I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Freebies at About.com. Whether you are a newcomer to the Net or a seasoned surfer you will find some cool items and services that don't cost you a penny. You will want to bookmark this site and stop by often because I will be continually adding new links to free stuff as well as providing you with timely articles on some aspect of freebies on the Internet.
You may be wondering if you can really get goods and services for free on the Internet. You sure can. There must be a catch right? Most of the time the only "catch" is you need to fill out a form or send email. As your guide, I will be finding the best free stuff and free services for you. I will be concentrating on true Internet freebies. This means that I will not post every free offer I see. Usually I will avoid those offers that require you to pay shipping, send a self addressed stamped envelope, or to make a phone call. I will sometimes make an exception if I see a truly outstanding offer that is worth the extra trouble.
Before I outline what kinds of freebies you will find here, let's take a little closer look at why there are free offers on the Net. Part of the reason that there are so many sites on the Net offering freebies is rooted in the culture of the Internet. The Internet is a huge community of users and providers. There is a strong tradition of "giving something back" to the Net Community in exchange for the benefits that are received. This is often manifested as a free service of some type. This is part of what has made the Internet such a useful and self-sustaining entity.
Beyond the culture of the Net there are many reasons for companies and organizations to provide free items and services. Whenever anything is offered for free it builds a lot of traffic for a web site. Companies often give free samples of a product or provide a no frills service in hopes that you will like what they offer and buy from them. Brand recognition is another reason to offer something for free. A good example is the mousepad I am using. AT&T sent it to me just for asking. At the bottom left corner is "1-800-call-att". By seeing this everyday, it is more likely I will use the number if I need to make a collect call.
As your guide, I am excited about having the opportunity to help you find cool freebies. I think you will find some items and services that make you say "Wow, I didn't think something this cool or useful could be free!".