "free."

Information needed to get free products: The only information you should need to give to get a freebie is the name and address you'd like it sent to and often an email address.

Your quest to find free stuff on the web: With the dark world of freebies in mind, try Googling some key terms like "free samples," free products," and "freebies." Browse the listings until you find some legitimate sites with a good variety to choose from or try visiting some of the sites on my list of favorites below.

Links To Freebie Paradise:

• WWW.NIIMAE.COM - Niimae offers a great list of legitimately free products.
• WWW.THUNDERFAP.COM - Thunderfap has a nice list of completely free stuff and is updated on a regular basis.
• WWW.MYSAVINGS.COM - MySavings has a great variety of updated freebies and an assortment of free trials and bargains.

Your free stuff on the road: Sometimes freebies show up in just a few days, but don't be surprized if it takes a few weeks to a month until you see them in the mail!