Free Directory Assistance (411)

1-800-FREE411 (1-800-373-3411) really works, and it's free to you.

The catch: a 12 second advertisement of a local business that plays before you get assistance -- if it competes with the number you've requested. You then get to choose whether to stay with the business you've originally requested, or opt to call its advertising competitor.

Not calling a business? No ad.

The service also provides the option of connecting by pressing a single number on your keypad, rather than writing the number down or holding it in short-term memory.

When I called, there was a number of rings before the call connected. However, I got a real human being on the line. Big plus. And, I asked for a friend's residence number. The automated number immediately popped up; it was correct; and it repeated twice, so I had more than enough time to get the number in my head and dial it myself.

Why is it free? The advertisers are paying for it. Good for them.

Source: Snopes.com, mercola.com

AARP Offers Lots of Free Tax Help

AARP offers online help as well as personal counseling via its Tax-Aide program. Lots of basic questions are answered in its FAQ section. Wondering about your sale of securities, or which form to use? Those questions are answered here.

Across the country, AARP has over 30,000 volunteers at 8,500 locations. (At the site, if you input your zip code, you can find the closest Tax-Aide location.)

Here, IRS-certified volunteers provide both counseling and preparation services to millions of low- and middle-income taxpayers, with special attention to those ages 60 and older. These Tax-Aide folk also can be scheduled to visit with your group; this can be arranged online. Or, you can send in your questions online, and file electronically if you choose to do so.

The cost of all this help? Zip. It's free. All of it.

Freebies Online - A Freebie Directory

Volition.Com heralds itself as the oldest freebie site on the Web. With its organization of freebies by topic (fonts, software, magazines, music, movies, etc.) it's a phenomenal source for great deals.