As much as I love the word, I have to admit
it makes me suspicious. Just this week I won a “free” vacation, but the
fine print says I need to send in a cashier's check to claim my prize.
Sadly, “free” is usually a sneaky way to clean out my wallet.

But every now and then an exception comes along that's truly free-no
strings attached, no hidden agendas. Here are my favorites, and all you
really need is an Internet connection to go online.

Business cards
VistaPrint
is an online printing company known for its amazing offer of 250 free
business cards. They're good-quality, too. Visit vistaprint.com, create your card and all you have to pay is about five bucks for shipping.

Why's it free?
VistaPrint would like you to join their 12 million customers who buy
printing online, so they offer this enticement. Just know that once you
get your business cards, you may hear from them a lot.

Expert computer help
If
you've ever had a computer problem and wanted to pull out your hair in
frustration, this is for you. Need to solve a hardware glitch? Want to
learn how to use HTML? Submit your question at protonic.com and you'll get a pretty prompt answer e-mailed to you from a volunteer expert.

Why's it free?
It's no secret that many computer manufacturers provide mediocre
support for their own products and charge good money for it. The folks
at Protonic are tired of this sort of treatment, and believe it or not,
their service is free because they enjoy helping people.

Spanish lessons
Want
to learn the basics of practical spoken Spanish? Sign up (some classes
are 12 weeks) and you'll get weekly e-mails from a teacher with lessons
and learning tips. You can also learn French, German, Italian,
Portuguese, Greek, Mandarin Chinese and more. Go to bbc.co.uk/languages

Why's it free?
The BBC, one of the world's largest broadcasting corporations, is on a
mission to enrich people's lives with programs and services that inform,
educate and entertain.

Business classes
Learn
everything from how to write a business plan to how to finance your
venture through the Small Business Administration's website (sba.gov).
Online courses are free and self-paced; they take about 30 minutes each
to complete. Free in-person classes are also offered at SBA district
offices and resource partners around the country.

Why's it free?
The SBA was created in conjunction with the government to help U.S.
citizens learn how to become successful entrepreneurs. Support comes
through financing of SBA loans.

Credit report
If
you haven't done this already, do it now. Everyone is entitled to one
credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus each year free
of charge. Go to annualcreditreport.com
and follow the directions. You will be offered many options for which
you must pay, but stay on target for the free report. Caution: There are
dozens of services on the Internet that pose as sources for free credit
reports, but they really cost you money. Ignore them.

Why's it free? It's mandated by law, and this site is sponsored by the three major companies-Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.

Wi-Fi hot spots
Would
you like to know which restaurants and coffee shops in your
neighborhood offer free wireless Internet access? Get a directory at wififreespot.com.

Why's it free? The company probably wants to build traffic to its site and derives financial support through advertising.

Time-management organizer
Create an up-to-the-minute to-do list complete with reminders via instant message or e-mail through RememberTheMilk.com.
Upload Remember The Milk to your cell phone and you'll always have your
grocery list with you. And when someone at home adds to the list while
you're walking into the store, you'll be sent an update.

Why's it free?
The majority of the site's features are free, but a subscription ($25
for the year) gives you access to some additional premium features.

Silver jewelry
This is going to have you scratching your head. The Silver Jewelry Club (silverjewelryclub.com)
offers high-quality jewelry including silver rings, earrings, pendants
and bracelets (most of them with genuine gemstones). It really is free,
provided you pay the modest shipping charge of $5.99. We're not talking
junk here. As a consumer, your humble columnist, who is allergic to
nickel silver, can attest to the remarkable quality of these pieces.

Why's it free?
Giving away jewelry is SJC's way of introducing their products-they
also sell their jewelry through wholesalers and stores. I have never
received a single solicitation from the company.

Online checking account
Hang
on, this is huge. We're not talking savings account, but an online
checking account that is completely free, with no monthly fee attached.
Electric Orange, through ING Direct (ingdirect.com),
is a paperless checking account (no checks or checkbook!) that pays you
up to 3.4 percent interest on your balance (as of press time). You can
do everything-deposit your paycheck, pay bills, send a paper or
electronic check, transfer money-securely online. (Of course, you'll pay
a fee if you send paper checks, drop your overdraft line of credit
balance below zero or require a stop payment.)

Why's it free? ING is looking to add new customers. And because they use no paper and have no branches, costs are low.

Cookbooks
The popular website Allrecipes.com,
which features recipes from home cooks, now offers free downloadable
cookbooks for many occasions (listed under “Tips & Advice”). The
pictures are incredible and there are many to choose from. My favorite?
Summer Picnics.

Why's it free? This site derives its revenues through advertising and other sources, so members pay no fees.

Sheet music
Want arrangements of classical pieces for free download? MutopiaProject.org
has 1,272 pieces available based on editions in the public domain,
including works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, Mozart and many
others for piano, guitar, cello, voice and more.

Why's it free?
This is a labor of love by a team of volunteers who are involved in
typesetting the music for electronic distribution. High-quality copies
are available for a cost, but you're not pressured to buy them.

Radio service
Pandora.com
is like your own personal radio service. You type in an artist, and the
service plays songs by that artist and others with a similar style. You
can't download music, but you can listen and manage your own
“stations.”

Why's it free? The site offers a free ad-supported service as well as a paid option where you don't see ads.

Gently used stuff
One person's castoff is another person's treasure at freecycle.org.
By joining your local Freecycle chapter, you can get used furniture,
household appliances and a variety of other items. Just know that those
who take are also expected to give. However, no money is allowed to
change hands.

Why's it free? Freecycle is a grassroots,
nonprofit movement of people committed to helping the environment by
reusing goods and keeping stuff out of landfills.

Photo organizer
Picasa (picasa.google.com)
is a free software download from Google that helps you locate and
organize all the photos on your computer. You can edit and add effects,
share photos with others through e-mail, print them or upload them to
the web. It's fast and easy.

Why's it free? Originally a
pricey piece of software, Picasa was purchased by Google, then made
free as an enhancement to the whole family of Google products.

Spam filter
Say
so long to all those annoying solicitations that clog your e-mail.
Spamato, an add-on for Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird and Mozilla Mail,
does what it can to kill the junk. PC World magazine recently named
Spamato one of its 101 Fantastic Freebies. Get your download at spamato.net

Why's it free? The company wants to make spam filtering available to as many computer users as possible.

Directory assistance
If
you're tired of paying a fee each time you dial 411, here's your
alternative. Dial 800-FREE-411, then follow the prompts to get your
desired number by phone or text message. Works for both residential and
business listings throughout the U.S.

Why's it free?
This service is advertising-driven. You dial in, listen to a 10-second
sponsored message, then proceed to get the number you need.

Family calendar
Finally, all the information you need in one place. Famundo.com
is an online calendar, address book and message board. The site merges
each individual's schedule into one calendar, which you can access with a
personal code from any computer. Very cool.

Why's it free?
The basic free version is ad-supported but not in an in-your-face way.
Famundo wouldn't be upset if you upgraded to the “Plus” version for
about $10 a month, but it's not required, nor will you be hounded.