Frequently Asked Questions

If an answer to your question is not provided here, you may use the Contact Form to submit your query.

Q: What is Actually Free?
A: Actually Free is a freebie site with how-to articles, directories and other content. Learn more about Actually Free by reading the About page.

Q: There’s no such thing a “free lunch”. What’s the catch?
A: Actually Free will only list freebies that are actually free. This means there is no monetary requirement for obtaining the freebies listed. The “catch” is different with each strategy and is clearly described within each how-to article. This site prides itself in presenting clear and honest information on how to obtain freebies. In some cases the “catch” doesn’t warrant the freebie even if the requirement isn’t monetary. On other occasions the “catch” seems so minimal that some wouldn’t consider it a catch at all. This site simply provides the information; it is up to you to determine if the strategy is worth pursuing. Also, a “free lunch” is possible. See Birthday Freebies and Free Food.

Q: I’m not interested in web freebies, do you actually have free stuff here, as in real stuff?
A: Actually Free is organized to make a clear distinction between offline freebies and freebies that are found online. Free products and services are listed under Free Stuff. I’ve also observed multiple freebie sites online and it gets kind of frustrating when they don’t really list anything of value, especially when they mostly just have ebooks or “free articles” (how lame). However, many web freebies can be valuable so there is a place for those freebies on this site under Web Freebies. There is also a section titled “AF.c Freebies” which are freebies that are offered directly on this site.

Q: I’ve found a freebie online, but I’m not sure if it’s safe or legitimate. What can I do?
A: Site visitors are encouraged to educate themselves on safe web practices. Much of this information can be found at the resources listed under Avoid Scams.

Visitors are welcome to submit freebies to Actually Free Experiments. Webmasters are welcome to apply for the Actually Free Award. Both of these services work in conjunction to provide a non-biased third-party review. If the freebie is actually free and it lives up to it’s claim then it will be eligible for the Actually Free Seal and a report of the author’s experience will be published on this site.

Q: I saw an Actually Free Seal on another website. What is that seal supposed to indicate?
A: When used properly, the seal indicates that the freebie has been human-tested by Actually Free as a non-biased third-party. This shows that the freebie is safe and actually free, meaning there is no monetary requirement. If the details for obtaining that freebie are complicated then they’ll be explained in a review published on this site. All websites and freebies which are eligible for the seal are listed on the “winners” page. If a site uses this seal without an active link to the “winners” page or they are not listed on the “winners” page, then not only are they lying, but they are in violation of copyright since Actually Free owns the rights to that seal. If you ever discover misuse of the Actually Free Seal, then please report it.

Q: Will you please send me some free samples?
A: Actually Free does not maintain a “consumer relations” department. The author himself does not actually send samples to people. If you would like free samples, please see Free Samples & Gifts, Free Samples Directory, Actually Free Samples, and Free Sample Blog Posts.

Q: What can you give me for free? Will you offer me assistance? Can you help me out?
A: Actually Free simply provides information on how to obtain freebies and points visitors to the right resources for obtaining them. Actually Free does not offer monetary assistance to individuals. If you need freebies in general, then browse around the site. It’s packed full of helpful information and resources. If you need help finding a specific freebie, Actually Free offers a Freebie Finding Help service. Visitors can use the Contact Form to request this help and the author will respond with any information that he can find. Usually the author’s reply will be posted on the blog so that others can benefit from it.

Q: Aren’t you worried about encouraging a free-loader society?
A: Actually, yes. That concern has been considered. In most cases the freebie provider is getting something in return even if it is not monetary compensation and most freebies require some effort or work by the recipient. Some freebie markets can be hazardous and unsustainable. For example, with Government Freebies there are three parties involved: the taxpayers, the government, and the freebie recipient. In these cases the freebie is provided at the taxpayer’s expense and can even create an attitude of false entitlement on the part of the recipient. Overuse or mismanagement of funds that make these freebies possible results in a system that is unsustainable. However, the people who abuse these types of freebies are the metaphorical tares among the wheat; the wheat being the people who actually need assistance. And it would be unfair to the “wheat” not to provide that information. Actually Free is simply a provider of information and does not create or manage the systems that make the freebies possible. Information is provided unbiasedly and is presented with the hope that it won’t be abused. There are thrills involved with getting free stuff. Indeed, living within a budget creates worthy feelings of self-accomplishment. Yet, being able to give and the act of giving will provide even greater satisfaction.

Q: Are these links and resources safe?
A: All websites are checked with Site Advisor and Safe Web before they are listed in Actually Free directories. Actually Free also human-tests many of these resources. Read more about what this means.

Q: What is Site Advisor and Safe Web? Why are there so many links to them?
A: Site Advisor and Safe Web are both free services that verify the safety of websites on the internet. They were created by McAfee and Norton respectively, which are both leading providers of anti-virus and web safety software. Since looking for freebies online can pose threats to computers and identity, Actually Free’s policy is to check each website and resource with these two services before they can be listed on this site. Read more.

Q: One of the sites you listed charges money for the product or service. Why is it listed if it’s not “actually free”?
A: The first follow-up question is whether the product or service you found was actually part of this site’s content or simply an advertisement? Advertisements on this site often lead to resources that have fees for services and prices for products. Most often the links and content of these advertisements are not under the control of the Actually Free author.

If the product or service you’re referring to is actually listed as part of the content of this site, then likely the product or service was free at the time it was listed and its status has simply changed. This can occur when products are new or in development and then a price tag is placed when the product is finished and becomes popular. If you’ve found any resources on this site at are not actually free, please use the Contact Form to report what you know.

Q: Would you like to exchange links?
A: Actually Free is maintained with the hope that the content therein merits back links and referrals. Links to other sites are provided on the same principle. If you’re site offers any freebie or free service, that is actually free, legal, and family-friendly, then your site can be listed in Actually Free directories with a free one-way back link. There are a few reasons why Actually Free doesn’t actively or formerly participate in link exchanges (most of the time). One, there are so many directories and links that it becomes impractical to keep a link just to maintain a reciprocal link. When Actually Free changed web hosting providers and the site was down for a few months, there were many emails received stating that reciprocal links would be removed, not because the site was down but because they couldn’t detect a link back to their site. The volume of links already on this site can become overwhelming to the human-editor who creates them. Therefore links aren’t placed just to maintain a reciprocal link. Two, a link exchange is not beneficial to either website in regards to search engine ranking. Search engines only account for one-way back links. Two, since it doesn’t help search engine ranking, that means that when two parties participate in link exchanges solely to exchange web traffic, the website with the lesser amount of traffic gets more of a benefit by feeding off of the site with more traffic. That’s why if a link is to be placed it should lead to good content. If your site has the same or more traffic than Actually Free and you still want to participate in a link exchange then use the Contact Form. A site-wide link can be placed at the footer of this site under “Friends of Actually Free”. Your site must be related to the topics of freebies or personal finance. There is a limit to the number of links placed in the footer and these links are updated about three months.

Q: How can I submit a site to one of your directories? How can my freebie get listed on your site?
A: All resources listed within the content of Actually Free must meet the following criteria:

• The website/resource must offer a freebie that is actually free, meaning there is no monetary requirement for obtaining the freebie. (The author of Actually Free may test this)
• The website/resource must have a good report with Site Advisor and Safe Web.
• The website/resource/freebie must be legal
• The website/resource/freebie must be family friendly

If your website/resource/freebie meets these criteria then use the Contact Form to submit it.

Q: How much does it cost to advertise on your site?
A: See the Advertising page for ad placement options and current fees.

Q: I appreciate what you do here. Can I make a donation for your time?
A: All donations are greatly appreciated. They will help Actually Free to keep moving forward in its mission on showing individuals how to reduce expenses in their budget by getting free products and services. Use the PayPal button on the right to donate. All credit cards are accepted.

Q: May I use some of your content for my website, magazine, ezine, newsletter, book, etc.?
A: Much of the content listed in the Actually Freebies section is available as free web content. The external resources that were used are usually available to all webmasters by the same means of embedding that content on this site. All original content created by Actually Free will have a notice at the bottom of the page indicating whether that content can be used and how it can be used.

Q: I’m from the press OR I’m an author OR I’m a blogger, etc. Can I do a story on your site? Would you be willing to interview?
A: Absolutely! Just use the Contact Form and we’ll make arrangements. You may also find more helpful information on the Press page.