Safe Surfing - Protect your Pocket

It is a sad fact of life that something that may be advertised as free may not be free.

That terrific free sample you have just signed up for may not be free, and may turn out to be very expensive, if you have to pay an exhorbitant shipping and handling fee.

Think whether it is worth your while paying S&H on an item that is offered for free. Could you buy the same item for less than the shipping at you local store? Is the quality / amount the same as you might purchase locally? How much would it cost you to wrap and post that sample back to the supplier? Are they trying to make money from the shipping and handling?

Also, remember that your email address has a value and many online retailers are offering their free stuff or free samples in return for your valuable email address - they are in the business of selling and will be looking to convert you into a paying customer at some point in the future. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, it is good business, BUT.... YOU MUST BE AWARE! You are giving something (your email address) in return for something (the free sample)..... Was it a good trade? - did YOU get good value for what YOU have supplied?

Sometimes, online retailers will offer you a free product sample in return for answering an online survey or online questionaire. If you have plenty of time you might not mind spending twenty minutes or so in return for a small quantity of a product as a free sample. Just make sure you are aware of the time you are giving - your time and input as a consumer is your payment for that "free sample"...... again, be sure you are getting value for what you give.

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