Even More Free Stuff
Free Microsoft Office 2003, teleconference calls, scanner software, faxing services, and egg-peeling tips.
Lately I've been on a mission to save money. It might have something to do with the looming tax season, or maybe it's that I haven't had a raise in years. Whatever--this week I came across some terrific deals, and I want to share them with you.
But first, a request: When I tell you about a freebie, a great rebate offer, or a remarkable discount, please review the following disclaimer before writing to me.
Ed Bott alerted me to a nifty deal from Microsoft--a free copy of Office Small Business Management Edition.
The catch? There are three: First, you have to watch three Microsoft Webcasts and evaluate each one. Second, Microsoft will send you a W-9: "Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the recipient." Finally, the offer is good only in the U.S.
Go to Microsoft's Small Business Summit site for details. Ed explains some of the tax issues in his blog.
A PR flak invited me to join him in a conference call with the CEO of a company he represents--nothing unusual about that.
He sent me a phone number and an access code (a PIN that allows participants into the teleconference)--again, nothing odd here.
But when I looked at the phone number, I was annoyed: It wasn't toll-free. I know, I'm a cheapskate. What was great, though, is that I got to try FreeConferenceCall (I guess the PR flak is a cheapskate too).
Just sign up with your e-mail address and a password, and you get a phone number and an access code. Give your friends or coworkers the info; set a time for the teleconference; and you're good to go.
Most scanners can also function like photocopiers. Just scan a document and redirect the results to your printer.
If your scanner can't do this, or it's kludgy to use, try iDev's ICarbon. The free utility has presets for black-and-white, grayscale, and color; it also loads quickly and sends a scanned document to the printer in seconds.
I use eFax for incoming faxes. The service gives me a free fax number with an area code that's somewhere in Ohio. Faxes are delivered to my inbox as an e-mail attachments. There's no charge; there's no limit on the number of incoming faxes; and I get only occasional spam from eFax pitching upgrades.
To fax docs from my PC, I use Fax1. You pay a paltry 12 cents per page, and you get a dollar in credit to try the service. I send so few faxes that I'm still using my free trial.
Why don't I use Fax1 for incoming faxes? Fax1 charges $9 per month to receive faxes, while eFax is free. Oh, and I still have a fax machine--I need it for those pesky sign-and-return faxes. (More about that in an upcoming column.)
You know how hard it is to peel hard-boiled eggs. I've heard of dozens of tricks for making it easier, like using fresh eggs, boiling them in vinegar, adding salt to the boiling water, and sticking the cooked eggs in a paper bag with garlic cloves.
Here are a few gadgets to help with this important task.
The first is the Eggstractor, a strange little device that may or may not work; I haven't tried it. An ABC TV station in Philadelphia wasn't impressed, but the TV Gadget Judge gave it a partial thumbs up.
OTOH, you might already have one of these tools lying around the house:
If none of these peels your egg, visit EggPeeling.com for more ideas.
- Bass is simply passing along information; he isn't endorsing or recommending the product or company. He may or may not partake in the offer.
- Bass doesn't check to see if the offer is available outside the U.S.
- If you miss the offer deadline and feel miffed, don't tell Bass. Instead, consider it fodder for your next psychotherapy session.
- If the product arrives late, fails to perform properly, causes your spouse to ask for a divorce, or otherwise disappoints you, have another chat with your therapist--don't write to Bass.
Steve Bass
