Thursday, November 18, 2010

Conference Bags are not Often Useless

Conference bags as forms of free stuff? For my job, I often travel all over the world attending different conferences. While this kind of jet setting can seem quite glamorous, it will often get tiring living out of a suitcase. If there is one thing I have learned by attending so many conferences, it is what a vast array of promotional material is distributed at these events. Every conference is unique in terms of what promotional material is available. Some vendors like to give away cute little desk toys that are broken or lost usually before I check out of the hotel. Others go upscale and provide conference bags, something useful.

What vendors give away, or offer as incentives if you purchase their product says a great deal about a vendor. Two to three times a year, I will end up at a conference where some particular vendors give away conference bags. These bags not only have a company logo, but also the name and date of the conference. This is indeed pure class! Giving away things at conferences is pretty standard marketing now. However, it is quite a rare company that will give away something that is very useful after the conference is already over.

These conference bags of the particular company are also available in three varieties. There are the ones they give away just for spending some time with them (I have two of them in different colors). The tote bags are sturdy and well made, but also are probably inexpensive enough to provide a quality marketing tool without costing them an arm and a leg. Because I still use one of these bags when I am at the office and one of my kids will carry another bag at school, the bags will get used. Then there is the bag if they will give if you will actually purchase their own software package. They had a back pack style bag last year and are now offering a sport bag, large enough to actually take my stuff to the gym. I have been drooling over one of these typesof bags for months already. The last variety is the one the staff gets to use while traveling and these are uber sweet meeting bags. (see free stuff)

The Hidden Costs of Online Freebies

Are you trying to find something that costs absoutely nothing? If so, then you may just find yourself at the Craigslist.org. Craigslits is on online classified site and service that gives user free stuff section. Try clicking on your local page and you will likely see hundreds of free things. What you will then find would include books, movies, clothes, furniture, appliances, and a whole lot more. With that said, watch out for hidden costs. Even though the Craigslist ad boasts the word 'free', you will only end up spending a little amount of money.

Hidden Cost #1 - Gas
Although not necessarily a hidden cost, it is one that Craigslist free takers rarely think about. Now, if you would be driving two blocks away just to pick a free couch, that isn't such a bad idea. However, driving two hourse for that free couch will even cost you more. You can drive as far as you want to get free things (like a $2,000 used swing set for free), but consider the cost of gas the cost of the swing set.

Hidden Cost #2 - Repairs
It is either hit or miss as to whether you would get an honest person on the Craigslist. Plus, you can just use your best judgment. A person that would be giving a 2 - year old laptop computer is likelt to be doing so, because it was broken, even if they would not say it. If you buy an item (knowingly or not) that is broken, you have a choice to make. You can either trash the item or pay for repairs. In some cases, repairs are considered the best. What if that free laptop only needed a $30 power cord? You still get an awesome deal, but it really isn't free anymore.

Hidden Cost #3 - Cleaning Supplies
Rarely does a Craigslist poster go out of their way to scrub down kid's toys and other items. It is absolutely free, so they will not get anything in return in doing so. You will never know and probably do not want to know where most of these stuffs on the Craigslist have been.

How you can Get Free Stuff Online

Do you wish to have enough cash so you can buy those snazzy wrist bands? Are you wishing that you can change your watches just like when you change your clothes; however, you always find yourself crippled by your pocket? If you answered yes, then read on.

You can never own most of what you desire you can have, but you can always do that without even shelling even a single penny from your pocket. All you need is a computer and an internet connection. There is a plethora of websites which offer free gifts as free samples, or initial releases of their stuff. All that they need from you is your comments and feedback of the free stuff.

There are a lot of manufacturers and advertisers that are willing to give away some free gifts as a sample of their products. Some of them are totally free and for some others, you only have to pay a meager amount. There is a number of websites, such as tiktikcash and freebies that have plenty of free stuff for trial. There are also other websites that are offering free gifts, such as freestuff.com and freethings.com. Most of these websites have the facility of shipping the stuff, and require filling of a small form.

You can easily find free screen savers, email addresses and anti-spyware programs. Aside from that, you can also get free coupons that may be redeemed at the other websites. Hence, you can just rummage through the internet for those coupon sites and offer sites, since these sites are the extensive resource of coupons and heavy rebates.

There are a number of websites which offer free gifts if purchase has been made from selected websites online. If there are offers on items which are essential to you and you buy them irrespective of the discounts or not, then just buy them and collect the points or coupons and maximize the benefits on them.

Even those retail giants like Walmart are giving away free stuff as samples. Just log on to walmart.com and search for free samples. Generally, they would give away diapers, maxi pads, tampon, coffee, as their free stuff. However, for you to do that, you will need to create your account at their website.  For them it has proved to be a very effective strategy, they get direct feedback about their products from their customers.

Quick Money Makers

Starting a new business is always a difficult step, depending on the vertical market you decide to take on there will always be competitors who will try to beat the way you do business, this is true as far as the brick and mortar businesses and it is also true for online based businesses, however, those online entrepreneurs have one key advantage, valuable information.

We have all heard that the principle of all types of businesses is buying low and selling high, this is until there would be enough competitors in the market and it can reach the point of equilibrium between the demand and supply. Small businesses rely on other businesses which are going out of businesses to get their merchandise at discounted prices, some even resort to yard sales to gather their valuables, antique shops are a great example; retail market is the business medium where we see that one man's garbage is another man's treasure.

Online entrepreneurs who take part on the retail market have struggled after facing fierce competition. The good electronic market is so fast - changing and the demand is always high; however, this high demand does not always mean some high revenues. At the moment, we all have thousands of retailers that are competing against each other on some similar niches where the prices would start to drop until they already reached an equilibrium point that may drive small businesses out of this sector. In several cases, the equilibrium price that is reached is lower than wholesale cost, at which the goods were being purchased; so, how does the online entrepreneur survive under these types of conditions?

One great recommendation is to diversify your investments and to explore new niches where the product prices are not being taken down by the competitors. People are always looking for deals, and things get even better when these deals are coupled with the word: free. Free products are considered the best way to go as far as the online businesses; there are a lot of companies that try to build their own brand by trying to draw some attention to them through giving away some free stuff; this is indeed a grea opportunity for entrepreneurs to be turning these advertisement methods into cash.

Finding Free Stuff For Single Parents

Single parents often have to stretch every dime they have. One way to make your money go a little further is to get free stuff for single parents.

Craigslist would be the first place to check online. Just look in the free section items.

Another online source is the Freecycle Yahoo! Group. A Yahoo! Group is an email list where you can send and receive emails from other group members. Freecycle groups is usually based on location, so join the area that is nearest you.Etiquette of the group dictates if it is worthy to get free items. Often times the first person to respond to the email will get the item. If you are successful, make sure to take another person with you to pick up your freebie for safety reasons. Clothing, books, household, and some unusual items are usually offered.

Often times coupons are offering items for no cost. Your local newspaper is a good source, or you can search for online coupons. You can ask your friends to save their coupon inserts and give it to you.

By being a dumpster diver you can get some. Many perfectly usable things are thrown away. Learn when garbage day is for affluent neighborhoods and drive down the streets the night before. You might be surprised of the things you can get.

Do you take prescription medications? At your next visit, ask your doctor for some samples. If you are not taking a generic version. For coupons, check the website of the drug company. By just trying their medication, some drug companies offer a free one-month supply.

Spread the word to your friends. You may find someone that has just what you need. Give to someone a thing that he will benefit, if you have something.

Do your family enjoy eating outside? In local chain restaurants, kids maybe offered eat free nights. Usually you can get one or two kids meals for free if you purchase an adult meal.

Another source of free stuff are online freebie sites. There you can find coupons, product samples, t-shirts, software and many other useful things. Many sites offer a newsletter that you can register for to keep up with what's new on the site.